DC COMICS
WRITERS: Geoff Johns, Sterling Gates
ARTISTS: Ivan Reis, Ethan Van Sciver, J.G. Jones, Patrick Gleason, Joe Prado
COVERS: Ivan Reis, Oclair Albert

This book is a "Who's Who" of the recent "Sinestro Wars" storyline in the Green Lantern books with short biographies of over 200 characters, both minor and major. There are only a few pages devoted to actual stories in this issue and they don't really affect the outcome of the big Sinestro Corps crossover, making them largely unnecessary to understanding the big event. But for a fan of the Green Lantern series, this book should be very interesting. Scores of Green Lantern and Sinestro Corps members get a short profile which explains their backgrounds and fleshes them out. There is also information on the history of the Guardians of the Universe, the nature of their power, their emerging plans and their relationship with the Star Sapphires. These details help shed light on what the creative team is clearly planning for the Green Lanterns and DC comics in general.

This book makes it clear how ambitious DC has become regarding the Green Lantern franchise. With a cast of hundreds and plotlines stretching into the far future, this is starting to look more like an extra-terrestrial Lord of the Rings rather than a simple battle between two groups of superbeings. To their credit, the biodatas also show how deep the history of this franchise is, with many of the Green Lanterns having existed for years, rather than just being created for the new plotline. All of the characters show some potential and hopefully, they won't be knocked off as mere cannon fodder in the months to come.

The art by varied hands, is of high quality all throughout, making the alien beings look weird, but also making them recognizable. It is a treat to see art by old names like George Tuska, even if it is just one or two panels.

One complaint is that they skimp a little on certain details. There is no mention of the Controllers or the Dark Stars-- possibly indicating that these stories have been wiped from continuity. No mention of Alan Scott and the Starheart either and only passing mention of the Qwardians and their bloodfeud with the Corps. Katma Tui and G'nort are just names on a list of the dead despite their extensive history in the Green Lantern series. But then the writers probably figured they only had enough space that should be allocated on players in the great Green-vs.-Yellow war.

If you are reading this book for the story, you will be grossly disappointed. But for the information it provides, it gets four stars out of five.