Review: Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #37

DC Comics
Review: Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #37
By Philip Schweier
January 24, 2018 - 04:18

DC Comics
Writer(s): Robert Venditti
Penciller(s): Rafa Sandoval
Inker(s): Jordi Tarragona
Colourist(s): Tomeu Morey
Letterer(s): Dave Sharpe
Cover Artist(s): Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, Tomeu Morey; Barry Kitson, Hi-Fi

This issue features two storytelling tropes that I absolutely despise. The first occurs on the opening pages, as a beaten and bloody Hal Jordan lies at the feet of General Zod (yes, THAT General Zod). The pages that follow then backtrack to more sedate events, as John Stewart announces his resignation from the Green Lantern Corps.

I’ve seen this “show-the-climax-first” ploy before, in many TV shows and comics. To me, this is laziness on the part of the writer, who can’t come up with a better hook. I would suggest a splash page of John Stewart in civilian clothes, facing the reader with his ring in his hand. “I quit!” That would capture my attention.

The other infraction isn’t so egregious. It’s a double-page layout, which in print is not so terrible. But in the digital editions ComicBookBin is provided, it’s lost on me as I follow each individual page. Maybe it’s a display error, but I’ve not found a solution using Acrobat Pro, so…

But I’ll give DC credit for allowing Robert Venditti to use General Zod as the villain. Though usually a Superman nemesis, it stands to reason he would cross paths with other DC heroes from time to time. And I’ve often thought that were I one of Flash’s rogues, and was always being bested by him, I would try my luck in another city. Perhaps Gotham, where the resident crime fighter has no super-powers.

Perhaps this will lead to the massive villain exchange I’ve hoped for, where technocrat Luthor is paired off against Batman, or fear-mongering Scarecrow faces off against Green Lantern. I’d just like DC to look at its roster of heroes and their respective villains and decide which pairings have gotten stale, and what might freshen the bloom a wee bit.

But Zod’s story is not done. He has not been defeated. What this bodes for the DC Universe should be interesting to behold.

Rating: 8/10