Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #40 Review

Writer: Robet Venditti / Artist: Rafa Sandoval / DC Comics Issue #40 is where the Kryptonite finally hits the fan as the Lanterns carry out a full assault on the Family Zod. Most of the book is devoted to the epic slugfest. This is where a Robert Venditti GL book excels. It’s a space swashbuckler where every line talks tough and has you turning the page, wondering, “Are you really going to take that?” Venditti explores some awesome sci-fi concepts and other fun ideas to play with in later issues concerning Hal Jordan’s powers, but never takes too much time to stop and sweat the small stuff. The characters here are refreshingly fun as always. There’s no other character in the DC Universe I’d rather read as he’s staring nigh-certain death in the face than Guy Gardner. I swear that if he doesn’t get a major role in whatever movie DC has planned for the GL franchise, they’re just leaving money on the table.

And a book like this just doesn’t work without an artist like the incomparable Rafa Sandoval making action beats look easy. I get up early to read this book when I know Sandoval is drawing it. Although the paneling is exceptionally strong, there is a surprising ton of splash and semi-splash moments that just lay out destruction and punishment all across the pages, placing you right in the thick of battle. There is a scene where one character gives another a superpowered haymaker and I kid you not… I grabbed my own jaw in sympathetic pain. Bottom Line: there aren’t many books …