Joe Mullain is pulled by Hal Jordan like a compass needle pointing north, finding her friend consumed with a black hand. Despite his best efforts to eat the hunger, Hal leaves nothing but death in his kew. There is one question in the black hand, as that twisted finger points to everyone who happened on Joe’s evergreen.
“So, Joe, what happened to you?”
DC Comics
Absolute Green Lantern #5 spoilers!
Offering more questions than answers, Absolute Green Lantern #5 is its best water cooler comic. Al Ewing’s journey to space horror, which resembles something lost more than traditional superhero storytelling, is a must-read for media fans. Using carefully expressed dialogue and subversion of our expectations, Ewing creates an interesting story that requires multiple readings. Additionally, Jahnoy Lindsay’s artwork elevates the story with horror-inspired visuals and character designs. The creator’s work is a true feast of the eyes as it uncovers new details surrounding the story with each subsequent retread.
One of my favorite things about this medium is the ability to drive conversations and make you think. I love it when the mysteries surrounding a book inspire more conversations and theories about its solutions. These discussions make the book feel like a cultural move for everyone to participate. What makes this book such a fascinating read is that these new questions arise from the answers given by the author.
The absolute Green Lantern #5 opens with a visual that evokes the memory of the ring, reveals that Todd Rice is still alive following the crash crash of the lantern. Green Lantern forces Rice to be terrified, as “the judgment is not ongoing. You cannot appoint Abinsal. You are not known within the light.” One of the strange things that hit me during this opening was the phrase “Abinsal.” This means there are multiple Abinsals. This is a departure from traditional knowledge from the tradition of Green Lantern lore.
By this phrase, Ewing means that Abinsal is more of a title than someone’s name. Specifically, the name appears to refer to a green lantern that distributes judgments about someone’s placement on the spectrum of light. Unfortunately, the ambiguous nature of the lantern dialogue leaves much of this in interpretation. But what happens next gives some credibility to this series of thought.
“Fear the black hands.”
DC Comics
Todd Rice, rescued from the tile rub by Hector Hammond and his crew, recounts what happened after Joe Mullrain stole the powers of the Green Lantern. Fueled by his rage, Hal began to question Abinsal, who had been weakened at the muzzle. Despite Green Lantern’s attempts to explain Joe’s current plight, Hal Jordan, unhappy with the answer, kills the alien.
Melting into the puddle of black sludge, Abin Sur grabs the gun with Hal’s hand and declares, “Judging, Hal Jordan! Black hand!” Jordanian hands merge with guns and black sludge to ultimately reveal the character’s transformation into black hands. At this moment, Sur appears to be making a final decision on HAL. Within a moment of straightening out of the horror film, Abin Sur “curses” Jordan. From this moment, the black hand consumes him as he is consuming the lives of others. Sur gives the final, mysterious warning: “Fearing the black hand, F-fear… a black star…”
Al Ewing does an incredible job of paying homage to the origins of Hal Jordan, while at the same time destroying our expectations. If Green Lantern’s obligation is a judgment, Abinsal passed this obligation to Hal Jordan, just like his origins in the main DC universe. However, this is subject to understanding SUR’s phrase “Judgment, Hal Jordan! Black hand!” At this moment, does Abin Shure say that the black hand is the judgement? Or is it a character who says that his judgment on Hal is to give him a black hand? Furthermore, as he curses Hal, does Suru’s vision turn to black sludge, suggesting that both interpretations are correct?
I love that Ewing’s dialogue is vague and that it provides additional questions to ponder before further answers become clear in the next issue. The answer to these questions is what I’m excited to jump into the next issue. Furthermore, Ewing’s use of Abin Sur’s dialogue does an amazing job of drawing a wide stroke of what’s going on in Jo without digging into the details. This does an amazing job of keeping the series’ plot.
Sur’s words speak of grand ideas that are still not fully understood. Green Lantern says she is extraordinary because she has power without understanding. Furthermore, the anomaly cannot be present in the spectrum of light, which results in her being hunted. The author’s work does an amazing job of giving us what’s going on, but like Joe, we don’t have an understanding. Ewing’s answer leads us to the following question: Who will hunt Joe? Will it be Hal Jordan? Or is it Hector Hammond? I’m totally here and looking for a cartoon that I will think and theorize while I’m desperately waiting for the next issue.
“Along with fear, Hal Jordan.”
DC Comics
Absolute Green Lantern #5 continues his battle with Jo Mullein’s Green Lantern and Hal Jordan’s black hands. Jahnoy Lindsay’s horror-esque visuals do an excellent job of conveying the action as Joe blows up HAL with the power of the ring. One of my favorite things about this series is the design of Lindsay’s Black Hand. Not only does it evoke Resident Evil reminders, it also serves as a hold reminder that this curse has on Hal Jordan. I love the way my fingers grew tight around the neck and head of Jordan, as my black hands got stronger. It’s an incredibly visual reminder of what’s going on within HAL.
I love the black ring on Hal’s suit, but the lantern ring is white when inside the battery. It’s a great job to explain how these two forces are on opposite sides of the spectrum. What’s more, it does an amazing job of visually demonstrating why Hal’s power wants to consume Joe’s light. Is it possible that these two rings represent two aspects of the same coin? Since both powers come from Abinsal, is there a possibility that they want to consume the other as they reunite? These types of questions are what I’m slowly filling up to read the next question.
More like the lost thing than traditional superhero storytelling, Absolute Green Lantern #5 is the best water cooler comic. Al Ewing’s journey to Cosmic Horror offers more questions than answers. Using carefully expressed dialogue and subversion of our expectations, Ewing creates a must-read and compelling story for media fans. Additionally, Jahnoy Lindsay’s artwork elevates the story with horror-inspired visuals and character designs. The creator’s work is a true feast for the eyes as the subsequent readings provide new details surrounding the story.
“Absolute Green Lantern” #5 is the best water-cooled cartoon
Absolute Green Lantern #5
More like the lost thing than traditional superhero storytelling, Absolute Green Lantern #5 is the best water cooler comic.
Al Ewing’s Journey to Cosmic Horror offers more questions than answers. This is what I’m excited about the next issue.
Using carefully expressed dialogue and subversion of our expectations, Ewing creates an interesting story.
I’ve read this book many times. Not because I needed it, but because I wanted to go back to seeing what I missed.
Jahnoy Lindsay’s artwork elevates the story with horror-inspired visuals and character designs.
