IDW Publishing/DC Comics 2015
Written by Mike Johnson
Illustrated by Angel Hernandez
Coloured by Alejandro Sanchez
On a remote dead world, the crew of the Enterprise discovers the skeleton of a visitor from another universe - GANTHET, last of the Guardians of Oa - and six inert POWER RINGS. Lt. Montgomery Scott activates the rings inside a tachyon field, causing the rings to escape and choose new bearers... just as the Enterprise is confronted by Klingon General CHANG aboard a Bird-of-Prey. At this critical moment, GREEN LANTERN HAL JORDAN arrives to find out why Ganthet's skeleton is onboard a ship he's never seen before, in a universe he doesn't recognize…
This is the issue we learn about how the Lanterns have found themselves in this Universe. There are surprises, revelations and a clear place in DC History where this story takes place at. As Hal and Kirk stand above Ganthet’s skeleton the two talk about the plan that would save the Lanterns from destruction, a hail mary play if you will to ensure that their legacy continues. This opening also tells us about a different outcome for the whole Blackest Night limited series.
Ganthet enacted this Last Light ploy because Nekron raised an army of dead on every last living planet in the cosmos. Wiping out every last living thing. This isn’t the story we are familiar with but for for this story it’s a wonderful reimagination of what could have happened if Nekron had indeed won. Well technically this is Blackest Night II after having learned from his defeat in the first encounter and one that they feared could happen but as of yet hasn’t.
I do like that once again Hal is forced to recant the story of the rings and how they choose a new host. Which is Mike’s cue to head to those individuals chosen by the more aggressive colours of the spectrum. We start with the one the red ring chose. As Hal was telling Kirk and we saw that both he and Sinestro are in this universe so too are the leaders of the other Corps. Atrocitus arrives to confront this universe's ring bearer for answers.
On Romulus we see just what the orange ring can do in the hands of emotionally charged Romulan. The similarities between him and Larfleeze are strikingly clear and of course the leader of Greed likes the way he thinks but as he points out he’ll need of what he’s holding. We’ve already seen Sinestro but it’s time for a more involved battle with the new yellow bearer. Sinestro and yellow ring bearing Klingon is enough to make me shudder in what could happen.
I love seeing how Chekov has taken to the ring and what we see him doing with it already! While Kirk and Hal talk inside it’s great to see two men who are used to being in charge going at it. This is Kirk’s vessel, crew and universe it’s best if Jordan doesn’t question his orders to his crew. Ah the tension between these two is pretty spot on and it wouldn’t surprise me that Kirk were jealous of the better built equally as handsome Hal Jordan.
We get two more Lanterns showing up this issue and a declaration of war and one heck of a revelation that will change this universe forever. This issue may have been more about background and information gathering but that doesn’t mean it was any less exciting or dramatic. This is the kind of stuff Mike does and does well. Hitting the halfway mark of this limited series everything is pretty much laid out before us and where it goes from here well that’s anyone’s guess. As is will the Lanterns be able to create new Corps of their own or have to rely on just the ones the rings with Ganthet chose?
I adore the mixed universe Lantern outfits and the whole physical differences we see in the Star Trek cast compared to the DC Universe. The muscled bodies in a super hero universe strike such a noticeable difference in how real people look.
This just showcases for me that IDW keeps upping the ante with each crossover they do and with the quality of this one I can’t imagine what they would think of next!