Monday, March 27, 2017

Review of "Showcase Presents Green Lantern Volume 5"



Review of
Showcase Presents Green Lantern Volume 5 ISBN 9781401230234

Four out of five stars
 The stories in this book feature a Green Lantern subject to personal and professional difficulties. Hal Jordan has lost his job and is down to his last couple hundred dollars. His overseers have stripped him of some of his power, leading to struggles as he fights the villains that are as strong and ruthless as ever. At times, the flaws in Green Lantern’s persona are so prevalent that they interfere with the story. After all, one must have great confidence if you are to protect the Earth from menaces of cosmic origin.
 The opening stories have Green Lantern battling alongside Green Arrow and occasionally the Black Canary, the big-busted female hero that fights in boots with heels. The once wealthy Oliver Queen has been reduced to a pauper and the two heroes whose names begin with “Green” are constantly bickering, again to the detriment of the stories. Having heroes with flaws does make the stories stronger and more interesting, but once again it takes a lot of confidence and courage to be a hero and take on the type of villains that these heroes must fight.
   One feature of the Green Lantern stories that I have always enjoyed and are a fundamental component of these stories is the devices he makes with his ring when he is fending off attacks from his opponents. For example, when he is transporting Green Arrow and Black Canary, he creates a flying sofa. Great imagination exhibited there.
Personal problems for heroes make better stories, as long as they are not overdone. In this case they are.

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