Green Lantern: Wrath of the First Lantern Talkback (Spoiler)

[JME2]

An epic, destiny-fueled adventure begins here with part one of “WRATH OF THE FIRST LANTERN!”

The threat that first led to the formation of the Guardians of the Universe returns—and he’s set his sights on the biggest and brightest of the Corps!

Well, this is it. Tomorrow marks the beginning of the end of the Geoff Johns-era for Green Lantern.

I know the run has had its ups and downs. But overall, it's been a fun ride and this will still go down as one of my favorite comics runs of all time.

Part of the fun has been the interaction here on SDN. Since "The Sinestro Corps War" blazed onto the stands, I've enjoyed debating and talking with Steve, Havok, and so many others.

And with the realization that this will be our last chance for the Johns-era GL, I thought it appropriate to break out the 'ol SDN talkback thread one more time.

So, as always, let's have fun guys.

[JME2]

With the end nigh, I thought I'd slide back into my old role as content provider.

DC's provided previews for all the GL books except Red Lanterns

* GL #17: This is very interesting. So it looks like Volthoom is linked to Earth-2 after all and Johns didn't just reuse the name from DC lore. Would have been nice if George Perez had come back to draw the iconic scene from COIE, but having Phil Jimenez on board in his place is nice.

* GLC #17: So it looks like Tomasi's picking up on threads he planted back in issue #0. And this also leads us into..

* GLNG #17: It's interesting to see Volthoom's powers at work, that even someone with the entire emotional spectrum like Kyle can't outgun him. It bodes very ill for everyone else.

[Eframepilot]

There was something odd about how Volthoom talked about engineering his rebirth again. It showed just Hal's image with him. Could Volthoom be Hal Jordan's counterpart?

[Ahriman238]

Well of course they need to show that White Lantern Kyle can't one-shot the big menace. I'm more interested in Volthoom's appearance at the creation of the antimatter universe, and the iconic galaxy hand wearing a green lantern ring. Was this time travel?

[JME2]

Yeah, Johns has been teasing the First Lantern for two years and this prologue really has me interested.

What I also like about the prologue is that it reminds me of that scene from "Court of Owls" last year, when we learned what happened to the bat who fatefully crashed into Wayne Manor's den during Batman: Year One.

Here, we get a similar scene when we see the immediate aftermath of Krona's infamous experiment from COIE. John is tying the very origin of the GLC to this current crisis and in a way, it reminds me of "Rogue War". It's given the sense that he's not just wrapping up his run, but also providing a potential end for the mythology.

[mr friendly guy]

I thought the hand at creation was the Anti-Monitor's (Crisis of Infinite Earths). It looks like they are attempting to retcon that again with the hand having a power ring.

[JME2]

I thought the hand at creation was the Anti-Monitor's (Crisis of Infinite Earths). It looks like they are attempting to retcon that again with the hand having a power ring.

I'm withholding judgement because Johns is dangling a really great mystery in front of us.

Is it time-travel? Volthoom's alteration of reality?

We don't know yet. Like the Indigo Tribe, he's built up the mystery of the First Lantern since WOTGL and, as I said, I'm really intrigued now.

[JME2]

Pages like this are why I'm gonna miss Doug Mahnke on GL.

Thanks to the SCW, Ivan Reis left some big shoes to fill when he departed to start pre-production on Blackest Night.

But Mahnke more than stepped up to the plate and has earned his place among EVS and Reis as the great GL artists of this generation.

[Tomzilla]

Volthoom is an interesting character. He's like an omnipotent scientist, which should by definition undermine his curiosity but it doesn't. So what Geoff Johns is doing here for Volthoom is great; he's created a supervillain that reflects the comic book reader. That was my impression when he peeled back the pages of Kyle's life. Speaking of which, what he did to Kyle was very cold.

Not only is Volthoom interesting, he's a massive threat. White Lantern Kyle couldn't even scratch him. Perhaps a Black Lantern will be instrumental in defeating him? I can't really think of anything else. That's probably for the best, I like surprises.

[JME2]

Yeah, in a way, Volthoom seems like the latest instance of Johns' using characters as commentaries/mouth pieces for the readership or industry practices (following Superboy Prime, the Reverse Flash, and even Nekron to an extent).

Given how easily Volthoom shrugged off the full emotional spectrum, I'm also curious to see what effect the Black Lanterns would have on him. It may end up being an unholy alliance to stop him.

[JME2]

Also, did anyone else love how after all that buildup, the Third Army got blasted to hell in only two panels?

I love Volthoom's meta-commentary on how the Third Army never really mattered.

[JME2]

Preview is up for Part 4 as the action continues in Red Lanterns #17.

I'm very keen on seeing interaction between Atrocitus and Volthoom, two beings who have every reason to hate the Guardians' guts.

The scenes with Krona's phantom are also interesting. Assuming he's telling the truth, Milligan's managed to add dimension to one of the DCU's most dangerous beings.

And assuming it's true, it in no way justifies Krona's actions. But it certainly explains why he became obsessed with the past.

[mr friendly guy]

Also, did anyone else love how after all that buildup, the Third Army got blasted to hell in only two panels?

I love Volthoom's meta-commentary on how the Third Army never really mattered.

I think I commented that the Third Army was a bit of a let down after the build up in the other thread.

[JME2]

Again, not surprising.

They were only meant to be the last nail in the Guardians' coffin and the catalyst for the return of the First Lantern.

[JME2]

Preview is up for Part 4 as the action returns to Green Lantern.

As much as I'll miss Dougg Mahnke on this issue (and I can guess he's knee-deep in the finale right now), Szymon Kudranski is the perfect artist for the Dead Zone sequences. His style reminds me of Jock.

I also love Johns poking fun at the "My name is Hal Jordan" phrase that's opened so many issues.

And though I never saw the show, The Dead Zone reference got a laugh out of me.

[avatarxprime]

Yeah, in a way, Volthoom seems like the latest instance of Johns' using characters as commentaries/mouth pieces for the readership or industry practices (following Superboy Prime, the Reverse Flash, and even Nekron to an extent).

Given how easily Volthoom shrugged off the full emotional spectrum, I'm also curious to see what effect the Black Lanterns would have on him. It may end up being an unholy alliance to stop him.

I'm thinking that the emotional spectrum can't be used against Volthoom period. When he deflects Kyle's attack he tells him that he harnessed that power to fight the Guardians (who we know cut themselves off from all emotion, something Volthoom attempted to get them to undo), implying that it wouldn't work on him. Remember how he came to Kyle hoping to meet an equal in emotional development, clearly Volthoom is operating at another level. I figure that Volthoom embraced the entirety of the spectrum, and not just to get the White light. What I mean is that Kyle grew to understand the entirety of the spectrum, allowing him to harness the White light, while I figure Volthoom basically came upon the White light the opposite way by being like Kyle was when the rings from all 7 Corps inducted him, with his access to the White light being a by-product rather than the actual goal.

[JME2]

Yeah -- which makes him even more of a threat.

We've seen it with Nekron and Black Hand, but I love how Johns has taken a minor character of Silver Age DC mythology and managed to turn him into one of the most dangerous beings alive.

[JME2]

Well...crap.
Spoiler

I was wondering when the "Hal Jordan will be the greatest Black Lantern" prophecy would come back into play.

Granted, we know Hal will be coming out of this alive. As the master of the spectrum, Kyle will likely be the one to restore Hal to life, thus coming full-circle with his role in Hal's Rebirth.

That or Volthoom punches reality.

[JME2]

Pages like this are why I'm gonna miss Doug Mahnke on GL

One thing I want to point about this aforementioned spread is that finally settles the long debate about whether Rebirth is still in continuity following Flashpoint.

Tony Bedard has been disregarding it over in GLNG, but as Johns' supersedes the other Lantern writers, it's good to have that confirmation.

There was something odd about how Volthoom talked about engineering his rebirth again. It showed just Hal's image with him. Could Volthoom be Hal Jordan's counterpart?

Heh, wouldn't that be a fun explanation for why the Guardians have distrusted Hal all these years.

[JME2]

Preview is up for Part 6 was the action continues in GLC.

Nice to see Tomasi touch on John's original architectural background. I've never been happy with how that aspect of John Stewart was slowly phased out in favor of a DCAU-inspired backstory.

Maybe Volthoom can restore it?

[JME2]

I figure that Volthoom embraced the entirety of the spectrum, and not just to get the White light. What I mean is that Kyle grew to understand the entirety of the spectrum, allowing him to harness the White light, while I figure Volthoom basically came upon the White light the opposite way by being like Kyle was when the rings from all 7 Corps inducted him, with his access to the White light being a by-product rather than the actual goal.

Well, this week's issue proved you were right on the money.

[avatarxprime]

Fantastic, Volthoom is effectively the nu52 DC universe incarnate and is an enemy they literally cannot ever defeat, merely postpone. Seriously people need to stop traveling to the moment of the Universe's creation. The Anti-Monitor did it and in doing so insured that his Anti-Matter Universe would be created, Volthoom does so just the tiniest bit after that and ends up being bound to the Light that sparked the Universe, allowing him to alter reality like you or I would style our hair.

I hope they don't do some cheap out ending where they prevent him from becoming the First Lantern, the possibilities that arise from having him hanging over the collective heads of the Universe and the GLC in particular like a Sword of Damocles is all kinds of interesting, provided future writers don't abuse it.

[JME2]

Yeah, in a way, he's like Nekron. You can't kill him, so how do you beat him?

It's like SCW all over again; how in the hell is Johns going to get the GLC out of this one?

[Tomzilla]

How'd they stop Doctor Manhattan? They didn't. Doctor Manhattan left under his own accord. Same with Amazo on Justice League Unlimited. If you can't kill a god, then you're better off convincing the god you're more interesting alive. And if you're really lucky, maybe they'll get bored and go create a universe of their own.

Volthoom might do exactly that. He's an immensely powerful being.

[JME2]

I don't know; it just seems too pat a solution for Johns. Or maybe I'm giving him too much credit.

I keep wondering if there's a twist or a Chekhov's Gun that Johns has planted (similar to SCW where War World was involved due to Henshaw's participation, yet ended up being the key to nuking the Anti-Monitor).

I love how Volthoom's interested in remaking the universe as he see fit because It's exactly what Hal was doing when he was Parallax. It's a nice parallel as well as giving another sense to the saga coming full-circle for its ending.