Every Friday, a different DC.com writer shares what they’re reading over the weekend and why you should read it. Here’s this week’s suggestion for a perfect weekend getaway!
I want to start this weekend trip by first apologizing to Hal Jordan. I used to be a Hal Jordan hater. I am now tired of watching The Justice League Animated series and it made me a John Stewart fan for life. Now, as an adult, my favorite comic of all time (next to Jack Kirby’s New Gods) is Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams’ Green Lantern/Green Arrow—a particularly astute look at Hal Jordan and his politics. But with Green Lantern: Back in action by Jeremy Adams, Xermánico and Romulo Fajardo, Jr., I finally saw the light. Hal Jordan is a great guy. He may not be the best Green Lantern (that’s still John Stewart), and that’s exactly why I think he works so well at this point.
The premise:
Hal Jordan loves the role of the confident pilot, but in reality he is quite a wreck. Back in action Set after the apparent destruction of Oa and the Guardians (the little blue aliens who organize the Green Lantern Corps), Hal Jordan is stranded on Earth. He lives in a trailer with Kilowog and spends his days riding around on his motorcycle, trying to get his former love Carol Ferris to let him fly fighter jets again. Things get serious, however, when the United Planets declare that Sector 2814, the part of space where Earth is located, will be quarantined until further notice. Then Thaal Sinestro, Hal’s former mentor and later arch-enemy, resurfaces on Earth and demands that Hal give him his Lantern ring. Back in action also includes the two Knight Terrors: Green Lantern Topics in which Hal has to face his greatest fears.
Let’s talk about talent:
Green Lantern: Back in action unites the author Jeremy Adams with the artist Xermánico, both of whom Flashpoint Beyond with Tim Sheridan and Geoff Johns. Xermánico continues to be one of the best artists working with DC today, as his artistic range is absolutely limitless. His art is characterized by a strong command of form, movement, and spectacle. Whether it’s ghouls, African wildlife, fighter jets, or massive explosions, Xermánico handles every action movie moment in this book with finesse. He also shows us that he’s equally adept at drawing soft, emotional scenes, like Hal trying to win back Carol’s affections. If you’ve never read a book drawn by Xermánico, get ready for something.
Next to Flashpoint Beyondauthor Jeremy Adams has established himself as a fixture in today’s DC landscape. Before he Green Lanternhe had a wonderful run on The Flash that made the Flash family one of the most popular units within DC Comics. Adams’ writing is based on both cultivating character relationships and gripping action sequences. He has also achieved the impossible in Back in action: He made me a Hal Jordan fan. In this story, Adams doesn’t write a Hal full of superlatives, burdened by his reputation as the “greatest Green Lantern,” and untested. Instead, Adams portrays Hal as a down-to-earth guy who loves nothing more than the feeling of flight and giving it purpose.
Some reasons to read:
- If you have ever seen Super shooter and wanted to experience the feeling of riding a motorcycle in a leather flight jacket, all without actually having to operate a motorcycle, Green Lantern: Back in action is the next best thing. Put on your favorite 80’s action movie soundtrack and buckle up for a wild ride, because that’s exactly what awaits you.
- The creativity that comes with the Green Lantern mantle is on full display here, even when Hal isn’t in combat. It’s clear that he views his Lantern ring as more than just a weapon, but something that can change the life of a single person or animal in an instant. It’s the very definition of using his powers for good.
- There’s a moment where Hal helps a kid hit a home run for the first time, and that instantly changed my opinion of his character. It made me realize his humanity, and I’m sure it will for you, too.
- Everyone’s favorite Poozer, Kilowog, shows up to help Hal through this transition. Who wouldn’t want to open a soda pop with Kilowog?
- There is a fight between mechas and kaiju. I won’t say anything more about that.
Why it’s worth your time:
Hal Jordan has been through a lot. He was once the main Green Lantern before his hometown was wiped off the face of the earth and he was infected with an evil parasite that gave him godlike delusions of grandeur. As atonement for his sins as Parallax, Hal became the Abrahamic Avatar of Vengeance before eventually returning to corporeal form. All of this is to say that the guy lived a life.
In Green Lantern: Back in Action, we finally see Hal as an ordinary, albeit adventurous, man on earth, with plenty of room for wonder in his heart. Whatever you feel about Hal, it is impossible not to be carried away by him. Reading Adams and Xermánicos Green LanternI have come to meet Hal on equal terms. Perhaps you will too.
Green Lantern: Back in action by Jeremy Adams, Xermánico and Romulo Fajardo Jr. is now available in bookstores, comic shops, libraries and digital retailers. It can also be read in its entirety on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE.
Jules Chin Greene writes about comics, TV, games, and movies for DC.com. His work can also be found at Nerdist, Popverse, and Multiverse of Color. You can follow him on Þjórsárdalur And Blue sky at @JulesChinGreene.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Jules Chin Greene and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or denial of future plans by DC.
