Customer Reviews

Green Lantern, Vol. 1: No Fear

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

You've got to hand it to Geoff Johns. The fan favorite writer has managed to sucessfully weave superb stories during his runs on the Flash, JSA, and his DC Universe shattering Infinite Crisis. However, there's something about his relaunch of Green Lantern that just stands head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. After the events of Green Lantern: Rebirth, silver-age GL Hal Jordan has been resurrected and restored as a member of the Green Lantern Corps, with fellow GL John Stewart in the JLA, and fellow GL's Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner, and Kilowog in space training new recruits. Now that Hal is back, Johns retraces his silver-age origins from when he is first bestowed with the ring, to the present day as he is once again an air force pilot trying to reclaim the life that he had lost. No Fear begins with Hal on the trail of a murderous renegade Manhunter, and seeks out information from long time adversary Hector Hammond. There's plenty of other appearances from the GL rogue gallery as well, and Johns' wonderfully done homages to the GL stories of yesteryear are magnificent. Featuring art by a list of greats: Carlos Pacheco, Ethan Van Sciver, Darwyn Cooke; No Fear is an excellent re-launching of the new ongoing Green Lantern series, and an even more excellent return of one of the most iconic figures of the DC Universe.

GREEN LANTERN: NO FEAR is far less technically ambitious than its predecessor, REBIRTH. The previous novel in the "new" adventures of Hal Jordan basically had to re-invent the character and discard a decade and more of maltreatment of the character, in my opinion.

However, that said, NO FEAR offers a lot in the way of great character building. Geoff Johns's first graphic novel in the Green Lantern saga was all about getting back to the basics and skewering missed approaches to Hal Jordan. This volume reintroduces Hal Jordan and Green Lantern to the world as a human being and a hero. It's about history and family, about dreams and responsibilities, and the fact that there's precious little wiggle room for anybody trying to balance all those things and live a good life.

I especially loved the first story. The art by Darwyn Cooke was amazingly simple and really underscored the light but deep tale as Hal remembered his relationship with his test pilot father. The fact that Hal and Kyle Rayner (the latest Green Lantern, and the character that really split the polls on favorite Green Lanterns) are shown together and we get a sense of how that relationship is going. Johns could have totally blown off the Rayner character, but he chose to embrace him in the series to offer the readers the best of both possible worlds.

From there, the stories move into more Green Lantern history with the threat of a Manhunter, the androids created by the Guardians to police the spaceways before they created the Green Lantern Corps. The art is pretty cool, shows lots of action, and allows a great pacing for Johns's story.

I enjoyed the sequences with Hal's brother a lot too. Johns seems intent on advancing stories as much as he is on introducing back stories that we hadn't before seen. The story of why Hal got dishonorably discharged from the United States Air Force was especially emotionally compelling.

Johns also broadens his current Green Lantern universe by bringing in other old enemies: Hector Hammond and Black Hand. Both of those characters are far creepier and more dangerous than we've ever seen them before.

I have to admit that the scene where Hal pounded away at Hector Hammond when the man couldn't defend himself made me uncomfortable. On one level, I understood it because Hammond had used his mind-probing powers to assault Green Lantern, but it still just didn't seem like something Hal would do.

This collection of stories was much lighter than the arc that ran through REBIRTH. Since I read them so close together, I'm glad there was such a difference. REBIRTH emotionally exhausted me, but NO FEAR was - mostly - a fun romp.

The scene where Hal busted General Stone in the mouth the way he had all those years ago, and the fact that that clue was what gave away Hal's secret identity as Green Lantern, was great. I think having a USAF general know that Hal and Green Lantern are the same guy can't be anything but beneficial. (You still have to wonder how Clark Kent can go missing all the time from the DAILY PLANET.)

I've got two more of the graphic novels lined up to read, and I'm really looking forward to them. Johns is making magic again, and it's fun to watch.

This collection of the latest adventures of the Silver Age Green Latern (Hal Jordan) is an excellent relaunching for the character and a fine place to begin for a reader new to this character. The history of the title comes alive, but in a way that does not swamp new readers to the series and the artwork is high-quality. The sole disappointment is the series is a bit slow to develop a few of the secondary story arcs.

As a newcomer to GL series I started with GL: Rebirth and was overwhelmed by a sheer number of terms and characters. I didn't like it for that reason. This volume actually is a much better start for a new reader as it focuses on a story and a few characters instead of trying to mention everything in GL mythos.

"Green Lantern: No Fear"
(DC Comics, 2008)
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This is a solid, back-to-basics super-book, with Green Lantern Hal Jordan back from the dead (and from cosmic entity duty...) trying to reestablish his civilian life and his renewed role as an Earth-bound hero. Parts of the book were a little too gory for my taste - exposed brains, dismembered limbs, etc. - but overall the storytelling was engaging and fun, and not overly convoluted or grandiose, the way many superhero titles have become. Not good for little kids (my personal quest) but a fun read for older folks. (Joe Sixpack, ReadThatAgain book reviews)

Great book!. I enjoy it a lot and can't wait to start with the next volume!.

I haven't really read Green Lantern before, so I'm on a new territory. I've read a lot of Kyle Ryner and some of Guy Gardner but Hal Jordan... I've only saw some of him in Rebirth. This book is way better than Rebirth and is clearly putting some small info for the Blackest Night.

The stories are exiting. Going from Hal Jordan getting back to the airforce, to returning to his beloved (and almost deserted) Coast City, to fighting the Manhunters (former Universe Police pre-Green Lanterns), and facing outherworld Gremlins that loves to experiment on humans. Black Hand also makes his special appearance.

This is good stuff, and for the price they ask, is a sin not to get the book.

If you're a fan of the Green Lantern, and specifically Hal Jordan, this is the coillection for you. Johns ability to turn lame villains into serious threats is amazing. I really enjoyed looking into Hal's past with his family, stuff I never really cared about before. The art with a few too many pencilers was really good. Pachecho and Van Sciver were the best making the Shark terrifying and Hector Hammond ultra-creepy! I really good read!

This is more than a return to greatness for a silver age hero who has been grossly mishandled in the 1990s. In a time when "return from the dead" stories have been done to death, Geoff Johns weaves a masterful tale with a true understanding of what it means to be a hero, with a logical reason for his downfall, which in the past did not make much sense.

It isn't the contrivances that make a good story, it's how you use those contrivances: the hero being controlled by an outside force, dead characters who were actually dormant, and the inevitable scenes of forgiveness. All of this is expertly handled by Johns and a superb art team who have breathed new life into villains maligned by the Superfriends cartoon. No longer can we look at Sinestro as a clown or Hector Hammond as a caricature. Johns understands that in order to for a hero to be effective, their archnemesis needs to be frightening. This series only gets better and better.

This is definitely an enjoyable volume, but it doesn't compare to the excitement of the Rebirth series or the epic tales to come in the Green Lantern universe. Definitely recommended for fans, but those just interested in the highlights of the emerald warriors can probably pass this one by.

This comic is a great re-introduction of Hal Jordan to the DC Universe and a good introduction of Cow Girl into Hal's life. The Manhunters were awesome antagonists, and it was cool to see an old Manhunter fight a new one and then the survivor finally learns the true meaning of fear.

Seeing some of Hal Jordan's past mistakes come back and haunt him was pretty cool. I always figured that he would be the loose cannon type that would take a swing at a superior officer and it turns out I was right.

The evolved shark was an awesome concept to read about and I'm hoping we see him again. This comic also had hints about Blackest Night that it dropped in the form of bringing Black Hand back and having him visit a hospital to kill everyone there. The only thing I can say about that scene is, "perfect!"

If you liked the old Green Lantern, you've GOT to pick this one up!