Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #48 // Review
Once all out war ensues, the Green Lantern Corps, alongside the enlisted aid of their previous foes, take on The Darkstars as this epic final showdown begins. With only two issues remaining, Robert Venditti consistently manages to raise the stakes while keeping the layer of levity and humor this series has come to be known for present, yet never losing the weight of the story. Raphael Sandoval makes his return to pencil the series once again before its inevitable conclusion. Between the sheer brotherhood of the main Earth Lanterns, as well as the rest of the massive ensemble cast, and the revolving door of one amazing artist after another, this series will be sorely missed.
As usual, Raphael Sandoval delivers nothing short of absolute beauty in this issue and this series with his master class pencils. His stylized, high-energy linework fits the series perfectly, making every page a treat to stare at. Sandoval continues to prove why he is the quintessential artist for the title with each respective appearance. The level of quality that this series constantly demands for the space opera concept to be fully realized is brought to life tenfold with the amazing detail of Sandoval. Tomeu Morey continues to blast Sandoval’s pencils in stunning definition, aiding to display the whole spectrum of detail within this galactic battle royale. The beautiful variant covers continue to come in each month from past Lantern artist Tyler Kirkham, adding to the demand of the series that much more.
Even with the Darkstars completely outnumbering the Green Lantern Corps and their allies, Venditti makes the opportunity to bring great character moments to the table while never coming off as shoehorned or taking away from the overall weight in some sort of way. His years working with theses characters and mythos are bright as day as Venditti displays his complete understanding and care for each different Corps member and what makes each of them beloved in their own right. As par for the course, no expense is spared on the grand moments or just sheer fan service from Venditti and team. Even down to his final issues, Venditti continues to bring his best work yet to this series and his love for the characters that remains clearly abundant.
As this run draws closer towards the final issue and as Venditti begins to embark on new ongoing titles, there is never a lack of love or care felt in these last chapters. The final showdown between the Green Lantern Corps and The Darkstars has begun, the countdown to the end has started.
