Review: Green Lantern #56

Green Lantern tracks Agent Orange down to a dump he's erected, only to find that Hector Hammond's got his eyes on the Orange Lantern himself.

The Good

I'm surprised at how much pathos and depth that Johns was able to convey from such an absurd character like Hector Hammond. Maybe you never quite sympathize with this monster, but you certainly can see where he's coming from (and maybe even feel sorry for him.) The opening fantasy with him saving Carol Ferris and vanquishing a deformed Hal really crystallized the villains' dilemma and the appeal the Orange Lantern would have on him. Also, while it might have run a little silly for some, I enjoyed Larfleeze's twisted view of Santa Claus and his cartoonish efforts to use jolly ol' Saint Nick to, at last, satisfy his every desire.

The Bad

Maybe this comment runs a little fanboyish, but the creativity of GL's constructs ran a little out-of-character. I always understood that one of the key difference between Hal and Kyle was that Hal would opt for a giant baseball bat while go for some elaborately designed samurai sword (for example.) And what about GL's denial of Santa's existence? Somebody call the continuity cops, because Kris Kringle was actually a member of the Justice League for an issue, as I recall. For shame!

The Verdict - 4/5

The concepts Johns has added to Green Lantern's mythology continue to be infinitely intriguing. Even though we're however many years past the Sinestro Corps War, there's still much to be mined in the interactions of all the different corps and their respective entities. To that end, I'm intrigued to see where Hector Hammond's new relationship with the Orange Lantern will go.

Name

The New Guardians, Chapter 4

Volume

Green Lantern

Issue Number

Cover Date

September 1, 2010

In Store Date

July 28, 2010

Now Things Are Rolling 0

Green Lantern #56 - The New Guardians, Chapter 4 by the_cyan_lantern on July 28, 2010

Summary: Since hearing the Collectors voice, Hector Hammond is finally free and is ready to deliver the revenge he's been waiting for. Also Hal travels to North Branch, Minnesota to talk to Larfleeze where has made a home for himself. The Good: To me this was the best issue we've seen in months. I don't know if it's the hype after the Con but this was on the ball. First was the opener which has been a mystery for months and is finally shown. We still don't know who "The Collector" is but i...

7 out of 7 found this review helpful.

Hector Hammond in Brightest Day 0

Green Lantern #56 - The New Guardians, Chapter 4 by mtharman on July 30, 2010

The Storylilne: As Hal Jordan investigates Larfleeze's mass robberies and break-ins of a local town, Hector Hammond is freed by an unknown character who tells Hammond that he would get what he always desired if he found a way to release the entity of the Orange Lantern known as Ophidian. Now both Larfleeze and Hal Jordan would find themselves stopping Hammond from trying to complete his goals as things get much more worse for the two lanterns. The Good: - The storyline is very solid and pe...

6 out of 6 found this review helpful.

Green Lantern #56

zack_freeman's Green Lantern #56 - The New Guardians, Chapter 4 review