A Holiday Treat
For all the comics I read, I try to make my reviews very accessible to new readers who are at least partially interested in the characters. I also try to pick comics that a reader can jump on and enjoy.
This comic may not be the best Christmas gift for anyone outside of comics, but, for those of us ingrained in the inner-workings of DC, this issue makes a cheerful read.
Here's a breakdown of the plot:
Larfleeze, the comical soul member of the Orange-Avarice Lantern(s) discovers the myth of Santa Claus that he believes is real to the point that he goes to the North Pole to demand that he gets everything from his wishlist (which extends over 100 ft.). Hal Jordan-Green Lantern intervenes to help Larfleeze learn about the Christmas spirit where the two of them give away all of Larfleeze's possessions to the needy. In the end, we discover the one thing that Larfleeze wants above anything and it provides a lot of new emotional depth to the character.
At first, I was a little off put by the $3.99 price tag, but it's a special and it provides lots of extra goodies. Including a cookie recipe and a maze. Also, a beautiful back-up by Art Baltazar & Franco which makes the issue worth a buy by itself. Partially because it makes fun of all of the Lantern Corps and boils them down to their base traits which makes the whole emotional spectrum concept quite comical. I naturally enjoy this tongue-in-cheek effort to celebrate while poking fun.
The main story at first was off-putting and occasionally came off as rather preachy, but I nevertheless enjoyed it. It wasn't fantastic but I enjoyed it.
The art by Brett Booth was pretty good for someone I have never heard of before. I like the soft lines in the issue. And, it was bound to happen, Hal Jordan comes off looking a little like Ryan Reynolds whether intentional or not.
Overall, the book was a nice buy for that comic lover who has been following Green Lantern or knows about the character through Blackest Night.
