Green Lantern: New Guardians #25

Wow. Wow-y wow wow.

With the Light's Out story arc at an end, quite possibly the biggest question on every Green Lantern fan's mind, including my own, was, "What's going to happen with Kyle Rayner?" and this issue more than delivers.

Issue twenty-five begins in space sector 1416 on planet Zamaron, homeworld of the Star Sapphires, where we find Carol Ferris in chambers with the Zamaron monarchs as she attempts to explain Hal's new policy on patrolling the emotional spectrum (Green Lantern #25). In the midst of their conversation, Carol receives a call from the New Guardians, and she immediately flies off, thinking that they may have Kyle's remains.

Imagine her surprise then, when she arrives to the appropriate location and sees White Lantern Kyle, alive and well, for the most part.

Carol, of course, goes through the motions- anger firstly, then questioning, and finally resolve. Carol and Kyle hug it out as Carol claims, and I quote, "I'm really glad you're not dead or cosmic detritus or part of a wall."

The Guardians, who had awaited the end of this exchange, begin introducing an acquaintance of theirs- "Nias Den Throden, cretchling of Nias Den Throden, cretchling of Gara Tal Throden, keeper of journeys, friend to outsiders."

After tedious introductions all around, Nias Den Throden begins guiding them through the foreign world, his world, Exuras.

Exuras, Nias claims, is the greatest place in the universe, a safe haven and paradise. For such a bold claim, Carol and Kyle are obviously skeptical, which Nias greets by swan diving off the edge of the cliff they had come to, only to be "saved" by the planet itself. Nias is suspended midair, relaxed, as if this was natural, until he is slowly guided back to the ground. Zalla describes the phenomenon, in Earth's layman's terms, as computerized molecules that comprise the atmosphere and buildings. They monitor and react, maintaining the buildings, scrubbing the atmosphere of toxins, and intercepting kinetic impacts (crashes between two objects, like a body falling off a cliff).

The planet appears to be perfect, which, according to Zalla, is why the Guardians brought them there. After Relic and the Entities were sacrificed in order to give this world a second chance, the Guardians knew that the corps of this universe would have to change. They were visiting Exuras to see if a perfect world without a green lantern corps were possible.

Nias guides the Guardians through the sites of his planet while Carol and Kyle strike out on their own, searching for any abnormalities. Carol, using her violet powers, is able to sense love all around her, which makes sense, seeing as the world appears to be only loving. Kyle, though, while able to also sense the love, is able to see a small, centralized space of fear and anger. They begin following this trail until they find a massive mob of teenagers flocking towards a citadel. As Carol and Kyle are noticed, though, the aliens warn them not to approach it, that they don't want to see what's inside. Naturally, this raises red flags, and Kyle is able to push forward and enter the citadel.

Upon entering, Kyle remarks on an enormous broken mirror, or so it appears. Kyle seeks out the alien with chief authority and begins questioning why they seemed to be feeding children to a broken mirror. The answer he receives, though, is something no one would have been able to guess. The broken mirror was actually a gateway between Exuras the paradise and Exuras the hell. The inhabitants of this planet had devised a way to twist destiny so that only healthy and favorable acts occurred on Exuras the paradise, while Exuras the hell was condemned to brunt the ill and disadvantageous acts of the universe. Horrified, Kyle asks how the inhabitants of Exuras the paradise are able to accept this, to which the alien explains an Exurasian custom. Once a teenager, the inhabitants of this planet were bound to journey to this gateway, to see the cost of paradise. Those who could not accept the price stayed behind in Exuras the hell in an attempt to better what their ancestors had wronged.

Before Kyle is able to deliver a complete opinion of how terrible these acts were, his alien guide is suddenly assailed by a spear through the chest. Kyle drags his host back through the gateway in time to see another person walk through, as well- and it's none other than Nias Den Throden's hellish doppelganger from Exuras the hell. The comic ends with Nias and a gang of Exurasians declaring, "We want our future back."

Let me begin by saying that this issue has solidified my belief that Green Lantern: New Guardians is my favorite current comic title. Boom.

Much of it has to do with the writing. Justin Jordan does a grade-A job with dialogue here, and this issue is one of the few in recent months that has actually made me laugh out loud, in a good way. His characters he created for this are refreshingly endearing, and he writes them confidently. The plot he's weaving is entertaining, beginning to cliff-hanger. It's terrific writing all around!

And then the other half is the art- it is beautiful. This new creative team has been my favorite out of the New 52 and possibly my favorite ever. It's reminiscent of Emerald Dawn with its linework, but the colors are still fresh. It gives a very whimsical feel, which is more than appropriate considering the content.

If they keep with this path, Green Lantern: New Guardians can do no wrong.