Absolute Green Lantern #4

The Absolute Green Lantern series is back with its fourth issue, titled ‘Chaotic Action’, and despite the title, it seems that the Absolute Green Lantern comics have found a rhythm, and they’re sticking to it. The third issue in the series slowed down the pacing after a fairly intense and brutal pair of opening issues, and with the release of Absolute Green Lantern #4, it would appear that fans of the comic series would want to get used to this slower, more regulated pacing.

Today, I’m talking all things Absolute Green Lantern #4, and spoilers lie ahead! Consider yourself warned! Without further ado, let’s get into the review!

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Absolute Green Lantern #4 Review

Image by DC Comics

Whereas the third issue was all about exploring how terrifying the concept of alien invaders could be, this fourth issue of Absolute Green Lantern actually looked to bridge the gap between humanity and the extra-terrestrial by exploring the concept of alien understanding. In some ways, the premise of Absolute Green Lantern #4 was the most intriguing of the series yet, posing the question of how communication can take place between a human and a being who, at a base level, lacks understanding of how humanity thinks. This sort of communication barrier is exactly the sort of thing I like to see explored in cosmic horror works, and considering that Absolute Green Lantern proudly claims a presence in this genre, I was excited to see this conversation develop.

The dialogue between Jo and Abin Sur was actually fairly interesting when it started off, and honestly, Jo’s bravery in just confronting him face-to-face is very respectable. However, I do think that this issue of Absolute Green Lantern unwittingly raised the question of whether or not anyone has ever tried to actually talk to Abin Sur before. Out of the town of 3,000 people, all of which have gone missing, has no one ever spoken to him? He seems fairly willing to disclose a fair amount of information to Jo, so it makes me wonder about how rational he actually is, especially considering he seems to be about to spare her at the end of the discussion.

While the conversation itself did fascinate me, I couldn’t believe that Hal was actually going to try shooting Abin Sur. I guess our heroes were at the point of trying anything they could think of, but it seems silly to imagine this cosmic being being taken out by a singular bullet, golden or not. I also wish we got more information about this gold thing in this issue, as honestly, it’s starting to feel like a plot device purely for Jo to pull off what she does in this issue of Absolute Green Lantern. It seems a little too convenient that she happened to reach for Abin Sur with the finger that had her golden ring on it, but I’m not complaining considering it gave us the below panel.

Image by DC Comics

This panel is easily my favourite in the series so far. It captures all of the cosmic madness of Absolute Green Lantern, while also being visually stunning, and surprisingly comprehensible. The art throughout this series has been beautiful throughout, but it’s clear that Jahnoy Lindsay’s artistic talents know no bounds. I enjoy the story of Absolute Green Lantern, but the art being so stunning is a huge bonus.

There is a major plot development in this issue of Absolute Green Lantern, that being the reveal that Jo’s powers have been obtained through her contact with Abin Sur, though it’s slightly unclear to me whether or not she stole them from him, or just gained powers herself from contact with him. It’s an interesting parallel to the dark powers that Hal has been tapping into, and as the Absolute Green Lantern series continues to tease a future conflict between Jo and Hal, the constantly-building comparisons between the two become all the more interesting. I can’t wait to learn more about that fight they end up having, and I have a feeling we’ll be seeing it in full swing soon.

We also learn that this collision between Jo and Abin Sur was responsible for the giant green lantern falling out of the sky and destroying the town. I enjoy the explosive results of this meeting, but I do wish we had spent more time on the discussion between the two of them. As much as he said, Abin Sur really explained nothing at all. We do get a teaser that the many people he ‘killed’ are not actually dead, but in a cosmic horror comic like this, who knows what that could mean? For all we know, they could be particles as we speak, but Abin Sur doesn’t consider them ‘dead’ by his standards. We’ll just have to wait and see, but I wish we had gotten at least a few more answers in this issue.

Image by DC Comics

I do have to be brutally honest as this review ends though – I am not interested in this Hector Hammond reveal at all. To be honest, I was preferring the series’ exploration of the alien, and the focus on characters that do not act out of malice, but out of extra-terrestrial duty. Hammond’s reveal feels like a complete change in pace for the series, and while he could slot perfectly into the ongoing narrative, something tells me he’s going to completely alter the tone. Here’s hoping the next issue proves me wrong.

All in all, Absolute Green Lantern #4 was an enjoyable read, but ultimately left me with more questions than answers, and teased a fairly underwhelming new villain in its final moments. What do you think of this issue of Absolute Green Lantern? Be sure to let us know in the comments, and thanks for reading!

See also: Ironheart Review

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