Absolute Green Lantern #5

The Absolute Green Lantern series is back for a fifth issue, ominously titled ‘With Fear’, and the title certainly fits the tone of this incredibly foreboding chapter in the series. The last issue of Absolute Green Lantern teased the debut of a somewhat underwhelming new antagonist, and while my fears of disappointment have not yet been dissipated, this fifth issue does tease an intense future for the series, even if in the act of foreshadowing, Absolute Green Lantern #5 is left feeling a little left-behind.

Today, I’m talking all things Absolute Green Lantern #5, and spoilers lie ahead! Consider yourself warned! Without further ado, let’s get into the review!

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Absolute Green Lantern #5 Review

Image by DC Comics

The fifth issue of Absolute Green Lantern opened on a fairly standard note, following the recollections of a civilian present for the falling of the giant Green Lantern on his hometown. However, we quickly shift from this account to a fairly shocking sequence of panels, depicting what appears to be the end of the menacing Abin Sur at the hands of Hal Jordan, and of course, his trusty handgun. I would be lying if I said I expected the end of this alien overlord to come from a pistol, but Absolute Green Lantern does love to surprise me. Back when the series was in its early stages, I would have been completely blindsided by this, but in recent issues, we’ve seen Abin Sur’s power dwindling, especially after last issue’s showdown between him and Jo. For now, we have to accept the end of Abin Sur, a menacing villain that I feel never truly reached his full potential.

As Abin Sur dies(?), we get our first look into the defining characteristic of Absolute Green Lantern #5 – an overwhelming sense of dread. Abin Sur insisting that Hal should feel fear, as he melts into a giant pile of black goop, certainly left a lasting impression on both the characters involved, and the reader, especially considering how insistent Abin Sur had been previously on ‘not’ feeling fear. Fear plays a major role in this issue, from all sorts of angles, which certainly implies to me that something big is on the horizon. I struggle to believe that Hector Hammond is the source of all this fear, so perhaps another villain is soon to arrive in Absolute Green Lantern? Prediction is rarely my strong suit, and especially in a series like this, so for now, all we can do is wait for the promising sixth issue to release.

Shortly after, Absolute Green Lantern #5 transitions into the battle between Hal and Jo, a fight we’ve seen snippets of since the very beginning of this series. Now, finally, the battle seems to take centre-stage, with a newfound context fuelling the emotional side of the conflict. There is an overwhelming sadness present in this battle, not only considering Hal and Jo were previously friends, but also considering just how monstrous Hal has become under the control of The Black Hand. He’s barely human anymore at this point – I can only imagine how much more impactful this must have on Green Lantern fans, considering I’m largely unfamiliar with Hal Jordan in other appearances, and this even caused a pit in my stomach.

Image by DC Comics

Keeping the emotional rollercoaster going, I also really enjoyed the comparison between the Green Lantern ring worn by Jo, and her wedding ring, both of which she was told to take off, and both of which she refuses to. The emotional intensity of the whole ordeal is matched by the incredible artwork of Jahnoy Lindsay, who continues to be an asset to a story that could easily fall out of understanding were the art illegible or muddled. Absolute Green Lantern is not my favourite series in the Absolute universe, but it may take the crown for the best visuals in the initiative.

The series has felt a little like the ‘black sheep’ of the Absolute universe since its inception, and I think that this fifth issue highlighted one of the main reasons that that is the case. Aside from the cosmic horror elements, which allow Absolute Green Lantern to stand out from the crowd, there’s a sense of moral ambiguity to this series that I don’t find to be present in the other comics in this universe. There’s no real hero or villain in this battle between Hal and Jo – Abin Sur stood out as a definitive antagonist for the first few issues, but even then, his final appearances added more moral greyness to his intentions. Something tells me we may get a more definitive hero in this story in the next issue, with the cliffhanger in mind, but in Absolute Green Lantern #5, there’s a sense that no one is truly in the right. I enjoy this sort of approach to the superhero genre, so this was a big plus for the issue.

With all of these ideas floating around in between the lines of Absolute Green Lantern #5, it’s a little disappointing that the issue feels so empty otherwise. With that being said, we do get some great action here, especially in the final pages, as the giant Green Lantern appears to awaken and emit powerful rays, alongside some very visually impressive artwork. We also get to see Hal and Jo go at it for a much longer period of time than ever before, which I appreciated. It always impresses me when comic artwork manages to make me feel the action in motion despite being static, and Absolute Green Lantern #5 pulls this off beautifully.

Image by DC Comics

Again though, I must end this review on a bit of a solemn note, and it is, once again, thanks to one particular character – it’s going to take some very heavy-lifting to make me care in the slightest about Hector Hammond. Maybe the more die-hard Green Lantern fans know something about this character that I don’t, but he feels so underwhelming in the antagonist compared to Abin Sur. It’s difficult for me to put aside these thoughts, but I am holding out hope that I’ll be proven wrong in my thoughts on him so far. Perhaps the next issue will catapult his status.

With a thrilling cliffhanger occupying its final page, Absolute Green Lantern #5 leaves us wanting more, which ultimately, is all we can ask for in such a trippy, cosmic comic, where prediction feels impossible. What do you think of the fifth issue of Absolute Green Lantern? Be sure to let us know in the comments, and thanks for reading!

See also: Absolute Superman #10 Review

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