Green Lantern Issue 45

This is one of the first issues released since the Blackest Night #1.  And it picks up right where Hal and Barry left off in that issue, standing over the defiled grave of Bruce Wayne.  They are then confronted by a mummified looking Martian Manhunter who tells them they should both be dead.   As J’onn’s black ring scans Green Lantern and Flash it shows Hal in a halo of green for will and Barry in a blue haze that says hope.  Hal’s ring reports that J’onn has negative life signs and he then wastes no time trying to take J’onn down, but the Martian Manhunter has something to say about this.

We get into an all out brawl at this point! J’onn pulls out all his old powers showing that he truly isn’t just a dead minion.  Shapeshifting, intangibility, flight, heat vision and mind control all get thrown at Hal and Barry who barely escape getting their hearts ripped out by J’onn.  At one point J’onn makes a comment (as he’s ripping a building  off its foundation) “I’m as powerful as Superman.  Why does everyone forget that?”

We then are brought back to Oa where Scar has his fellow guardians wrapped up in black bile and floating in space viewing the raging war of light that is spreading across the universe. The Guardians ask Scar why he is betraying them. To which Scar replies, “I am simply carrying out the mission we began together billions of years ago: I am brining order to the universe… it’s time for a new army to save the universe.” As the black lanterns continue to rip open peoples chests Scar is receiving reports of the rising black power levels.

We then are back in Gotham where J’onn influences Barry’s mind and forces him to attack Hal.  We are treated to a great two page spread with the Flash landing a killer left hook across the jaw of Green Lantern. Hal flashes Barry in the face with his ring and snaps him out of the mind control. J’onn then smashes Hal with a right hand knocking him towards the bat signal on top of the police station and then turns and bitch slaps Barry into a pile of sewage.  Telling Barry “Justice is dead” as Barry slowly slips under the surface.

Our final two pages take us to space sector 1313 where John Stewart is sitting on an asteroid remembering his own failure and mistakes which resulted in the destruction of Xanshi.  While John sits and tortures himself mentally a horde of black rings come whizzing by him and smash into the remains of the planet Xanshi… commanding it to rise!

• Issue: 44
• Story Arch: Only the Good Die Young
• Writer: Geoff Johns
• Pencils: Doug Mahnke
• Inks: Christian Alamy
• Color: Randy Mayor
• Letters: Rob Leigh