Green Lantern #176

[Daedelus]

Writer- Ron Marz
Penciller- Luke Ross
Inker- Rodney Ramos

"Homecoming" Part 1 of 6

The return of Kyle Rayner to Earth and Kyle's creator ROn Marz are both welcome in this issue. The first four opening pages alone are worth the price of admission! Kyle's homecoming doesn't go quite as he plans as things go from bad to worse. Without spoiling to much Jade drops a bomb on him that I thought was so out of character for her it surprised the hell out me! While this will have great dramatic effect on Kyle, I think this is really a disservice to Jade. I must admit, that I skipped the middle of Raab's run, I only read his first two issues after the green arrow team up and his last that preceeded this one. Maybe Jade's behavior was more developed and explained during these issues, but I found it shocking and disapointing.

It's hard to read this issue in a neutral light after the news of John's Rebirth on the horizon. I realize what Marz is trying to do here, but the Jade scenario, Martian Manhunter and the League's snub all help to isloate Kyle and make this final run about him and not him guest starring the Heroes of the DC Universe. However, the complete glossing over of the end of the previous issue to this issue all bothered me. Kyle projected himself into the ring and then willed it to his assistant Terry on Earth? Well, what ever, Kyle's back on Earth and we can move forward with this story line that aparently involves the return of Fatality? I'll be back next issue and until the end.

The art by Luke Ross is top notch! Nothing negative to say on that at all!

Grade: A-

[KSChris]

THIS is the Green Lantern I know and love.

A-

[casusev]

best GL since 150, this is kyle THE GL!

[CountD]

may pick this up. i know..i'm late.

[punkmonkey]

GREEN LANTERN #176
Title: “Homecoming?” Part One
Publisher: DC Comics-- $2.25 / 22 pgs.
Writer: Ron Marz
Penciler: Luke Ross
Inker: Rodney Ramos
Colorist: Moose Baumann
Cover Artist: Brandon Peterson

Reviewed By: Jared Moraitis
Grade: Story -- C

This was my very first issue of Green Lantern ever! How did I get through 23 years of reading comics without ever having read an issue of GL? I don’t know, especially considering he’s one of DC’s fairly big guns. I have read GREEN LANTERN VS. ALIENS, though, does that count? Anyway, the book just never seemed to have the right attractive combination of writer and artist to attract my attention. Ex- GL writer Ron Marz coming back onboard with ex-CrossGen penciller Luke Ross in tow was enough to capture my interest, though.

Ron Marz was the writer responsible for having beloved Green Lantern Hal Jordan go nuts and become a mass murderer in a mad bid for power that led to current Green Lantern Kyle Rayner taking over for him. Since them, I’ve only read GL’s exploits over in JLA, which he’s been absent from for some time due to Kyle going on some deep space sojourn. This issue finds Kyle returning to Earth after his long absence to find a depressing lack of welcome or need for him, and even a major betrayal by a loved one. The hows and whys of Kyle’s absence are not covered in sufficient enough detail to give new readers like me an idea of what exactly has been going on. Marz does do a thorough job of communicating the bittersweetness of Kyle’s return to Earth, although the incident he encounters in his apartment seems a bit harsh on the part of the offending party. The shocking cliffhanger ending is pretty much lost on me as I am completely unfamiliar with the individual being released from prison. It’s clear she is bad news, but only because of the disbelief of the wardens -- there is no reason given why she is such bad news, and a bit of exposition on the part of Marz would have helped pump up this revelation.

As it stands, I’m only mildly curious to continue reading Marz’s Green Lantern tale. He really needed to craft one cracking tale designed to snag new readers and keep them interested, and he just didn’t do that. He seems to be writing only to longtime GL readers, and that’s just not me. Ross’ art is solid and well-rendered, but there isn’t anything spectacular about it -- perhaps because Marz didn’t give him a very exciting script to work with. I’d consider giving this series one more issue to hook me, but this issue alone wasn’t enough to cement my loyalty to GREEN LANTERN.

[strathcona]

Originally posted by punkmonkey
The shocking cliffhanger ending is pretty much lost on me as I am completely unfamiliar with the individual being released from prison. It’s clear she is bad news, but only because of the disbelief of the wardens -- there is no reason given why she is such bad news, and a bit of exposition on the part of Marz would have helped pump up this revelation.

Her name is Fatality and she certainly is bad news. She is a fairly recent addition to the GL rogues gallery, having only been introduced in the last few years. She is the survivor of a planet (I forget the name of it, it was destroyed in the COsmic Odyssey mini years ago) that was destroyed because of John Stewart's ego. She didn't know it was John, so she went on a rampage killing all the Green Lanterns she came across. She's a lethal lady that has issues with both John and Kyle.

Oh, and I think it was great to see Shilo Norman as the warden at the jail

[LukeRed5]

I haven't picked up GL in a really long time. I thought this issue was great. Maybe with Hal coming back, Kyle may go back into space and be a GL for another sector.

BRING BACK THE GL CORPS!!!

[Wulfkin]

I also have not read GL for a good bit but I found this issue really easy to get back into the series.I thought it was an ok story but I really didn't like the bit with Jade.Ross's art was great and that last page shot of Fatality was outstanding.I'd give this issue a (B) score.