Green Lantern #2

Oh Hal. You simply never learn. As Sinestro points out...frequently.

When last we left our rumpled and slightly downtrodden hero, Hal had just been yelled at by Carol, and had been evicted from his apartment. His adjustment to real life isn't going particularly well. Heck, Guy did a better job of getting along without a ring than Hal is. But not to fear, because Sinestro just happens to show up at his doorstep with an...intriguing offer.

Hal of course completely over-reacts, and tries to attack Sinestro. Without a ring. Wearing a tie, no less. Sinestro of course, overpowers Hal without even working up a sweat. He DOES lift one eyebrow, as we go for a little bit of Hal Bondage. Then Sinestro offers Hal a ring...after pointing out that Hal never did too much with the ring the LAST time he had one. Naturally Hal accepts...and then tries to blow Sinestro's face off!

That...works about as well as you would expect it to. See, Sinestro only gave Hal as much power as HE wants him to have...and obviously has manufactured a ring that cannot harm him...just like he did with the Sinestro Corp rings. He does give the ring back to Hal, who immediately hears a siren and rushes off without hesitation, while Sinestro no doubt sighs. He does point out that Hal is as obedient as a dog...and half as smart, which made me laugh out loud.

A bridge has been hit by...something and is in danger of collapsing. People are falling, and naturally, Hal swoops in and rescues a Hot Babe. Oh, and one car. As Hal and the Hot Babe are gazing into one anothers eyes, Sinestro wanders by, and nonchalantly takes BACK Hal's power again. Then he tells him to watch and learn, as he effortlessly, saves the Hot Babe, the car, and the ENTIRE FRIKKIN'BRIDGE! All the while holding Hal by the throat. Sinestro is the King of Multi-tasking.

Naturally the people are all gibbering with delight and thanks for Sinestro who seems a bit nonplussed by their gratitude, and tells them to get back to their dully little lives, as he and Hal fly off. Sinestro wants Hal to come with him to Korugar, and help clean up the trash. He left the Sinestro Corps there, to guard his home world, but they apparently aren't behaving very well. And then they are attacked by a particularly loathsome member of that same Corps, who has decided that Sinestro is a traitor to the Light, and that if HE kills him...then he'll rule in his place.

That goes about as well as you would expect. Sinestro quite sternly tells him that he gave them a code of conduct to follow, and instead they are out giving in to their own sadistic urges. This is where I have to say that perhaps Sinesto was being just a tiny bit naive. You can't create a Corps built on the power to invoke FEAR, and just expect them all to behave nicely.

My only complaint is that this is where it ends, and I was all set for MORE! Mahnke's artwork is stellar as always, and Geoff Johns isn't the least bit afraid to make Hal look like an idiot. In fact, Hal pretty much looks and behaves like an idiot throughout the whole book!

There are some really nice touches. The look of triumph and glee on Hal's face, as he gets a ring back on his finger, is superb. Sinestro's world-weary sneer is a lot of fun. Sinestro is portrayed as being just so incredibly competent at what he does. No wonder Hal irritates him. And yet...Hal was the first person that he went to for help. Possibly to rub it in a little bit, that he's beholden to Sinestro for a ring again, but also I think because Sinestro just LIKES to get Hal riled up. He's a little bit like Guy in that respect. And dammit, Sinestro just looks so...suave.

This was a heck of a lot of fun. I just wish it hadn't seemed so short. But I am desperately looking forward to the next issue.