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I've hated Kyle Rayner for twelve years now. I don't appologize for that. Hal Jordan was my Green Lantern and he was my father's Green Lantern. He was disgraced and replaced in a terrible and disrespectful way. I can't express enough how happy I was when I learned that DC had found an editor (Dan Didio) who had the balls to correct one of their worst decisions. Geoff Johns wrote one hell of a story that cleverly explains that the events of Emerald Twilight were NOT Hal Jordan's fault. The artwork by Ethan Van Sciver (New X-men) is very top notch. I can't recommend this collection highly enough.
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Love comics growing up? Then you gotta have this book! Its wonderful!
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Green Lantern: Rebirth ties up loose plot lines and reveals answers to questions that have plagued Green Lantern fans for decades, such as what really is the story behind the power ring's impurity and its vulnerability to yellow, as well as some startling new information about GL's arch-enemy Sinestro. No one re-tools their major characters like DC, due in part to their own lack of confidence in the character often times. And no one has had a bumpier ride in recent years than poor Hal Jordan. Seeing Coast City destroyed Hal tries to recreate it leading to a conflict with the Guardians, and Hal's usurping the power of the central battery to become Parallax, destroying most of the Guardians and other Green Lanterns, before finally sacrificing himself to save Earth's sun. Hal would then become bonded with the Spectre as the new Spirit of Vengeance.
All of the surviving Green Lanterns play a role in the book including Kyle Rayner, John Stewart, Killowog, and yes, even Guy Gardner. While off at the edges of space Kyle learns finds an alien race living in terror. His ring translates the name "Parallax". Kyle returns to Earth as he and the other Green Lanterns soon come under the influence of a menacing influence. Guy Gardner even has his body turned inside out as he's taken for treatment to the JLA and Mr. Terrific. Meanwhile Hal is having his own problems controlling the Spectre's thirst for vengeance which is growing more and more aggressive, literally turning the hand of the villain "Black Hand" to coal.
The Justice League is growing suspicious of Hal as well, particularly Batman who has never had a great affinity for Jordan to begin with. Soon the appearance of Ganthet, the last of the original Guardians, brings some startling revelations about the history of the Guardians, Parallax, the power rings, Sinestro, and the source of the impurity. I won't play spoiler and reveal and of this, but the words astonishing and shocking come to mind right off the bat. You know of course that Hal returns as Green Lantern and has his first formal introduction to the man who replaced him, Kyle Rayner. He also has a long overdue confrontation with Batman who still doesn't trust him.
In many ways, this is Kyle Rayner's finest hour as he provides the first warnings about Parallax, and takes on a supped-up Sinestro on his own...just in time for Hal to return, not to mention Guy Gardner. Long time Green Lantern fans are sure to be ecstatic about the return of one of the original Silver Age icons as they never really took to Rayner or Stewart and Gardner was generally only good for a few laughs. How DC handles Hal (not to mention the Spectre) from here on out becomes the new question. The story wraps up nicely and for a change we have a story that doesn't leave issues dangling. The Story was written by Geoff Johns, one of the most stalwart and reliable scribes in comics today. The art by Art by Ethan Van Sciver and Prentis Rollins was very solid without being too "showy".
The hardcover book also provides background information and creator commentary on various aspects of the story which also serve to help tie things all together. A gallery of alternate covers is also included. Green Lantern: Rebirth is without a doubt one of the most important storylines from DC in recent years.
Reviewed by Tim Janson
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A few years back, when DC was busy killing off many of their icons (which as of now, they're having a blast doing it again), Ron Marz and the then editors at DC had the "brilliant" idea of killing off the Silver Age Green Lantern Hal Jordan. As that story unfolded, Hal went crazy, killed countless other Lanterns, got himself a new costume, and called himself Paralax. Eventually, Hal sacrificed himself in a final heroic act, and later became the vengeance seeking Spectre in an effort to redeem himself. Kyle Rayner, who became the new GL after Hal went nuts, was never embraced by comic readers, but the character comes into his own here in Green Lantern: Rebirth, a six issue mini-series written by Flash and JSA scribe Geoff Johns. Beginning with Kyle crash landing to earth with the body of Hal Jordan, he warns that Paralax is coming. Something strange is also happening to JLA Green Lantern John Stewart and former GL Guy Gardner, as Hal's spirit struggles with the Spectre, and the return of Paralax. It sounds convoluted, but Johns somehow manages to make the past Paralax story make sense, as Hal Jordan makes his triumphant return as Green Lantern, and the re-establishment of the Green Lantern Corps. Guest stars, including classic GL villain Sinestro, alien GL Kilowog, the JLA, the JSA, and the Teen Titans, are all here; culminating in a just plain awesome battle between the new GL Corps and a posessive evil. Ethan Van Sciver's art gives Hal a return to his classic look, while Kyle looks more intimidating than one would ever think before. Some won't like it, but Rebirth is just that: a rebirth not only for Hal, but for the entire Green Lantern mythos, and it's done masterfully.
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