Rating:  -
This particular collection has a horrible reputation, which I feel it doesn't deserve. It's understandable that some people may feel strongly about a story that takes such major risks with a beloved character. Admittedly, I'd never been particularly familiar with Hal Jordan (aside from seeing him in Superfriends as a kid), but I thought Emerald Twilight was a spectacular story, told with wonderful pathos. It managed to make Jordan a sympathetic character even as he turned against the GL corps. The first of the three issues of which this collection is comprised is a great exploration into Hal's state of mind and attempts at closure after the destruction of his home. Closure which is cruelly cut short by Jordan's superiors, the Guardians.
In a way, I think Emerald Twilight is a dark reflection of Batman's origin: it's a story about the transformative power of grief. Bruce Wayne's grief over the death of his parents caused him to don a cape and fight crime night after night. Hal's grief over his city's destruction eventually prompted him to... well, read the collection (and Zero Hour after it, too).
Rating:  -
"Zero stars" should be an option for tripe like this. As many people have noted, this book should have been entitled "Emerald Toilet."
Anyone familiar with the mythos of the Green Lantern Corps and it's greatest champion, Hal Jordan, know in their hearts and minds that this story should have never been written.
Hal Jordan was chosen among all others on Earth to wield the "Power Ring" and hold the title of "Green Lantern." His bravery and integrity were constants, until writer Ron Marz and editor Kevin Dooley twisted the beauty and grandeur that previous generations of creative teams brought to the title into an unmitigated cesspool of incoherence.
The hero acts completely out of character, the pacing is abominable, and a series of events unfold that illustrate the writer and editor's desire to market shock value, rather than a quality story to the readers.
It might be of interest to potential readers that the writer (Ron Marz) and the editor (Kevin Dooley) are no longer employed by DC Comics. Draw your own conclusions.
Save your money folks. This one just isn't worth it.
Rating: -
When I was growing up, I'd watch the Superfriends on TV. One of my favorite characters was Hal Jordan. While I never read comics as a child, I found new interest in reading them during the Death of Superman storyline. Once again, Hal Jordan played a big role in the storyline. I decided to pick up the book and happened to start right at the beginning of Emerald Twilight. I was horrified. Hal turned into a mass murderer, killing his trusted friends and stealing the power battery's power. While I liked his replacement, Kyle Rayner, I grew to understand the importance that Hal Jordan held in the GL mythos. Emerald Twilight was a travesty.
Rating: -
Emerald Twilight is a complete travesty. It's been the source of heated (and, frankly, borderline insane) controversy for some five years now, but it is actually quite simple a storyline, crafted by an irresponsible editor and an inexperienced writer (at least as far as the character himself is concerned).
The problem isn't so much in disposing of Hal Jordan as a viable character, or in introducing (hastly) Kyle Rayner as his substitute; were his origin different, Rayner could be a worthy character, much like, say, Firestorm. But for some reason Ron Marz and Kevin Dooley decided to completely ignore established characterization and retcon Hal Jordan and the GL Corps into despisable caricatures of themselves without so much as an attempt of an explanation. That's a waste of storytelling potential and a completely avoidable disrespect to existing readers to boot. Such amauteristic editering shouldn't ever have had place in an established published such as DC.
There are also plot weakenesses, inconsistencies and general lack of substance aplenty, but I shall not elaborate on it - it's not worth the trouble, really.
Rating: -
If you're a new reader and you've never read Green Lantern before, this book won't mean anything to you. The plotline is confusing, full of characters that you don't know who they are, actions flow in a reckless sequence and it lacks suspence and creativity. If you've been reading Green Lantern for years now, the book is not only a creative disaster, but it will disrespect your passion for the true and nobel hero that Hal Jordan has always been to you. If you can't relate to Hal Jordan because you don't know him, try to imagine that a villain has blown up Metropolis and Superman goes crazy, turns into a villain himself and murders other fellow heroes throughout the planet. That's what's they did with Hal Jordan. Don't wait your time and money with this book, the creators were just trying a cheap way out to introduce a new character, it was purely made for commercial reasons, no art not talent involved.
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