After a long wait between issues, Green Lantern Dark #4 is certainly living up to its name. In the latest issue, Tate Brombal, Werther Dell’Edera, Giovanna Niro, Tom Napolitano have come together to reveal more about Rina’s story, while also showcasing more about this fully realized world. As new characters join the ensemble cast, this book is already heading towards an intriguing finale.
It’s hard not to praise the incredible opening to this issue. The initial narration combined the eerie artwork that blends darkness with a surprisingly bright Providence. That narration itself is brilliant, proving to match the Green Lantern Dark moniker, while also playing into the themes of Providence well. It would have been nice to see it touched on in this issue, but it’s a good cliffhanger for a follow-up.
The coloring is also brilliant, especially in those early panels. Even before the parishioner reveals his inner cruelty, any reader familiar with the Green Lantern mythos should instantly be put on edge by the bright yellow building behind him. As more clues fall into place about his villainy, that yellow introduction only feels more fitting by the moment.
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The detailed art has also been an exceptional part of Green Lantern Dark. The bullet holes in the “Port Arbor” sign, for instance, is as effective at telling an unseen story as the “4” that was repeatedly crossed out of the “pop 4,956” proclamation. These small details help deepen this world’s tragedy, while also reminding readers that there are still people left to make those markings and fight back against Demona’s forces (even if Rina doesn’t necessarily want to).
Green Lantern Dark certainly never fails when it comes to artwork. The sketch-like art style perfectly suits this fractured world, and the dynamic colors perfectly tie into its themes. The wordless pages are especially impressive, as colors tell the story just as much as the inks do. Grotesque and detailed scenes are followed by simple panels, creating the perfect contrast that matches the start-and-stop action of this book.
Aside from the impressive art, it’s also nice to see more of Rina’s backstory. Her history has remained somewhat of a mystery throughout this series, and this marks the midpoint of Green Lantern Dark. It’s certainly time to start drip-feeding her origin story, and it’s nice that the book is finally beginning to reveal her secrets. There is certainly still more to come about her character, but this tease was a great start, and it promises compelling developments as Green Lantern Dark reveals more about her parents.
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Again, however, it is important to acknowledge the lantern in the room: It’s difficult to remember much of the story after a two-month delay. To summarize a similar argument from the Green Lantern Dark #3 review, it strips away key details and makes for a somewhat unpleasant reading experience. It’s difficult to remember that Garr is no longer a gigantic monster, for instance, or how Grundry awoke Rina’s power around half a year ago.
Additionally, while Green Lantern Dark #4 certainly knocks it out of the park with its introduction, the writing somewhat dips in quality when Batwraith speaks. It can be difficult to balance the darker side of any Batman-adjacent character, but he falls into absurdity at some points. There is an open question about whether or not his speech is meant to be tongue-in-cheek with its edginess, or if that is actually just a serious portrayal of his character. Either way, it falls short.
If Batwraith was a moment in which the book stumbled, the rest of the ensemble is beginning to receive some much-needed development. Lunette’s lackluster response to losing her parents was finally explained, Garr’s tragic backstory made him a more compelling character, and even the often-forgettable tagalong boy seems to be getting an opportunity to shine in Green Lantern Dark #5. Everything is coming together to make these last few issues pop, and it is genuinely exciting to see.
There were certainly flaws with this issue — Batwraith, especially — but the story and the quality of the art come together to create a genuinely memorable issue, which is especially important with this release schedule. Green Lantern Dark #4 accomplishes everything that it sets out to do. As this story continues, it’s certainly worth continuing to follow along before the issue #7 finale.
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