Spoilers for Absolute Green Lantern #6 ahead!
Engulfed in near-total darkness, Jo and Hal find themselves deep within the Green Lantern’s void. The only sources of light: their once-believed-dead friends and family from Evergreen. With the Lantern placing their closest friends at the Rao and Aur levels of light, the full spectrum of questions races through their minds. How will the Lantern judge Jo and Hal’s actions? Will our two heroes finally get the answers they seek? Or will the answers only lead to more questions? Most importantly:
“How far out is the world that’s coming?”
DC Comics
One of the things that I have loved about Absolute Green Lantern from the start is the Lost-style narrative Ewing and Lindsay have crafted with this series. Each new issue provides answers to the series’ longstanding mysteries while simultaneously posing new questions for the audience to chew on during the month-long wait for the next installment. The sixth episode in this series is no different. Absolute Green Lantern #6 lays the foundation for the mythos of this iteration of the Corps and establishes the much-needed backstory behind Jo Mullein. As a result, Ewing and Lindsay’s latest installment pumps the brakes on the previous issue’s action in favor of exposition and world-building.
Taking a break from our regularly scheduled programming, Absolute Green Lantern #6 shifts focus from the conflict between Jo and Hal to the introduction of a new key player: Agent Cameron Chase. In this issue, we find that our newest addition to the cast has been placed on administrative leave and forbidden from investigating the case in Evergreen. Al Ewing and Jahnoy Lindsay absolutely nail the introduction of this new character through hilarious dialogue and facial expressions. Lindsay nails her irreverent and insubordinate facial expressions as she smokes in front of Agent Double’s face throughout their conversation. Ewing’s use of “my entire ass” as Chase’s expression of frustration adds some humor while also effectively conveying her feelings after being sidelined.
From here, Absolute Green Lantern #6 returns its focus to Hal and Jo Mullein as they encounter Yellow Lantern John Stewart and Red Lantern Guy Gardner. It is during this sequence that Ewing answers many of our questions regarding the mythos surrounding the Absolute Line’s Green Lantern Corps. Abandoning the notion of the emotional spectrum, Ewing, via Gardner, states that there are four levels of light: Qard, Rao, Sur, and Aur. Each level is based on the concept of action. Qard (black) is the lowest level and is based on chaotic action. Next comes Rao (red), which is the concept of restraint from action. Sur (green) is defined as correct action. Finally, Aur (yellow) is defined as total understanding, or enlightenment.
Although it represents a paradigm shift in our understanding of the Lantern Corps, Ewing has done an excellent job of establishing why each character has been placed at varying levels based on their actions throughout the series. Additionally, it is nice to see one of my predictions from the previous issue pan out when I discussed the possibility of Abin Sur being more of a title than the character’s name. Stewart explains that Abin means adept, controller, or guardian. As a result, Abin Sur is the guardian at the green level of light. It’s always satisfying to see theories pay off as the story progresses.
Additionally, it’s just as nice to see some of my theories disproven by new revelations. Ewing finally reveals that the image haunting Hal is not a ring, but rather Mogo, the living planet. Absolute Mogo is a world of chaos, something Stewart calls a Blackstar world. He is the home of the Abin Qard, the weaponers. It is nice to finally have a little understanding of the threat approaching Earth. I am excited to see Ewing’s interpretation of the Blackstars.
“Now I know there’s something wrong with you guys.”
DC Comics
As nice as it is to finally have some understanding of Ewing’s vision of the Green Lanterns, it’s hard not to feel as though you’re sitting in Professor John Stewart’s classroom with the sheer amount of exposition in this issue. With Absolute Green Lantern #6, Ewing trades the sci-fi horror that has made the title work so well for high-concept world-building. It’s a trade-off that is necessary to answer questions, but it would have benefited from interweaving the horror and action that drew me into the series. The sci-fi horror does make a reappearance toward the issue’s end as Jo attempts to remove the Black Hand from Hal.
Jahnoy Lindsay beautifully illustrates the sequence between Hal, Jo, and John. His use of vibrant colors and darkness creates an ethereal atmosphere within the Green Lantern. His work also does a great job of visually illustrating the difference in the levels of light. Unfortunately, there is one page at the end that feels off from the rest of his work. As Jo makes a surprise visit to her ex-wife, Cameron Chase, something feels off in a few facial expressions.
Exploding with exposition, Absolute Green Lantern #6 pumps the brakes on the horror that has made the title work so well for high-concept sci-fi world-building. Although the trade-off is necessary to answer questions, the title could have benefited from a better balance between the two. Ewing’s abandonment of the emotional spectrum for the four levels of light based on types of action is intriguing. Additionally, Jahnoy’s work throughout the exposition adds to the ethereal high-concept nature that the creators are trying to convey.
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