By Cat Wyatt

Issue number 33 is starting us off on a new plot; Twilight of the Guardians (Part 1: Smash and Grab) and immediately starts off with showing us a new character. A man that looks suspiciously like a Guardian is running, perhaps trapped in some sort of prison? He’s trying to escape, and one of the last things we see about him is him telling a man named Kellic that he knows what he seeks. The blue man we saw? His name is (or was, I think, based on what happens) Yekop, and he was a Templar Guardian. I’m not entirely sure what that entails, but I’m sure that will all be explained in due time.

Meanwhile back on Mogo things are much more cheerful and lighthearted. Gathet and his wife Sayd are happily watching Somar-Le take flight for the first time. While they all agree she is too young to join the corps in full, it’s obvious that some sort of training must be started for her (perhaps they should start with teaching her out to fly in a way that doesn’t make her vomit? Just a thought). Ganthet and Sayd agree that they will teach her all they can about being a Green Lantern, though to be frank, I think they’re in over their heads. When was the last time either of them had to deal with a child?

At some point during the conversation John Stewart appears, and while he also seems content to watch, the conversation the adults have is nowhere near as joyful as the sight they’re witnessing. John is concerned about what can be done to stop evil when they’ve already failed as much as they have, and while Ganthet warns him off of this way of thinking, I suspect the concern is still lingering.

I’m sure you’ve noticed that the namesake of the series hadn’t shown his face yet, I know I did. Hal and Kyle are off on yet another mission, this time on the planet Molta. Hal is evacuating the citizens while Kyle holds back tons of molten lava (likely the source of this planets name). One would think this task would keep the guys pretty occupied…yet Hal can’t help but notice that something is off with Kyle’s constructs…they’re boring. Which is pretty much the opposite of Kyle and anything one would ever expect from him.

I was wondering when the emotional ramifications of the last few plots (specifically the Soranik one) would catch up with Kyle, and I guess I have my answer now. Despite all the action (and by that I mean fighting and saving people, not the other kind) Kyle sees on a near daily basis, Kyle is tired. It’s the same thing day after day for him, and he wants more than that in his life. He wants somebody to be with, more meaning to it all. I’m not sure what the long term effects of this sort of thinking will be, but I can’t help but wonder about how it all ties in with Ganthet and John’s conversation.

Meanwhile Somar-Le is probably already driving Ganthet and Sayd to their wits ends; she’s clearly more interested in playing than she is in actually learning (remember, she’s just a kid). Ironically they overcorrect in their teachings, and went from having her not invested at all to producing insane constructs in moments (and I mean that literally). The whole scene is pretty light and cheerful, which is good considering what comes next.

Someone…or something…shows up, screaming angry at the Guardians. They’re clearly planning on either hurting or taking them (based on the title I’m going to go with taking). Knowing they can’t fight him (going with him for now until I know more) off for long, Ganthet sends Somar-Le off to get help. She probably wasn’t his best choice for a messenger, but when the options are limited…

Despite the ending, this issue was mostly focused on conversations and setting up for the next part in the plot. I’m personally ok with this, as this is the sort of thing that gives meaning to the bigger action sequences. Some may find this issue to be a bit on the duller side however (though I can’t get over how cute Somar-Le was flying around like that).

Some of my favorite panels for this issue actually include some of the heavier conversation pieces; Ganthet and John taking about serious things while little Somar-Le is creating green zig-zags in the background is oddly evocative and striking. It really brought home that everything they’ve done is for the future (well, I can safely say that about John at least, maybe a little less so for the Guardians?). The close-ups during this scene are absolutely outstanding, Sayd looks striking, Ganthet regal, and John’s eyes are so bright and green its borderline alarming. The time spent on their faces is really quite wonderful, and it may be spoiling me just a bit. Keep this up and I’ll start expecting it all the time!

Score: 4/5

Hal Jordan and the Green Lanterns #33
DC Comics