Green Lantern: Rebirth [Paperback]

I wasn't totally sure what to expect when I decided to get Green Lantern: Rebirth. I was wondering whether I would fully understand it as this was the very first Green Lantern book I had ever picked up. Having read the previous reviews saying that this does not matter I decided to give it a try.

I was very pleased that I did, at no point did I need to question what was happening as the quality of writing was so good. The few questions I did have were swiftly answered. A top novel with amazing artwork throughout.

Highly recommend this to either people like me who have never read a Green Lantern novel before or people that are fans already. Enjoyable from start to finish, my first Green Lantern novel and certainly not my last.

Name the greatest, most famous superheroes of all time, and you'll turn to DC Comics. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman; EVERYONE knows who they are. Turn to Marvel Comics, and you'll get Spider-Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Incredible Hulk, Iron Man etc.

Turn back to DC Comics and you'd probably struggle to name more legendary heroes. The Flash comes to mind, and maybe does Aquaman. But the Green Lantern is another of DC's most famous - and overlooked - champions.

For those who are unfamiliar, Green Lantern is the name given to an intergalactic guardian. Many of whom form the Green Lantern Corps, founded by the immortal Guardians of the planet Oa. Charged with incredibly powerful rings that can turn imagination into total reality, the Green Lanterns uphold peace throughout the galaxy.

There have been several beings (human and extraterrestrial) to wield power as the Green Lantern i.e. Kyle Rayner, John Stewart, Guy Gardner and Kilowog, but the man who has the distinction of being the greatest Green Lantern of them all...was one Hal Jordan.

A U.S. Air Force Pilot, Jordan was essentially a man without fear (before Daredevil even!). Created by Gil Kane, this version of Green Lantern was revered and loved, until 1994 when DC Comics decided to turn Hal Jordan into the cosmic, genocidal villain Parallax (starting in the controversial Emerald Twilight), went on a mad, killing spree, destroyed several of his fellows, the Guardians, arch-nemesis Sinestro, tried to remake all of reality in the "Zero Hour" crossover, before ultimately choosing to sacrifice himself to save reality and achieve redemption as the Spectre, the spirit of vengeance.

Confusing? Tarnishing? Just plain stupid? That's what virtually the entire (outraged) Green Lantern fan-base thought, and that is what THIS - Green Lantern: Rebirth - is all about. Trying to undo all that mess from the nineties, restore Hal Jordan back to where he belongs in a blaze of glory and redemption, make sense of key plot-points and also breathe some much-needed new life into the character.

Rebirth was a miniseries that had huge success. It was critically acclaimed, sold-out hundreds of thousands of copies, went through multiple printings...and was regarded as a downright classic. Having read it, I completely understand why. Geoff Johns writes all the essential components for a must-read story. Character, plot, high-stakes, script, drama; everything's here, and it's all done with a degree of intelligence and a desire to be faithful to the Green Lantern mythos.

Johns corrects all the mistakes that were made with Hal Jordan, and does so in ingenious fashion. The explanations behind Parallax, Sinestro's involvement then and now, the revival of the Guardians and the Corps etc, now all make perfect sense, and when Hal Jordan returns to his original role (redeeming himself and abandoning the Spectre), you truly believe that the real Green Lantern is back.

But Rebirth isn't just about redemption. It's about starting over for a new generation of readers, and also introducing the new wave of fans to who the Green Lantern is, and what it all means. Hal Jordan's origins and downfall are recapped in beautiful fashion, and the writer does so in a way that doesn't distract from present events. And Johns also gives time for the other Lanterns to shine, showcasing their distinctive characters, their differing methods with a the power ring. It's all so multi-layered, and rich in...well, just about everything.

Guest-appearances from the Justice League (watch out for Hal going toe-to-toe with Batman!), the fantastic artwork of Ethan Van Sciver, a great foreword from Brad Meltzer (from Identity Crisis and JLA: Tornado's Path) and some extra sketches and explanations from Geoff Johns complete the circle in superb style.

Green Lantern: Rebirth is simply one of the greatest graphic novels I've ever purchased. I've had my eye on it for a while, and I'm so glad I finally decided to check it out. For it to be THIS good and to redeem what's gone before is a rare thing, and one that should be appreciated even more. For fans of Green Lantern AND comics in general, Rebirth NEEDS to be on your shelves.

I picked up this book after watching, and enjoying, the recent movie. I am not new to the superhero genre, however I have never had much interest in the Green Lantern books.
When I searched for Green Lantern books, (not just on amazon) this book came up, always near the top of the list, and seemed to be highly praised.
Anyway i went ahead with it, and I honestly can't fault it. The story flows smoothly, various characters are brought into the story throughout the book but in such a seemless way that it doesn't feel disjointed, or like a silly plot device, and all the characters are fleshed out and captured perfectly; a testament to Geoff Johns writing talents.
There are brief flashbacks in the book at certain points so new readers can fully appreciate whats going on, but these are specific and take up about 3-5 panels, and this is what I like, is that the book gives the sense of moving forward; this isn't an origin story, this is a story that get's everyone familiar with old characters, and still tells a fresh, new tale at the same time.
Furthermore the art is perfect for the book, bright colours surrounding Hal Jordan, dark colours around The Spectre/Parallax, and, naturally lots of green.
Overall the book is brilliantly written, and the art is well suited. The reason I did not give this 5 stars, is just simply down to my own personal taste. I enjoyed the book for what it was, a tale to get Green Lantern back on track, but I feel it didn't come close to the likes of DC's All Star Superman, or The Long Halloween, or even Marvel's Spider-man "Coming Home". This is more on par with Marvel's "Civil War" or "The Ultimates V.1"
A great read, either as a stand alone book, or as a pre-curser to Geoff Johns ongoing Green Lantern series.