Review: Green Lanterns #44
Since the whole Rebirth imitative, there have been a couple of books that been consistently excellent; one being Detective Comics and the other being Green Lanterns, Spun out of, in part, The Darkseid War, Jessica Cruz has become one of DC’s most popular characters.  A genuine diverse character who suffers from mental health issues on a daily basis, possessing the will to overcome them, Jess has been carefully built on since her cameo into a fully fledged member of the Green Lantern Corps and the Justice League.
During this run, there have been hints and teases that something isn’t quite right with Jess’s interaction with her ring. From the nickname “J-Bird” onwards, there are warnings that there is something else there, with the final page of issue of #43 proving the point to some extent. Now on the trail of Singularity Jain, Jess faces a decision about her past that may affect her present and future.
If I am honest, when I heard the Sam Humphries was leaving this book, my heart sank; when I heard that Tim Seeley was coming on board, my heart sank even further. Seeley’s work on Nightwing hadn’t really set the world on fire to the point where the book was always on my “should I drop it or not” list. It was only the idea that it was part of the Bat-Family that kept me picking it up every two weeks. Yet, on this book, Seeley has hit the ground running. The last storyline was a fun read and this one is beginning with a personal challenge for Jess. It may be that with Nightwing, Seeley was kind of forced into places with the character due to his extensive history, which is a double-edged sword when it comes to Dick Grayson. With Jess and Simon the slate is relatively clean. Sure, they both have had their origins explained, Simon maybe more than Jess, but there is still a lot of stuff to clear up. Seeley is taking that point to the next level, delving into the heart and possible cause of Jess’s anxiety and PTSD. The banter between the “cop buddies” is fun and shows just how far the relationship and the trust between the two characters has come.
The art is provided by Ronan Cliquet who has been on this book for quite some time now. It’s that level of consistency that has been missing on some of the other bi-weekly books. Cliquet has a classic style about his work, some may well say “house style”.  Both Simon and Jess have been drawn well throughout and despite the off worldly elements that come with being space cops, Cliquet has been on point facially and frame work wise. Page structure has an energetic flow, which is apt when you consider the artistic impact of the power rings, especially when you realise there is normally a pair of them in action at any given time.  For a book that contains so much action, Cliquet’s style doesn’t waver in the quieter parts of the book where he manages to convey the emotional turmoil that is Jess’s frustration and her decision-making. Hi-FI provides the colors which are as strong as anything that DC have out on the rack, including the fantastic color work on Metals.
With the recent announcements regarding the Justice League books, there may well be an impact on this book. Don’t get me wrong, I am looking forward to seeing a Stjepan Sejic  drawn Jess as much as the next person, but I am a tad concerned what her inclusion in Justice League Odyssey will have on this book. Still, that is a worry for another day, especially with Seeley and Cliquet delivering a book worthy of the Emerald light.
Writing – 5 Stars
Art -Â 5 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Written by: Tim Seeley
Art by; Ronan Cliquet
Colors by; Hi-Fi
Published by; DC Comics
Author Profile
- I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow
Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network
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