Blackest Night Review – “Green Lantern Corps: Sins of the Star Sapphire”

With this review, preliminary reviews of all completed story arcs are up to date. Further reviews will come as storylines wrap up.

General Information

Title: Green Lantern Corps: Sins of the Star Sapphire (aka GLC #27-32)

Author: Peter Tomasi

Illustrator(s): Patrick Gleason and Luke Ross (pencils); Rebecca Buchman, Fabio Laguna and Drew Geraci (inks); Randy Mayor, Nei Ruffino and Gabe Eltaeb (colours)

Cover Date: December 2008 – March 2009

Cover Price: $2.99 US per issue, $14.99 US for the collected edition.

Premise

The Sinestro Corps have changed tactics, and begun targeting the families of Lanterns, starting with the rookies. Meanwhile, the Guardians head to Zamaron, home of the Star Sapphires and keepers of the violet light of love, to try and negotiate for the cessation of Zamaron power accumulation.

High Point

The awkward conversation between Kyle and Soranik on the training field.

Low Point

From Quintet to Kryb that quickly? What was Kryb doing the whole time?

The Scores

This is an original take on the Star Sapphires, tying them even more closely to the Green Lantern Corps than they had been before. It’s also a different kind of story, with an ultimate result that’s quite different from one I’ve read before. (I’m currently about half way through reading every Green Lantern story from Showcase #22 until now.) I give it 5 out of 6.

The artwork suffers from some overly heavy inking in the first two issues, but otherwise works quite well. The lighter lines of the later issues work far better for ring constructs. I give it 4 out of 6.

The story holds up well, though the Star Sapphires are a surprisingly small part, given the name of the story arc. I give it 4 out of 6.

The characterization of the various Lanterns is pretty good, particularly for Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner and Soranik Natu. The villains are a little too one dimensional, though. I give it 4 out of 6.

The emotional response is strong. Wheels are turning, and a decent story is told while moving us closer to the Blackest Night. I give it 5 out of 6.

The flow is effective, keeping things moving from scene to scene. The timing of the Star Sapphire’s story seems a little off, though. She drops off the map for a little too long before returning. I give it 4 out of 6.

Overall, it’s another good story, which feels like it’s building up to a much better story. I give it 4 out of 6.

In total, Green Lantern Corps: Sins of the Star Sapphire receives 30 out of 42.

Blackest Night Checklist

Preliminaries

The Main Event

  • Blackest Night #0 (Free Comic Day edition), #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, , #7, #8, complete series
  • Green Lantern #43
  • Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #1-3
  • Green Lantern #44-??
  • Green Lantern Corps #39-??
  • Blackest Night: Batman #1-3
  • Blackest Night: Superman #1-3
  • Blackest Night: Titans #1-3
  • more to come…

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