Green Lantern: Geoff Johns, Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, Mark Irwin, Tom Nguyen, Hi-Fi, Sal Cipriano, Alex Sinclair

Jesus holy moly. This was the best issue of this book so far, since the relaunch. So much happens here and it’s so awesome. So the Indigo battery was destroyed by Nastromo last ish, releasing the Indigo Tribe from their hypnotic dogma…and leaving only the murderous psychopaths they used to be. I love the twist to the origins of the Indigo Tribe, and I’m really impressed that Johns came up with this idea, or some form of it, so long ago when Blackest Night happened…and was able to keep all that under wraps until just now.

This issue has so many great moments! Sinestro declaring he doesn’t need Hal’s help, and then Hal wondering why Sinestro brought him along in the first place. Sinestro starting to revert to his old self, and Hal saying fear isn’t the answer this time. Sinestro going to face the ruthless Indigo Tribe with an empty ring, and saying it’s what Hal would do. OH MY GOD how many AWESOME lines are you gonna throw at us, Geoff?! Were you really holding back on all your win stuff until this issue? Did you just hope that your readers would play along this far?

I also like that Iroque, known as Indigo-1, actually came to terms with what she used to be and was truly reformed. She’s the perfect representative for the Indigo Tribe, and that’s awesome. What follows ARE issue spoilers, but since it’s an older issue, I’m going for it. You should’ve read this ish already.

She sparks the Indigo battery back to life, enthralling the previous Indigo Tribe members into the light of Compassion again - including Sinestro. Black Hand, in an attempt to flee his pursuing ring, leaps to his death. A very gruesome death at that. I love how Mahnke wasn’t afraid to really show us this death. You really feel it. Indigo-1 asks Hal if he thinks Sinestro could become a hero again, for that’s the only way she’ll agree to release him. Hal wants to believe it, and I do too, dammit! I love Sinestro as a Green Lantern! We’re finally seeing him as the greatest Green Lantern who ever lived, just like he always said he was!

Finally, and literally the BEST part of this issue, came at the end. And I knew it, too. As soon as Black Hand was announced deceased by his Indigo ring, I knew. His lifeless body coughs up a BLACK ring. We get that familiar word that spells nothing but dread for the entire DC universe as the ring flies onto Hand’s finger:

RISE.

Chills, guys. I have them.

Green Lantern #10, the verdict: Frddrakgkklldbnem!! Words can’t express how happy I am with this issue. It was so excellently done. Perfectly paced, with a great story arc, and tons of brilliant character moments that made me smile like a freakin’ idiot. I love everything that this means. Everything that’s happened here, it means something. It’s significant! And that’s what makes this so special. It’s probably the first issue of universal significance in this series so far. Is it so tall an order to ask for more like this from the book in issues to come?

(Photo Source: Comic Vine)