Review: Green Lantern Corps Volume 2 - Alpha War

When John Stewart is put on trial for the murder of a fellow Green Lantern, it ignites a war between the Green Lantern Corps and the elite Alpha Lanterns. Guy Gardner leads the charge as he seeks to free his friend from what he believes is unfair imprisonment. What he doesn’t realize is that he and the Alpha Lanterns are merely pawns in the machinations of the Guardians of Oa.

Green Lantern Corps Volume 2: Alpha War collects issues 8-14 and 0 of Green Lantern Corps, written by Peter J. Tomasi and Fernando Pasarin.

Proving that no secret stays buried for long, writer Peter J. Tomasi explores the consequences and psychological complications of John Stewart’s actions during the Corps’ conflict with the Keepers. Having killed another Lantern to protect the safety of Oa, John Stewart lies about doing so and this fabrication eventually bites him in the ass. While his actions were well intentioned, Tomasi illustrates that killing another individual means something and he rightfully puts John through his paces. This is played out courtroom style by seeing a deplorably one-sided trial where the Alpha Lanterns unilaterally declare John Stewart guilty and demand his execution. It’s an interesting change of pace for this title after its opening arc, one which builds upon the complexities of truth and justice.

Even though Alpha War posits John Stewart at the center of the conflict, Guy Gardner once again becomes the star of the show. The major issue I had with the preceding trade of this series was that, despite the fact that it’s billed as being about the Green Lantern Corps, very few of the characters are fleshed out very well. This trend continues here, with the exception of Guy Gardner. In this collection, we see his New 52 origins along with his growing evolution as a key member in the Corps. We are also witness to him blossoming into more of a leadership role. Anyone who isn’t Guy mostly fades into the background, including John Stewart.

Peter J. Tomasi and Fernando Pasarin prove once more to be an effective team with Green Lantern Volume 2: Alpha War. The courtroom-inspired drama is riveting, if a bit rushed, and the continued development of Guy Gardner is a direction I support wholeheartedly. The lack of attention paid to the other characters in this book is still disconcerting, but fans of Green Lantern will no doubt still find Alpha War to be a satisfying read. For me personally, I’m also happy to see a conclusion to the Alpha Lantern saga that began Pre-Flashpoint. It wasn’t a concept I enjoyed (particularly because it turned one of my favourite Lanterns – Boodikka – into an emotionless automaton), so I’m glad to have them sidelined permanently.

RATING: B