By Cullen Bunn, Dale Eaglesham, Rags Morales & Jason Wright.
In issues #1 and #2 of Sinestro, Cullen Bunn successfully reintroduced Sinestro back into the DC Universe (after less than a year away) while also laying the foundation of a potentially epic story line. Instead of going to the tried and true (and redundant) rivalry between the Yellow and Green Lanterns, Bunn quickly extinguished that idea. He even did so in a very meta way that was quite enjoyable. Instead, Bunn has set up an intriguing rivalry of sorts between Sinestro and his daughter, while also playing up a storyline focusing on their shared interest of saving the refugees of their now destroyed home planet, Korugar. Meanwhile, in the background, Bunn has been planting the seeds for a story arc that seems to be very promising. The first and second issue were set up. Here, finally, we get the characters on a path of being let loose.
In this issue, Bunn begins with some defectors from the Sinestro Corps, who specifically mention being afraid of Lyssa Drak (more on her in a moment). They’re quickly confronted by the mysterious “religious” characters introduced in the last issue. What happens next, we don’t see, but we can make some educated guesses. The tale quickly takes us back to some great character moments between Sinestro and his daughter, Soranik Natu. The dialog between these two characters is sharp, witty, and spot on. We see multiple facets of each character. Soranik is presented as tough, independent, yet caring. Sinestro is shown to be stern, abrasive, yet also having something of a heart for his daughter. The work done by Geoff Johns to make Sinestro more of an anti-hero than an outright villain has been picked up perfectly by Bunn.
The interaction between these two is the highlight of the story. We see them working together, begrudgingly, on that shared goal mentioned above. This goal is then used to show the extreme opposites of each character in achieving that goal. I won’t spoil it, but you can guess what happens. Then, finally, Bunn gives us the confrontation we’ve been patiently waiting for, with a final page cliffhanger executed impeccably and flawlessly.
The art team, as usual, draws and colors each page and panel with near perfection. Dale Eaglesham and Rags Morales handle the pencils for this issue. Eaglesham’s pages, specifically, capture a tinge of the horror abstract, which is perfect for a group of characters who are powered by fear. Eaglesham also draws Lyssa Drak in such an inventive way. With just a few panels since the start of this series, she’s become a fascinating character. I can’t wait to learn more about her evolved powers. Eaglesham also plays with some different panel layouts early in the book, which provided a true sense of setting.
This book looks nothing like anything DC is putting out at the moment. Part of that is Eaglesham’s ability, but another part is the coloring of Jason Wright, who plays up the horror elements. In the opening scene, it feels sinister and sleazy, in large part due to the colors. Furthermore, the final few pages depict an alien world, colored in perfect contrast to the yellow and green constructs we see from the ring wielders on page.
This book was greatly anticipated by many, and not just because of the titular character. The creative team excited many as well. Yes, issues #1 and #2 were good, but this issue excels. The characterization is pushing characters that have been around for years to new levels, all while setting up some truly epic antagonists that add depth to the already deep Green Lantern mythology. This book is visual storytelling running on full power. The splendor, vanity, and tragedy of Sinestro are wonderfully delivered, with more of each to come. The anticipation and speculation for future issues is rising.
fart