Page 1 - Greetings from Athmoora!
Athmoora was introduced back in issue 16 of the Silver Age Green Lantern run back in 1962. In that story, Hal recounts a story where Abin Sur arrived on Athmoora and discovered that an alien race known as the "Larifars" had stolen a mental component of the planet's inhabitants known as an "I-Factor" which enables the ability to gain knowledge and create new ideas. The Larifars had arrived during the planet's medieval period, and their interference resulted in the population being stuck in perpetual era of magic and barbarism.
We are re-introduced to our lovable heroes Fekk and Samandra, with some great narration giving bits of backstory regarding their characters. While Fekk continues to whine and moan, Samandra explains that they've tracked a group of trolls constructing "worthless toys" as well as "towers of shining glass".
Toys? It seems the Nomad Empire has made its move on sector 2814...
Page 2 - Contest of Crowns? Green Lantern meets Game of Thrones? I'm in.
I can definitely tell Sharp and Morrison had loads of fun creating the detailed lore and backstories behind the various factions and regions of this fantasy world. Without a doubt getting a lot of Heavy Metal and Pat Mills "Slaine" vibes.
And oh my, that map looks gorgeous!
Mention of "Seven Renowned Weapons of Freedom" only reminded me of Aurakles "Seven Hidden Treasures" from Morrison's Seven Soldiers mega-series.
Sam and Fekk have noble hearts, but courage can only do so much in the face of being outnumbered and outgunned.
Page 4 - Xudar is the home to Xudarians such as Tomar-Re, Tomar-Tu, Romat-Ru, and Somar-Le.
I love how Sharp uses the same layout every time we go to a new planet (repeated on pages 1 and 6).
Hal bequeaths his Ornithoid wards to Trilla-Tru as they reveal their plan of space exploration.
Page 5 - "Nobody needs me around no more..." awww come on King Moz, DC is literally rummaging through your scraps for new material.
Some great lines on this page, but Au Revoir means "Until we meet again", and though I still hope for his return at any point in the future, it seems Morrison is gone for good after issue 12 and WW Earth One Vol 3.
Page 6 - If I recall correctly, Guardian Saal was introduced back in the first issue of this season where she assigned Hal and Ryk on their mission to Maltus.
Saal and Hal recap the events of issue 7, with Hal bringing up Rami's telling of him to charge his ring a the Cosmic Grail. The Grail seemed to have be transported from Earth 15 (in the final pages of Season One #11) to the Underlife dimension where the Guardians were infected by the divided nature of Ultrawar.
If you'll remember, Hal was killed by Weaponeer 666 in issue 6, but the nano surgeons brought him back to life as Sector General fell during issue 7. However, Hal's Power Ring was still damaged from the Hyper-Family attack, with Hal revealing that the act of him charging it in the Cosmic Grail essentially brought it back to life.
The commentary on the Young Guardians as an analogy for DC's hierarchy only increases for the next few pages...
Page 7 - This mention of the Young Guardians possibly being replaced soon seems like Morrison putting the toys back in the box for the next writer (Geoffrey Thorne yikes...) as well as a representation of the nonstop editorial regime changes throughout the last 4 years since DC Rebirth.
Hal is definitely representing us, the reader, while Morrison plugs themselves into Saal as another fiction-suit to express his thoughts on the state of DC.
Page 8 - Expo-Dump Extravaganza!
So back during the Manhunter era, pre Krona exodus and Massacre of Sector 666, the Guardians discovered signs of a hostile scavenger race known as the Nomad Empire that utilized advanced "toy technology" to raise and dismantle civilizations, moving from planet to planet as they feasted.
I definitely am getting a lot of Sheeda vibes from the Golden Giants methods, but fascinating nonetheless.
Zundernell is also cemented as a lost Golden Probe of the Empire, who found himself deserted on Earth 15 while utilizing the mythic Cosmic Grail as sustenance.
Page 9 - We then get a retread of the Transmatter Cube explanation from last season, with the GL Central Power Batteries across the Multiverse revealed as another superimposed object present in all realities. The Central Battery is also mentioned as a legendary power source known as the Golden Lamp (Zundernell mentioned this a couple times).
Now as for the Ultrawar; its no longer an inevitable occurrence of cosmic entropy but actually a machination of the Nomad Empire, attempting to delve the universe into chaos while the Majistry ravages planets.
What Hal and Barry encountered in issue 4 was merely a child-quing of the Majistry, while the matured Golden Giants are to be much more of a threat.
Rami on the other hand is still tripping out.
Page 10 - Morrison vs DC Editorial: Dawn of Justice!
The Young Guardians essentially want Hal to take on the Nomad Empire by himself due to his resistance to the Ultrawar/Divided, and then shelf him immediately after.
"Moving forward, we wish to downplay what you represent..."; If that's not blatant shade, I don't know what is.
Screw DC Grant, they don't deserve you!!!
Page 11 - Good god, I could not care less about the diversity hire Lanterns.
Far Sector Lantern (Jo Mullein), Bendis OC Teen Lantern, and the YA Graphic Novel Lantern (its an elseworld but I guess they're integrating it in continuity...)
Page 12 - Mic drop, give em the bird, and peace out Highball. Pengowirr and Jordan, partners for life.
Page 13 - Hal and Pengowirr go back to Athmoora for some R&R, while the Young Guardians conveniently discover the Nomad Empire's first strike is occurring on the same planet.
Fun fact: Liam Sharp revealed on Twitter that the Dhorian Lantern in that middle panel is actually the slave trader Hal fake-assassinated back in Season One #3.
You might like to note that a certain slave trader we thought had died in issue 3 season 1 is seen here in a GL cadet uniform... Yup! Hal didn’t do it! That’s how Grant’s big brain works. :-)
Page 14 - Gorgeous art.
Page 15 - He really can't catch a break can he?
Page 16 - Killer phantom missiles reminds me of the Radion "soul killing bullet" from Fourth World lore and Final Crisis.
Page 17 - Prince Vespero first appeared in Season One #9, aiding Hal against Earth 20 Abin Sur's magical army while he was under the influence of the Blackstar Pendant.
Pages 18/19 - Gorgeous double page splash; Heavy Metal for sure.
And the peacock griffins; lord have mercy!
Page 20 - Vespero catches Hal up to speed, explaining that the Golden Giants essentially started Game of Thrones all out war on Athmoora (Ultrawar anyone?) via injecting advanced weaponry in return for workers to build their toy cities.
Page 21 - With Pengowirr missing, Sir Hal of the Green Lamp requires a new arsenal: An Emerald Blade for an Emerald Knight!
The fauna has also been forced to an ad-hoc diaspora as Majistry ships fire down from above.
Page 22 - I really don't understand the criticism of the art in the second half of this season. Look, I love the Sharp/Oliff style that he had prior to this book, but this new style looks so good!
Let's be honest, if this was Vertigo book no one would have batted an eye.
I spot Major Disaster, Doctor Polaris, The Shark (Karshon), The Tattooed Man, and Black Hand! All recruited to facilitate the only opponent standing in the way of the Majistry.
Page 24 - This reveal was spoiled in the solicits for #12, but Wyzard is revealed to be none other than Hector Hammond sporting a toy helmet! I can't tell if that's supposed to be him or Sinestro because of the pink tone but I digress.
Hammond seems a little out of the blue for a final villain, and during last annotations I was expecting villains he encountered during this run such as Weaponeer 666 and Belzebeth (maybe even Evil Star or Mu).
The Giants seem to have even acquired the Cosmic Grail and Fekk + Samandra converted into toy/action figure form (the deathless form from page 3). Hector also mentions the deal made with Hyper-Woman last issue while revealing his possession of Pengowirr (flipping the bird of course).
Though the odds are completely against him, Hal would truly have it no other way...
See you all in four weeks! Au revoir!
In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night...