Green Lantern #16 is published by DC Comics, written by Jeremy Adams, art by Xérmanico, colors by Romulo Fajardo Jr, and letters by Dave Sharpe. This issue is part of the All-In initiative. After the destruction of Thanagar, the Lanterns must protect the survivors from what comes next and try to rebuild.
Green Lantern #16 follows the dramatic events of Green Lantern: Civil Corps Special #1, adding something even more extreme between the two issues. Thanagar is destroyed by Mogo, a living planet corrupted by Lord Premier Thaaros of the United Planets. The first part of the issue becomes a desperate escape, trying to put distance between the survivors and the potent planet killer behind them.
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The destruction of Thanagar is a shock, a statement by Adams that turns the rest of the book into a quest for survival. This makes it crucial that followers of this series must also read the special, or there will be a large gap between the issues. This can be aggravating and expensive for some readers. The pressure amplifies the pace of Green Lantern #16, but the structure also slows it down. The Green Lantern moves between the characters, many of whom now exist.
The crucial plot threads are easy to follow and exciting to read. John Stewart continues to bring elements from Green Lantern: War Journal into the main book. With so much going on, it could be considered chaotic, but that is needed in a book focusing on the aftermath of a significant moment in this war. Everything changed in the special, and Green Lantern #16 needs to pick up the pieces.
This issue continues to celebrate the fact that the Lanterns are back together. The special saw them stand beside each other, but now they had to fight side by side. It is rewarding and thrilling to see Hal and John fight by each other’s side again, two partners who have not seen each other in a long time. Adams writes that return beautifully, with excellent narration accompanying the battle.
This chapter blends the old and the new. Relationships are rekindled and strengthened as the Lanterns start to reforge a Corps that has been damaged and destroyed. The villains are nefarious and terrifying, and the destruction of an entire world demonstrates just how ruthless they can be. There are Lanterns on either side of this war.
The art is mesmerizing, and Green Lantern #16 has an enormous sense of scale. The second page features a planet obliterating another planet—a powerful statement of intent that boggles the mind. The spaceships are phenomenally detailed on the inside and out, giving them identifying features and dimensions. Battles occur throughout the galaxy, and all look spectacular.
Hal and John face off against the Lanterns of the United Planet. The fight is filled with surprise and fantastic action in space, surrounded by spaceships and debris. There are countless interlopers and surprises. And because it’s space, they can come from all directions. But there are also fights in Oa, containing Larfleeze, Guy Gardner, and many other friendly and unfriendly Lanterns. In this period, the comic can leave the reader feeling breathless, with an incredible sense of spectacle.
The colors show off the fracturing of the emotional spectrum in Green Lantern #16. The United Planets have a whole spectrum of Lanterns to choose from, sending soldiers with all the rainbow colors after the heroes. But the entire issue is colorful. Space looks bright and filled with energy, especially after a battle. The power of the Lanterns creates an aura that lingers long after they have left. The lettering is the part of the comic that has the most clarity and is always easy to read.
Green Lantern #16 escalates the war. The loss of Thanagar has scattered the forces and completely changed the conflict. But at least in this near era, Hal Jordan is not alone. The return of most of the human Green Lanterns has filled the book with more personalities and made it even more exciting. The comic contains content, with each page containing a battle or essential character moments. There are periods when too much is going on, threatening to lose coherence, but it has made the storyline more epic and given the war more fronts to fight. Yet within it are political power struggles and love stories.
Green Lantern #16 is available now wherever comics are sold.
Green Lantern #16
TL;DR
Green Lantern #16 escalates the war. The loss of Thanagar has scattered the forces and completely changed the conflict. But at least in this near era, Hal Jordan is not alone.
