REVIEW: ‘Absolute Green Lantern’ Issue 8

Absolute Green Lantern Issue 8 is published by DC Comics. Written by Al Ewing, with art and colors by Jahnoy Lindsay and letters by Lucas Gattoni. The secret origin of Jo is revealed in this issue.

This issue is the opposite of the previous one. Where the preceding comic was in the deepest depths of space, Absolute Green Lantern Issue 8 features very few aliens and superpowers. It finally explores the backstory of Jo, including the dreaded ex that had been hinted at so often. Ewing yours into so much depth, from when Jo is a child entering Evergreen to joining the police force, to moving to a bigger city.

The story is extensive, with a pace that moves quickly yet allows for a terrific atmosphere to be built. There are so many micro-stories. There are corrupt cops, queer romance and betrayal. Many are surprising, because the truth tells a different story from how Jo and others have been alluding to it.

We learn more about Jo in Absolute Green Lantern Issue 8 than in the previous seven chapters combined. At her core, Jo is a good person. She’s loving and brimming with determination, but can be prone to making mistakes. She can’t be influenced into doing things she shouldn’t. This is a specially charged issue, used for both discovery and bad choices. An impressive addition to this story is that the mistakes are not one-sided. The burning lust cools, and then temptation arises from elsewhere.

Jo may want to do the right thing, but she’s not a saint. Absolute Green Lantern Issue 8 also introduces Renee Montoya to the Absolute Universe, complicating the love story even further. The dialogue is phenomenal. It’s direct and bold, treating the readers and the characters like adults. And even in the past, there were flickers of emotions and connections to the Lanterns and their hierarchy.

The art is spectacular. Absolute Green Lantern Issue 8 captures the depth of humanity. From the settings to the facial expressions, realism is key. There is extraordinary detail given to the characters and their faces. You can tell when they’re being honest or when they’re lying through their teeth. Lindsay excellently conveys feelings in the artwork that I once thought were impossible to showcase on paper.

From how Renee or Cam, Jo’s ex-fiancée, looks when introduced, they both captivate Jo, and you can tell. They can look stunning and resplendent, but then be horrified in another second. It’s a raunchy comic that frequently implies sex and romance, but always within the context of emotions and storytelling.

The colors are fantastic. There is a natural, perhaps dull set of shades for most of the issue, examples of how dull and dark Jo’s life is. The most extravagant page is when she’s in a gay club, finally able to express herself in a setting that’s celebratory and illustrious.

But there are flashes throughout Absolute Green Lantern Issue 8, where those classic colors are prominent. Only single panels, but they’re reminders of the greater cosmic order. The lettering is impeccable, wonderfully at representing volume and voices.

Absolute Green Lantern Issue 8 is an unbelievable character issue. It’s jaw-dropping in its intricacy, stepping away from the levels of Lanterns and Alien brutality to explore the main character for the first time. It’s rich with personality and emotions, ones that aren’t even on the Lantern spectrum. Lust, loneliness, and guilt are all wonderfully intertwined in a story that is much more about humans than aliens. The creators treat sex as a way to celebrate queerness and tell a fascinating story without ever being gratuitous or over the top.

Absolute Green Lantern Issue 8 is available where comics are sold.