Review: Green Lantern: New Guardians Vol. 5- Godkillers

January 13, 2020January 24, 2020 ComicBookWire

Quick Summary

Pros: The worlds and concepts in this book are highly imaginative and fun to see. Most of the stories have their fair share of excitement.

Cons: Most of the stories have flaws or conflicting messages that undermine the narrative. The volume’s romance is more uncomfortable than it is endearing.

Overall: This is a collection that has some appeal to it but not enough to make it a worthwhile read to just anyone. At its core, the book details a fun trip through the cosmos with a few neat twists. However, conflicting narrative elements and an unappealing romance make it hard to become fully invested in what is going on here. This book may still prove worthwhile for diehard Kyle Rayner fans, or fans intrigued by his romance in this era, but might not be for everyone.

Story

Green Lantern: New Guardians Vol. 5: Godkillers, by Justin Jordan, is, unfortunately, another entry in the Green Lantern: New Guardians series with a negative mix of quality. On the positive end of things, the book makes for a great space odyssey. The book takes Kyle across unique worlds to deal with unique situations in a way that is typically exciting. However, on the negative end of things, characters’ actions often conflict with the book’s messages and make it hard to derive meaning from places where the book is attempting to say something meaningful. In addition, the comic’s core romance continues to be more unpleasant than endearing. In the end, this creates a book that isn’t necessarily good but isn’t necessarily bad either.

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The positives in Godkillers mostly come from the volume’s ability to create an imaginative range of cultures, creatures, and concepts to explore. The volume starts out by exploring a religion created by a typically benevolent but occasionally destructive god. Then, it moves on to explore a powerful being spawned by Kyle’s past. Finally, it has the Guardians kidnapped by beings simply trying to follow their example. Each of these encounters feels fresh and distinct from the last and is a testament to the variety of the DC Universe.

Other positives come from the generally entertaining flow of the narrative. The group usually encounters a new problem, attempts to find a solution, engages in a fight, and, finally, is able to save the day through some quick thinking. It is a solid mix of danger that keeps things interesting.

However, many of the narratives end up working against themselves. The opening chapters have Kyle and Carol jump to violence to solve nearly all of their problems and then attempt to chastise someone about violence. Later on, the being from Kyle’s past creates a stir of interest but doesn’t stick around long enough for any meaningful exploration. Finally, in the last story arc, one of the Guardians kills a ship full of innocent aliens who’s torturous brainwashing caused them to be deemed too dangerous to be kept alive by a group that supposedly celebrates life. These problems and narrative conflicts often undermine the deeper meaning behind these stories and make it tough to believe in their message.

In addition, the Kyle Rayner/Carol Ferris romance is still a little weird. Throughout the volume the two “flirt” in a way that comes across as awkwardly uncomfortable more often than it comes across as cute or romantic. Add on the already uncomfortable dynamic caused by their past, and the majority of their romantic interactions just feel strange.

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Art

The artwork in Godkillers is mostly positive, with one chapter as an exception. The majority of the book’s visuals come from either Brad Walker or Diogenes Neves and work well with this comic. These visuals have a sleek style to them that allow the characters to stand out and a structure that keeps the reader’s eye on the action. However, their real draw is the creativity with which they approach the worlds of this comic. This creativity is the book’s main visual achievement, as it helps the creative aspect of the writing. Unfortunately, a chapter in the middle of the book, by a different artist, sees the quality drop dramatically and creates a jarring visual change in the middle of the collection. Overall though, this book looks nice and has visuals that are a positive complement to the narrative.