gohawks's review
4.0
This was more enjoyable than the Blackest Night storyline which follows it because it is where the seeds are planted for all the different colors of the Lantern Corp which I found to be a fascinating idea. And it's not a cheap superheroes as zombies retread as the Black Lanterns turn out to be.
standardman's review
4.0
Though they do feature heavily, this isn't so much about the Red Lanterns as it is about escalating the War of Light before Johns headed into the Blackest Night. As such, it's an exciting story if you've been reading his run as it explodes open the mythos he's been building for years but new readers best not start here.
vanessakm's review
3.0
And this is where the Green Lantern universe, newly rebooted under Geoff Johns (and thus not included in the DCnU reboot in fall, 2011) got crazy complicated. Do you have anger management issues? There's a lantern for that. Do you think the problem with Robocop is he was just too human? There's a lantern for that. Big fan of Autobiography of a Yogi? You get the point.
Let's try to break it down for the people in the back row: before the Lantern Corps, the Guardians had robots called Manhunters to do the policing of the universe. But the Manhunters malfunctioned and wiped out a whole sector except for 5 survivors. One of whom was Atrocitus who then killed Abin Sur in an escape attempt (thus allowing his power ring to find Hal Jordan who then became the Green Lantern.) After being captured by Sinestro and returned to the planet where he lives in exile, Atrocitus used some kind of black magic mojo and formed the Red Lantern corps whose power is rage.
Atrocitus makes a great anti-hero because he has a genuine reason to hate the Guardians and the Lantern corps. His red lantern rings look for the most roidy ragebot in their proximity to be their bearers. But unlike the ring bearers of other corps, they are little more than mindless killing machines, more victims of the rings than wielders of them.
This chapter of the story (set between Sinestro Corps War and Blackest Night) also sees the creation of the Alpha Lanterns, the internal affairs department of the Green Lantern Corps who are creepy humanoid/Manhunter hybrids and Ganthet's formation of the Blue Lanterns (emotion: hope.) The art is all well done and bright and colorful, if a little corporately slick in places. There is a cool crossover cameo from another DC storyline's villain (think Arkham Asylum.) We also learn the average life expectancy for a Green Lantern is 4 years and some change. It must be a bitch getting life insurance.
If you are following the current War of the Green Lanterns story, this along with Blackest Night are essential back story. It's also a good starting place if you plan on reading the Red Lanterns comic coming in the fall. It's probably obvious at this point that I will be adding it to my pull list, for a few issues at least. Damn you, DC.
Let's try to break it down for the people in the back row: before the Lantern Corps, the Guardians had robots called Manhunters to do the policing of the universe. But the Manhunters malfunctioned and wiped out a whole sector except for 5 survivors. One of whom was Atrocitus who then killed Abin Sur in an escape attempt (thus allowing his power ring to find Hal Jordan who then became the Green Lantern.) After being captured by Sinestro and returned to the planet where he lives in exile, Atrocitus used some kind of black magic mojo and formed the Red Lantern corps whose power is rage.
Atrocitus makes a great anti-hero because he has a genuine reason to hate the Guardians and the Lantern corps. His red lantern rings look for the most roidy ragebot in their proximity to be their bearers. But unlike the ring bearers of other corps, they are little more than mindless killing machines, more victims of the rings than wielders of them.
This chapter of the story (set between Sinestro Corps War and Blackest Night) also sees the creation of the Alpha Lanterns, the internal affairs department of the Green Lantern Corps who are creepy humanoid/Manhunter hybrids and Ganthet's formation of the Blue Lanterns (emotion: hope.) The art is all well done and bright and colorful, if a little corporately slick in places. There is a cool crossover cameo from another DC storyline's villain (think Arkham Asylum.) We also learn the average life expectancy for a Green Lantern is 4 years and some change. It must be a bitch getting life insurance.
If you are following the current War of the Green Lanterns story, this along with Blackest Night are essential back story. It's also a good starting place if you plan on reading the Red Lanterns comic coming in the fall. It's probably obvious at this point that I will be adding it to my pull list, for a few issues at least. Damn you, DC.
nnebeluk's review
3.0
I'm a sucker for any Green Lantern story but this one BARELY made sense. We're introduced to two new corps - and each is barely given enough screen time to explain more then color, emotion. Next.
They really had something here with whether the killing of people by the Green Lantern corp is justified and what fate Sinestro deserved. But for some reason it got overshadowed by new colors.
Also, you can just make emotion into light now? Atrocious just built a power batter without any material, how? Even Sinestro needs Qwardian workers.
Overall, too much action, not enough story.
They really had something here with whether the killing of people by the Green Lantern corp is justified and what fate Sinestro deserved. But for some reason it got overshadowed by new colors.
Also, you can just make emotion into light now? Atrocious just built a power batter without any material, how? Even Sinestro needs Qwardian workers.
Overall, too much action, not enough story.
cemeterygates's review
2.0
More of the emotional color spectrum clap trap. The art is beautiful to look at, but only read this if you want to see Hal Jordan puke blood and other nonsense.
birdmanseven's review
4.0
Really good GL tale. Each one of these that I read gets me more excited for the big Blackest Night event. I particularly liked the Blue Lanterns in this story. Lots of crazy stuff coming together here.
I talk a little about this run in a Green Lantern themed episode of the All the Books Show: https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/off-the-books-no-one-asked-green-lantern-first-flights
I talk a little about this run in a Green Lantern themed episode of the All the Books Show: https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/off-the-books-no-one-asked-green-lantern-first-flights
caitcoy's review
5.0
Rage of the Red Lanterns continues the inevitable progression towards the fulfillment of the Blackest Night prophecy that the Guardians of Oa are desperately trying to prevent. In this volume, Atrocitus breaks free from his prison and creates the Red Lanterns to challenge both Sinestro and the Green Lantern Corps. This is the first volume where we really get to see the lines that will be drawn in the war amongst all the Lantern colors that is supposed to bring the Blackest Night and it was absolutely fascinating to see how the different rings functioned and interacted with one another. The artwork continues to be top notch and the story got a little crazy towards the end but I loved every second of it. The Guardians also continue to be complete jerks and I almost find myself actively rooting against them. Another addition to an already fantastic series and I can't wait to see where it leads!