Sound Of The Space Police — Reviewing ‘Green Lantern Corps’ #4

The universe is a wide and often dangerous space. True even for the most experienced members of the Green Lantern Corps, let alone some newer and even rookie members.

What should have been simple shopping and training excursions turned into something much worse in Green Lantern Corps #4. This issue starts a new arc from Morgan Hampton, Jeremy Adams, V Ken Marion, Amancay Nahuelpan, Arif Prianto, and Dave Sharpe.

Oh, yeah.

Back in the first issue review, I spoke about fears of this series and its characters being space cops. The first three issues sort of allayed those fears because of the focus. Unfortunately, the cop-ness of these characters is pretty strong in the latest issue.

Hampton and Adams still find the heart of these characters and offer up some nice bonding and development. It’s not enough to kind of fully wash away the taste of Guy being so drill sergeant and full-on cop mode. Nor the other Lanterns doing some real “Gimmie what I want or we’ll shake you down” line-crossing cop stuff in the name of bonding.

Divorcing the Green Lantern Corps from cop-dom is pretty much impossible at this point. They are, by definition, space cops. Some leaning into law enforcement is going to happen. Seeing them just kind of being this part of cop stuff, playing on dirty lines, just comes with a slimy feeling that can’t be shaken.

There is something about this visual style choice. Overall, we’re presented with a more whimsical animated type of art style here in what Marion brings to the table. Nahuelpan has a bit more “serious” style that fits the given pages and their content. Something a bit heavier might have at least felt tonally better with this particular story. As it stands, the overall choice kind of feels like it’s meant to make the cop stuff be received better.

All the flashier bright color palette choices from Prianto play into that as well. Yes, this is an adventure space series, so there are bound to be more colorful things. At the same time, the juxtaposition between the art and plot feels quite wide.

Content and context of the words aside, Sharpe delivers the various lines quite well, adding some color and personality to the varying bits of dialogue and world sounds we encounter. While some of the delivery feels akin to the issues of the story, it also would feel right if those contrast concerns were not present.

Green Lantern Corps #4 is now available from DC Comics.