many people are commenting on how Hal activated the blue ring. His whole statement was actually “As soon as we get out of this.. I hope you stop asking me that question.” In other words, Hal expressed hope that he would beat Larfleeze. I think the blue ring picked up on that more than it did on Hal’s retort.

“In richest profit, in sparsest gain….
Let those who reject us feel our pain….
May those who keep us from the stars….
Beware our wrath, for all is OURS!!!”

Personally, I find the entire concept of the Orange Lantern Corps to be outstanding. The belief that only one can ever truly be an Orange Lantern and possess the Power Battery, while the remaining army is built of constructs consumed by the battery.

Things I liked in this issue:
-Hal imitating the Orange Lanterns, creating a Green Lantern Corps made entirely of constructs (f*** yeah Alan Scott was in it too), and Larfleeze’s horrified reaction to it.
-Orange Lantern Hal Jordan ($10 says he’ll wear a ring on every finger, become a White Lantern, and murder the hell out of Black Hand and the Black Power Battery. It’s cliched, I know, but still….). Because what does Hal Jordan want when he’s corrupted by the orange flames of Avarice? Two cheeseburgers. Awesome.
-The Blue Power Ring, which in itself has been a bit of comic relief ever since Hal came to wear it (the banter between Hal and the Guardians when they demanded he remove it was priceless: “Trust me, if I could’ve, I would’ve by now. Honestly, aren’t you supposed to be all-knowing?”), finally registering the one thing that fearless Hal Jordan truly hopes for: for the ring to shut up and leave him alone. It’s so subtle and yet brilliant at the same time (“Sincerity registered.” “You’ve got to be kidding me….”). Hal’s reasons for the Blue Ring to be useless on him, aside from keeping his Green Ring at a constant 210% charge, were always valid. Hal Jordan doesn’t hope for anything. He just does it. Period. Even after his resurrection in the wake of the Paralax aftermath, he didn’t hope for forgiveness. He just set out to prove he was genuinely sorry.
-Discovering the Black Power Battery, and that “oh s**t” moment where they realize that things are about to become really really bad. Same reaction shared by the Green Lanterns when Scar tore Oa apart. That is until Kilowog smacked some sense into everyone (as usual).

Things I didn’t like:
-The ongoing brief dialogue between John and Fatality. It’s like Johns wants to devote an entire run to them, but can’t. Instead we get 1-2 page encounters with them every issue for the last six months. It’s not that it isn’t relevant, but in the grand scheme of everything going on, I find myself caring less about them. I just feel it wont be noteworthy until the Star Sapphires make their grand entrance in the Blackest Night, and even then will we care?
-I’ll go on record to say The Guardians without Scar are more of a threat to the universe than the Black Lantern Corps with Scar is. Ignoring that you’ve rewritten every law in the Book of Oa to cover your mistakes, ignoring that you still refuse to believe the Blackest Night prophecy WILL HAPPEN unless Black Hand and his horde of living dead show up at your doorstep (just a reminder, the dead have power rings now potentially equivalent or more powerful than your emerald army of willpower), you started the War of Light. Not only that, you betrayed Ganthet and Sayd by unleashing Larfleeze on the Blue Lanterns. Really? Are you THAT bitter? Is it really that difficult for you and your band of Green Lanterns to just destroy Larfleeze and imprison the Orange Power Battery that you have to bargain with him yet again by offering the Blue Lanterns as sacrifice? What has Scar done in comparison? Wake the dead and convince Black Hand to commit suicide so he can be the Black Lanterns’ leader. Oooooooo. (sarcasm)

Overall, I’m impressed. But things are just beginning. And I have a feeling that, like many times before, DCU will never be the same. F**k shapeshifting green aliens. The dead have risen, and all hell is about to break loose.

“All that I’ve seen or see is mine!
All that will ever be is mine!
Let those who try to take what’s mine!
Fear my Orange power! Mine! Mine! Mine!”

I’ve been loving this storyline (regardless of how Blackest Night turns out, I think it’s safe to call Prelude to Blackest Night a resounding success), and I’m confident what Johns came up with will be great, but I just wanted to share.

“Sincerity registered” was a good bit — although, for such a trivial wish? Shouldn’t he actually have hoped for something selfless, like: “I hope that this Blue Ring can help me save my fellow Lanterns”?

Also interesting to note that, as this issue ends, we’ve an imminent clash between the Orange and Blue, and also between Yellow and Violet. Probably no coincidence that complementary colors are clashing. I did very much enjoy (and believe) Fatality’s conversion, and I liked that her main message to John was about forgiveness. I doubt Kryb and Karu-Sil are going to end up Sapphires though — they’re sure to get busted out by Sinestro & Co. Kryb is way too awesome a villain to be rehabilitated. (See: “Green Lantern Corps,” which is just as good, if not better, than this main title.)

I also loved that the Guardians pulled yet another fast one. By the time “Blackest Night” is all over, those machiavellian little blue bastards are not going to be in charge anymore.

Finally, I really liked that glimpse of the future about Sinestro. It’s clear that his arc in all of this is going to be crucial and unexpected — he’s one of the keys to it all, and by now I suspect he and Hal will have to forgive each other and work together to help stop the War of Light/Blackest Night. We’ll see …

Green Lantern 42 rocks!

I sure hope Blackest Night is as good!

IIRC, Johns has mentioned writing Larfleeze’s oath, and it was his favorite of all the new ones.

I especially dug the bit where Jordan finally recalls the name of the Muppet that Larfleeze reminds him of.

While I haven’t read the issue, I have seen pictures of Larfleeze, and I do know my Muppets, so I’m guessing that it’s gotta be Uncle Deadly.