Comics! Red Lanterns #5

Red Lanterns #5

Writer: Peter Milligan
Artists: Ed Benes with Diego Bernard
Inker: Rob Hunter

The Comic
Atrocitus is letting his anger get to him. Very easily. Krona is gone missing, he thinks that his Red Lanterns are turning against him, and then suddenly a human gets picked up to be a Red Lantern.

Bleez takes another dip in the pool to go after the Red Lanterns that Atrocitus threw in last issue. This issue essentially picks up from the last issue and finishes telling their stories. So now we have multiple, conscious Red Lanterns that aren't just standing around and spewing blood. We learn that they all did both good and bad, and that the red ring seems to pick the Red Lanterns in a very random way. Some were killers, some were saints before the red ring. The explanation is that everyone feels rage equally.

Atrocitus then comes page at the end in order to speak the Red Lantern oath and rally the troops just as a human gets selected for the red ring. What is interesting is that this human, John Moore, seems to have his anger and rage come from his own inability to do anything. So does this mean that he must take the rage out on himself? This will be interesting to see where this goes, especially since this has been building since issue #1.

This issue feels very much like how issue #5 for Batwing was, an issue that was trying to get the pieces in place so the first story arc could conclude. I don't think I have a taste for issues like this one unless the payoff is evident. The first couple of issues were self contained in a way, and the past couple of issues were working towards something. If it is to try and understand how the Red Lanterns work and to get them in place to where some in-team fighting and conflict could happen, this chapter seems to be slightly awkward in getting there. It is the worst of the series for me so far, but it is still better than most other comics I've picked up this week. Let's see what kind of payoff happens next issue.

The Cover
Swing and they both miss! Alien anatomy must be very special, because no humans could bend like that. And if this were a true fight, Atrocitus could easily grab Bleez' wing and take her out via submission hold. The cover would have you believe that this was the be all end all issue that decided a Red Lantern leader, but that's slightly different from the truth of what actually happened. And Bleez' blue butt really shines in a cover filled with red.

Grades
Words: 7/10 - unless the next issue hits a home run, then this issue will look better by reflection.
Pictures: 10/10 Consistent on the art end of things. Loving it.
Recommend: Just like with Batwing #5, wait until you can read both issues at once and then it will be better.
Buy Next Issue: This was the first "bad" issue for me, let's hope this isn't the start of a new trend.

Previous Issues
Red Lanterns #4
Three Issue Trial