Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn II #6 (1991)
Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn II #6 (September, 1991)
The Fists are quick to give chase, unfortunately leaving Hal and Guy to the mercy of some stick-wielding convicts. Sinestro is tracked across the barren landscape, and finds himself colliding with a sort of mill… a mill that just happens to be full of a yellow powder, which renders him powerless. This caught me completely off guard, because A. I completely forgot about the yellow impurity, and B. I so often associate Sinestro with the color yellow. In this state, Sin’s easy pickin’s for the Fists.
Back in the clink, Hal realizes the jig is up… he’s got no choice but to Lantern-up and leap into action. The uprising is almost embarrassingly short-lived as Hal easily scoops up the goofs, and safety deposits them back into their own cells.
With the crisis averted, the Warden enters the scene. A guard tips him off that Green Lantern appears to be perhaps a bit too familiar with the prison environment… to which, the Warden immediately orders an inmate head-count. Hal takes this as his cue to return to his own cell, and manages to make it back in the nick of time.
With everything back in place, Hal slumps onto his bunk and lets out a well-earned exhale… just in time to be summoned (by summoned, I mean nyoinked off planet) by the ever-ehhh Guardians of the Universe.
Hal has been called to serve as a character witness for Sinestro, who is currently on trial for overstepping his bounds as a Green Lantern. Tomar-Re is acting for the persecution and Sinestro is representing himself (he mustn’t be familiar with the axiom of he who represents himself has a fool for a client).
When questioned, Hal admits that Sinestro is perhaps a bit too much of a stickler for “order”, and makes mention of the seeming worship the Korugarians showed Sinestro. The Guardians ask if the worship appeared forced or demanded from Sinestro… Hal stammers a bit, and sheepishly answers in the affirmative.
The next witness called is Katma-Tui, who upon teleportation heaves her guts all over the courtroom floor. Once she regains her composure, she spills the beans on Sinestro’s tyrannical rule. Tomar hands the witness over to Sinestro for cross examination. With a resigned smirk, Sinestro states he has no questions…
The Guardians of the Universe do their confab and come to the conclusion that Sinestro is… guilty (as sin?). His punishment? Banishment to the Anti-Matter Universe of Qward. Sinestro is, as one would imagine, not terribly pleased at this finding. He falls back into his rants about chaos and flips off the Guardians before fading out of existence.
 |
| Hey, up yours pal! |
The Guardians adjourn the court, and offer Katma-Tui the title of Green Lantern of Sector 1417. She puts up a bit of a fight, but ultimately decides to take on the responsibility.
Weeks go by, and we arrive at the 90th (and final) day of Hal Jordan’s incarceration. Guy Gardner, case worker for hire is present, and helps facilitate Hal’s release. He reads over a note left for him from Gentleman Will, and greets the day for the first time in awhile as a free man.
It’s been called a sin, it’s been ignored… hell, it’s been written out of continuity… What it is, is good fun comics.
This issue was a great capper to the series, and a wonderful examination of several key Green Lantern cast members. Hal is heroic and confident when face with a threat, yet is nervous when it comes to being questioned. We can see that he feels torn. There’s a certain loyalty to his trainer (and perhaps, sorta-kinda friend at this point?) Sinestro, and the Guardians of the Universe. There is a brief scene where he confides in Kilowog that is quite telling.
The flawless (on the surface) Sinestro has that facade slip away here. While we, the readers see that he’s been “losing it” throughout the series, it is during his arrest and trial that it becomes clear to those around him. He is humbled in several ways… first, he falls victim to his rings yellow impurity… then, when called on the carpet for his actions and rule… he slumps his shoulders and accepts defeat. He is hit with a punishment most severe, which gives a measure of justification for Sinestro’s future disdain for the Green Lantern Corps.
I suppose if I were to nitpick, I’d have to say that I wish there was a bit more Guy Gardner in this issue, perhaps even having him somehow winding up in the suit. I gotta wonder if there was an Emerald Dawn III waiting in the wings. I also would have liked to see more of a physical battle between the Lanterns and the Fists. We’ve been teased with the Fists for the past three issues, and when they arrive, they don’t even use their namesakes.
Overall, Emerald Dawn II was an enjoyable read and definitely worth your time. Keeping in mind that this story is somewhere deep in that nebulous miasma of DC continuity, this can still be great fun.
 |
| The greatest NES game ever (with George Carlin on the cover) |
