✭ green lantern (2023) issue #16

i finally caught up on the civil corps special and issue #16.

overall, i'm kind of torn about the direction adams is taking the story. i can tell that there was a list of things he wanted to accomplish in this run that he rushed to do, but that's exactly the problem.

at first, the appeal of this run was going to be about hal returning home, to earth. it was something i was looking forward to, since more recent runs have kept him up in space almost exclusively. he's part of the jl but is almost never around, which also makes it difficult to develop his relationships on earth (like carol). however, this story has run its course and has now defaulted to cataclysmic universe-shattering space fights, which eliminated a potentially unique storyline and made it feel like every run from geoff johns and onwards. at least adams offers more personality for hal.

the narrative decision to make carol some newbie hero, as if it's her first time ever being star sapphire, is a little bit dull. the rush to resolve the whole "fiance" dilemma resulted in a brutalization of carol's character + personality. i just didn't see her as the type to make such impulsive, rash decisions without caring who'd be impacted by it. that's... exactly the behavior hal exhibits that often hurts HER and puts her in a position of needing to step away and take space from him. i knew the relationship wasn't in good hands with adams told me in a conversation on twt that he saw halcarol as ross/rachel from friends. like, erm.... okay.

the surprise twist of kilowog not being dead but '"mind controlled"' (emotion controlled? lol who knows at this point) was kinda ._.

overall, my interest in this series has dwindled. and i was so excited for it too.... xermanico as the main illustrator has been hard carrying this series. it's been nice to see hal drawn in a non-constipated art style. i'm still going to carry on reading, but i think i'll cancel my paid subscription.