Green Lantern: The Movie Prequels TPB [2011]

GREEN LANTERN: THE MOVIE PREQUELS TRADE PAPERBACK

Martin Campbell directed Mel Gibson’s Edge of Darkness and two James Bond films Casino Royale and Goldeneye launches DC Comics’ Green Lantern this week. The movie begins as a renegade Guardian of the Universe falls prey to the power of fear and becomes Parallax who is voiced by actor Clancy Brown. Green Lantern Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison) imprisons Parallax on the planet Ryut located within the Lost Sector. Parallax escapes and takes revenge on Abin Sur who falls to Earth and his replacement is found within test pilot Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds).

The movie is very straight forward as we are introduced to the world of Oa and the Green Lantern Corps. The movie is extremely enjoyable and a loyal interpretation to the Green Lantern mythos. It also sets up the sequel as the yellow ring is forged to combat the Parallax and the after-scene credits shows Sinestro (Mark Strong) begins his journey into the Sinestro Corps. A terrific film and interpretation of the Green Lantern character that should build a long-standing movie franchise along with the current Batman and Superman characters. DC Comics begins its preview of the characters within the film with a series of comic book prequels.

Similar to the Superman Returns Prequels back in 2006, the Green Lantern prequels give you a visual clue on the movie prior to the June 17, 2011 release date. The main characters of these one-shot stories include the Guardians of the Universe, Kilowog, Tomar-Re, Abin Sur, Hal Jordan, and Sinestro brought to you by Green Lantern veteran writers Geoff Johns and Peter J. Tomasi (Green Lantern Corps) as well as Green Lantern screenwriters Marc Guggenheim and Michael Green.

KILOWOG: TO BUILD A BETTER LANTERN

Green Lantern Atey has dark visions of the future as Kilowog and his new recruits take on the Spider Guild before they turn Oa into one of their control nests. However it was a training exercise which ended up as a wake-up call for the rookie Green Lanterns. Tomar-Re interrupts the training exercise and reveals to Kilowog his mentor Abin Sur is dead. The Guardians want Kilowog to begin training Abin Sur’s replacement.

TOMAR-RE: FORBIDDEN PLANET

Tomar-Re searches for the terrorist known as Darkfire leading him to the Planet Ryut within the Lost Sector. Darkfire crashes his ship containing three Intraxian hostages. Tomar-Re is losing power within his ring which leads him to believe to take Darkfire back and leave the Intraxian hostages behind until a later date. The Intraxian hostages later awaken the imprisoned Parallax as seen inthe Green Lantern film.

ABIN SUR: A SMALL, UNREMARKABLE PLANET

Twenty years ago, Abin Sur stopped a smuggler however pieces of his ship have entered into Earth’s atmosphere crashing towards New Mexico. The ship takes on sentient life called a mechivore and attacks Army Ranger Amanda Waller. Waller defeats the mechivore however remains unconscious while Abin Sur arrives to remove any and all evidence of alien life. Later she becomes a officer within the Department of Extranormal Operations.

HAL JORDAN: BEING HUMAN

Sinestro and Tomar-Re discuss Abin Sur’s replacement Hal Jordan on whether he was the right choice. Sinestro believes Hal Jordan comes from a primitive plant with numerous languages and cultures continually fearful of one another. He asks the ring if there is another human and Guy Gardner appears. Tomar-Re believes nothing is what it seems and the ring choice wisely however time will tell. Meanwhile on the war-ravaged planet of Inguanzo, Ngila G’rnt is chosen as a Green Lantern and discovers the Emerald Warrior inside her as she begins her training on Oa.

SINESTRO: THE CHOSEN ONE

The Green Lantern Corps discovers Abin Sur has passed away and Sinestro remembers the first time he met him. Thirteen years ago Sinestro fights for peace on his Planet Korugar until a Green Lantern ring finds him and brings him back to Oa.

This trade paperback collects

Green Lantern Movie Prequel: Kilowog

Green Lantern Movie Prequel: Tomar-Re

Green Lantern Movie Prequel: Abin Sur

Green Lantern Movie Prequel: Hal Jordan

Green Lantern Movie Prequel: Sinestro

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5