Green Lantern is one of my all time favourite characters - there, I've said it. I don't mind saying it. With the Flash and Batman, GL was one of the characters I grew up with before the British comic book was "Tharged" in the late seventies. I can still remember a comic my Dad bought me. It had Green Lantern, Green Arrow and Black Canary in space with some old guy...
Fast forward to 2016, and whilst perusing Amazon, I came across this title. I guessed very quickly that the comic I remembered from my childhood was part of this collection, so I went and bought it. This collection contains the much recognised partnership between Green Lantern and Green Arrow from the 1970s, brought to us by Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams, and which caused such controversy at the time. The politically sensitive nature of the stories, created at a time when superhero stories were notably flagging, were a revelation to an American public that were not used to dealing with the issues raised (such as racism and drugs) directly.
OK, let's be truthful. 1970s American comics are pretty much the same. The stories can be quite pedestrian compared to what the modern reader is used to, and perhaps a touch condescending and politically incorrect. This particular collection is no different. The stories range from OK to poor, but are saved by the artwork, which is always at a high standard. Like the Marvel essentials collection, these are in black and white which really shows of the quality of the artwork, especially the inking.
I don't know if I would recommend these to modern readers. If you expect modern, intricate storylines and lots of character building then you're going to be disappointed, but if this collection has a certain quaint charm. It's not Shakespeare, but then again, it's not Chuckle Brothers either - it sits in between, sort of like old Uncle Wilbur at you sister’s wedding - slightly dotty, reminiscing about the good old days, and still trying to shake his tail feather on the dance floor. It's cringe-worthy in places, but with some little gems tucked away. It's certainly more for fans of GA/GL than non-fans.
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