With Green Lantern (vol 2) celebrating its 100th issue at the start of 1978, it would only be fair and deserved that Green Arrow should be part of the action. Green Lantern (vol 2) launched in the summer of 1960, meaning that a substantial slice of the run had featured both emerald heroes together, whether it be in space or on the streets. Alongside Green Lantern and Green Arrow in this celebratory issue is naturally Black Canary, but also a blast from the past – a strange hero by the name of Airwave. But a bombastic celebration, how can O’Neil and the creative team re-energise the title once again?
Green Lantern (vol 2) 100-106 was written primarily by Dennis O’Neil, but on occasion Elliot S. Maggin and Frank McGinty wrote a few tales. With the art by Alex Saviuk, Vince Colletta, Mike Grell, Dave Hunt, and Bruce Patterson, these issues were released from January to July 1978. These were the final issues that DC bothered to reprint – an extremely large omnibus containing the entire Green Lantern/Green Arrow era from 1970 to 1979 will be released next year.
Rider of the Air Waves --- Written by Dennis O’Neil with art by Alex Saviuk and Vince Colletta
Sadly, Green Lantern (vol 2) 100 does not feature a classic tale where the heroic emerald duo team up to face some all-consuming threat. Instead, the title is split in half and the two heroes enjoy their own full-length stories. For Green Lantern, it begins very pedestrianly. Back in his trucking job, Hal Jordan (along with Itty, who surely should be disposed of after he was revealed as a spy in the previous issue) overhears a nearby robbery on his radio, despite an overbearing sound of static. After the robbery has been dealt with, Green Lantern investigates the static, only to find a being of sorts trapped in the radio waves. That being is revealed to be Airwave, a superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics stories back in the 1940s. A hero that harnesses the power of sound and radio waves, this Airwave is a bit different, however. This hero calls himself Airwave II, since he is the son of the original Airwave, but since his chosen name is predictably silly, we’ll just stick to Airwave. At first, O’Neil goes down the typical route when it comes to heroes meeting their own. They have a misunderstanding, then a fight, and then it’s all solved. While this tiresome path is trodden on, O’Neil does launch a point of mystery – Airwave’s real name is Hal Jordan. O’Neil places that thrilling mystery in the background for most of the issue, while the heroes team up to fight Master-Tek, a pretty naff villain who appeared in no other comic book. It’s a pretty standard kind of story, but I like the friendship that O’Neil cultivates between Green Lantern and Airwave – it’s almost one of father-and-son. When Airwave reveals his identity to Green Lantern however, it’s sadly cliched. Yes, Green Lantern is shocked, but it’s revealed that they are simply cousins. After reading countless comics, I was hoping for some Multiverse-style surprise, but since it’s the 1970s, I was always going to be disappointed. Overall, while the plot may be basic and the villain is frankly a forgettable joke, Airwave (despite his underwhelming powers) makes a good sidekick for Green Lantern, and it spawns a potentially interesting relationship.
Beware the Blazing Inferno --- Written by Elliot S. Maggin with art by Mike Grell and Vince Colletta
For Green Arrow’s tale, we have Elliot S. Maggin. He shockingly supplied a fantastic Green Arrow-only tale in Green Lantern (vol 2) 87, where Oliver Queen finally decides it’s time to run for political office. Green Lantern (vol 2) 100 continues down that path – a riot breaks out in the city and Roy Harper (who is coincidentally and uncharacteristically playing a musical gig right in the centre of the action) is injured. Most of the story focuses on Green Arrow and Black Canary as they fight against the worst criminals the city has to offer, reinforcing Oliver Queen’s inner-belief that only he can help the city through political means. But Maggin also examines the political class of the city, and how they desperately want Oliver Queen to run for Mayor. Although numerous questions may be raised about whether Oliver Queen – with his outward personality – is the right person for politics, I like how Maggin and O’Neil have been using this storyline throughout the run to develop Oliver Queen’s character. In the end of the tale, Oliver Queen decides he will run for office, and with that, a huge number of possibilities open up. Sadly, O’Neil doesn’t explore these in the forthcoming issues, but once again, Maggin has surprisingly written a solid story here full of personality and promise.
The Big Braintrust Boom --- Written by Frank McGinty with art by Alex Saviuk and Vince Colletta
With issue 100 out of the way, Green Lantern (vol 2) 101 should be a fine opportunity for a small-scale relaunch. With the title’s relaunch eleven issues prior and a sharp change in direction, the quality has dipped noticeably. How can fortunes be revived? Well, perhaps not with a guest writer. Frank McGinty shares something in common with Master-Tek – this is McGinty’s only work for DC Comics. There’s not much information available about McGinty, but as guest issues go, it’s dreary in its dullness. Released from prison, Hector Hammond – one of the driest Green Lantern foes going – has become the head of Braintrust Incorporated. For what reason? So, he can take control of the human race for his own wants and needs. Throughout, Hector Hammond controls villains around him to do his bidding. It’s very predictable stuff really. But despite its basic and usual plot, McGinty pads it out with pointless plot that goes nowhere or fails to entertain. Overall, this issue would easily win the award for the most forgettable tale in the run.
Sign Up… And See the Universe/Earth – Asylum For An Alien --- Written by Dennis O’Neil with art by Alex Saviuk, Vince Colletta and David Hunt
Green Lantern (vol 2) 102-103 finally incorporates Black Canary – seemingly forgotten throughout most of the run – into its main plot. But first, we have aliens. Green Lantern (vol 2) 102 starts with the Emerald Knight chasing a UFO in space which crash lands on Earth. This alien is surprisingly given airtime on TV, and he offers members of the public a chance of a lifetime – the chance to go into space and see other planets. This is fairly similar to the idea that O’Neil created for Green Lantern (vol 2) 93, but it doesn’t feature any of the human touches or dramatic quality which that issue had. Going through a rough patch in her relationship with Green Arrow, Black Canary puts herself forward to tag along with the aliens in space. In effect, she’s saying goodbye to Oliver Queen and her whole superhero life.
It’s a move which doesn’t make much sense or reflects Black Canary’s character much at all. Even if things aren't going her way right now, why would she want to leave Earth and how would it solve anything? Of course, it’s all revealed to be an evil plot and the aliens needed the humans to take commands and pilot their UFO. It’s a nice, if very predictable, twist.
Green Lantern (vol 2) 103 happily doesn’t pad out a long and tedious fight scene. Instead, while Green Arrow defeats some of the aliens and rescues the humans from the UFO, the leader of the aliens has gone to the United Nations demanding protection as a refugee. It’s an intriguing point of political storytelling, but sadly nothing much comes of it as the leader of the aliens escapes at the end. O’Neil focuses instead on a hostage situation, where yet another group of aliens arrive to capture the alien seeking asylum. Strangely, it’s Green Arrow who fights against this lot, as Green Lantern is injured at the start of the first part, and then gets trapped in something I could only call a drug trip. It’s not quite clear how Green Lantern is caught in this weird trap, but he manages to escape it in time to claim some of the credit at the end. The problem with this two-parter – above all else – is its stagnancy. There is no electric feeling of tension or drama. It feels incredibly motionless. It's not helped by dull scenes in space, and the only aspect of drama – the relationship between Green Arrow and Black Canary – gets brushed under the carpet at the end. Overall, it has a few aspects going for it, but it’s another forgettable one.
Proof of the Peril --- Written by Dennis O’Neil with art by Alex Saviuk and Vince Colletta
Green Lantern (vol 2) 104 is – by some standards at least – a return to form. That’s down really to two reasons. Firstly, a death! Mike Grell illustrated a pretty grim cover depicting our heroes mourning the death of a friend, and this friend is revealed quickly to be Itty. Like all pets, it just stopped moving one day and that seemed to be the end. Although Itty never spoke a word and only featured in the plot in any major way once, I understand some of the sadness. This ‘character’ has been present for quite some time, and while O’Neil and Saviuk do overegg the pudding by adding rain and tears to the funeral, it does feel like a significant event. Secondly, O’Neil focuses on Airwave. While I may ridicule his powers and think him a somewhat useless superhero, O’Neil picks up on that as a point of character development. In the early pages of the issue, Green Arrow tries training Airwave, but he is too weak and doubtful in himself. It looks as if O’Neil was planning a Speedy-type storyline with Airwave. Throughout this period, he feels like Green Lantern has little time for him, and that he will never become a great superhero. It’s a shame that O’Neil didn’t take this aspect of Airwave’s character and his relations with other heroes much further. While the villain of Green Lantern (vol 2) 104 is a typical mad scientist who wants to extract energy from the Earth’s core, thereby unleashing great havoc on the world, Airwave has nothing to do with the story’s solution. It’s down to Green Arrow, and more usefully Green Lantern to save the day. Although Airwave may not enjoy such titanic powers, I think he should have been the hero to save the day. It would have added variety and strengthened his character. As it stands, Airwave’s depression and potential failings as a hero are not explored or built upon. Overall, Green Lantern (vol 2) 104 is a better issue than those surrounding it, but there is some lost potential.
Thunder Doom/ Panic In High Places and Low --- Written by Dennis O’Neil with art by Alex Saviuk, Vince Colletta, Mike Grell and Bruce Patterson
In some ways, Green Lantern (vol 2) 105-106 marks a natural end to an over-arching plot point which has been present in the title for quite some time. The first part begins with a giant creature – simply a mass of strange matter. This 1970s Doctor Who creature is defeated by Green Lantern after it attacked Carol Ferris, but then the Emerald Knight discovers that Itty’s grave has been opened. Before Green Lantern can put two-and-two together to work out that this strange giant creature could be linked to Itty, Sonar turns up as the villain for Green Lantern (vol 2) 105. It’s good that Airwave finally has an opportunity to use his powers, but it does feel like an almighty distraction.
Prospects improve with Green Lantern (vol 2) 106. The giant creature chases Green Arrow and Black Canary, but we begin to notice that it is not an evil being.
It wants to help the heroes as they fight against Sonar. We return to Sonar’s homeland in the Balkans, where the corrupt law there imprisons Green Lantern. However, Green Lantern is released by Sonar when an oncoming avalanche could destroy Sonar’s homeland. This isn’t a bad story, but again, it feels like a distraction from the real point of interest. Not much time or space is given to the finale, but it’s obviously revealed that the giant creature is Itty and upon giving it calcium, Itty vanishes into the next life. Despite all the build-up, Itty’s reveal and then farewell is dealt with too quickly. But like the previous stories, this one suffers from simply not being exciting. I suppose it’s because the pretty generic structure of the plots, but also because ample time is not spent focusing on the interesting areas of the tale. Nevertheless, this story is just about average, and perhaps not too terrible to end the run on.
I said last time that nearly any artist would find it daunting and difficult to follow in the footsteps of Neal Adams. But Mike Grell – whatever his flaws – was undoubtedly better in every respect compared to Alex Saviuk. Although Grell may have been adept at transforming characters of all kinds into the same face of ugliness, at least there was a visible sense of drama. Saviuk produces some of the most static and boring artwork ever to be seen in the Bronze Age of comics. It looks like something from the 1940s more than the 1970s. Saviuk isn’t given any favours by inker Vince Colletta, who was reliable for his speed and inaccuracy. The visuals are not given the smooth finish which they require – at times stories look underdeveloped or just downright awful. Other inkers, Bruce Patterson and David Hunt, don’t amaze readers, but at least some detectable work has gone into the art. Despite everything I said about Mike Grell, his art really is of high quality compared to Saviuk. But like Grell, this was the start of his career and I suppose everyone had to start somewhere. That said, this feels like fan-art level.
VERDICT
Overall, Green Lantern (vol 2) 100-106 starts off well with a celebration, but sadly, O’Neil fails to refresh the title and add in some much-needed excitement and energy. Many of the stories here feel static, predictable, and pretty standard in terms of plotting. This really isn’t helped by artists like Alex Saviuk. Despite his flaws, Mike Grell provided energy to the stories here. But all-in-all, is it really fair to compare the Space-Travelling Heroes era to the story-arc that was Hard-Travelling Heroes? Perhaps not, since it felt like O’Neil was purposefully treading on new ground there. Here, there is no such sign of that, and it seems that O’Neil has little love for the science fiction world of Green Lantern. Although the run continues from here until the end of 1979, I doubt the quality of writing or art ever rises up to the monolithic level it enjoyed at the start of the decade. But despite all its regularity and lack of excitement, it’s an indescribable relief that readers recall this run fondly, remembering the titanic work of O’Neil and Adams as they fundamentally changed the focus of comic books for a new era…
Next Week: Black Orchid (Black Orchid (vol 1) 1-3). Written by Neil Gaiman with art by Dave McKean.
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