Conclusion … Just Kidding!

Though it was billed as one of DC’s two big plot-lines for the new 52 (the upcoming “Trinity War” being the other), Green Lantern’s “Rise of the Third Army” arc has been quite the underachiever. The idea seemed pretty solid to start with: the never-quite-likeable Guardians of the Universe have finally had it right up their little red robes with the free-thinking members of the Green Lantern Corps and decide its replacement time – scrapping the GLs in favor of a Third Army much like they mothballed their old cadre of Manhunter robots.

Unfortunately, the plot never quite got off the ground – maybe it was because things got side-tracked with the introduction of new GL Simon Baz or maybe it was because the members of the Third Army never really got to be front-and-center and become a credible threat. But writer Peter J. Tomasi gets the nod to try to bring things to a climax (maybe because lead Green Lantern scribe Geoff Jones has other important books to write – like Vibe) and … it’s a bit of a “meh” moment.

On the plus side, Guy and Kyle get most of the attention (which is a nice change of pace from the usually “Hal-centric” GL universe). Perhaps a bit more challenging is that the rest of the characters in the book seem to be pushing and shoving for space. GL John Stewart and Red Lantern Atrocitus, in particular, feel a bit shoe-horned and, while Tomasi does a serviceable job with the big confrontation – there’s not much to distinguish this from all the other “big” Lantern battles of recent years. But, ya know, not too bad, right?

Until you get to the end of the book and realize … you’ve been had. Because there’s no conclusion! This is, in actuality, just a set-up for the next big GL cross-over … which at this stage of the game feels like it’s just one “GL event” after another … on and on and on. It’s fair to say that stories in comics never really conclude, but you can deliver a good solid ending in the context of particular storyline – like an exclamation point at the end of a sentence. Instead this annual (a $5 dollar annual mind you) just seems to hit the last page with lots of dangling plot threads and a blasé (ripped from Zero Hero) “to be continued …”

Not very satisfying.