Comic Book of The Day: Red Lanterns #5

The Red Lanterns are a fairly new creation that came into life only a few short years ago, but their popularity and fame have given them their own title.

Recapping recent past events, Atrocitus has his entire corps on a planet where they mumble and stumble like a bunch of morons with no capability of thought. Atrocitus has been using the dead body of Krona (former Guardian of the Universe) as his pulpit to confess and confide his secrets with. At the end of issue 4, Krona is missing. Atrocitus blames his fellow corpsmen Bleez (whom he recently gave her intelligence back) of stealing the body. Then issue 5 happened.

SPOILERS BELOW

Like any good story, Red Lanterns 5 picks up where 4 left off and Atrocitus is pissed. He immediately attacks Bleez accusing her of trickery and deception (not to mention the whole stealing the dead Guardian bit). The two of them fight for a short time and then Bleez asks the question of what if Krona is not dead? This relaxes Atrocitus somewhat but he still falls into shock thinking Krona could be alive.

Meanwhile, the other members of the Red Lanterns that Atrocitus threw into the blood ocean to restore their memories are beginning to come about. They look to each other with anger and hatred (how surprising) but eventually fall in line with Atrocitus. The Red Lanterns decide that their mission will be either recovering Krona’s dead body, or finding him and killing him again. Atrocitus ends this by chanting the Red Lantern oath.

Back on Earth a small sub-plot has been brewing. A human whose grandfather was murdered by a thug has been feuding with his brother over how to act. I myself thought the one brother full with anger and fueled by rage was going to become the first human Red Lantern.

I was wrong.

His calmer brother, John Moore, had much more rage built up inside of him that he never revealed. Even when his brother was beaten to death by police; he did nothing to stop it. A red power ring appears on Earth to provide John with a red power ring making him unofficially the first human Red Lantern.

Red Lanterns is a title that could be hit or miss when it comes to purchasing a new title of DC’s New 52. The Krona story line and the introduction of a new Lantern all make me excited for issue 6. Bring on the next one!

Andrew M.