The trade paperback for Absolute Green Lantern Vol. 2: Sojourner hits shelves this week and takes our undisputed crown for the Most Anticipated Trade Paperback (MATP). If you missed the single issues when they kicked off last autumn, this collection is the ultimate reason to head down to your local comic shop this Wednesday. Al Ewing and a powerhouse rotating art team deliver a massive, high-concept adrenaline shot that deconstructs standard DC mythology. Side-stepping the standard space-cop adventure, Absolute Green Lantern Vol. 2 is sci-fi noir that demands a spot in your absolute DC collection.
Devastating Cosmic Philosophy and an Unrestrained Corps
Ewing does not waste a single page expanding the stakes of this radical new era, making it an incredibly rewarding pickup for everyone invested in this complete reconstruction of the cosmic color spectrum. Instead of pulling back on the weirdness, the narrative thrusts us directly into the terrifying philosophy of the Blackstars and their brutal Law of Qard. This doctrine of collective punishment dictates that the sin of one citizen becomes the sin of an entire planet. When an Oan world refuses to yield, the Blackstars unleash a weaponized Mogo to wipe out seven billion sentient lives in a heartbeat, proving the stakes are vastly higher than the localized anomaly we started with.
The traditional moral rules of the galaxy are completely shattered during this desperate interstellar war. Classic emerald heroes are utterly overwhelmed by a Black Hand Weaponer, who is a brutal, mirror-verse reinterpretation of Kilowog. The balance shifts entirely with the arrival of Absolute Tomar-Re, who channels the Red Level of Light. As we learn more about how this universe operates, it turns out the Red power is natively a defensive force requiring supreme internal restraint. Tomar-Re bypasses the safety limits completely by refusing to restrain himself at all, introducing a terrifying, aggressive approach to the spectrum that leaves his enemies shattered and completely redefines our understanding of the line.
Grounded Human Messiness Meets Sci-Fi Noir
While the book hits massive cosmic highs, the emotional heartbeat of this volume lies in the intimate, character-driven mystery of Jo Mullein that we’ve been scratching the surface of since issue one. Ewing finally grounds the larger anomaly of the giant Green Lantern landing in the small town of Evergreen by diving straight into Jo’s heavy personal history. We follow her from a broken childhood home to a corrupt local police force overseen by Sheriff Bill Hand. Good cops like Mark Shaw and Renee Montoya exit the system one by one, leaving Jo to navigate systemic corruption, a brief queer romance, and an eventually passionless marriage to federal agent Cameron Chase. It is a stunningly complex character study that pivots beautifully from sprawling space opera into a tense, gritty noir thriller.
The book reaches a fever pitch with the introduction of Absolute Goldface, reimagined here as a cold-blooded corporate assassin cleaning up anyone tied to the original Evergreen Event. Artists Sid Kotian and Jahnoy Lindsay alongside colorists Iñaki Azpiazu and Pressy make this transformation visually unforgettable. Kotian shines during a brutal, personal domestic argument between Jo and Chase that ends in a shock cliffhanger, while expertly rendering Goldface’s features as they melt into striking, liquid metallic gold smoke.
The color palettes throughout the collection are nothing short of iconic. The art teams contrast the sickly, radioactive green of the unstable Lantern ring against the deep, shadowy blacks and purples of the Blackstar armada. The classic weapon is treated with genuine psychological dread, acting more like an addictive, parasitic entity than a heroic tool. Backed by exceptional lettering from Lucas Gattoni that makes the jagged screeches of shadow beasts practically vibrate off the page, this stands as one of the most visually daring and conceptually rewarding Green Lantern books you will pick up all year.
Absolute Green Lantern Vol. 2: Sojourner (Get the Trade)
