Release Date: September 14, 2011
Cover Date: November 2011
Story: Peter Milligan
Pencils: Ed Benes
Inks: Rob Hunter
Cover: Ed Benes and Rob Hunter
Atrocitus rescues Dex-Starr from alien warlords, and once he’s back on Ysmault, he ponders his own future. With Krona dead, his rage has been subsiding, and Atrocitus isn’t sure what to do with himself now. Using Krona’s corpse as an offering, he peers into the veils of time, discovering that there’s still untold suffering across the universe. He decides to become an instrument of vengeance to help those who cannot help themselves, but he’s not sure if his Red Lanterns will follow him.
Warth’s partial healing of Bleez in Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #3 enabled her to speak, and it seems the effect was permanent. It’s also possible that more of her own mind has returned, as she’s less of a mindless beast than the other Red Lanterns. She’s being set up to resist Atrocitus’ will, but considering she’ll be co-starring in Green Lantern: New Guardians, Bleez may not stick around in this book for long.
Speaking of Bleez, let’s talk about the art. Ed Benes’ penciling in this issue is pretty good, with a few notable exceptions. One: Dex-Starr is supposed to be an Earth cat, but Benes draws his body as if he’s a furry little person. Two: Atrocitus’ facial features look considerably less menacing here. Even considering his turn towards a somewhat more notable cause, his face has always looked monstrous.
And three: Benes is famous for his sexy drawings of women, both in superhero pinups as well as monthly books. This skill is on full display here, as this issue features multiple Bleez ass shots and other sexy poses. It ends up being rather distracting; I love hot chicks as much as the next guy, but a) this is a comic book character, and b) I have a hard time seeing the bloody alien Bleez as a sexpot, thigh-highs and garters nonwithstanding. Seeing that sort of thing in what’s meant to be a solemn and serious story just makes me laugh.
A little more of Atrocitus’ history is revealed: his true name, Atros, as well as his former profession as a psychologist. His proper name is a lot better than him being named Atrocitus from the get-go, especially since he was always portrayed as a kind and loving father in flashbacks. That history makes his new transition a lot more reasonable. Atros being a psychologist seems a bit tacked on, however. And why is he always naked in his flashbacks, anyway? Perhaps Atrocitus should do a little psychoanalysis on himself to explain that.
Will the other Red Lanterns follow suit with Atrocitus’ new mission? Eventually. I also think they’ll start to come more in line with the Red Lanterns planned for Green Lantern: The Animated Series, which premieres next fall. Those are going to be notably different than the ones seen in the comics, as you’re not going to see boiling blood-spitting monsters in a kids’ cartoon! It remains to be seen if the fanbase will accept this.
I’m wondering if either Ray or John, the two young men we saw during the brief interlude on Earth, will end up as future Red Lanterns. Ray seems the obvious choice, but the more timid John may end up with a red ring because he’s not outwardly angry like his brother. Either way, I assume their role in the story is important, or else they would not have been included.
Red Lanterns #1 does suffer from the exact same problem as Green Lantern (Vol. 5) #1: it’s a piss-poor choice for new readers. As with the latter book, you need to read Green Lantern comics from at least as far back as 2007 to the present in order to have any clue as to what’s happening. As a first issue in its own series, Red Lanterns #1 works out okay. As part of the “New 52,” it’s a joke.
