Green Lantern 5 page 8 SPLASH by Doug Mahnke & Christian Alamy

And just like that Thaal Sinestro (and his corps) is (are) green lantern(s) again.

Incredible to think that Geoff Johns's exceptional run on GL ended close to 10 years ago now (along with Peter Tomasi whose writing I actually favor over Johns'). For me it remains the best & most quality consistent modern run produced by DC Comics (along Deathstroke which I have mentioned before). Not only did it modernize the character and its lore for a modern audience, it truly expanded on it.

It's said that to have great heroes, you need greater villains and it's quite true in GL's case as Sinestro is basically Namor in space. With a ring. Haughty, full of himself yet immensely capable, with a code of honor and a hate-love relationship with the main hero.

We evidently get all this on this static and yet amazing splash with a very haughty Sinestro on the foreground and his corps positioned dangerously in the shadows behind him as they should be. Complete with power battery and of course the pulsing with energy ring.

That the full composition supports Sinestro in him taking the center stage in such a messianic and mission invested stance is excellent.

You obviously also get a great example of Mahnke's obsession with super bulky figures here.

I will also comment of the perfection of the inks. For reasons that have never been clear to me (deadlines, chosen and systemic method,...), Doug Mahnke's art has always been inked by a battery of inkers on many of his jobs, inside single issues. While many of those are seasoned inkers (Irwin, Champagne, Doug himself or Mendoza), I have always found that Christian Alamy perfectly completed his art with strong inks, adding much depth to his art. And one even gets the sense that Mr Alamy gets first picks as his pages are often spectacular.

While coming from the second half of the run (which was less spectacular or eventful), I'm quite pleased by this great addition as Mahnke remains a favorite to this day and it had been a long time since I added some of his art to the collection.

I will complete this page with another perfect match next year but meanwhile, I will wish everyone a very merry Christmas.

And as this is likely my last post of 2021, please heed Sinestro's words to face the upcoming 2022:

"Remember. No fear".