DC Comics reviews for week of 10/5/16 – Superman #8, Batman #8

Green Lanterns #8

Baz and Cruz have to track down Rami, the exiled and now missing Guardian. Plus the secrets of the Phantom Ring are revealed. Adding a new ring to the mix is an interesting decision. There’s so many Lanterns running around now that it seems like a great idea about five years too late.

But this is the first issue so far in the series where writer Sam Humphries didn’t need grading on a curve. Even with an obligatory Halloween tie-in, the pacing was solid, the plot sensible and the character portrayals the best they’ve been yet.

Humphries is slowly getting a handle on the characters. Their interaction has dramatically improved and he’s delving more into their personalities without limiting them to Baz = angry and Cruz = frightened.

With Ed Benes, the issue has an artist adept at faces, which is especially handy in making Cruz less homely. The issue didn’t require much by way of action, but Benes is the kind of reliable artist that could work long-term on the title. The whirlwind artist rotation has taken its toll on the visual continuity on the book but this was one of the better issues.

Humphries has what seems like a fairly strong plot for this next story arc. With the messy introductions to Baz and Cruz out of the way, he’s able to further establish their bonds while working Rami into the fold. I’m looking forward to seeing how this arc plays out as it could be the one that gets Green Lanterns to the next level.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10