Red Lanterns Annual #1 Review

Lost souls.

Atrocitus initiates his final plan against Guy Gardner even as Guy finds out that he a man down.

Things really boil over in the issue and it’s mind-blowing how much Soule is impacting the current DCU will his actions.

Miguel Sepulveda is the guest artist for this book and he rises to the situation brilliantly.

SPOILERS FOLLOW…………….

Atrocitus arrives at Earth with a three pronged plan, starting by asking Skallox to share with him everything he learnt about the planet when Guy sent him on a ‘tour’.

All those light moments take on sinister shades as Skallox reveals all of our global landmarks – including the Eiffel Tower and the Grand Canyon. Also, Guy’s home town Baltimore.

He assigns all his Lanterns to destroy each of the targets and Soule gets a good moment in when Atrocitus forbids Dexx-Starr from being distracted by the opposite sex on the planet.

This is again the calm before the storm, as we see the Lanterns wreaking havoc, destroying everything from the Canyon to the Leaning Tower.

Atrocitus starts his second phase, as he uses these events to awake anger among the natives, and with his armory of red lantern rings, make them his own.

Guy on the Kaalvar gets the news that Skallox has jumped ship, and that Atrocitus is on Earth.

Gardner is shown the horrible sight of the planet jumping from a red blimp to full on red. Calming himself, he assures Bleez he’s going to finally use the red ring for what it was meant for – revenge.

Skallox attempts to convince Atrocitus to spare one of the natives, and the Red Lantern leader says that at this point it doesn’t matter if Skallox is trying to con him. We see him later pacifying the Shadow Thief by knocking her out.

Bleez tries one final time to draw Rankorr out from his animalistic state, and failing says that if she could not save him, she would save his planet.

On Earth, Guy arrives at Gotham seeking help from Batman, but the later is himself preoccupied with the raging inhabitants. After a pep-talk, Guy assures him that he would take care of it, only asking for Bruce to go alongwith it (through it’s surprising Bruce is so candid given what is going on around him).

I love how Soule and  Sepulveda include the Judge in every Red Lantern scene. Reminds me of the Watcher from Marvel.

Supergirl enters the scene and Guy has a talk with her, signifying the growing relationship between them.

Meanwhile, Zox has managed to locate the second Blood Lake and proceeds to destroy it, only for Rankorr to reveal himself a traitor as he fatally blasts Zox.

Barg, former owner of the Kaalvar, is one of the Lanterns guarding the lake, and he reveals to a colleague that they have their own man on board.

Rankorr apparently has been under the possession of a Red, and manages to overthrow his control and kill him, giving Zox the time to bid goodbye and destroy the Lake and everyone save Rankorr by crashing the Kaalvar into it.

Speaking of Barg, it is revealed that Bleez has brought the Kormoraki to their planet so that they can use them calming methods to subdue the newly minted Reds.

Atrocitus through is having none of that, and attempts to destroy it but is stopped by Guy and Supergirl’s arrival.

Using their magic connection to the Reds, Guy and Bleez attempt to bring them to the group, but sadly prove inadequate for Atrocitus’ abilities.

Where they have a team, the former Red Lantern leader has an army.

SPOILERS END……………

The stakes are raised and all hell breaks loose as Soule delivers.

But in the midst of all the madness, he is still able to get in some good character beats, especially with Bleez.

Sepulveda’s artwork is amazing and it will be sad if this is his only foray into the book.

So, I give it 9.5 out of 10.

+Some amazing visuals

+All hell breaks loose

+Excellent character moments

+Great pacing

-A guest characters acts a little off…given the circumstances