Two events I got suckered into buying

I avoided Identity Crisis, Civil War, Infinite Crisis, Amazons Attack and all of the other recent crossover events because I figured they had nothing to offer me. I'm not their target audience. I don't care.

I am the target audience for World War Hulk and Sinestro Corps, however. Hoo boy, am I the guy they wrote these for. Hulk beating the crap out of our entire planet? Sinestro recruiting the evilest, scariest badasses in the universe? Where do I sign up?

Here are my thoughts on the latest installments from these crossovers:

Green Lantern #21 - DC (2007)

What the hell is up with repeating the same thing in every related issue of a crossover? This issue of Green Lantern isn't repeating as much as the first few WW Hulk issues did but it wastes a lot of space and time telling us what we've already read in Sinestro Corps Special #1. Once it's done with that, this issue gets cool but it doesn't tell us anything new or advance the story at all. If you've read the special you don't need to buy this GL issue.

Ivan Reis's art is excellent. He's good with action and it takes a good artist to make the crazy quilt that is the GLC work visually. However, there's no story here. We get a lot of backstory about Hal Jordan but it's nothing we haven't seen a dozen times elsewhere. If you're new to the Green Lantern story this will get you on the right track but for those of us who know about Hal it's just more of the same.


World War Hulk: Gamma Corps #1 - Marvel (2007)



Unlike many of last month's World War Hulk offerings this issue does not rehash the whole "Hulk beats up Black Bolt and Iron Man" thing. This is nice. Unfortunately, the team that the book is named after doesn't show up until page 12. General Ryker's backstory is a vital piece of exposition but it could have been handled in fewer pages thus leaivng more room for the cool Gamma Corps. Check out the cover above. If you know anything about Marvel's gamma-irradiated characters you can figure out what each of the team members does. Even if you don't, there's a nice scene which shows their powers and personalities.

The story is shaping up to be cool and I like the characters. To bad they're going to get their asses handed to them when they go up against the Hulk.