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geekwayne's review
4.0
'Green Lanterns Vol. 3' by Sam Humphries has been a really fun series to read. I love the journey of Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz as they deal with being heroes.
Green Lanterns wield a lot of power, but Baz and Cruz are still new enough to the hero game to get excited about helping out the Justice League or getting invited to Gotham City to help Batman on a case. Jessica struggles with anxiety, and Simon feels inadequate. These are problems for a power that works on sheer willpower.
This volume is a series of shorter stories. There is a story arc in Gotham involving citizens acting violently based on fear. There is a story about the first lantern, Volthoom, that doesn't seem to have anything to do with our heroes (but it's a storyline that I suspect is still building). The final story involved Doctor Polaris and Amanda Waller. This last story is interesting in it's complexity.
The story writing is very good. I love how flawed and excited these characters are. They are new to the game, and we get some internal looks at what they seem to be going through. The art is consistently good throughout, even over a bunch of different artists.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Green Lanterns wield a lot of power, but Baz and Cruz are still new enough to the hero game to get excited about helping out the Justice League or getting invited to Gotham City to help Batman on a case. Jessica struggles with anxiety, and Simon feels inadequate. These are problems for a power that works on sheer willpower.
This volume is a series of shorter stories. There is a story arc in Gotham involving citizens acting violently based on fear. There is a story about the first lantern, Volthoom, that doesn't seem to have anything to do with our heroes (but it's a storyline that I suspect is still building). The final story involved Doctor Polaris and Amanda Waller. This last story is interesting in it's complexity.
The story writing is very good. I love how flawed and excited these characters are. They are new to the game, and we get some internal looks at what they seem to be going through. The art is consistently good throughout, even over a bunch of different artists.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
miamollekin's review
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ria_mhrj's review
4.0
Loving this series! Simon and Jessica are endearingly flawed superheroes, and the growth they have experienced across these three volumes has been well executed. The illustration of Jessica's anxiety was especially powerful, and sensitively handled. Nice to see the rest of the Justice League pop up too, Batman always has some lessons to teach.
dryden's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
nonidude's review
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Not a bad book, but it just felt very much like the middle of the story - setting up for the next one, but nothing super exciting happening. Also felt the comparison storyline between Baz and Polaris was a little clunky.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Gun violence
lukeisthename34's review
5.0
A really pleasant surprise. Topic message about gun violence and a great deal of emotion related to survivors guilt all while building a really great 'buddy-cop' type story.
quirkycatsfatstacks's review
4.0
I received a copy of Green Lanterns Vol. 3: Polarity from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Now that I’m fully caught up in Green Lanterns, I find myself lamenting the wait for the next volume to release. There’s just so much the Green Lanterns have to offer. The plot was intriguing, the artwork stunning (as usual), and the characters engaging.
I’ve always been a fan of the art style used in all of the Green Lantern series, and this is no exception. I love that they always use crisp art along with vibrant colors to help distinguish characters and their ability sets (the lantern spectrums). Even the non-Lantern characters get this treatment. It’s really quite interesting, and has a positive effect on the series.
Quite a lot is happening in this volume; character development/struggles, Green Lantern politics (if you want to call it that), two different plots, and a couple of different cameos. I’m actually impressed they were able to weave it all together in such a cohesive manner. Everything had a tie-in or a reason for being brought up.
Jessica is still struggling with her anxiety, a fact that Simon is getting better at understanding. He knows he won’t always be able to say the right thing to help, but it doesn’t matter as long as he’s there for her when she needs him. Slowly the two of them are starting to really work things out, both as partners and as friends. I keep thinking they’re going to cross over the line with Jessica’s anxiety, and make her annoying or dependent or something. And I keep being surprised. Jessica is stronger every issue – figuring out how to fight her anxiety, how to fight herself, how to keep going. I can’t say enough positive things about it.
Simon has his own struggles too, which I also love (though I don’t think I connect to him as well as Jessica simply because I’ve been in her shoes, so to speak, but not his). He deals with a lot of guilt about the past, as well as concerns about him not being good enough or strong enough. It’s the reason why he carries his gun around. He doesn’t trust the ring (and thus himself) to protect him when he needs it the most. To him the gun is the equivalent of a safety blanket. Growing out of needing a safety blanket is tough, but we all have to do it someday. I loved seeing Simon figure everything out and come to the realization that he didn’t need it anymore.
Again I find myself talking more about the characters than the actual plots involved. There are two major plots in this volume. The first one involves Batman. I know! Can you imagine how amazing and terrifying it would be to have the Batman asking you for assistance? I’m not sure I could handle the pressure. Thankfully our green duo rises to the challenge, and Simon actually learns a lot about himself along the way. The other plot is the namesake of the volume, with Polaris tearing the city apart in a convoluted attempt to save his brother. Things get pretty gut-wrenching really fast, especially for Simon. The situation with Polaris’ brother being sick reminds him too much of when his brother-in-law was in a coma. It gets in his head and causes him to struggle with the power that he’s normally so confident with. I actually loved the shift here – Simon had to tap out, forcing Jessica to be the strong one for them. If that isn’t proof that they’re a good team, I don’t know what is.
I was concerned from the moment John Stewart ordered Simon and Jessica to be brought to them. My first concern was leaving the Earth unprotected (you know, if you don’t count all the other superheroes running around). My second concern was whether or not they would take the time to assess a situation before recalling them. What it they got grabbed mid-battle? Would John (or whoever was in charge of pulling them back) be aware of that? It seems like a risky move to me, but then again I’m not the captain of the Green Lanterns.
I’m said that I have such a long wait for volume four, but I’m impatient like that. I feel like the series is really settling into its groove, so to speak. I can’t wait to see what is in store next - after all, the whole Rami plot hasn’t been resolve yet. I can’t imagine leaving Volthoom to his own devices for extended periods of time is a smart move.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Now that I’m fully caught up in Green Lanterns, I find myself lamenting the wait for the next volume to release. There’s just so much the Green Lanterns have to offer. The plot was intriguing, the artwork stunning (as usual), and the characters engaging.
I’ve always been a fan of the art style used in all of the Green Lantern series, and this is no exception. I love that they always use crisp art along with vibrant colors to help distinguish characters and their ability sets (the lantern spectrums). Even the non-Lantern characters get this treatment. It’s really quite interesting, and has a positive effect on the series.
Quite a lot is happening in this volume; character development/struggles, Green Lantern politics (if you want to call it that), two different plots, and a couple of different cameos. I’m actually impressed they were able to weave it all together in such a cohesive manner. Everything had a tie-in or a reason for being brought up.
Jessica is still struggling with her anxiety, a fact that Simon is getting better at understanding. He knows he won’t always be able to say the right thing to help, but it doesn’t matter as long as he’s there for her when she needs him. Slowly the two of them are starting to really work things out, both as partners and as friends. I keep thinking they’re going to cross over the line with Jessica’s anxiety, and make her annoying or dependent or something. And I keep being surprised. Jessica is stronger every issue – figuring out how to fight her anxiety, how to fight herself, how to keep going. I can’t say enough positive things about it.
Simon has his own struggles too, which I also love (though I don’t think I connect to him as well as Jessica simply because I’ve been in her shoes, so to speak, but not his). He deals with a lot of guilt about the past, as well as concerns about him not being good enough or strong enough. It’s the reason why he carries his gun around. He doesn’t trust the ring (and thus himself) to protect him when he needs it the most. To him the gun is the equivalent of a safety blanket. Growing out of needing a safety blanket is tough, but we all have to do it someday. I loved seeing Simon figure everything out and come to the realization that he didn’t need it anymore.
Again I find myself talking more about the characters than the actual plots involved. There are two major plots in this volume. The first one involves Batman. I know! Can you imagine how amazing and terrifying it would be to have the Batman asking you for assistance? I’m not sure I could handle the pressure. Thankfully our green duo rises to the challenge, and Simon actually learns a lot about himself along the way. The other plot is the namesake of the volume, with Polaris tearing the city apart in a convoluted attempt to save his brother. Things get pretty gut-wrenching really fast, especially for Simon. The situation with Polaris’ brother being sick reminds him too much of when his brother-in-law was in a coma. It gets in his head and causes him to struggle with the power that he’s normally so confident with. I actually loved the shift here – Simon had to tap out, forcing Jessica to be the strong one for them. If that isn’t proof that they’re a good team, I don’t know what is.
I was concerned from the moment John Stewart ordered Simon and Jessica to be brought to them. My first concern was leaving the Earth unprotected (you know, if you don’t count all the other superheroes running around). My second concern was whether or not they would take the time to assess a situation before recalling them. What it they got grabbed mid-battle? Would John (or whoever was in charge of pulling them back) be aware of that? It seems like a risky move to me, but then again I’m not the captain of the Green Lanterns.
I’m said that I have such a long wait for volume four, but I’m impatient like that. I feel like the series is really settling into its groove, so to speak. I can’t wait to see what is in store next - after all, the whole Rami plot hasn’t been resolve yet. I can’t imagine leaving Volthoom to his own devices for extended periods of time is a smart move.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
birdmanseven's review
3.0
The Batman story was fun, but the one about Dr. Polaris' brother was a big miss.
I talk a little about this run in a Green Lantern themed episode of the All the Books Show: https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/off-the-books-no-one-asked-green-lantern-first-flights
I talk a little about this run in a Green Lantern themed episode of the All the Books Show: https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/off-the-books-no-one-asked-green-lantern-first-flights
literati42's review against another edition
5.0
I can’t get enough of Jessica and Simon! This one is especially good. It deals directly with anxiety and how much one has to overcome to face the world each day. It’s gorgeous and continues to inspire me