Rather than continuing the regular ‘Green Lantern’ series or giving “before New 52” flashbacks as some of this week’s other Zero Month issues are doing, ‘Green Lantern’ #0 introduces readers to the newest Green Lantern. His name is Baz and it looks like he’ll have an uphill climb to being an accepted Green Lantern.
This issue opens on on September 11, 2001 as a very young Baz and his family watch the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Then we get a series of single panel looks into Baz’s life through the years as he deals with the fall out of that day. As a Muslim man, Baz is harassed in school by bullies and singled out at airport security.
When we finally catch up to modern day, Baz is on the run from the police in a stolen van. As Baz flees, he turns to see what sort of cargo he’s been hired to steal and discovers a massive bomb in the back of the van. Not wanting anyone to get hurt, Baz drives the van into an abandoned car factory. That act of valor doesn’t stop the cops and government officials from arresting Baz as a suspected terrorist.
I won’t go into specifics but, as an American, the interrogation of Baz is really uncomfortable to read. The government refuses to believe that Baz was merely stealing the van and suspect a massive plot. Things turn from bad to worse when the green ring that was broken in last week’s ‘Green Lantern Annual’ #1 finds Baz and he becomes a Lantern.
After Baz’s explosive origin, we’re given a brief glimpse at two Lanterns who may not have been as dead as we imagined.
I’m sure that Baz’s Muslim heritage is sure to cause some controversy but but liked his introduction here. It was very well told and, so long as DC doesn’t allow the writers to make Baz into a character with a chip on his shoulder, there’s definitely an interesting tale to be told here. I look forward to reading more about Baz in the pages of the other Green Lantern titles in the coming months.
Final Score:
GREEN LANTERN #0
Written by Geoff Johns
Art and Cover by Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy
