Sinestro Corps War
"Sinestro Corps War" | |||
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Publisher | DC Comics | ||
Publication date | June – December 2007 | ||
Genre | |||
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Main character(s) | ISBN 1401223265 |
"Sinestro Corps War" is an
The story centers on the Green Lanterns of Earth—
Critical and fan reception to "Sinestro Corps War" was highly positive. Many reviewers ranked it among the top comic books of the year and the storyline's first issue garnered a 2008
Plot
Following his defeat in
During the assault on Oa, the Sinestro Corps manages to inflict heavy casualties and free
As the Sinestro Corps spreads out to ambush Green Lanterns across the universe, Green Lantern (vol. 4) #23 sees the Guardians decide to rewrite their sacred text, the Book of Oa. They remove a section devoted to a prophecy concerning the "Blackest Night", against the objections of two of their number, Ganthet and Sayd. They then add ten new laws, the first of which authorizes the use of lethal force against the Sinestro Corps, while Ganthet and Sayd are expelled from Oa. As the Green Lanterns gather on Oa in preparation for a Sinestro Corps assault, the Sinestro Corps teleport themselves and their Central Power Battery instead to a new Warworld, their objective revealed to be Earth.[5] Events in Green Lantern Corps (vol. 2) #16 show Hal informing the Green Lantern Corps of Sinestro's plans.[6]
Green Lantern (vol. 4) #24 continues the story, with Green Lanterns and Sinestro Corps members battling across Earth. Hal manages to free Kyle from Parallax before the entity is imprisoned in their power batteries by Ganthet and Sayd.[7] After John and Guy arrive, the former Guardians reveal to them the prophecy of the "Blackest Night", seen in Green Lantern (vol. 4) #25. It foretells five more Corps arising, each based on a different color and emotion. After the five corps are established, a "War of Light" will ensue, in which all the corps are destroyed, leading to the "Blackest Night".[8]
The Guardians arrive on Earth and appoint Sodam Yat to be the new Ion. After a lengthy struggle in
As seen in Green Lantern (vol. 4) #25, the Guardians decide to establish the second of the new laws into effect allowing the Green Lantern Corp to overpower the Sinestro Corp. After realizing that the "Blackest Night" prophecy will come to pass, Ganthet and Sayd depart after creating a blue power ring with the intention of creating their own corps, based on the spreading of hope to the rest of the universe. The Anti-Monitor's remains, having been blown across the vacuum of space at the battle's climax, lands on a dark planet where it is transformed by an unknown force into a black power battery.[8]
Origins
"Sinestro Corps War" was based on concepts introduced by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill in the short story "Tygers", published in Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Annual #2 (1986). Writers Geoff Johns and Dave Gibbons incorporated several ideas from Moore's stories into "Sinestro Corps War", including the prophecy of the Blackest Night, Sodam Yat, Ranx the Sentient City and the Children of the White Lobe.[10] Leezle Pon, a minor character only mentioned once in Moore's "Mogo Doesn't Socialize" story from 25 years ago, also makes an appearance in Green Lantern #25.[11]
Work began on "Sinestro Corps War" in September 2006. The structure was fluid, at one point becoming a few issues with two bookends to just one gigantic issue.[12] The title was originally just "Sinestro Corps", but during development the creators added the word "War".[13] Eventually the structure finalized into a one-shot special for release in June, after which the story would alternate between Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps until November. After the crossover's initial publishing successes, DC added four Tales of the Sinestro Corps one-shots to the publishing schedule.[14]
Johns and Ethan Van Sciver first announced the crossover during the DC "Big Guns" panel at the 2006 Fan Expo Canada,[15] with Johns calling it "the next level of Rebirth".[16] By January 2007, Johns, Gibbons and editor Peter Tomasi had planned out most of the storyline.[17] Sterling Gates, whom Johns had met at a convention, was brought in to write a backup story for the Superman-Prime one-shot and co-write Green Lantern/Sinestro Corps Secret Files #1.[18]
The creators called "Sinestro Corps War" "
Format
The main story consisted of 11 parts running through the Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps books. Expanding upon the overall story are four one-shots labeled Tales of the Sinestro Corps, as well as one tie-in with Blue Beetle #20.[17] Part One, the one-shot Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1, was released in June 2007. Parts Two through Ten were released between August and December, alternating between Green Lantern #21–25 and Green Lantern Corps #14–18, with an epilogue in Green Lantern #26.[17] The content of Green Lantern Corps #19 was changed to illustrate the battle between Sodam Yat and Superman-Prime in response to the fans' reaction to the story. The conclusion of Green Lantern #25 was delayed by two weeks.[22] After the storyline concluded, Green Lantern/Sinestro Corps Secret Files and Origins #1 was released in December. The issue further explored the back story of the opposing groups[23] and listed every member of the Green Lantern Corps and Sinestro Corps.[20]
There was much internal discussion at DC about how the storyline would be collected.[13] Eventually DC decided to release two hardcover volumes (a February 2008 release containing the first five parts of the story[24][25] and a June 2008 release containing the last six issues[26]) and a June 2008 hardcover collecting the tie-in issues and backstories. This follows DC Comics' recent trend of releasing durable hardcover collections initially, followed later by softcovers.[13]
Tales of the Sinestro Corps
In addition to the main story, DC released four Tales of the Sinestro Corps one-shots in September, October and November 2007.[17] The issues were late additions to the crossover that DC added after the initial successes of "Sinestro Corps War".[14] A hardcover collection of the four issues was released in June 2008.[26] The Tales of the Sinestro Corps one-shots focused on:
- Cyborg Superman, written by Alan Burnett and illustrated by Patrick Blaine and Jay Leisten.[25]
- Superman-Prime[28] (previously solicited as about the Anti-Monitor[25]), written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Pete Woods. The issue also featured the backup story "Fear is a Baby's Cry" written by Sterling Gates and illustrated by Jerry Ordway.
- Ion, written by Ron Marz and illustrated by Michael Lacomb.[29]
Story and character changes
"Sinestro Corps War" introduced the Sinestro Corps in full after allusions to them throughout the post-One Year Later Green Lantern title. Sinestro received a major thematic overhaul as a result of his leadership of his eponymous Corps, with parallels drawn with Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany.[12] Green Lantern villains Superboy-Prime (later Superman-Prime), Cyborg Superman, and the Manhunters became members of the Sinestro Corps. The Anti-Monitor also made his first reappearance since his death at the conclusion of Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1985 as the "Guardian" of the Sinestro Corps and later the power source of the Black Lanterns.[30] Superboy-Prime was renamed Superman-Prime during the event. Ostensibly to illustrate his coming of age in the story, Geoff Johns cited the ongoing legal dispute over the Superboy name as another reason for the character's new name.[20]
Some changes were also made to the heroes during the course of the storyline. The role of
Green Lantern #25 expanded on the "emotional spectrum" concept and introduced five new color-based corps of similar structure to the Green Lanterns and the Sinestro Corps. These corps each draw from different emotions, corresponding with the seven colors of the rainbow (red for rage, orange for avarice, yellow for fear, green for willpower, blue for hope, indigo for compassion and violet for love). Ganthet and Sayd, two Guardians of the Universe who were exiled during the course of the war, were shown as developing the corps that corresponds to the color blue and the emotion hope, while the Anti-Monitor becomes the power source for an eighth color-based corps, the "Black Lanterns", who represent death and the "absence of human drives and emotions".[30] The issue also laid the foundations for the 2009 event Blackest Night,[10] something the creators had been working towards since early 2007.[30]
Critical and financial reception
Altogether, "Sinestro Corps War" turned Green Lantern into one of DC Comics' most profitable titles.[31] Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1, first released in June 2007, sold out in a single day.[32] DC later reprinted the issue four times, each time with new variant covers by Van Sciver.[33] By August, the issue had sold over 89,000 copies, 36% of which was the result of an unusually high number of reorders.[34] The first four parts of the storyline, Green Lantern #21 and 22, and Green Lantern Corps #14 and 15, were released in July and August and also sold out. The issues went to a second printing, with Green Lantern Corps #14 going to a third printing.[33] Green Lantern #23 and Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Parallax #1 later went on to second printings as well.[24] Blue Beetle #20 saw much higher sales than usual for the title as a result of its tie-in to "Sinestro Corps War",[35] with sales 75% higher than in the previous month.[36]
Critical reception to "Sinestro Corps War" was highly positive.
DC Comics Executive Editor Dan DiDio praised the storyline as "the best thing that [DC Comics] put out this year. Without a doubt", and called "Sinestro Corps War" the model for crossovers in 2008 and beyond,[14] including "Final Crisis".[41] Didio has also stated that he would like to see a direct-to-video animated "Sinestro Corps War" film similar to Justice League: The New Frontier.[42] Geoff Johns suggested elements of "Sinestro Corps War" to appear in DC Universe Online, on which he was collaborating with artist Jim Lee, although the comic storyline wasn't incorporated in the game.[43]
Collected editions
The main story was first collected in two volumes, but was later collected in a single volume. Miscellaneous stories were collected in an additional volume:
- Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War (336 pages, paperback, September 2011, ISBN 1-4012-3301-5)
- Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War Volume One (collects ISBN 1-4012-1870-9)
- Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War Volume Two (collects ISBN 1-4012-2036-3)
- Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War Volume One (collects
- Green Lantern: Tales of the Sinestro Corps (collects Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Parallax #1, Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Cyborg-Superman #1, Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Superman-Prime #1, Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Ion #1, Green Lantern/Sinestro Corps Secret Files #1, and stories from Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1 and ISBN 1-4012-2326-5)
In other media
In an interview with Newsarama in 2008, DC Comics executive editor Dan DiDio expressed interest in making an animated adaptation of Sinestro Corps War as part of the DC Universe Animated Original Movies.[44] During the early development of the cancelled Green Lantern sequel in 2012, the main plot was based on the Sinestro Corps War storyline.[45]
References
- ^ OCLC 213309017.
- ^ Geoff Johns (w), Ethan Van Sciver (a), Moose Baumann (col), Rob Leigh (let). "Sinestro Corps, Prologue: The Second Rebirth". Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1 (Aug 2007), DC Comics.
- ^ Geoff Johns (w), Ivan Reis (p), Oclair Albert (i). "Fear and Loathing". Green Lantern (vol. 4) #21 (Sept 2007), DC Comics.
- ^ Geoff Johns (w), Ivan Reis (p), Oclair Albert (i). "Running Scared". Green Lantern (vol. 4) #22 (Oct 2007), DC Comics.
- ^ Geoff Johns (w), Ivan Reis (p), Oclair Albert (i), Moose Baumann (col). "Broken Laws". Green Lantern (vol. 4) #23, DC Comics.
- ^ Dave Gibbons (w), Patrick Gleason (p), Prentiss Rollins (i), Guy Major (col). "The Battle of Ranx". Green Lantern Corps (vol. 2) #16, DC Comics.
- ^ Geoff Johns (w), Ivan Reis (p), Oclair Albert & Julio Ferreira (i). "Home Invasion". Green Lantern (vol. 4) #24 (Dec 2007), DC Comics.
- ^ a b Geoff Johns (w), Ivan Reis & Ethan Van Sciver (p), Oclair Albert, Julio Feirreira, & Ivan Reis (i), Moose Baumann & Rod Reis (col). The Sinestro Corps War" part 11. Green Lantern (vol. 4) #25, DC Comics.
- ^ Green Lantern Corps #19 (Feb. 2008)
- ^ a b c d Rogers, Vaneta (2007-12-13). "Happy X-Mas (War Is Over) – Geoff Johns on Green Lantern #25". Newsarama. Archived from the original on January 21, 2009. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
- Wizard Magazine. 2007-12-13. Archived from the originalon December 15, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
- ^ a b Rogers, Vaneta (2006-04-11). "Tapping in to Evil: Ethan Van Sciver on Sinestro Corps". Newsarama. Archived from the original on 2007-07-16. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ a b c Wolk, Douglas (2008-02-12). "Geoff Johns Takes the Green into the Black". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 2008-03-03.
- ^ a b c Brady, Matt (2007-12-20). "Talking to Dan DiDio, 2007 – Part One". Newsarama. Archived from the original on February 27, 2009. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- ^ Weinryb, Avi (2007-09-10). "DC Comics Toronto Panel Report". Comic Book Bin. Archived from the original on 2007-10-15. Retrieved 2007-09-23.
- ^ Rogers, Vaneta (2006-09-04). "Toronto 06: DC Big Guns". Newsarama. Archived from the original on February 11, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-28.
- ^ a b c d Berganza, Eddie. "DC Nation 76". Archived from the original on 2007-09-05. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ Rogers, Vaneta (2007-10-26). "Who is Sterling Gates?". Newsarama. Archived from the original on 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
- Wizard Magazine. Archived from the originalon October 27, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
- ^ a b c d Rogers, Vaneta (2007-09-27). "A Sinestro Corps War Report". Newsarama. Archived from the original on 2007-10-11. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
- ^ a b Rogers, Vaneta (2007-12-21). "The Lantern's Artists II – Ivan Reis". Newsarama. Archived from the original on 2007-06-23. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- ^ Brady, Matt (2007-10-23). "Johns Addresses GL #25 Shipping Slip". Newsarama. Archived from the original on 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
- ^ "DC Comics Solicitations for December 2007". Newsarama. 2007-09-17. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-17.
- ^ a b ""Green Lantern" #23 and "Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Parallax" #1 Get New, Second Printings". Newsarama. 2007-10-03. Retrieved 2008-04-12. [dead link]
- ^ a b c "DC Comics Solitications for October 2007". Newsarama. 2007-07-15. Archived from the original on September 3, 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ a b "DC Announces Trade and Collected Editions Through June 2008". Newsarama. 2007-12-12. Archived from the original on 2007-06-23. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- ^ "DC Comics Solicitations for September 2007". Newsarama. 2007-06-18. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ "DC Announces Showcase Presents Changes". Newsarama. 2007-08-29. Archived from the original on 2007-09-11. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
- ^ "DC Comics Solicitations for November 2007". Newsarama. 2007-08-20. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ a b c d Rogers, Vaneta (2007-12-20). "The Lantern's Artists, I – Ethan Van Sciver". Newsarama. Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved 2007-12-20.
- Wizard Magazine. Archived from the originalon January 6, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ IGN (2007-06-29). "Sinestro Corps Conquers Retail". Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ a b c IGN (2007-08-27). "Sinestro Demands More Reprints". Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ Mayo, John (2007-10-04). "Mayo Report: August, 2007 Sales Analysis". CBR News. Archived from the original on 2008-10-26. Retrieved 2007-10-06.
- Wizard Magazine. Archived from the originalon November 25, 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-04.
- ^ Frisch, Marc-Oliver (2007-11-30). "DC Month to Month Sales: October 2007". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2012-07-13. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ Brownfield, Troy (2007-09-17). "Best Shots: JLA Wedding Special, DD 100, New Avengers, and more". Newsarama. Archived from the original on 2007-10-15. Retrieved 2007-09-17.
- ^ Cronin, Brian (2007-10-15). "Sinestro Corps War is what World War Hulk SHOULD be". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 2012-02-29. Retrieved 2007-10-31.
- ^ Renaud, Jeffrey (2008-01-09). "Geoff Johns Thinking Big in the DCU, Part I". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 2008-10-26. Retrieved 2008-01-11.
- ^ Rogers, Vaneta (2008-04-24). "NYCC '08 Floor Buzz: Ethan Van Sciver". Newsarama. Retrieved 2008-04-26. [dead link]
- ^ Phillips, Dan (2008-02-11). "Dan DiDio on DC's Future". IGN. Archived from the original on 2008-02-18. Retrieved 2008-02-16.
- ^ Ching, Albert (2008-03-14). "WWLA '08: DC Comics DC Nation Panel". Newsarama. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
- ^ Renaud, Jeffrey (2008-09-15). "Geoff Johns Teams with Jim Lee on DCU Online". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 2008-10-26. Retrieved 2008-09-29.
- ^ NEWSARAMA.COM: WWLA '08: DC COMICS' DC NATION PANEL
- ^ "Report: Green Lantern 2 Still Happening, Features the Sinestro Corps War". Movies.