Cartoon Networks: Green Lantern

Written by: Kevin Hunter, Special to CC2K

Looking for something more kid-friendly to review this week as my seven-year-old son is becoming just as big of a comic book geek as his dad, we came upon several titles, but one that caught our attention was a new book from the fine folks at DC Comics and Cartoon Network. 

Green Lantern: The Animated Series #0
Writers: Art Baltazar and Franco
Artist: Dario Brizuela
Colors: Gabe El Taeb
Letters: Saida Temofonte

Cartoon Network’s Green Lantern: The Animated Series #0 from DC Nation is from the newly animated series of the same name and on the same network. Cartoon Network did a fantastic job in creating and recreating some of DC’s best titles and characters for kids with Justice League and Justice League International, Superman, Batman Beyond, Teen Titans, Batman: Brave & The Bold, Young Justice  and others. They are all very kid-friendly, but also enjoyable enough for us big kids. Many of them were able to make the transition to comic book form.

I was expecting pretty much the same from the first issue of Green Lantern: The Animated Series #0  and the debut story “True Colors.” The story finds Hal Jordan and trusty sidekick and fellow Green Lantern Kilowog on patrol somewhere in space keeping peace and justice throughout the universe and in their sector, doing their thing with their rings and the will of the blue guys who call themselves The Guardians of the Universe. They suddenly come face-to-face with a bunch of Red Lanterns who are hell bent on causing some trouble – because that’s what Red Lanterns do. After a big fight they capture Kilowog leaving Jordan to rescue the big lug, which of course he does. 

Like other books from the DC Nation Cartoon Network line, Green Lantern: The Animated Series #0 is just a comic book version of the television series, which made its debut late last year with the same art and same writers. The only thing missing are the voice actors. It’s a pretty predictable story with a typical ending. There’s no wait until next month to see what happens leaving kids hanging. There’s not nearly as much violence and Hal Jordan isn’t nearly as insane as he is in the recent incarnations of the Green Lantern and Justice League comics we big kids read and enjoy each month. Like those Green Lantern comics, Green Lantern: The Animated Series #0 can be a little too wordy. Kids don’t really need that much narration and dialog from Hal Jordan or anyone for that matter in the beginning and throughout the book. But other than that, it’s an very good and ideal story and book for kids. It was good enough for my son and one of his best friends to read and enjoy making it good enough for me.