Green Lantern Corps: Recharge. By Geoff Johns

Since I like the Hal Jordan Green Lantern so much, I decided I would start reading some of the Green Lantern Corps stories.  I have really come to enjoy many of the other green lanterns like Kilowog and Guy Gardner when they pop up in Hal Jordan stories.  This story takes place at the same time Hal Jordan has come back from the dead. (Green Lantern: Rebirth)  The only other Green Lantern Corps story I have read was the Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps book.  Recharge basically introduces all the major Corps characters: Kilowog, Natu, Mogo, Isamot, and Vath.  In this book the Green Lantern Corps is rebuiding and lots of rings are flying around and there is a lot of training to do.  Most of the story revolves around the new recruits and veterans fending off the spider guild from destroying the Oa'n sun.  It was cool to see different species, so that were mortal enemies, work together to protect the universe. Though not as good as normal Green Lantern series, the green lantern corps is definitely worth reading if you like that universe.

Green Lantern: Brightest Day. By Geoff Johns

Man, it feel like its been a while since I've read a Hal Jordan Green Lantern Story.  Hal is back to his normal self.  Doing what he feels is right, sometime in spite of his friends and fellow lanterns.  In Brightest Day Hal has to work with both friends and foes.  The biggest characters in this story were Atrocious and Larfleeze.  We find out more about the history of Larfleeze and why he is so greedy and always trying to acquire more objects.  We also find out that Larfleeze isn't his real birth name.  Atrocious, we find out, is on what he considers a holy quest and that he thinks he is above judgement for what he is trying to accomplish.  The art work is just like the other green lanterns stories.  Beautiful.  The end of the book involved the Justice League trying to get Hal to open up to them and they offer their help.  But Hal declines their help and states this is something only the different Lantern Corps can handle.  I enjoyed this book mainly based on the fact that Hal Jordan is one of my favorite characters.

Brightest Day Volume 2. By Geoff Johns

Brightest Day volume 2 picks up where Brightest Day volume one left off.  As I get more and more familiar with other DC characters through this series, I find that I like Aquaman and the Martian Manhunter the best. They seem to have the most interesting back stories.  Martian Manhunter (aka J'onn J'onzz)  is more like a superman from Mars.  Aquaman (aka Aurther Curry) may not seem as cool with all the different superpowers, but I think all the underwater and Atlantis stories are really interesting and could prove fun in there own right if solely focused on under water.  The mythos behind the Bermuda triangle is kinda cool as well.  Though Hawkman and Hawkgirl are kinda cool, I couldn't care less about Firestorm, Boston Brand, Hawk and Dove.  So far it has been an entertaining read, but not a must have.

Brightest Day. By Geoff Johns

Brightest Day picks up right where the Blackest Night left off.  It follows the lives of the newly reborn heroes and villains. (Mainly following The Flash, Aquaman, Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Hawk and Dove, Deadman, Firestorm, and Martian Manhunter.)   Most are trying to re-acclimate themselves to the land of the living.  Others are trying to figure out why they have been brought back and what their purpose is now.  And what is with the new white rings and white lantern?  The search for answers will shape their futures. If you enjoyed Blackest Night, you owe it to yourself to checkout Brightest Day.

Erasing Hell. By Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle

Erasing hell is probably most suited as a direct counter to the controversial book "Love Wins" by Rob Bell.  Not having read the book, I can't say how well it did against countering it, but erasing hell is extremely though provoking.  This isn't a Dante's inferno look at hell or a definitive answer to what exactly hell is like, but a factual biblically supported account of what is said about hell, who will be there, who won't be there, and even what it's not.  I guess before I proceed I must state that this book draw's all of its proof from scripture, the Bible.  Whether or not you believe the bible to be truth, to be God inspired and God breathed, I've come to the conclusion is irrelevant.  Just like scientists knew the earth was flat 500 years ago. Just because you do not believe something to be true, does not make it so. And yes, I know the argument can go both ways, but when the eternity of your soul is in question, do you really want to play chicken with God?  I'm not here to debate all the arguments for or against the Bible.  I believe that "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16)  One of the big questions that Chan and Sprinkle attempts to answer centers on whether or not Christian universalism and the opportunity for post-mortem salvation is defensible from scripture. (meaning that everyone will have a chance to accept Christ at any point in their existence before or after death.)   In short, in the search for proof texts in its defense, they found exactly none.  One of the more important aspects that Chan and Sprinkle takes is that they spends a lot of time putting all of the passages in contexts. They let us know what would have been common knowledge and what would have been earth shattering as far as teachings go.  I really appreciate how Chan and Sprinkle really push the theme of letting God be God and that he has the right to do WHATEVER He pleases.  Who are we, the clay pot, to tell the creator/sculptor that we know better or that he shouldn't have done this or that.  His ways are higher then our ways and His thoughts are higher then our thoughts.  We being the finite creation that we are, and only have the recorded past and present to gain knowledge from, our feelings, desires, heartaches, convictions are not ultimate, only God is ultimate.  As Chan states "I often hear people say, "I could never love a God who would... " Who would what? Who would disagree with you? And do things you would never do? Who would allow bad things to happen to people? Who would be more concerned with His own glory then your feelings? Who would--send people to hell?"  The absurdity of this notion is that God is somehow answerable to us. I do not like the idea of hell, but it's there.  I don't wish anyone to hell, but people will still be there.  All I can do is submit to the reality that God is greater then I am, and that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. But what I think is probably one of the best things that Chan and Sprinkle do in this book is to create a sense of urgency.  We are talking about peoples eternal destinies, and not in a fire insurance sense.  We should not take this responsibility lightly.  I would encourage those with questions about what the bible truly says about hell, and any christian for that matter, to read this book. It is short read, but doesn't brow beat you like a doomsday street corner preacher.

Batman: The Killing Joke. By Alan Moore

Batman: The Killing Joke is the second batman story I have read.  The art in this story is fantastic.  Crisp, clean, detailed, absolutely beautiful.  The story actually gives one of what could be many origin stories to the Joker.  That is just the thing about the joke, you can never believe what he says.  If you have see the movie the Dark Knight, Heather Ledger plays the joker and give two or three different accounts of how he got the scars on his face.  Same in this story.  Though we only are told of one origin, we don't know if its true.  This story shows a thoughtful side of Batman.  It starts off with him going to see the joke to "discuss" there relationship.  As Batman see's it, either he will end up killing Joker or the Joker will end up killing him and he doesn't want either.  The story and some of the images were rather dark and disturbing.  This isn't  a book for children.  It definetly has a more mature content to it.  All in all it was a good buy.

Blackest Night: Rise of the Black Lanterns

Well, its finally over.  I have finished reading all material related to the Blackest night.  And all in all, it was very good.  I hope at some point in time DC decides to make a definitive version or omnibus version that takes all of the Blackest Night titles and puts them chronologically in order, regardless of character.  That would be an amazing purchase.  I doubt they will do it though.  Oh well.  With Rise of the Black Lanterns    we are given a binding of single issues from Power of Shazam, Catwoman, Suicide Squad, Question, Phantom Stranger, Weird Western Tales, Atom, Hawkman, Starman, Adventure Comics, and Green Arrow.  Green Arrow by far was my favorite.  It definetly get me interested in learning more about the Oliver Queen and the Green Arrow mythos.  It also doesn't hurt that I know Oliver Queen and Hal Jordan are good friends either. With a list as big as this I was able to get a little taste of many of DC's other characters.  Some were actually really interesting, others stunk.  I think mainly because there is a certain artistic style that I like and many of them I did not care for.  The more I read different comics, the more I tend to gravitate towards the traditional superheros.  I like larger then life, couldn't really happen characters.  I like escapest reading in my comics.  Rise of the Black Lanterns had too many "realistic" characters.  They seemed boring to me. This book just like the last couple of Blackest Night books is surrounding support.  I doesn't stand up on its own but makes the Blackest Night that much more of a rich story.

Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps

Tales of the Corps continues to add to the depth of the Blackest Night event.  This book provides a handful of stories involving various members of the different Lantern Corp; mainly being Green Lanterns Kilowog and Arisia, Red Lantern Bleez, Agent Orange Larfleeze, Sinestro Corps member Mongul, Blue Lantern Saint Walker, Star Sapphire Carol Ferris, and Indigo Tribe leader Indigo-1.  We get to see the birth of Nekron, and even get to take a look at the Book of the Black. (the black lanterns version of the book of Oa)  There are a lot of different writers and artists in this book.  But over all they were able to give more details to the overall Blackest Night story.  All in all this isn't a must have by any stretch, but is a worthwhile read for true depth to the Blackest Night.

Batman: Year One. By Frank Miller

OOOOOHHHHHHHH, so that's why batman is so popular. He is one of the most recognized comic book hero's of all time, slightly behind superman, and after reading this it is obvious why.  Back in the 80's DC wanted to retell all the origin stories of their characters.  Problem was, batman's didn't really need to be retold.  So what Frank Miller was tasked with was to expand and maybe better explain the origin of batman.  For those that don't know Frank Miller also has written many other famous stories that have been made into movies such as 300 and Sin City.  This story doesn't  tell the story of Bruce Wayne's parents getting kill, Frank assumes you already know those details.  This story basically starts after Bruce Wayne finally comes back to Gotham City after being away for years becoming a human weapon.  When he comes backup Gotham City is corrupt as corrupt can be.  (kind of like the city of Detroit ;)  He still hasn't come up with the idea of batman, he is just going to be a vigilante.  But after the first couple of nights, he finally comes up with the symbol of batman.  We are introduced to many characters like Jim Gordon, Selina Kyle, and even Carmine Falcone.  The book tells about the very first year of batman's history. The story in here is amazing.  Batman is the heart of him, a detective.  A detective that has a really deep pocket book.  I didn't care for the artwork, but then again, this is the style of art work in the 80's.  But the story is so well told that it doesn't detract from the over feel to the book.  This is a MUST buy for any batman fan or someone that is interested in getting into comic reading.