Robb Ghag reviews Green Lantern #23.2: Mongul…
“Deep in space, an unstoppable force is committing genocide on a galaxy-wide scale, and only the strongest will survive! Be warned, because nothing can prepare you for an all-new Warworld under the absolute rule of the tyrant called Mongul!”
Survival through Strength! Justice through Might! Let all know this truth. The ruler of Warworld lives by this motto, and for his enemies they typically die by this motto. I’ve always considered Mongul an enemy of Superman, however over the course of the past few years with all of the changes made through the DC Universe I guess it made more sense for an interstellar despot to fight the intergalactic police corp. aka The Green Lanterns.
I will say that Alan Moore’s Superman issue where Mongul uses the Black Mercies on Superman is still one of my all time favorite stories. As far as this issue was concerned, it has quickly become one of the better stories from Villains Month. Jim Starlin weaves a fantastic back story to Mongul’s childhood and ultimately how he becomes the ruler he is now. This is basically told in two pages, and the remainder of the book illustrates why it is futile to stand in Mongul’s way, let alone demand his surrender.
The artwork fit this book perfectly and Howard Porter is to be commended on how he expertly captures Mongul’s distain for weakness but more importantly the joy he feels while conquering a lesser species. I am noticing a trend her in Villains month, as this 3D cover was not close to being one of the best, but it’s the inside that matters and inside, this issue delivers. Survival through strength indeed.
Robb Ghag works for an Arts & Entertainment Brokerage in Toronto Canada. An Animation and Film school graduate, he specializes in Risk Management of Animation and VFX studios throughout North America.
Originally published September 14, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
