Villordsutch reviews Star Trek/Green Lantern: Stranger Worlds #1…
Captain Kirk and Hal Jordan lead the combined might of Starfleet and the Lantern Corps on an all-new adventure against new foes from both franchises! Don’t miss the crossover event of the 21st Century…and the 23rd!
SEE ALSO: Check out the preview pf Star Trek/Green Lantern: Stranger Worlds #1 here
Back in January 2016 Star Trek/Green Lantern: The Spectrum War came to a close, written by Mike Johnson and with both art and colours being delivered by Angel Hernandez and Alejandro Sanchez. I was truly blown away with this series – and this from a self-confessed non-Green Lantern fan. Believing this was the last we’d see of this IDW/DC mash up I was ecstatic when Mike Johnson dropped on Twitter last week that arriving this month was the follow-up series, and I’m more than excited to read on the top of the front cover that, “The Spectrum War was just the beginning…”
Stranger Worlds opens with Guy Gardner – at Starfleet Academy – rapidly going over the events of The Spectrum War, in which we saw Nekron invading the Trek universe whilst hunting down Ganthet and the other Ring-Bearers, his wicked plan climaxed with him reforming the planet Vulcan and resurrecting its numerous dead citizens. It’s during the presentation of the Green Ring’s powers that we observe Gardner’s ring drop out, and if wasn’t for the fast actions of Stewart and Kilowog the cadets – along with the Vulcan tutor – would have noticed too.
Meanwhile assisting the Enterprise we discover that both Hal Jordan and Star Sapphire have encountered the same “depleting energy from their rings” issue. So has Sinestro, who is now the Emperor of the Klingon homeworld and thanks to a Klingon scouting party now has as his prisoner Saint Walker (A Blue Lantern). However, investigating Saint Walker’s disappearance leads Hal Jordan and the Enterprise to a rather fantastic new hope for the Ring-Bearers, but also Sinestro too.
Our opening issue contains information, and it’s important information you need to pay attention too. As mentioned above, I’m not a major Green Lantern fan and already within these pages references are being thrown in that are clearly common knowledge in the Lantern universe. Though Mike Johnson explains what the significance of such plot points mean, for example Planet Qward is the anti-matter planet that recharges the rings. The opening issue is showing us there are going to be problems with super-beings in a regular universe.
As with The Spectrum War, here in Stranger Worlds the artwork is utterly brilliant. You cannot fault what is being delivered from both Angel Hernandez and Alejandro Sanchez who deliver both art and colours perfectly. Along with this we have some excellent covers though the standout one is certainly from Rachael Stott which sees a giant Sinestro crushing a green light Enterprise in the palm of his hand.
Star Trek / Green Lantern: Stranger Worlds is an enjoyable opener. I’m interested to see where it’s going to go and what the pieces being brought out are set to do.
Rating: 7/10
@Villordsutch
Originally published December 21, 2016. Updated November 14, 2019.
