Green Lanterns, Vol. 3: Polarity

Green Lanterns

by Sam Humphries (Writer), Eduardo Pansica (Illustrator), Robson Rocha (Illustrator)

The acclaimed creative team of writer Sam Humphries and artists Robson Rocha and Eduardo Pansica take Earth’s newest Green Lanterns on thrilling adventures around the Earth and across the cosmos in GREEN LANTERNS VOL. 3: POLARITY!

Simon Baz—the Green Lantern who carries a gun. Jessica Cruz—the Green Lantern who struggles with crippling anxiety. They’re unlikely Lanterns, unlikely partners and even unlikelier members of the mighty Justice League.

But being members of the world’s greatest superhero team also means having to deal with their enemies. Enemies like Dr. Polaris, the master of magnetism, who has just been freed from his imprisonment at the hands of Amanda Waller. Now it’s up to Earth’s Green Lanterns to stop him before he unleashes his revenge on the entire world.

Collects: Green Lanterns #15-21.

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Science Fiction, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics

168 pages, Paperback

First published September 19, 2017

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

(B+) 76% | Good
Notes: On team dynamics, easing panic, bonds, and butting heads, bit on-the-nose and doesn't close too many story threads.

*Progress updates: Preamble ◦ Issues #15-17 ◦ Issues #18-19 ◦ Issues #20-21

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Lanterns, Gotham officially thanks you for your help . . . now get the hell out of my city with those weird rings." -- the 'appreciative' Commissioner Jim Gordon of Gotham City PD

"What, no key to the city?" -- Simon Baz, a.k.a. Green Lantern for sector 2814 (the planet Earth)

Not quite as involving as its predecessor Vol. 2: The Phantom Lantern, the best part of Vol. 3: Polarity was the first half of the book. The short story opener 'A Day in the Life' details the daily rollercoaster ride through the troubled heart, soul, and mind of anxiety-prone Green Lantern Jessica Cruz. It was a unique look at a superhero experiencing (and working to overcome, or just make peace with) mental health issues in and out of the uniform. Then the rookie Lanterns Baz and Cruz team with special guest star Batman at his truculent request in the two-part 'Darkest Night' to tackle a mysterious problem - citizens violently acting out for no apparent reason - plaguing Gotham City. The latter half featuring an extended tale with villain Dr. Polaris a.k.a. Polarity (think Magneto from Marvel Comics, but with more inner demons) was an overwrought and overlong piece that was not as interesting.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts off with an wonderful issue focusing on Jessica's anxieties, showing just what it takes for her to get through the day. Then Batman comes a calling when some Sinestro corps related crimes show up in Gotham. The premise is a bunch of nonsense but there are some great interactions between Batman and Baz. Then we get the origin of Rami and the First Lantern, Volthoom. Last up Jessica and Baz go after Polaris. Polaris is trying to treat his brother's cancer while dealing with his mental health issues. We get some great parallels between Polaris and what Simon just went through with his best friend and brother-in-law.

I really like how Humphries concentrates on what our two main characters are thinking, relaying their insecurities and fears as they try and form constructs. It does help show just how "green" they are at their jobs.

Received an advance copy from DC and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Diz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This third volume of the Rebirth era Green Lanterns was a very fun read. This particular volume is a bit more episodic that the first two volumes. There's a story with Batman, in which Batman admits that he has a problem with Lanterns, but perhaps Simon is someone he can work with. Another good story is one that focuses on Doctor Polaris' fight to save his brother from cancer. Lanterns get involved, and let's just say that Lanterns don't get any respect. Overall, it seems that Jessica is getting stronger, and Simon is starting to have doubts about himself, so it will be interesting to see how that role reversal turns out in the next volume.

[Molly™☺ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Issue #15 is the standout. It details the life of a superhero who has anxiety and brings a very everyday struggle to the extraordinary. Jessica and Simon continue to bounce off well with each other, and whilst the conflict isn't as interesting as the previous volume, it still allows for good introspection and action.

actual rating 3.5 stars

[Subham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good omg!

So it starts with the GLs stopping the gambler and we get a good one off story with Jess and how she deals with her anxiety and I love her friendship with Simon and how they're there for each other and then a team up with Bruce which was so fun and made for some interesting storylines. Scarecrow being the villain and all and Simon vs Bruce on the gun use and a great character development there. Then enter Dr Polaris and I love the way the writer gives the villain a human companion and like some motivation for why they do those evil things and here its his brother and what happens to him and how the villain evolves sort of to be an enemy of GLs was just perfect! Simon and Jess realizing they can't save everyone is a good character development too.

Its fun and some heart breaking stories like the one with Dr Polaris but some entertaining ones where they team up and are there for each other and slowly trying to be better lanterns and I love their banter with Batman and next up: Training in space which is gonna be super fun and the art is just so good omg! One of the best series in DC rebirth!

[Benji's Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit weaker than the first two volumes, but the book is at its best when showing the relationship between our two Lantern leads.

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly this wasn't as good as the last volume. Saying that, it's still fun.

This volume has a few stories, the two biggest being when the Lanterns team up with Batman and then another where Polarity the villain who can control metal, goes a little bit batshit insane. While the Batman story has the Lanterns go to Gotham the Polarity story deals with Simon dealing with his own issues and family.

Good: I always enjoy character development so anything with Simon growing as a character is nice. Jessica had a nice "fear" moment that really helped show how far her character came. I also thought dealing with a villain breaking down was well done.

Bad: The Batman stuff was heavy handed and kind of dull at points. I didn't buy the dialog between Simon and Bruce all that much. I also thought the pacing of this volume was slower and not as exciting as the previous.

Overall while I didn't love this like volume 2 I thought it was still entertaining. I think when Sam focuses on Jessica/Simon growing as people it works best. His villain work sometimes can suffer. A 3 out of 5!

[Will Robinson Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Astonishing! Sam Humphries is killing it with this series. The first two volumes of Green Lanterns were amazing enough but this volume offered some unique storytelling elements to the Green Lantern Mythos. This series is becoming one of the unsung hero titles for DC Rebirth. Humphries has taken two relatively unknown superheroes and made them great characters to cheer. What I love the most about this volume is just the amount of time we spend in Jessica's and Simon's head. You feel like you are experiencing the action and tension with the characters. Humphries always takes this duo o surprising adventures and the stakes are always high as these rookies try to figure out how to be Lanterns the hard way. I break down this volume into three parts. The first half sees our heroes with a truly special team up with Batman. I really enjoyed the banter between Cruz, Baz & Batman. I really loved that Humphries does highlight Batman's problem with heroes who carry guns. The story was fun and I the ending was perfect. Next Humphries expands on the history of the First Lantern with a quick tale about his origin that includes the Multiverse. Finally the latter half of the book sees our duo going up against old school Lantern villain, Doctor Polaris. This was a truly emotional tale. Simon Baz gets in the spotlight a bit here as Polaris presents a incredible threat not to himself but anyone in his path. Doctor Polaris is not a cut & dry villain but is doing what he has to for a good reason. This type of story is always entertaining and Humphries handles the pacing perfectly. There is so much for DC comics fans to like here and the artwork is pretty solid as well. This team is doing a amazing job with this series. I can't wait to read the next volume. Those wanting to jump into this side of the Green Lantern mythology check out the following recommendations: Green Lantern: Wrath of the First Lantern, Justice League, Volume 6: Injustice League, Green Lantern, Volume 3: The End, Justice League: The Darkseid War Saga Omnibus, Green Lanterns, Volume 1: Rage Planet & Green Lanterns, Volume 2: The Phantom Lantern.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume concentrates mainly on new recruits Jessica and Simon, however, there are plenty of cameos from other Green Lanterns and Justice League members. The first issue concentrates on what a day-in-the-life of Jessica is like dealing with her anxiety disorder. The second issue is a Batman tie-in story. Next up is an issue of the very first one to wear a Ring and how he created the Green Lanterns and Guardians of the Universe. Then we finish off with the main title "Polarity". This story is dealt with as Simon, Jessica and the Justice League face up against Doctor Polarity and Simon deals with similarities in his life dealing with fear. However, an element is lightly introduced of there being another Guardian of the Universe alive and the book ends with a call-out to all GLs to deal with that issue. Great reading. The more I read the Lantern books, the more I enjoy them and the more I learn about their complicated universe and background.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★1/2
At first I thought that this would be the first of the Green Lanterns trade volumes to be a total throwaway. Especially with the opening part showing Simon and Jessica's first team up with Batman (who's a right proper dick by the way, and we still love him for it), as well as their fight with a Magneto-ripoff villain called Doctor Polaris. But the creators manage to show an interesting parallel between the pain of Simon's past and Polaris's desperate fight to save his brother. And I still love how excited Simon and Jessica are to be working with the Justice League, and that Batman feels that Simon might be the first Lantern he would actually work with. I'd still be tempted to say that this could be skipped, but then there is a Volthoom origin issue packed in here though, and everything seems to be leading to him being the big baddie in this series soon.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Read as single issues]
We join Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz for their continuing adventures as the Green Lanterns of Earth in this third Rebirth volume.

First is a two part story that has Simon and Jess team up with Batman of all people when fear grips Gotham City, and it's not the Scarecrow. Or Sinestro. Or is it? This one has some great Simon moments, finally working past that weird gun subplot that Geoff Johns introduced for him, as well as some laugh-out-loud dialogue between Simon and Bats, plus a nice little Blackest Night throwback (which I always appreciate).

The Last Will and Testament of the First Lantern pops up between storylines, with some absolutely gorgeous artwork by returning artist Robson Rocha whose new inker/colourist combination is working wonders for him, while writer Sam Humphries pads out Volthoom's backstory and sets the stage for the next few big storylines that show up in the next volume.

And then we get the titular Polarity, as Simon and Jess track down Doctor Polaris after his appearance in Justice League Vs. Suicide Squad in a three part story that shows why these guys are the best humans for the job(s) of Green Lantern(s).

The usual rotating art team of Eduardo Panscica and Ronan Cliquet are joined by Miguel Mendonica (who seems to be showing up on every DC book at some point), Neil Edwards, and Tom Derenick for the one-shot stories. Aside from that one Rocha issue here, Green Lanterns has never been one of the more stand-out books for visuals; it reminds me a little of Aquaman (at least, pre-Sejic Aquaman) - the art teams are solid and reliable, and they get the job done. It's not flashy or massively individual, but it's good clean comic book fun, and that's great too.

[Wing Kee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well this was a step back...

World: The art is good, especially th characters, they are full of emotion and the tone is fun and action packed. The world building here is a mixed. There are some great prices that are character based like issue 15. Then there's the Gotham stuff which is alright and just a visit to somewhere in the DCU. And then there's the iffy but I kinda want to know more about Polaris stuff. It's alright.

Story: That issue 15 is the best. The Batman stuff was alright but hanky. The Polaris stuff was not that good, it had potential but the pacing was off and the emotions did not hit. Overall the writing felt choppy and to frantic. I still think more time is needed to develop character and chemistry between the two main characters but that's just me. It was some good bang but not a lot of heart.

Characters: Jessica is great, she's my favorite and because she's not perfect she's very relatable. Simon I understand the bravado and the front but it does annoy me sometimes but that's the whole point of putting these two together. I liked them visiting Gotham and I did like the idea if Polaris. But with only three issues I felt we never really got to dive into Neal and grab is emotions.

It was an okay arc that was a step back from the last one.

Onward to the next book!

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Artwork und Stories gefallen mir super, der Humphries=Run wird immer besser! Jessica und Simon werden als Team immer stärker und ergänzen sich perfekt: Simon hilft Jessica, wenn sie unter ihren Panikattacken leidet, sie ihm, wenn er Probleme mit seiner Familie hat. Und ganz nebenbei wird die Welt gerettet. So sympathisch und unterhaltsam, dass ich Hal Jordan nicht vermisse.

Teufelskreis der Angstattacken:

[Jesse A · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty mixed bag here. The personal stories with the 2 new Lanterns are a weak and a bit reaching. They are trying to portray anxiety and self doubt, but kind of end up almost mocking those issues. The bigger story could be pretty interesting. Also Batman should never costar in someone else's book. The characterization always gets screwed up.

[RG · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid but I feel like it was a step down from previous. A few separate arcs in here. One eith Batman which was kinda poor. The backstory of Volthom was well done. The Polaris story was fun and probably the strongest. I feel like Humphries weakest point in his writing is his Villains. Solid fun without being as good as the previous voulmes. I felt like there was too much going on here at times.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really appreciate what Sam Humphries is trying to do with this series, making it an ongoing team up (with guest stars!) focussing on the internal lives and growth of the "obscure" Green Lanterns Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz. Their chemistry in and out of costume is a wholesome one, and combined they showcase how people that might traditionally be considered "damaged" can overcome their issues and act for the greater good. Heck, even the main baddie of the "Polarity" arc was relatable and human, in spite of being a poor man's Magneto.



Also, I think The Flash might not be the only one to have a bit of a crush on J-Bird...



Just sayin'...

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series, though I was a little dubious at first, has become one of my favorites of the DC Rebirth era. Writer Sam Humphries works very hard to flesh out his lead characters, giving them flaws and nuances not always present in superhero comics.

This is a fun collection that was over too soon, despite some clumsy handling of ongoing subplots, and featured a more interesting take on Doctor Polaris than I can remember encountering previously.

Rebirth hasn't fixed everything that went wrong in the New 52 but series such as this go a long way in restoring some optimism for the future of DC Comics.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this review and more on my blog, uncovered-books.

I received a free copy of Green Lanterns Volume 3: Polarity from DC Comics in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was simply amazing. I honestly cannot describe how much I am loving both the Green Lanterns and Hal Jordan & The Green Lantern Corps series (they will be crossing-over soon as well!).

Once again the art work was amazing. I have no idea how they manage to not oversaturate the page with green considering how much it is used. Also my eyes were drawn to where the ‘action; of each panel was, but still not forcing me to not take in everything as I always like to see what is happening in the background.

This volume comprises of Jessica and Simon having to help Batman in Gotham, then we get some backstory for Volthoom, the first Lantern. Finally Doctor Polaris makes some moves that force the Green Lanterns to try and stop him. Both Simon and Jessica have some amazing character development in this volume, with Jessica still learning to control her anxiety and Simon trying to learn to trust his Green Lantern Ring. Whilst this is only the tip of what occurs during volume 3, it would be best for you to read what both Jessica and Simon go through yourself to fully understand why these choices are major decisions.

This Green Lantern series is just blowing me away and if you have not gotten onto reading this, then this volume is a great place for you to.

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a collection of short stories.
The first story is a single issue focusing entirely on Jessica and her struggles with anxiety. I loved this story as it brought a lot of depth to her personality and it allowed us to see a friendlier, more supportive side to Simon.
Second story was a two-issue detective story co-starring Batman. It was kind of a filler story, except that we see a lot of growth with Simon and his sidearm, so there is some important character development there.
Third, we had a single issue origin story for Volthoom, which answered a couple questions about the Guardians and the beginnings of the corps.
Finally there was a three-issue, heart-string pulling story involving Polaris, his brother, and both new lanterns. It was slightly amped-up with emotional melodrama, but it fit really well with all the themes and character development from the previous stories.

As a collection, I really enjoyed this one. It zeroed in on the theme of overcoming fear which was present in previous volumes, but was never developed too much. This volume takes the time to develop the characters, explore their insecurities, build on the the team dynamic, and make Jessica and Simon more likeable.

I would say this is mandatory reading for GL fans. It’s the first time we get a really good representation of the new lantern team from Earth.

4/5

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was simply amazing. I honestly cannot describe how much I am loving both the Green Lanterns and Hal Jordan & The Green Lantern Corps series (they will be crossing-over soon as well!).

Once again the art work was amazing. I have no idea how they manage to not oversaturate the page with green considering how much it is used. Also my eyes were drawn to where the ‘action; of each panel was, but still not forcing me to not take in everything as I always like to see what is happening in the background.

This volume comprises of Jessica and Simon having to help Batman in Gotham, then we get some backstory for Volthoom, the first Lantern. Finally Doctor Polaris makes some moves that force the Green Lanterns to try and stop him. Both Simon and Jessica have some amazing character development in this volume, with Jessica still learning to control her anxiety and Simon trying to learn to trust his Green Lantern Ring. Whilst this is only the tip of what occurs during volume 3, it would be best for you to read what both Jessica and Simon go through yourself to fully understand why these choices are major decisions.

This Green Lantern series is just blowing me away and if you have not gotten onto reading this, then this volume is a great place for you to.

[John Yelverton · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book started off decently enough with a jaunt in Gotham City with Batman, and ended with an adventure with Dr. Polaris. The Batman story was good, until you realize that Kilowog could have been inserted into the story and it would have worked just as well, and that's the problem. These characters are not enjoyable, not relatable, not written well and worst of all, they're creations to simply give minority groups their own superhero, and succeed in doing nothing but making flawed and inferior superheroes from those minority groups. It's backhanded racism when Caucasian Batman knows everything and has everything together, while the Arab Green Lantern is scared and has anger issues and the Latina Green Lantern has no self-confidence and anxiety issues. There's something horribly wrong when the "Super Friends" knew how to create minority superheroes better in the 1970's than DC Comics does today.

[Kiemon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Batman cross-over was a nice highlight. The subplot of Simon and his gun makes for great character development.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Green Lanterns, Vol. 3: Polarity. One of the best things about this book is Simon's arc. He is forced to face his doubts and fears head on. While he still struggles with guilt and pain from the past, he also grows. His journey is written very well. I was rooting for him throughout and liked him even more in this story. I remember originally disliking him for much of book 1, but I like how he has grown so much since then.

I also like the parallels between him and Neal Emerson/Polaris, an antagonist in this book. Both of them have desperately tried to save someone close to them who had a huge impact on their lives. The backstory of their relationships is moving. Both Neal and Simon are very caring and would do anything to save the lives of the ones closest to them. That's what makes them both compelling.

What separates Neal and Simon though are the paths they take. While both sought to be heroic, Neal has gone down a darker path and continues to pose a threat. Simon also had a difficult past, but has chosen to help people instead. Their dynamics and similarities - as well as the conflict between them - was very well written. I would say that Neal is the best antagonist so far. He also is very difficult to stop and Jessica and Simon had their hands full in dealing with him.

But, Jessica and Simon have each other. Their friendship is beautiful. Simon is there for Jessica, supporting her as she struggles with anxiety. Jessica is there for him in his struggles with his doubts and regret. They also balance each other well and play off each other's strengths. Their relationship has come a long way as well. From being antagonistic to one another to becoming found family, their friendship has had some great growth and I love their bond.

I love Jessica's character growth and characterization too. Like Simon, she has come so far. She has doubts and anxiety and struggles with them both. At the same time though, she continues to grow and is better able to cope than before. She's very strong and is able to face her fears head on. In addition, she's heroic and determined. She's a great character and one that I've been rooting for in book after book.

I like how the book has featured other DC superheroes. We get to see the Justice League a bit more in this book, especially Batman. They don't overshadow Jessica and Simon and fit in perfectly within the story. I particularly liked Batman's interactions with Simon and Jessica. The conflict between Batman and Simon was written well as was how it was resolved.

If there was one weakness in the story, it was how Volthoom's backstory was a long series of flashbacks that took up one entire issue/chapter of the book. It was critical to understanding his background. However, it was exposition heavy and could have been interspersed.

Nonetheless, this book is very good. I enjoyed it. It has great characterization and their character relationships are superbly written. I love Simon and Jessica and can't wait to read more of the Green Lanterns books. I've enjoyed each of them thus far.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Day in the Life (#15). A great focus on Jess and her anxiety, even if Simon Baz's response is super sappy [3+/5].

Darker Knights (#16-17). A team-up of Green Lanterns and Batman against a yellow-ring-infused Scarecrow should be great, but not only does Humphries do nothing interesting with the combo, he never really explains it [2+/5].

The Last Testament of the First Lantern (#18). A nice look at who the First Lantern is, why he's done what he's done, and what his next step is. Overall, a strong one-off for turning a single-time villain into something more [4/5].

Polarity (#19-21). A great look inside the head of Polaris, really lifting the comic about the super-villain fighting that usually consumes these supers comics ... but then we move on to super-villain fighting and lose a lot of what made the first two issues great [3+/5].

[Zoey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know what’s with people thinking they can talk crazy to Batman, especially somebody barely months on the job. ‘Maybe if you were more like Flash, people wouldn’t be so afraid of you’???? Jessica Cruz, I have truly never heard anything so idiotic in my life.

No wonder Batman chose Simon Baz as his Lantern liaison. At least when Baz was yelling at Batman, it was for good reason. He felt racially profiled. But Jessica? I’m not sure what happened there.

To top it off, they both doubted him at every turn. Is it because he doesn’t have any powers that they don’t respect his contributions? It was just apalling, especially considering all he’s done for the world, for Gotham, and for the Justice League.

[Koen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this just happened: another thrilling issue!

I have to say this team up with Batman and Polaris as bad guy sure gave this volume quite the spark.
Polaris kicks GL ass and Batman is actually asking them for help.. What a world we live in :D

So, liked the story, liked the artwork..
And now onward to the next part!

[Ross Alon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh, generic, didactic and not the best dc has to offer.

One story about overcoming anxiety
One about batman telling us the guns are wrong
One about doing the wrong thing for the right reason and last but not least , the one were the villiane is too crazy to blame himself, so he blames the hero.

This is not the comics we need, it is the one we deserve

[Jena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved what they did with Doctor Polaris. This series is killing it.

[Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 🌟

Jessica and Simon work more cases together. They help Batman and fight Polaris.