Review by Frank Plowright

If the opening story of Uprising feels as if you’ve been thrown right into the middle of something, it’s because that’s the case. All too often under both Geoff Johns and Robert Venditti, understanding a Green Lantern Corps graphic novel means also picking up a Green Lantern graphic novel, which is frustrating. However, although not continuing directly from Rebuild, for once the general gist of what’s going on transmits, and it’s followed by a self-contained three parter following up on the idea of who the Corps need to work with in dire times.

With the shapeshifting Durlan race targeting Green Lanterns, it’s important they locate Von Daggle, a Durlan who also led a Corps black-ops squad. From here Venditti leaves the writing to Van Jensen, who takes a big picture Star Wars style approach to the series, revelling in the shady joints in dark corners of the universe. He gives the Durlans a credible reason for disliking the Green Lanterns, is inventive in the use of their powers and lays out how being protected by the Green Lanterns isn’t universally desired. The places visited means Bernard Chang really has to put the effort in designing new races, which includes the constant shapeshifting. His art looks more distinctive than usual due to the approach taken by colourist Marcelo Maiolo. As seen on the sample art, Maiolo will sometimes shift from full colour to red, black and white, and it’s extremely effective. The only downside is the level of explicit violence.

The title story is another crossover, but unlike Rebuild, here in Uprising we’re also supplied with the relevant chapters from elsewhere. Indeed, the same story can be found complete in the Green Lantern collection Test of Wills. The presumption is of Vendetti and Jensen jointly plotting a war fought on several fronts and each then scripting their relevant chapters. The Corps is originally on the back foot, but there’s a point where they seem to be winning a little too easily, and that’s when Uprising really kicks off. Billy Tan now alternates with Chang on the art, and neither shortchanges. Multiple full figures in panoramic views sweep from the page as a good tragic surprise manifests in the final chapter. It leads to an even better epilogue.

Were the pattern to be followed, the presumption would be of everything only serving to set up yet another crossover, and so it is as we move into Reckoning.