Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #28 Review and **SPOILERS**

My Dad’s a Backseat Driver

Writer: Robert Vendetti 

Penciller: Rafa Sandoval 

Inker: Jordi Tarragona 

Colorist: Tomeu Morey 

Letterer: Dave Sharpe 

Cover: Sandoval, Tarragona and Morey 

Cover Price: $2.99 

On Sale Date: September 13, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Here it is, the race you haven’t been waiting for: Hal Jordan vs. Black Racer in an attempt to catch Lightray! Yes, all of those words mean something, smarty-pants! I want to get a good spot, so let’s muscle up to the front of the crowd and check out my review of Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #28, right now!

Explain It!

When I was a kid, I loved the comic books where Superman raced the Flash for whatever contrived reasons. Pre-Crisis, this would have been in Superman #199 (August 1967), Flash #175 (December 1967), World’s Finest #198–199 (November–December 1970), and DC Comics Presents #1–2 (August–October 1978). I knew the one from 1978 the best, though I’m pretty sure the World’s Finest issues had been reprinted in a Blue Ribbon Digest. In the one I remember best, Superman and the Flash are forced to race against each other by warring alien races, and in their charge they wind up coursing through time as well. And it was spectacular.

The reason it was spectacular is because which hero can beat the other in a foot race has been a subject of debate since these characters debuted in the Golden Age. One known for his speed, the other known for his…everything, it came down to presumptions about fictional characters and personal preference when discussed on the playground. I, for one, felt that while Superman certainly has super-speed, the Flash should win a race against him because he’s more trained to be a runner. The comic books featuring these famous competitions ended either in stalemates, or one character would have to sacrifice his lead for some heroic reason, so it was never “definitively” known. But I know. It’s the Flash. The Flash should win when running against Superman.

A race between Hal Jordan and Black Racer, on the other hand, doesn’t have quite the cache. For one thing, Hal Jordan isn’t known for his extreme speed. I assume he can move pretty quickly with that ring of his, but if you’ve got a problem that can be corrected by being fast, you’ll call the Flash. Or Superman. For another thing, not everyone knows who the Black Racer is. If you’ve been reading this series, or you’re already a comics fan “in the know,” then you’ll be well aware. But a Superman/Flash race used to have the possibility of pulling in a lapsed reader, or a fan of one character and not the other, to settle those grade school disagreements once and for all. No one has ever asked if Hal Jordan could beat the Black Racer, least of all in an attempt to be the first to catch up to the New God Lightray.

That’s right: the New God, name of Lightray. Son of Highfather. Brother to Scot Free. Half-brother to Orion. Any of this whetting your appetite? As for the race, Hal uses a construct of a jet to chase down Lightray (who is holding Highfather, trying to escape some Omega Beams) that can’t quite reach him, until his dad appears as a ghost and tells him he’s got the touch; he’s got the power. Then this jet can suddenly go faster than the Black Racer? Whatever. It’s a really quick read, tempered only by the work of the incredible art team. But ultimately it isn’t worth three bucks to read an issue that can be summed up in a few words.

Bits and Pieces:

What if they threw a superhero race and nobody showed up? The whole issue is a race between Hal Jordan and Black Racer. If that strikes your fancy, you're in luck. Visuals are a definite treat.

5.5/10