The cover warns us to “Beware Sodam Yat,” and the pages inside show that Yat’s back and he’s got some crazy wild thoughts in his noggin. As for where those thoughts lead, well, that’d be spoiling a little too much, wouldn’t it? The story of Guy Gardner, Arisia, and Kilowog (with Red Lantern Bleez in tow) continues on. Tomasi makes full use of being able to give Guy Gardner the spotlight. At times, it’s a little too much spotlight. Kilowog should be answering the question he asks Guy, “Why didn’t the Guardians ever get around to charting and mapping the unknown sectors until now?” From someone who has served as a Lantern longer than most, this question seems out of place. This is Guy Gardner’s book, as he struggles to wrangle the Red Lantern rage that wells up inside him while trying to solve the mystery of the Green Lanterns’ power drain.

Pasarin’s art continues to be stuffed to the brim with details upon details, but his Green Lantern corner of the universe – the “Unknown Sectors” – are too sterile and domestic. The aliens Guy and his crew encounter are a little too human, a little too prescribed, and not very alien at all. It’s throwback art to be certain, but it is also slightly misplaced for this title. Either that, or Pasarin really needs to let his imagination run free and craft some more alien-looking aliens.

This book features some of the most popular – and certainly a pair of my personal favorite – Lanterns, but it feels like it should be titled “Green Lantern Corps Lite.” There’s not enough here to really sell this title as a distinctive title capable of maintaining itself beyond simple brand recognition and exploited fan enthusiasm. The main story – the quest for the mysterious power-draining force – isn’t overly compelling, but the new motivation Sodam Yat has found does offer quite a bit of potential in issues to come.

The Green Lantern stable of books is certainly riding a high, strong wave right now, but the books are threatening to homogenize. I don’t see much of a reason for there to be three Green Lantern books. Yet. Tomasi needs to push a stronger, more clearly defined agenda forward for this book to give it an identity and personality that allows it become more than just “the Green Lantern book with Guy Gardner and Kilowog in it.”