COMIC REVIEW – Star Trek/Green Lantern: Stranger Worlds #2

The fun continues as the Enterprise and its new crew member Hal Jordan fight Sinestro and his Klingons. Meanwhile, all the stranded Lanterns in the Kelvin Universe need to find a new power source, before their rings fail forever.

Rage – it is the most violent and uncontrollable of emotions, and can drive a person into a mindless fury. In the DC Comics Universe, rage fuels one of its strongest antagonists – the Red Lanterns. Star Trek/Green Lantern: Stranger Worlds #2 opens with Atrocitus seeking a new source of rage to replenish his ranks and strengthen his ring. But where can he find such emotions in the 23rd century?

Narrating Stranger Worlds at a break neck pace, writer Mike Johnson gives his characters (and readers) no time to breathe, as he throws new plotlines into the mix (the above aforementioned moment), while previous threads continue to unfold. Issue 2’s main plot once again centers on the search for a new (or old) power source to provide energy to the Green Lantern rings before they cease to work.

Cover art by Angel Hernandez

Catching up with the Enterprise and new crewmember Hal Jordan, the away team is locked in battle with the Klingons and Sinestro, as both groups seek to obtain an artifact – the original protectors of the DC Universe, a Manhunter. Both Jordan and Sinestro believe this deceased Manhunter is the key to recharging their rings.

Angel Hernandez wonderfully captures the frenetic feeling of battle, illustrating a beautiful full-page opening splash before connecting it to a series of fractured moments on the attached page. It is thrilling storytelling that quickly drops readers into battle and allows them to catch up with where Issue 1 left the Enterprise crew.

Focusing on the Kelvin Universe Lantern’s plight, the Enterprise crew sadly appears to mainly be a vehicle (literally) to get Jordan and company from point A to B. Although, as he does with all Star Trek comics he writes, Johnson peppers in many enjoyable throwback moments to the televised and film adventures of the franchise.

While the Enterprise crew does not seem to have as much of an impact as readers might be accustomed presently, smiles should occur as Scotty finds romance, Uhura is shown with a new responsibility and someone seems to have a phobia of the transporter.

Atrocitus’ quest for rage bookends the issue, both setting the story into motion and bringing it to a close on a big cliffhanger. The Enterprise’s race to beat Sinestro to a possible power source ultimately leads them to the Red Lantern as the story ends. As usual, Johnson once again demonstrates he has no storytelling limitations as he pulls an unexpected complication from Kirk and crew’s past to wrap up the issue (leaving his readers wanting more once again).

Artist Edition Variant Cover art by Angel Hernandez

Stranger Worlds is terrific fun for comic book fans of both Star Trek and Green Lantern. There are many internal references to the DC Universe that might leave non-comic book readers lost. However, Johnson’s cliffhanger and previously mentioned callbacks more than make up for any Star Trek fan’s confusion.