Green Lantern #0 Review

Green Lantern #0
writer- Geoff Johns
artist- Doug Mahnke

DC's Zero Month is here and Green Lantern #0 brings us the origin of a brand new hero.  Simon Baz is an Arab-American.  He witnessed the attack on the twin towers, from his living room in Dearborn, Michigan.  He felt the brunt of post 9/11 backlash against other Arab-Americans.  And when he stole a van that just happened to be filled with explosives, who do you think was apprehended and treated like a terrorist in a secret prison, somewhere outside of the United States?
Doug Mahnke's art on GL #0 is flawless in my opinion.  Inks and colors play a big part in the perfection of the visuals in this book, but Mahnke deserves plenty of credit for his tight clean lines and expressive character depictions.
As for Geoff Johns, he gives us a story that come from an interesting perspective.  Johns, also an Arab-American, lived in Dearborn and experienced much of the same prejudice as his character Simon Baz.  When Baz is taken to that secret prison where he's questioned and possibly tortured, it speaks volumes about Johns' own views on how the government deals with potential terrorists.  Baz stole a van full of explosives.  That doesn't make him a terrorist, but even suspected terrorists have no rights once they're in custody.  I think it's a powerful statement.  Johns successfully touches on a very real and very current problem that too many Americans are faced with, in the only nation they've ever known.  I like the fact that even though Simon Baz is a car thief, he's granted a green ring.  He's not a terrorist.  He's a good man and the universe knows it.
Green Lantern #0 makes a reference to events that take place in Justice League, which is also written by Geoff Johns, and Batman and Cyborg make a cameo appearance.  It'll be interesting to see how the current JL members react to the Baz Green Lantern before he joins the cast DC's new upcoming title, Justice League of America.
Read Green Lantern #0, then check out Geoff Johns online.  I have a feeling both are about to make a bigger splash than they already have.