Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

We’re back on the road with Lanterns and this time, we’ve got the evidence that might crack the case. Alasdair’s got the inside line…

0.11 – Orange

Lightning, sky, sun and later the lights on the hypodermic used on John. I’ve said it before but it’s an interesting colour choice, given the Orange Lantern Corps and the long-standing fascination with emotional spectra and colours in the franchise.

0.13 – ‘So you’re a space cop.’

John’s public. That’s interesting.

0.29 – John flies… kind of

John’s first attempt to fly using the ring turns into… a weirdly cute bird. Bless him.

0.41 – Hal lands

I love offhand use of superpowers like this. It’s a nice shot too.

0.51 – ‘These victims are gonna end up being alien.’

Note how serious the tone is here. These two guys have gone from butting heads to dropping into work mode. People are dead, and whether they’re from Earth doesn’t matter. There’s work to be done.

1.04 – Hal armours up

I’ve mentioned it before, but I love that Hall drops the shield without even moving. I’m looking forward to seeing how the show deals with Hal’s relentless competency versus his burnout.

1.09 – ‘What do you know about Manhunters?’

The Manhunters are extraterrestrial robots intended to combat evil. They’re also the Green Lantern Corps’ unwanted older brother having been created by the same group, the Guardians of the Universe. The Manhunters went badly wrong, and they’re a great choice for an insidious, tension-generating villain.

1.11 – Hal’s arm is broken

And interesting, he’s not got a Lantern-generated sling. We’ve heard the show unfolds in two time periods and I wonder if in one of them, John’s the Lantern.

1.14 – Two Moons

Two moons, that’s John and probably Hal and John’s carrying something. Interestingly yellow is a colour the Green Lantern rings do not do well with. This may be a deliberate choice on the part of the Manhunters…

1.19 – Station

Actually, I wonder… is this Oa? The Guardians’ homeworld? Because that looks a lot like the Great Battery.

1.26 – Manhunters

It’s a brief shot but that red tunic/black cross is close to the Manhunters’ original look. It’s also very close to the original look of the Martian Manhunter but I’m 80% certain it’s not him. But only 80….

1.32 – Orbital Fire

DAMN. The targeting beams going to this instant destruction are terrifying and seem, and I may be wrong, to be human technology.

1.33 – ‘To put you DOWN,’

Guy Gardner pops by to tell his two colleagues how much trouble they, not he, are in. I wonder if Hal goes public with the Manhunters?

1.40 – Drilling Machine

It’s hard to make out but this drilling/boring machine is very complex and is being built by trained architect John Stewart. Who, when we look closely, has the ring…

1.41 – ‘Do you resent Hal Jordan?’

Laura Linney! One of my favourite actors! And she’s apparently playing a Guardian of the Universe which is a nice work around for the ‘very small blue guys’ look they normally have.

1.43 – Fishing

Now I’m all but convinced that’s the Great Battery. I love this shot, of John reaching into an immense tank of green atmosphere and green birds (is that a common motif for John I wonder?) flying around.

1.58 – Sinestro

Head of the Yellow Lantern Corps, Hal’s mentor, disgraced former Green Lantern, war criminal. I love how calm he is here. Big Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter vibes. He’s played by Danish actor Ulrich Thomsen. He was a big part of the unfairly overlooked The Thing prequel over here as well as Kai Proctor in Banshee.

2.09 – Charging Up

Pretty sure that’s John even though it’s Hal saying the oath.

2.17 – Green Tornado

Hal tornados someone away before they explode. He’s wearing shades for some reason…

2.25 – John is injected

This shot’s been in every trailer, and I remain convinced this is John being injected with something by agents of another Corps, or people who know how to hurt Lanterns.

2.28 – Teleportation

There’s a particular technology in the DCU called a Boom Tube, used by the god-like inhabitants of some worlds to travel. They’re perfect circles. This, I’m convinced, is a Boom Tube.

2.28 – Orbital Strike

Again, some weapon, firing from the sky.

2.29 – John has the ring

In what seems to be a room full of odd alien weapons. Note the weapons the guys who seem to find them have too.

2.32 – John hits the road

And another green bird! So, he’s got the ring at this point too!

2.38 – All Out War

The town in flames, multiple destroyed cars and Hal’s just firing energy blasts at an opponent. Things have gone very badly wrong.

Lanterns begins on August 15