Jessica Comes Into Her Own While Time Traveling In Green Lanterns #27

 
Jessica and Simon have been thrown back in time to a prehistoric Earth by Volthoom. To make matters worse, Simon’s ring has been destroyed. Now the two of them have to figure out how to survive and get back to the present day when everything nearby is trying to kill them. If only they had some help from the first Green Lanterns…

Green Lanterns #27 from DC Comics is a showcase for the kind of space adventure the Corps is best suited to deal with. You’ve got gigantic monsters, alien creatures, and exciting ring constructs. Artist Ronan Cliquet delivers on all these fronts. Every other page features a new, terrifying animal that wants nothing more than to eat Simon and Jessica alive. The sheer variety of them is impressive.
Although they’re stranded 10 billion years in the past, the creatures the Lanterns encounter are like nothing ever seen on the planet. I’m trying to decide if my favorite is the giant centipede shooting acid or the ape-like birds. It’s a real toss-up.

This kind of action and excitement would be a fun read on its own. Writer Sam Humphries amplifies it with some great character work. We’ve watched the partnership between Simon and Jessica grow and evolve over the series run. They’ve come to rely on one another for more than just back-up on the battlefield.
What’s interesting in this issue is how the two have switched places. Simon has always been headstrong and confident, while Jessica was unsure of herself and terrified of the beings she encountered. Now with Simon stripped of his ring, he’s almost ready to jump off a cliff and end it all. How could he possibly survive without his ring (or his gun, that he left in Gotham City thanks to a judging Batman)? He’s defeated. Meanwhile, Jessica is in her element. She’s thrilled by her new surroundings despite how frightening they are.

This also shows in Jessica’s ring constructs, which is something she’s struggled with over time. They’re second nature to her now. My absolute favorite is the car seat she makes for Simon as they’re flying around. She has to make sure he’s safe, after all.
Jessica is quickly rising up the ranks of my favorite Green Lanterns, if for nothing else than how she interacts with her ring. It calls her “J-Bird” and has a bit of a sense of humor. This works well with her personality and makes for a very fun reading experience. You don’t get that kind of joviality from any of the other Earth Lanterns. They’re all serious…or Guy Gardner.

My only issue with Green Lanterns #27 is that it didn’t tell us anything new. Yes, it was cool to see how Simon and Jessica dealt with being stranded in time, however the big reveal that comes at the end of the issue is that they’re on Earth and the first Green Lanterns are on the way. You can learn that much from the solicitation info. There is nothing in the comic that’s not included in the three sentence description of it.
That being said, Green Lanterns #27 is a great reminder of everything I love about the Corps. It’s high-flying space adventure at its best, only this time, it was Earth all along. *Cue Simpsons Reference* It’s seamlessly weaving into the existing Green Lantern canon, playing with core concepts, and adding to them to enhance the mythos.
Green Lanterns #27 is currently available at your local comic shop or digitally via ComiXology and Amazon Kindle.