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Sinestro #1
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Dale Eaglesham
Publisher: DC Comics

Of all the marquee names to face off against DC’s greatest heroes, few are more layered and interesting than Thaal Sinestro. Once the champion of two different corps, the former Lantern has had a rough stretch of late, none worse than the destruction of his home planet, Korugar, at the hands of Volthoom, the first lantern. Betrayed, isolated, and just plain pissed off, Sinestro returns in his own monthly to exact vengeance on those who wronged him and his people.

Given Sinestro’s place within the pantheon of comic baddies, writer Cullen Bunn does a nice job reintroducing the character to old and new readers alike. He clearly knows what makes Sinestro tick, his depiction cold and proud. Sinestro has rarely been one to be evil for evil’s sake, and that continues here, Bunn again making him a man of purpose and conviction. That conviction is tested in this debut, as we see a broken man trying to find direction after losing that which matters most. That uncertainty, that fear, is what drives the piece, as certain revelations seek to aim Sinestro back towards his fledgling corps.

Said revelations come in the form of Lyssa Drak, former Keeper of the Book of Black, and apparent henna enthusiast. Her continued descent into crazy-town has increased her dark abilities, allowing her to “see” events that will soon transpire. Her visions show dark forces moving on the horizon (apparently the universe isn’t big on days off), and also reveals something closer to Sinestro. Turns out, not all of Korugar’s citizens perished by Volthoom’s hand. Filled with a fresh sense of purpose, Korugar’s pink protector vows to save his remaining people no matter the cost, reclaiming his yellow ring in the process. Of course, the actual saving could potentially prove difficult, as he didn’t exactly leave the Sinestro Corps on good terms. Bunn appears set to really dig into the core of Sinestro’s character, and one can only wonder what he expects to find there.

I’ve been a fan of Dale Eaglesham ever since he did Villains United, and if I liked him then, I love him now. If you’ve read Villains United (which you totally should if you haven’t), then you know Eaglesham can draw some impressively imposing bad guys. The artist does it again here, his Sinestro exuding power and force with every pore, be it wrapped in rags or fully blinged up. He gives Sinestro a real sense of gravitas, a weight and bearing far beyond your ordinary run-of-the-mill evil doer. Also worth noting is the strong color work by Jason Wright; his expansive space shots are truly otherworldly, and he somehow manages to make pink look formidable.

Sinestro is a character well deserving of a good solo series, and thus far it appears Bunn and Eaglesham are equipped to deliver. Though this first issue is fairly light in overall conflict, the cliffhanger at page’s end promises problems very near and dear to Sinestro’s (presumably existing) heart.

Jeff Lake
jefflake@comicattack.net