The hunt for Sinestro goes badly as Sinestro hunts Hal instead.
Writer: Denny O'Neil
Pencils: Joe Staton
Inks: Frank McLaughlin
Colours: Adrienne Roy
Letters: Ben Oda
Cover: Dick Giordano & Tatjana Wood
"The Secret Of Sinestro" - Hal arrives at the a museum in Coast City to meet Carol and Tom Kalmaku. Carol's job offer to Hal is to be a test pilot again as he is the best around but on thr condition that their relationship is strictly professional, even down to calling her Ms. Ferris. Green Arrow is also there and is still cold towards GL. During a presentation of aerospace flight, Sinestro attacks and burns everything down. Hal changes to GL in all the commotion and holds the museum up long for everyone to get out but Sinestro gets away.
Knowing there's only a few places he'd hide, Hal first heads to Korugar. He meets with Katma Tui to ask her opinion on possible hideouts and she points out a tower outside the only city on the planet. In that tower is where Sinestro's father holds what equates to an opioid den where people go to have their life force drained by a yellow energy (apparently dying is the best feeling Korugarians can imagine. Y'all ever seen this Team Four Star do the Broly movie? This is just like those submissive aliens, I swear to Highfather) Hal heads inside and meets Sinestro's father but before long Hal is caught by the same yellow energy that drains life force as the dad is revealed to be Sinestro in disguise. Sindy's father is there but hooked up to energy.
All Hal can do is send a distress signal to Katma who comes crashing in. She destroys the device that creates the energy, freeing Hal who begins beating on Sindy. A "death addict"(?) runs by and gets in Hal's way, allowing Sindy to fold himself out of there to PARTS UNKNOWN. Hal thanks Katma for her save and then heads off to find Sinestro's next hiding spot.
Conclusion: Something I forgot to bring up in issue 122, Tom was present at the wedding at tells Hal he no longer wants to he called Pieface as he has a reputation to uphold with his chain of gas stations. Kudos to having him stand up against the racism but surely there could have been a better reason other then reputation?
This seems to be a multi part story for Hal hunting Sinestro and I've peeked ahead as Denny's run ends on #129. It's looking epic. Denny sure picked a hell of a set of stories to end on.
This one has some curious stuff in it though. Katma is apparently not allowed to attack Sinestro unless he attacks Korugar itself as per Korugarians laws, and Korugar has only one city called Whonere. Also Sinestro has a dad! I wonder if this is his only appearance. I'm sure there's more in Emerald Dawn 1 & 2 but maybe through his dad we can shed some light on why he's such a dick.
Hal also felt a bit like a rookie here at times. Very basic ideas, commenting on space travel like it's his first time and barely being able to hold up a building when I'm sure he's done it before (at least I KNOW Alan has, jus sayin'). This set of stories has been great so I do hope Denny doesn't weaken Hal for plot.
9/10
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