Hal Jordan takes a break from trying to solve the mystery of the missing Green Lantern Corps, to visit his family and make sure they are still safe and protected from the dangers of the universe.

Green Lantern #47 is, simply put, a filler issue between the last battle with Black Hand, and the coming battle with a very powerful Green Lantern enemy that returns at the end of the tale. The story still has a bit going for it that helps build the character of Hal Jordan. The love Hal has for his family is apparent and well done. But, this is not something we have not seen before. There is also a problem with how drama and conflict are presented in the narrative. The way Hal’s family is threatened when they go to the amusement park is very predictable. The stakes do not feel high and it feels too much like forcing danger and drama purely to have it. This issue could have been a calming break among friends and family to flush out who Hal Jordan has become since the Green Lantern Corps disappeared. But, the unnecessary violence really takes away from this potential and really hurts the overall cohesion of the comic.

The artwork is serviceable. It is a very line heavy style which works well for backgrounds and clothing. But, some of the faces come off bizarre because of an overuse of lines as shadow. This also causes some faces to look smudged and dirty at a distance. This becomes a problem in an issue where the majority of it is people standing and interacting with each other through conversation. The minimal action scenes are actually done well and look clean but, they are very few and far between.

Overall, Green Lantern #47 misses a chance to create a solid character driven story of family, in favor of forcing drama and violence. What could have become a fun filler issue with interesting character moments quickly turns into a forgettable filler issue with little effect on the ongoing series.

Story: Robert Venditti Art: Billy Tan, Martin Coccolo
Story: 5 Art: 6 Overall: 5.5 Recommendation: Pass