Visitor's Post
Hello! This is Ben Carlson, a guest writer for Sara's blog. I can't say I'm anywhere near as familiar as Sara is with comic books, but I do find what I know of their stories fascinating and highly entertaining. That being said, I have never put in much effort to learn about the Green Lantern. Until now!
The more I learn about the Green Lantern, the more fascinated I am with its unique characters (Kim. 2011). Unlike many comic books, which focus on one superhero, the Green Lantern comics have a rather large cast of Green Lanterns.
With Alan Scott setting the standard as the first Green Lantern, Hal Jordan has been able to become a comic book celebrity as the second. However, there are even more that follow after him! As an example, the adventures of Earth's Green Lantern Corps, including Earth's own John Stewart, Guy Gardner, and Hal Jordan (again), span several volumes. Some of these characters even spread their influences and memberships to other superhero organization, like Guy joining the Justice League.
Even more Lantern Corps and special individuals populate the pages of Green Lantern comics, forming a small universe of intriguing heroes that weave stories of friendship, trust, and strength of will. Equally as compelling as the heroes are to me, though, the Green Lantern villains stick out as truly unique.
The villains often seem to originate from the Green Lanterns themselves, which makes sense from a writing standpoint. Plot-wise, the only weapon strong enough to fight against a Green Lantern's power ring would almost have to be another power ring. The resultant formula for villain creation is a refreshing twist on the old process, having the heroes and villains being remarkably intertwined.
Also, the fact that the Green Lanterns' powers originate from their own personal qualities, usually willpower, turns emotions such as rage and fear into determining factors in their very plots. Villains such as Sinestro and Parallax have fates tied with good Green Lanterns (especially with Sinestro once being one and Parallax actually controlling Hal Jordan), giving the vilains special emphasis and connection. Even other villains that were never Lanterns, such as Star Sapphire and Black Hand, share small roots with the Green Lanterns, almost making them feel more like results of the system than external problems.
Ultimately, the flavorful characters and close stories are winning my heart over to the Green Lantern's calling. My interest for the series only continues to grow as I learn more about it, and I encourage anyone else who seeks rich entertainment to try checking out the Green Lantern. With a final farewell, look forward to the coming Green Lantern movie. I know I am!
Sources Cited
Kim, Tenzel. (1996). Green Lantern Corps Web Page. Retrieved from
http://glcorps.dcuguide.com/
Friday, April 22, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Interview with a Green Lantern Enthusiast
This interview is with a fellow Green Lantern fan and avid comic book reader. Wayne D. is a close friend of mine and we both share a love for The Green Lantern. Being an enthusiast himself this interview skips over some of the more introductory questions and goes into the deeper meat behind Hal Jordan as The Green Lantern and the upcoming movie.
Interview
Question 1. What do you think makes Hal Jordan as The Green Lantern stand out from the rest of the superheroes out there?
Answer - Hal Jordan is the greatest Green Lantern of all for good reason. Jordan is different from other superheroes because he has faced fear itself, heck he has been fear itself, and he overcame it. A main similarity between most superheroes is an understanding of death and the fear that comes with the constant danger they put themselves in trying to defend the universe. However, with Jordan the situation with fear is different he understands fear and then lets it go making Jordan the only superhero out there who is truly fearless.
Question 2. Do you think that being so called "fearless" makes Jordan the envy of other superheroes?
Answer - In fact it does, Jordan's lack of fear makes him unpopular with some of his fellow superhero friends. The main person that this quality in Jordan bothers is actually very well known, none other than Batman. Batman views Jordan's lack of fear as arrogance and stupidity, however Batman is a bias judge because without fear Batman would be nothing.
Question 3. Why do you think the movie industry agreed to make The Green Lantern movie?
Answer - Probably because they figured it would make a great deal of money. Seriously, I feel this movie was chosen perhaps above other options because Hal Jordan represents the human will can achieve anything as long as you have the power to wield it. The Green Lantern is a different kind of hero, Jordan has made mistakes and lived through death to some back and save the universe once again. Jordan is the superhero of superheroes, Jordan is the epitome of willpower, Jordan is the true guardian of the universe.
Question 4. What do you think Ryan Reynolds needs to do to capture the essence of Hal Jordan's personality?
Answer - As an actor Ryan Reynolds is very talented, however he does seem to have a more whimsical approach to his acting style. In order to truly capture Hal Jordan's personality, Reynolds will have to tone down his light-hearted humor and focus more on the serious side of the character.
Question 5. Do you think the movie will be a success? What are some things you are worried about the movie adaptation of this comic getting wrong or not portraying correctly?
Answer - Overall, yes I think this movie will be a success. I think Ryan Reynolds was the right actor to play Hal Jordan as long as he sticks to sarcastic humor and a serious attitude to be the best. The rest of the cast chosen seem to fit right too. The only thing I would say I am concerned about is the entity Parallax, in the comics the entity of fear is actually infecting Hal Jordan and manipulating him into doing terrible things. In the movie synopsis it says that Hal Jordan fights against Parallax, so I am curious to see how the entity of fear gets represented in the movie. Hopefully this movie lives up to everything the comics are and will continue to be. I am excited and hope there is a great turnout for The Green Lantern movie.
Note - Just a small side note The Green Lantern movie debuts this summer June 17th 2011. Hope to see you all there!!!
Interview
Question 1. What do you think makes Hal Jordan as The Green Lantern stand out from the rest of the superheroes out there?
Answer - Hal Jordan is the greatest Green Lantern of all for good reason. Jordan is different from other superheroes because he has faced fear itself, heck he has been fear itself, and he overcame it. A main similarity between most superheroes is an understanding of death and the fear that comes with the constant danger they put themselves in trying to defend the universe. However, with Jordan the situation with fear is different he understands fear and then lets it go making Jordan the only superhero out there who is truly fearless.
Question 2. Do you think that being so called "fearless" makes Jordan the envy of other superheroes?
Answer - In fact it does, Jordan's lack of fear makes him unpopular with some of his fellow superhero friends. The main person that this quality in Jordan bothers is actually very well known, none other than Batman. Batman views Jordan's lack of fear as arrogance and stupidity, however Batman is a bias judge because without fear Batman would be nothing.
Question 3. Why do you think the movie industry agreed to make The Green Lantern movie?
Answer - Probably because they figured it would make a great deal of money. Seriously, I feel this movie was chosen perhaps above other options because Hal Jordan represents the human will can achieve anything as long as you have the power to wield it. The Green Lantern is a different kind of hero, Jordan has made mistakes and lived through death to some back and save the universe once again. Jordan is the superhero of superheroes, Jordan is the epitome of willpower, Jordan is the true guardian of the universe.
Question 4. What do you think Ryan Reynolds needs to do to capture the essence of Hal Jordan's personality?
Answer - As an actor Ryan Reynolds is very talented, however he does seem to have a more whimsical approach to his acting style. In order to truly capture Hal Jordan's personality, Reynolds will have to tone down his light-hearted humor and focus more on the serious side of the character.
Question 5. Do you think the movie will be a success? What are some things you are worried about the movie adaptation of this comic getting wrong or not portraying correctly?
Answer - Overall, yes I think this movie will be a success. I think Ryan Reynolds was the right actor to play Hal Jordan as long as he sticks to sarcastic humor and a serious attitude to be the best. The rest of the cast chosen seem to fit right too. The only thing I would say I am concerned about is the entity Parallax, in the comics the entity of fear is actually infecting Hal Jordan and manipulating him into doing terrible things. In the movie synopsis it says that Hal Jordan fights against Parallax, so I am curious to see how the entity of fear gets represented in the movie. Hopefully this movie lives up to everything the comics are and will continue to be. I am excited and hope there is a great turnout for The Green Lantern movie.
Note - Just a small side note The Green Lantern movie debuts this summer June 17th 2011. Hope to see you all there!!!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Interview with a Classmate
My second interview is with a fellow classmate. Karen A. is a semi-comic fan she reads Manga and has a love hate relationship with anime.
Interview
Question 1. What do you think of when I say Green Lantern?
Answer - DC Comics, my little brother's are big fans. I have seen the Justice League animated movies with them many times, and Green Lantern is a big part of the Justice league.
Question 2. Have you ever read a Green Lantern comic? If so, what did you think of it?
Answer - I haven't read a Green Lantern specifically, but I have read comics like Batman in which The Green Lantern appears.
Question 3. Are you planning on going to see the movie this summer?
Answer - Yeah I am. Me and my boyfriend are going, he is a huge fan and I enjoy DC comics as well.
Question 4. What are the reasons that you are going to see the movie?
Answer - I like DC more than Marvel, so I am more excited about The Green Lantern movie than say the Thor movie coming out.
Question 5. Do you think The Green Lantern will increase in popularity after the movie comes out?
Answer - It probably will, it seems like every comic series has had a re-surge in popularity since the movies depicting those characters have come out.
Question 6. What do you think about comics books as a printed media? Would you consider it a dying art form?
Answer - I have always liked comics because I also read Manga and the two formats are similar, however I feel comics have more action in them. There is certainly a smaller audience for them now versus the Golden Age and I feel they don't have much exposure in the modern day. I would say kind of yes but there will probably always be an audience for them.
Note - The Golden Age of comics took place in the early 1930s through the late 1940s. To learn more read my post History of The Green Lantern.
Question 7. Why do you think the theme of superhero movies is on the rise?
Answer - Certainly, with the release of Spiderman and Batman the comic book industry is realizing there is an audience for them. As for the audience, superhero plots have always been kind of alluring just because of their struggle between good and evil.
Question 8. Do you feel these movies will help the comic book industry?
Answer - Yeah, I feel it will. With the release of these new movies it draws the younger generation into the plight of the superhero and when they find out the struggle continues in comics they will be more likely to become comic book fans.
Question 9. What do you think superheroes like The Green Lantern are meant to represent?
Answer - As a symbolic representation of good, The Green Lantern might represent more of a message like your imagination unbridled can overcome anything.
Question 10. Do you feel my blog has reached its goal in inspiring people to get involved in comics?
Answer - Once people can find it, yes it would inspire people to become involved in comics.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Podcast: The Endless Possibilities of The Green Lantern Movie
This is a podcast I did with a close friend of mine named Wayne, who is a Green Lantern fan like myself. We discuss the movie the comics and poke some friendly jokes about the other ones favorite comic characters. Listen up to this awesome podcast!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Showcase: The Green Arrow
The Green Arrow is Oliver Queen a master archer and highly trained in martial arts, Queen fights crime using his skill with a bow to shoot down his enemies. Queen's background is similar to the rich roots of characters such as Ironman and Batman, who both had family wealth to help in their transformation into a superhero. However, the difference between them and Queen is that he gave up the billions he got after his father passed away in the name of justice.
Queen Industries was once the home of a self-centered billionaire Oliver Queen, after his father passed Queen inherited his father's fortune and the company. Queen was content in his life, but upon finding out about his father's corrupt business partners, his exploitation of the diamond trade, and his dealings in military weaponry, Queen left that life behind him. Queen passed on the throne to the company because he wanted nothing to do with these shady back alley dealings and was determined to do good in the world.
Queen lost everything, his money, his home, his life and his reason for living. Hope was not all lost yet, Queen found a new leash on life in the form of justice. Fashioning himself as the Green Arrow, Queen began fresh redeeming himself through helping and saving the lives of the people of Star City. After a terrible accident against the city, much of what was once a shining city of life was demolished into ash. In the heart of the damage a forest began to sprout from the ashes, there it should shrouded in mystery, breathing as if it could think, and it waited, waited for its master.
Queen's new life as the Green Arrow did not got unnoticed with the local mobsters and the corrupt police force ruling Star City. Read how Queen takes back Star City and shines life, safety, and joy back into the lives of the citizens.
Below is the cover art for the current comic series the Green Arrow Brightest Day.
Queen Industries was once the home of a self-centered billionaire Oliver Queen, after his father passed Queen inherited his father's fortune and the company. Queen was content in his life, but upon finding out about his father's corrupt business partners, his exploitation of the diamond trade, and his dealings in military weaponry, Queen left that life behind him. Queen passed on the throne to the company because he wanted nothing to do with these shady back alley dealings and was determined to do good in the world.
Queen lost everything, his money, his home, his life and his reason for living. Hope was not all lost yet, Queen found a new leash on life in the form of justice. Fashioning himself as the Green Arrow, Queen began fresh redeeming himself through helping and saving the lives of the people of Star City. After a terrible accident against the city, much of what was once a shining city of life was demolished into ash. In the heart of the damage a forest began to sprout from the ashes, there it should shrouded in mystery, breathing as if it could think, and it waited, waited for its master.
Queen's new life as the Green Arrow did not got unnoticed with the local mobsters and the corrupt police force ruling Star City. Read how Queen takes back Star City and shines life, safety, and joy back into the lives of the citizens.
Below is the cover art for the current comic series the Green Arrow Brightest Day.
 |
| Cover of Green Arrow #1 Brightest Day Copied from http://comicmegastore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_435&products_id=1434 Copyright (c) 2010 DC Comics |
The Green Arrow shows up in many comics with The Green Lantern such as, The Green Lantern Blackest Night and Green Lantern Rebirth. Now I won't ruin the story but the Green Arrow and The Green Lantern are so close that in the Green Lantern Rebirth story you see that Hal Jordan has left something very important for his friend Oliver Queen.
This is another amazingly awesome comic series to invest in, if you are liking The Green Lantern comics from my post - Where To Start - then you will love the Green Arrow comics. Queen is a great hero because even though he lacks the super powers of his other hero allies, Queen is still an extraordinary hero using his skills to serve the greater good and protect the world. Plus the artwork is fantastic!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Showcase: The Flash
The Flash is a moderately well-known superhero, however the reason I decided to do him as my second showcase is because he has a direct and hilarious relationship with the Green Lantern himself. The Flash appears in Green Lantern Blackest Night and in The Flash Brightest Day.
The Flash is Barry Allen a forensics scientists for the police in Central City, New York. Allen is just a normal guy with a normal job, a normal girlfriend, and a normal life. That is until a freak accident, where Allen is struck by lightning, covered in volatile chemicals, and transformed into something new, something not normal, something special - The Flash! With the extra ability of being able to fun faster than the speed of light and generate an energy force called the speed force, Allen fights crime and protects the innocent citizens living in Central City.
The Flash is Barry Allen a forensics scientists for the police in Central City, New York. Allen is just a normal guy with a normal job, a normal girlfriend, and a normal life. That is until a freak accident, where Allen is struck by lightning, covered in volatile chemicals, and transformed into something new, something not normal, something special - The Flash! With the extra ability of being able to fun faster than the speed of light and generate an energy force called the speed force, Allen fights crime and protects the innocent citizens living in Central City.
In The Green Lantern Blackest Night comics, Allen finds himself in the middle of a battle between the heroes of Earth and the heroes of the Universe. Allen's long-time friend Hal Jordan is working with other Lanterns like himself in a effort to end the impending apocalypse. However, Jordan is defensive on whether or not to allow the heroes of Earth such as, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash himself to join in on the battle because he fears them getting hurt. Even as the other heroes begin to question Jordan's allegiance, Allen is there to defend his friend and to re-group the forces to help Jordan in anyway possible.
Barry Allen as The Flash is always determined to do what is right in the name of justice and to find the light-hearted humor in the face of certain demise. Allen makes a great friend to Jordan, keeping him grounded and inspiring some laughter into Jordan's normally tense exterior.
Below is the cover art for the current comic series of The Flash Brightest Day.
 |
| Cover of The Flash #1 Brightest Day Copied from http://comicmegastore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_435&products_id=1550 Copyright (c) 2010 DC Comics |
The Flash plays a major part in The Green Lantern Blackest Night comics as he helps defend his friends and his world. Allen's story continues after the battle is won in The Flash Brightest Day, Allen faces off against some very powerful foes known as The Rogues.
This is another great series of comic books to invest in. The Flash is a superhero filled with humor and a love for protecting the good in the world. The Flash comics have a great story and are beautifully drawn an excellent choice for your next comic book adventure.
This is another great series of comic books to invest in. The Flash is a superhero filled with humor and a love for protecting the good in the world. The Flash comics have a great story and are beautifully drawn an excellent choice for your next comic book adventure.
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