Hal Jordan and the GLC #36 *Preview/Spoilers*

[W.West]

PREVIEW: Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #36
Writer: Robert Venditti
Artist: Jack Herbert & Jose Luis

[W.West]

Issue out. Poll up. Review posted.

[JohnMc]

If Hal is Ric Flair then Guy is definitely Arn Anderson aka the Enforcer. John and Kyle are the debateable ones.

[Space Cop]

Not a great issue, but not horrible. I'm glad to have good GotU back.

Originally Posted by W.West

Issue out. Poll up. Review posted.

Where is the said poll? It's oh so important I register my standard middle-of-the-road rating.

[buffalorock]

Surprised to see The Darkstars and the GotU back.

I was never big into wrestling but I know who Ric Flair is and it didn't go too much over my head.

Not a bad issue though, good to see not only the humans but Ganthet get some moments as well.

[Space Cop]

Originally Posted by buffalorock

...I was never big into wrestling but I know who Ric Flair is and it didn't go too much over my head...

Yeah, that kind of stuff doesn't bother me. I often come across references to music or shows I don't know in comics, but a quick google fixes that and I learn something.

[W.West]

NOW, the poll is up.

[Ωmega Man]

Guy would've been Steve McMichael LOL

~//V\\~

[Kane2814]

Venditti always has interesting ideas for stories, but he never sticks the landing....

(and I hate the "Four Corpsmen" thing...)

[Kane2814]

This issue just cements a problem I've been having with Venditti's handling of the characters here, which is that for the most part, he's telling a story that could just as easily be told with one Green Lantern instead of four. Instead, he essentially replays each story beat with each lantern, just modified to their personalities. So he's telling less story, just taking more time to get there by showing each lantern do it their way almost every step of the way, but with none of them being essential or providing something different.

He was actually able to do it in the first storyline with Sinestro (although he only had three main GL's to juggle at the time) where they each had a different part of the story to tell and each had a different impact. Now they're all advancing the plot in the same way, we just have to see it repeated for each of them so they all get their moment. (or seeing them all do something together that one lantern should be able to do, like breaching the Controllers' stronghold))

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

Originally Posted by Kane2814

This issue just cements a problem I've been having with Venditti's handling of the characters here, which is that for the most part, he's telling a story that could just as easily be told with one Green Lantern instead of four. Instead, he essentially replays each story beat with each lantern, just modified to their personalities. So he's telling less story, just taking more time to get there by showing each lantern do it their way almost every step of the way, but with none of them being essential or providing something different.

He was actually able to do it in the first storyline with Sinestro (although he only had three main GL's to juggle at the time) where they each had a different part of the story to tell and each had a different impact. Now they're all advancing the plot in the same way, we just have to see it repeated for each of them so they all get their moment. (or seeing them all do something together that one lantern should be able to do, like breaching the Controllers' stronghold))

You know, you bring up an excellent point. Some of us as fans have been complaining about DC jamming 4 human GLs and all of the alien ones in one title. It never occurred to me until you said this what a challenge it has to be to WRITE this series. The writer has to juggle all of these characters, especially the main human ones, and find something for them all to do. As you say, they are doing things to push the plot forward that one character should be doing, all to give each one some panel space. Man, that kind of sucks. I suddenly feel bad for Venditti, if he is just writing the series as directed by DC, and didn't pitch the format of the title himself.

[Ωmega Man]

It wouldn't be so bad if different sub plots could be explored more here and there to actually build up the relationships of the four Earth Lanterns. Instead of giving everyone equal time to shine they should really just shift how each Lantern is focused on.

For example, I'd make something happen that tests their friendship. Maybe John can make the call for Hal to stay out of a specific mission that goes to hell without him. Hal could question whether or not John can really lead the entire Corps. What if John reprimands Guy for something and takes his ring? The only one I can't really think of anything for is Kyle, and that's just because I don't want him reduced to [insert female]'s boyfriend. He just works better on Earth with that other middle group of heroes. I suppose he could get some time off and have a sub-plot or two back on Earth.

Every X-Men story doesn't begin at the Xavier School, and every story doesn't HAVE to take place in NYC or Genosha. DC should look at how some of the better received X-titles manage characters and sub-plots. Wolverine didn't always join Cyclops, Rogue didn't always get along with everyone, and sometimes Beast's nerd strength was insane. Right now the four GL's are just too plain.

If the cast of a tv series always did the same stuff every episode it would get old fast. The GLC has faced some big threats where the comics should've felt a bit more epic. Brainiac and an army of Starros are two very big threats that's stories didn't really leave that much of an impact on the title. It just feels like everything right now is by the numbers.

~//V\\~

[Star-Lantern]

I put the sorry state of affairs largely on Venditti. Despite the situation he has to work with not being optimal, I believe a good writer could make it work much better than what Venditti has put out. I don't consider Robert Venditti a good writer.

In my opinion, Steve Englehart, who I consider a good writer, made it work in the 1980s, and as far as I know, he wasn't getting double shipped each month. Why it worked with Englehart is largely because the characters had interesting relationships with each other. Hal Jordan was romantically involved with Arisia, and regardless of where you may fall regarding how you feel about that, it's at least something worth talking about, and Arisia was an important character that got a lot of development. John Stewart and Katma Tui were believably in love and did interesting things, like battle an entire sentient galaxy that was out to get them. Kilowog considered being a communist. Ch'p betrayed the Corps and went off to do his own thing. This hurt the usually stoic Salaak because he actually really liked Ch'p. Guy Gardner was a troublemaker. And ALL of these characters seemed like they knew each other very personally. They lived together, partied together, went on adventures together, and had great relationships with each other. That, I feel, is what really made the original Green Lantern Corps book interesting, and Englehart was able to juggle all these characters well. He also balanced adventure and action really well with character development and personal stories. The stories were quite silly at times, but the important thing to me is that they were fun!

By comparison, Venditti's stories are boring and feel empty, and quite devoid of feeling or interesting interpersonal interactions. I don't care about the characters nearly as much, and the aliens are basically inconsequential. Beyond that, though, the action usually isn't that great (think back to how Prism of Time and ... what was that New Gods golem arc called? Think back to how those stories just abruptly ended. Geez, think back to how Fracture ended. Instead of a cool battle, John just says "Katma" and then the whole thing is over. That is NOT exciting.

Yeah, I put this on Venditti.

[Big Blue Lantern]

This one is an instant classic for the Four Horsemen references and rebirth of the Guardians. Hopefully, there will be no repeat of the "evil GotU" storyline in the future.