The latest middle-grade graphic novel from the author Minh Le is infused with his own spirit into the classic DC Comics story about the Green Lantern. He drew inspiration from the jade ring that his grandmother always wore. The Vietnamese touch to the story is translated from his past, when his grandmother, Ton Nu Tuy-Nhan, and the rest of the family fled to Vietnam as refugees during the Vietnam War.
This novel is called “Green Lantern: Legacy,” and it is about a Vietnamese-American boy as the main character that obtained supernatural powers through a jade ring that he inherits from an elder. As you can see the story implicates his past with his grandmother, and that is how the whole story fell into place, as he said in a recent interview.
This is the first Green Lantern character that is described as an Asian American. It is a great way to add a twist to the story and fight racism all over the world. In the latest “Green Lantern: Legacy” (not to be confused with “Green Lantern: Legacy – The Last Will & Testament of Hal Jordan” of yore) we can see the exploration of the story of Tai Pham, who lives in an apartment above a store that his grandmother runs.
The action took off when Tai suddenly puts his grandmother ring and he realizes that he is the Green Lantern. Tai Pham is a very quiet person by nature, but once he realizes the power that he manages, he decides that his job is to protect his neighborhood from racist bullies and continue the legacy that his grandmother started in Vietnam.
Minh Le is a father of two children, and this novel made him realize how important the middle school years in the education and character of youngsters are. He grew up in a family of immigrants and refugees, and he said that he is delighted that he is given a chance to remake one of the most iconic American characters infused with an Asian flavor. He also added that this put hit through a lot of pressure and anxiety, just because he was trying to represent a culture that is kind of personal, but at the same time tell all the details that go with this superhero.
Minh Le also faced a problem when writing this novel just because of the difficulty of combining both stories. Since he is from a refugee family, he often wants to talk about the war and the struggles they faced during their early years in the United States. He also said that he didn’t want to get into details about their past during the Vietnam War. He added, “I wanted to talk about that, just because we have such a rich history, but there is so much pain there.”
This novel sends a particular message to people and includes different races in the world. It is a way to global peace among people. The truth is that everyone has the potential to become a superhero, no matter what type of person they are.
This is the first time that we’ve seen a cultural twist in superheroes, enrichen with real history. Paying tribute to his grandmother through one of the most iconic characters from DC Universe is an excellent way to say “Thank you” for all the troubles she went through.
“Green Lantern: Legacy” is a fascinating story that everyone should read. It will grow on you as fast as a horse running on Kentucky Derby. Its release is scheduled for February 4th and you should probably get it if you love graphic novels and appreciate a good story. Just like the precious NFL Super Bowl rings that hold respect, history, and hard work, Green Lantern has his grandmother’s ring that holds incredible power. The best thing is that he uses that power for a good cause, which sends the perfect message to the world.
