While we spoke to Robert Venditti, Newsarama spoke with his co-writer on Green Lantern Corps, Van Jensen. Below are a few highlights from the interview in which Jensen talks about GLC being rebuilt post-Johns, the image the Corps has throughout the universe, John Stewart & Fatality and more.
Van Jensen on co-plotting GLC with Venditti:
Rob and I have been friends for years and have worked together a lot in the past, including collaborating on writing projects. He’s one of the smartest writers in comics, and I’m very lucky to have him helping me and pushing me as I learn the ropes. Rob has some great, great stuff planned for Green Lantern, and we’re working closely to make sure that Green Lantern Corps — while standing on its own — fits seamlessly with the flagship title.
What genre will GLC be now?
It’s an adventure book, first and foremost. This is the universe’s police force, armed with powerful rings, battling against all sorts of nefarious villains, protecting the innocent.
But, in the wake of recent events, there’s a very different status quo on Oa. And so a lot of the book will focus on rebuilding the Corps, and the personal and political struggles that impact that effort. To throw around comparisons, I think it combines the intrigue and drama of Battlestar Galactica with the adventure and whimsy of Doctor Who.
The status of the corps after “Wrath of the First Lantern”:
The Corps is decimated and rudderless after the revelation of the Guardians’ evil schemes, and so they need both new Corps members and new leaders.
As with any organization facing a leadership vacuum, there will be struggles for control, with different sides pushing different agendas. Also, the Green Lanterns have a tarnished image throughout the universe thanks to the Guardians, and so part of their struggle will be to serve as a police force for alien races who despise and fear them.
Van teases a big threat for the series:
John and Fatality respond to a seemingly benign emergency call on an alien planet, and they discover that the situation is far more dangerous than expected. All I’ll say for now is that a big threat is looming, one that is both old and new.
Jensen on shaking up the series cast:
There will be a fairly significant shakeup. John Stewart is our main character. Other central characters that are continuing on will be Fatality, Kilowog, Salaak, Soranik Natu and a few others. Each of them has a new role in the Corps, and the adjustment won’t go smoothly. And then the Corps is in desperate need of new members, so we’ll be meeting a lot of rookie Lanterns.
Jensen on what the series could potentially be:
Green Lantern Corps offers so much. There’s a cast full of characters with complex personalities, a deep mythology and action and intrigue that spans the entire universe. I hope this book can continue to be an exciting, character-driven piece of the DCU, a book with new developments for existing characters and strong debuts for some new faces.
For me, this is a thrilling opportunity. I’m coming from a background in indie comics and journalism, and so I’m learning a lot very quickly — with much help from Rob and our great editors — about monthly comics. It’s a new challenge, and I’m hoping the fans will enjoy this next age of the Green Lantern Corps.
Complimenting artist Bernard Chang:
Bernard is a dynamite artist. He nails the little character beats and the huge action sequences and everything in between. He adds a lot to the storytelling as well, always looking for ways to make each issue as good as it can be. I’m thrilled to get to work with him.