Speaking with Cosmic Book News, Green Lantern Corps writer Van Jensen gave a few details about certain lanterns that I couldn’t help but find intriguing. Find out who he has plans for, teases to what those plans are and more after the jump.
Van Jensen on developing John Stewart:
When DC offered me the book, there were no plans to kill off John. It was our plan from the start that John would be the main character of the series. So while it was kind of disappointing to have those rumors grow out of control, it was a great reminder of how much fans love John. And now the pressure is on me to give him his due as a character.
John is one of the most tortured characters in the history of comics. He has experienced tragedy after tragedy, and often he’s blamed himself (rightly or wrongly). But I don’t want to fixate on that. What strikes me most about him is the way that he was raised, how he was taught by his mother to stand up for what’s right, to educate himself, to use his mind to effect change in the world. I would call him the intellectual of the Earth Lanterns. And so, with the Guardians gone and the Corps entering a new paradigm, he will be one of the leading thinkers imagining what the Corps should become, what its role should be, how it should be governed.
…His family history is interesting and often is glossed over. His background in architecture will play a prominent role, his love of music…
Teasing former rookie trainer Kilowog’s new role:
Kilowog will have a new role of his own, one that he’ll struggle to fit into. There’s a pun in that answer, but you’ll have to read the coming issues in the GL universe to get the joke. (Sorry, I’m a writer, I can’t resist the urge to be clever!)
Van on Soranik Natu & new lantern recruits:
Kilowog will have a presence, as will Salaak (also in a new capacity). Soranik Natu is struggling with the loss of Korugar, and we’ll see how she grieves her planet. Plenty of other regulars will be around. And then we’ll meet four new recruits. I’m really enjoying writing them. The Corps isn’t very popular in the universe after the Third Army debacle, and so some recruits don’t even want to be Lanterns. So we’ll see how they react after essentially being drafted into service. Each of them also represents a very different type of willpower than what we have seen in the past.
Van Jensen teases Relic’s impact:
You will not want to miss Green Lantern Corps #24. Relic’s impact in that issue will be felt for a long, long time.
“Green Lantern Corps” #21, Van Jensen’s first issue, hits shelves June 12th