Intro (orginally posted 7/17/13):

I've been greatly amused and inspired by Shax, Chris, Spoon, and others with the review threads here, so I decided to venture into my own!

Just a little background on my comic fandom... I started buying monthly a bit before Zero Hour (1991-ish) at 16, when I had both money and transportation to the LCS. I've since read LOTS of stuff before that, but Kyle Rayner is definitely MY Green Lantern. I like the others, but they are definitely not my guy.

I LOVE the concept of the Corps, but I feel like Johns killed it with the weird Rainbow of rings... I haven't read much of his stuff, and almost none from new 52.

I'll be happy to debate the merits of Hal Vs. Kyle or whatever with whoever in the reviewing process, as long as everyone stays nice.

I'll be starting at GL #50 (where Kyle gets the ring), rather than #48 (which is his official first appearance), since that's really the end of Hal's story (well, that part of it, anyway)

I hope to go through the rest of that run, and will include a few important crossovers/side appearances... probably 2 or 3 a week... (I'd like to promise daily, but that'd be kinda unrealistic).

I will NOT include any Titans stuff (long story for another thread) or JLA stuff (since that would really merit it's own review thread). I do own the latter, though, so if things come up, I can check' em out.

Happy Reading!

Posted by Shaxper (7/17/13):



Originally Posted by Wildfire2099:
 
I'll be happy to debate the merits of Hal Vs. Kyle or whatever with whoever in the reviewing process, as long as everyone stays nice.

To be fair, even though I'm a classic Hal guy through and through, I'd be hard pressed to tell you why he's a better Lantern than Kyle other than the fact that he was there first (and no one really uses that argument to put Alan Scott over Hal).

Originally Posted by Wildfire2099:

I'll be starting at GL #50 (where Kyle gets the ring), rather than #48 (which is his official first appearance), since that's really the end of Hal's story (well, that part of it, anyway)


But Marz started with #48, and it's Kyle's first appearance. I'd personally suggest beginning at #46 (since it lays the seeds for all that happens with Hal), skip #47 (random fill-in issue that violates continuity anyway) and then continue with #48+. It's only three additional issues. Then again, that's just my opinion on the matter.

Originally Posted by Wildfire2099:

I hope to go through the rest of that run, and will include a few important crossovers/side appearances... probably 2 or 3 a week... (I'd like to promise daily, but that'd be kinda unrealistic).


Awesome! Looking forward to it!!!

Originally Posted by Wildfire2099:

I will NOT include any Titans stuff (long story for another thread)
Happy Reading!


I'd love to hear it! I never read the Titans stuff with Kyle in it, so I have no idea what the merits and flaws of those issues are.

Originally posted 7/17/13

Originally Posted by shaxper:

But Marz started with #48, and it's Kyle's first appearance. I'd personally suggest beginning at #46 (since it lays the seeds for all that happens with Hal), skip #47 (random fill-in issue that violates continuity anyway) and then continue with #48+. It's only three additional issues. Then again, that's just my opinion on the matter.


I thought about it, but I feel like that's really Hal's story, and it's been reviewed/discussed to death. I almost was going to start with 51, actually, but I like even numbers I'll certainly mention some of those events in the first review, though.


Originally Posted by shaxper:

I'd love to hear it! I never read the Titans stuff with Kyle in it, so I have no idea what the merits and flaws of those issues are.


I'm a huge Wolfman/Perez fan (the early years, anyway)... I left a bit before the end (During Titans Hunt). When I heard Dick and Kory were going to get married, I was thrilled, and picked it back up. Between that, and the dismantling of Raven and Cyborg, I swore (as only self-righteous college students can), that I'd never buy the rest of the run. Most of that has been since retconned, but still...

There's another reason that is actually Kyle Rayner related, and I'll get to it when the reviews warrant

Posted by Reptisaurus! (7/17/13)

Originally Posted by Wildfire2099

I agree. I do like Kyle the best, but the whole Green Lantern mythos is very cool. I do find Hal the least interesting, but that's probably because of when I was reading at first more than anything.

That's not absolutely true. Hal's... well, he's not my least favorite Green Lantern, but he doesn't make my top 3,400. And he's the first one I came across. All my favorite Green Lantern stories are Hal stories, though.

Originally posted by !Pharozonk! (7/18/13):


Originally Posted by Chris N

Somehow, this seems appropriate to inaugurate the thread with.

When you're ready to have a serious conversation about Green Lantern...


I'm confused. What is that article a response too? Or is it just a joke?

Original Post by Shaxper 7/18/13:


Posted by Wildfire2099

I thought about it, but I feel like that's really Hal's story


I don't think any fans of Hal feel that way. Marz created the entire situation in order to clear the way for Kyle. Nothing about #46-49 feels particularly authentic to who Hal was or what he'd been dealing with previously.

Of course, "I don't feel like it" is also a valid reason for not starting there

Green Lantern #50
‘Emerald Twilight 3: The Future’
Marz/Banks/Tanghal/Mattsson/DeGuzman
Editor: Kevin Dooley
Grade 3/5



Plot: Hal’s got a fist full or rings, and he means to take all the power in the central battery! In his way: Sinestro, who the Guardians let out of prison to take him on. Sinestro talks Hal into not using his extra rings, then, after a ring duel that’s a draw, they just slug it out.. ending in Hal snapping his neck.

Suddenly, Kilowog comes out of nowhere to flattened Hal, and gives him a big lecture while beating the poozer down. Hal decides he has to do what he has to do, whatever it takes, and incinerates him. After a little lecture to the Guardians, he tosses his ring away, and goes into the battery, to claim its power.

Finally Ganthet, (with his super-hip pony tail) convinces his fellow Guardians to actually do something, and they do… siphoning off as much power as they can into 1 ring(which we later learn was Hal’s ring), which they give into Ganthet’s care.

As a transformed Hal leaves the battery taking the lives of the Guardians and most of the power battery’s power (or perhaps 1/2?) with him. Ganthet give himself a pep talk and goes to Earth, where he finds a young man leaving a club. He gives him the ring, with no explanation, and vanishes. The man puts it on, and finds himself in a traditional GL uniform as the issue ends.

Analysis: Sinestro gets all the good lines… Marz almost makes you want to root for him. The dialogue for everyone else is extremely trite, and is clearly meant to have.. lots… of… gravity. Personally, I think it overdone, and it comes off as a bit hokey. It also makes NO sense why Sinestro would get into a fist fight.. why not use the ring and cheat? That’s what he does… I guess when you do a ‘face turn’ you have to be honorable….

OTOH, Hal DOES use the ring against Kilowog, just in case there was any question he was ‘bad’ now. The whole sequence is a little bit illogical. The Guardians talk about how that don’t want to act, but yet they acted in releasing Sinestro. Why not act to power up Kilowog (since he was there, and they know he’s loyal), since they obviously can? Perhaps that would have worked to talk Hal down.

I know a lot of Kyle haters don’t like the randomness of him getting the ring, but I think it’s anything but. Ganthet doesn’t just wander the Earth, he beams straight to Kyle. I’ve always felt he chose him because he knew his strength of will, and the asset of his creativity, Kyle could come into his own without too much pressure. Also, another heavy speech about destiny and such and the comic would fall through the floor. Ganthet always champions Kyle at every turn… he wouldn’t do that if it he was a random choice, he’s just take the ring back and try again.

Ring Constructs: Nothing too exciting, since no Kyle yet… Sinestro does use some cool throwing stars, which Hal blocks with a decorated shield.. so Banks is getting ready, at least.
Background notes: Just a little shout out to Nine Inch Nails (Kyle’s t-shirt).