Salakk

I like Salakk. I don't like him as much as Kilowog of course, but there is something admirable about a four-armed pink-headed alien who enjoys being miserable. For some reason, he sounds like Alan Rickman to me.



His best friend was an anthropomorphic squirrel, who unfortunately, was squished by a yellow school bus in "Mosaic" Horrific, and yet oddly amusing. Poor Salakk just hasn't been the same since Ch'p went to that big old tree in the sky.

I guess I like Salakk because he was one of the (very) few Green Lanterns who DIDN'T think that the sun rose and set on Hal Jordan. Way back in Vol.II, when Hal shows up and harangues the Guardians into giving him back his sector, ALL the Lanterns are just gushing about how fabulous he is...except Salakk. Salakk's attitude is more like..."oh, it's you."

Salakk was fun because, with the sole exception of Ch'p, he didn't really seem to like ANYBODY! He ended up coming to earth with Hal, John, Katma, Arisia, Ch'p and Kilowog, but that didn't mean that he was going to enjoy himself. Salakk strikes me as one of those people who are ONLY happy, when they have something to feel miserable about. But he still did his job, and was apparently a very efficient and competent Green Lantern.

He and Guy Gardner did not get along. I realize this may shock all of you, but apparently, MOST people did not like Guy Gardner when they met him for the first time. Or the second. Interestingly enough, an awful lot of the Lanterns that hated Guy's guts at first, all seem to be on pretty good terms with him now, such as Kilowog and Arisia etc. Heck, even Boodikka seems to like him now. But NOT Salakk. In fact, Salakk seems to be taking a great deal of trouble, to make Guy's life a misery to him.

This seems to be rather churlish on Salakk's part, especially considering that way back in Warrior, Guy happened to be the one to save Salakk, and a whole bunch of other ex-Lanterns from being sold into slavery. Perhaps having to be saved has rankled a bit. Or maybe Sal is just jealous that Kilowog and Guy are such best friends.

But there is more to Salakk than just being goofy-looking and morose. He's now the Keeper of the Book of Oa, and pretty much the head honcho of the Green Lantern organization, at least in its current incarnation. He's the liason to the Guardians,and he holds a whole LOT of power. I do like the fact that his personality is being delved into more. He's not the complete prick that he likes to appear, as is evident in his reaction to Soranik back in GLC #3. They've captured the Prince of Betrassus, who turns out to be a mass murderer, but since he has diplomatic immunity, they can't hold him. Guy's pissed, and Soranik is REALLY pissed, but Salakk is firm in his decision. Then he tells her not to take things for granted...and it turns out that Betrassus actually executes their own Prince.

I do like his and Guy's relationship however. He's always sending Guy off on these missions, denying him shore leave at the drop of a hat, and trying to frustrate him at every turn. Guy on his part screams and yells...but goes off and does it. It was also interesting to me, that when Guy was on Restoria, and had lost his ring, Salakk was the one to fly off and rescue him. Granted, he didn't really NEED to be rescued, but still! Salakk didn't do that for Hal when he was a POW, and had left his depowered ring behind all those months. I did love it when Sal stole Guy's Android Tigerrrrr girls. He was so relaxed after that, wandering around with a flower for a whole issue, which was a hoot.

Sal may be a tad on the anal-retentive side, not to mention prissy,haughty, and uncompromising, but he's a darn good Lantern. I just hope he doesn't get infected by the Despotillis virus that is floating around right now.