Hal Pictures Green Lantern Butt's FOREVER!: Let's Glorify Guy some More

Green Lantern Butt's FOREVER!

Now with Guy Gardner's Seal of Approval!

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Let's Glorify Guy some More

So by now, we all know that originally, Guy was created as Hal's alternate, and then during his coma, placed upon a shelf for a few years, although Hal showed up every so often to say hello. It wasn't until the original Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline came around, that Steve Englehart decided to bring Guy out of his coma, completely change his personality by playing off of his original brain damage and use Guy as practically a villain that he really became...interesting.

So...so very very interesting.

Guy pictures

For one thing, that is one outstanding superhero outfit. It's not typical for one thing, no underwear on the outside, no cape. It's not even that typical of the standard Green Lantern costume, which he did wear, albeit briefly. It's more like a uniform than anything else, with the military-style stripe down the pant legs, the boots that are REAL boots, and the jacket with the collar. Frankly I love it, it is distinctive and unique, while still being immediately recognizable as a Green Lantern and it suits him to a T.

Guy pictures

Secondly, there is that attitude. No one can smirk quite like Guy Gardner, nor defeat AND totally humiliate his opponent at the same time. He may be rude, he may be crude, obnoxious, loud, intemperate, lewd and brain-damaged, but by God, he's efficient...at least when it comes to hitting or blowing things up. I admire efficiency

Guy pictures


Thirdly, Guy is completely and totally unafraid. Of anything. To the point of lunacy.

Guy pictures

And he can certainly take a punch.

Frankly, I think that Batman got lucky here. Guy had taken OFF his ring, and although an athlete, Guy certainly wasn't at Batman's level as a fighter. Plus there was that whole childish/brain-damaged thing going on there. At this point Guy just didn't have a whole lot of experience either. Which is why Bats was smart to take him out quickly.

JLI

He's also...funny.

Think about it. Booster and Beetle are funny too, but it wouldn't have been NEARLY as amusing in the old JLI without Guy. Let's face it, Guy wasn't afraid to take a pratfall, and while he was often the butt of the joke, he occasionally managed to perpetrate any number of them on his own. Guy was funny as an out-of-control Manchild, as a sweet and prim, bonked-on-the head character, as a yellow-ringed lunatic, as Warrior, and as he is today, he always has the best lines in the dialogue.

And finally...

Guy and Kyle

Guy is HOT!

In an unconventional sort of way, but that just adds to his appeal, in my book. Sure, Hal and Kyle are pretty, Alan is distinguished, and John is handsome. Guy is...quirky. He's got big ears, and he used to have that ridiculous haircut, and his nose isn't classical, and he's got a long jawline and a big chin, but he does have purty purty eyes, and dammit, he's distinctive! There are plenty of other red-headed characters out there, but you never mistake Wally or Roy or Ralph for Guy.

He's Guy Gardner, and he's proud of it.

10 Comments:

At 10:46 AM, Blogger The one letter wonder said...

Guy is awesome, I was just re-reading the last JLI hardcover and my favorite part is when Booster and Blue Beetle are walking in and you see above them Guy waiting to drop a 200 pound wieght on them (for them not helping to clean up,lol)

 
At 10:54 AM, Blogger Christian Zamora said...

When Guy was introduced in the old JLI, I used to hate the man a lot. He was certainly unconventional. Then, I noticed I loved to hate him. And ever since, he's become an icon for me. He's everything a hero is not supposed to be and that's why he's the most interesting Green Lantern of all. I didn't read the Warrior book, because I think it was a weird attempt at "heroizing" him. He's a jerk and that's what makes him unique. Oh, and that punch in the face is a classic :D

Oh, and I do have to add that I so miss the JLI... I know, I've said it a thousand times.

Long live the Blue Beetle! :P

 
At 10:58 AM, Blogger SallyP said...

Wonder, that WAS a rather special moment, wasn't it?

Chris, Guy was the one character that practically everyone loved to hate. (except me, I reserve those feelings for Batman) and let's face it, he was inSANEly obnoxious.

But he did have his endearing moments too.

 
At 12:16 PM, Anonymous TotalToyz said...

It wasn't until...Steve Englehart decided to bring Guy out of his coma, completely change his personality by playing off of his original brain damage and use Guy as practically a villain that he really became...interesting.

That's Steve Englehart for you. People accuse Geoff Johns of dumpster-diving in DC history (and rightly so) but it's Stainless Steve who, time and again, rescued a character from the depths of obscurity and, not simply used them again, altered them to make them a viable character in the modern DC Universe where they continue as such to this day. Guy Gardner is but one of his rescuees; Hugo Strange and Deadshot are among the others. (Okay, he should have left Minister Blizzard right where he found him, but nobody hits a homer every time at bat.)

 
At 3:38 PM, Blogger Eldest said...

Two words Sally.... ONE PUNCH!

 
At 12:58 AM, Blogger Brian Smith said...

I feel silly now -- I honestly never noticed the white stripes on Guy's pants. I think my brain just classified them as comic-art highlighting and moved along.

 
At 3:32 AM, Blogger James Ashelford said...

There was an interview (Dave Gibbons?) before GLC Recharge where the guy said he wanted Guy's costume to be a uniform, the uniform for the whole Honour Guard.

That would have been awesome both because it would look cool and because Guy could hold it over Hal's head until the end of time.

P.s. Thank you, thank you for putting up that JLI group shot of awesomeness, so funny.

 
At 6:17 AM, Blogger SallyP said...

While Green Lantern costumes on the whole are amongst the most awesome in comics, I do think that Guy's outfit is one of the best. It also would look good on practically anybody, which is a plus.

And Steve Englehart did have his moments, didn't he? The whole "Pink Elephants" story is one of my favorites.

 
At 6:19 AM, Blogger Sea-of-Green said...

Guy's uniform is proof that Gil Kane's original Green Lantern design was/is absolutely brilliant. It's a VERY simple design, and yet it's influenced so many other costumes (take a look at Spider-Man's costume, for example) -- and no matter how much you change it to adapt to a different character, it's STILL recognizable as a Green Lantern uniform.

 
At 8:41 AM, Blogger SallyP said...

My God! It IS! I never even noticed it before, but just change the colors, and it is totally a GL costume.

It is a classic. Even when I was little, and a Marvel Zombie, I liked Hal's suit. It's just unfussy.

 

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