Your Least Favorite Lantern?
Your LEAST favorite Green Lantern seems like a loaded question, but that is the one that was asked of readers over at CBR, or "Comics Should Be Good". The results have finally been tallied, and John Stewart wins with 30% of the vote. Or actually, he loses, depending upon how you are looking at it. Poor John. Apparently quiet competence doesn't quite cut it.
Hal was next with 26%, followed by Kyle with 23% and finally Guy with 22% Which means that Guy Wins! He's the least least favorite Lantern! I find myself rather stunned by this. I mean I like him, and certain other of my cohorts like him too. But really, for a while there he was awfully obnoxious. He certainly can STILL be obnoxious. But he pairs it with...charisma. Or something.
So I'm snickering to myself...and applauding your good taste.
Booyah!
posted by SallyP @ 12:53 PM
9 Comments:
I hadn't known of this poll, else I'd have voted for Guy. The embodiment of everything that was wrong with the 1980s; or, put more succinctly, of the 1980s.
Awwww...c'mon. Guy was the guy that everyone loved to hate. And he was STILL one of my favorite characters...but I'm contrary that way.
Guy is awesome, my favorite out of the bunch. BTW can anyone recommend some "must read" material for the core four that you think provides the essence characters? I got in a discussion about these guys recently and some of us would like to see why characters are so beloved. I confess I don't think I understand Hal at all.
Back during Gerard Jones run, I really hated Guy. He was the prototypical bully. Now however, I like him much more. Oddly I think its because he chooses to act like a jerk, rather than it being natural, or due to brain damage.
Hal's appeal is that he's got that Rat Pack/Captain Kirk/Tony Stark kind of confidence in being right and knowing how to get the job done, I think. He works better now as a throwback than all the various ways they tried to make him grow up.
Too bad it only applied to actual GL Corps members. I would have picked Jade. As it was, I had to vote for Hal, despite actually liking all 4 choices. Kyle's more imaginative, John's more competent and disciplined, and Guy's, well, more Guy.
Thing is, I would have picked John if this poll had been conducted in the late 80's circa COSMIC ODYSSEY, but I've grown to love his character since MOSAIC.
All of the four GL's have gone through their various ups and downs. I agree that John was stunningly fabulous in Mosaic...but that's been a rather long time ago, and he hasn't been particularly well-handled since then.
I've always thought that Hal was JUST as big an ass as Guy...but didn't have the brain-damage to blame for it. Somehow, whether due to his innate charm or his incredible hair, Hal always manages to come out smelling like a rose. And yet, I'm still fond of him.
And really, how can anyone dislike Kyle? He's adorable. And sweet. A little dim perhaps, but sweet.
And Guy is Guy. And will always BE Guy. Erin, go and read some of Kalinara's essays on Guy, and Hal and Kyle and John sometime, over at Pretty Fizzy Paradise. She has a wonderful knack for getting at the core characters of our beloved GL's.
If you are looking for books to read, definitely pick up Mosaic for John. The Steve Englhart run on Hal is fun, as is the earlier stuff. Kyle is always interesting. For Guy, go to his old series, Guy Gardner: Warrior. The art is horrendous, but the stories are a hoot. Especially after Beau Smith took over. It's none of it too serious, but he did wonders with Guy after he healed from the brain damage.
Face, I would have picked Jade as my least favorite Green Lantern too.
Thanks Sally! The recs might take awhile to track down so I'll start with the essays first. Looks good.
My Dwayne McDuffie post highlights a recent favorite John moment at the tail end. Too bad Dwayne never got to write a Stewart solo series.
Oh, now there's a Might-Have-Been that Should-Have-Been.
*sigh*
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