Guy Gardner debuts a completely new look in his new role as the DC Universe’s main Green Lantern. Hal Jordan is the legendary human archetype of the Green Lantern corps, while John Stewart brings the methodical mind of a marine sniper. Kyle Rayner is the artist of the group, and he uses his boundless imagination to forge creatively complex constructs. Simon Baz introduces a gritty edge to the line, and Jessica Cruz channels her deeply empathetic willpower to protect the innocent.
Guy Gardner splits completely away from every other Green Lantern due to his abrasive nature. Guy is a former social worker and football player whose willpower is fueled by his stubborn spite and a refusal to ever back down from a fight. While other Lanterns approach their duties with reverence, Guy Gardner treats the ring like a pair of brass knuckles. He’s the ultimate wildcard of the Green Lantern Corps and every superhero team he’s been a part of, famously including the Justice League International, where his insufferable attitude earned him a punch in the face from Batman himself.
However, Guy’s unwavering loyalty to his friends and his inherent heroism make him a valuable teammate and a surprisingly good choice for the role of the All-Sight, protector of the Emotional Entities.
DC Reveals Guy Gardner’s Older Self
Green Lantern Corps #21; Written By Morgan Hampton & Fernando Pasarín; Art By Oclair Albert & Arif Prianto
As expected, Guy Gardner’s first day as the All-Sight goes as wrong as it could, with he and his teammates stuck inside a black hole. On the bright side, his All-Sight power allows him to see back through time and meet his older self. This older Guy Gardner knows everything his young counterpart will do, and after fighting each other, future Guy helps present-day Guy confront his traumatic childhood and escape the black hole. Thanks to his older self and Ion, the embodiment of willpower, Guy Gardner becomes the first mortal being to perceive and traverse the emotional current.
HBO’s Lanterns Feels Like The Snyder Cut All Over Again
The backlash against HBO’s Lanterns trailer for being too dark and dreary makes it feel like we’re in the Zack Snyder era of DC all over again.
Bald, bearded, and with tattered clothes, the future Guy Gardner has grown wiser than most human Green Lanterns. He also seems to possess absolute mastery over his Green Lantern ring, and he has had enough time to reflect on all his personality flaws to leave behind his typically arrogant attitude. Thanks to his physical might and his insistence on teaching his young counterpart to keep his emotions under control, present-day Guy Gardner achieves the impossible.
Guy Gardner Deserves A Bright Future
Guy Has Gone Through The Wringer To Earn A Happy Life
Despite his arrogant exterior, Guy Gardner’s heroic journey is built on a lifetime of brutal physical and psychological trauma. Guy survived a severely abusive childhood long before he received his ring. Years later, he suffered massive brain damage, lost his ring multiple times, was tortured in the Lab, and was forced to transform into a Vuldarian alien before reclaiming his Green Lantern status. Guy’s recent path has been no less grueling, especially during his time leading the Red Lanterns, as he had to submerge his mind in the red energy spectrum. By now, it’s clear that Guy has paid his dues tenfold.
This pattern of suffering is not unique to Guy. The nature of channeling willpower requires the Green Lanterns to confront their greatest fears on a regular basis, which leaves them vulnerable to tragic falls from grace. Hal Jordan succumbed to grief after Coast City’s annihilation, which led him to become Parallax. John Stewart carries the crushing guilt of accidentally causing the destruction of the planet Xanshi, and Kyle Rayner infamously returned home to find his girlfriend Alex DeWitt murdered by Major Force. Since their job demands to stare into the abyss, the Green Lanterns walk a permanent tightrope over total despair.
Which Guy Gardner look is your favorite?
Green Lantern Corps #21 is now available from DC Comics.
- Alias
-
Alan Scott, Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, Simon Baz, Jessica Cruz, Sojourner Mullein
- Created By
-
Martin Nodell, Bill Finger, John Broome, Gil Kane, Dennis O’Neil, Neal Adams
- First Appearance
-
All-American Comics
- Alliance
-
Justice League, Justice Society of America, Green Lantern Corps
- Franchise
-
D.C.
- Movies
-
Green Lantern