THE TALES OF THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS: GUY GARDNER #1

Is Guy Gardner being paranoid and off his rails again, or are the Manhunter Androids really suspicious? It’s up to John Stewart to help wrangle in the Lantern everyone loves to hate as this issue takes us across the galaxy and brings some epic fights!

Creative Team: Gerry Duggan, Matteo Lolli, Laura Braga, Vasco Georgiev, John Kalisz, Dave Sharpe, and Edwin Galmon.

This is a joint review by Matt of Hops ‘Geek’ News and Megan of Vigilante Vibes Podcast!

SPOILERS AHEAD

The Story:

Megan: I didn’t know what to expect from a story that’s all about Guy Gardner, but I left with loving Guy even more than before. Gerry Duggan gives a story that’s narrated by the Corps’ Internal Affairs’ Zardum that follows Guy as it seems he’s off his rocker more than usual. Sure, Guy is usually paranoid, but Zardum seems to think it’s more than usual based on his alleged misconducts. Zardum thinks the only person that can help is John Stewart.

This comic gives a great look into the relationship between John and Guy, and you’ll end the comic feeling fulfilled to see these two icons working together. Gerry Duggan makes The Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: Guy Gardner #1 a fun-filled story with a story that’s wrapped in the green excitement of the Green Lanterns.

Matt: Guy Gardner is perhaps the most hateable character yet, and at the same time, I can’t help but feel protective of him, like he is the DC Universe’s little brother. Gerry sets us up to think that Guy is this paranoid, off-the-rails, careless Lantern, and this time Guy has really lost his mind. What unfolds is John Stewart having to fight him across the stars and Earth to bring Guy back down to Earth, and the issue is equal parts hilarious and action-packed.

At the start of the issue, we of course, want to punch Guy as he is threatening death on an alien to get information. However, by the end, you want to hug him as he doesn’t have a family or many friends. Gerry wrote this story so well and wove an impressive amount of emotions throughout. Guy once again can live to see yet another day as deep down there is a decent person in there somewhere.

The Art and Letters:

Megan: Matteo Lolli, Laura Braga, Vasco Georgiev, John Kalisz and Dave Sharpe made this comic nothing short of stunning. Each page is filled with excellent detailing work, wonderful shading, and beautifully drawn characters. The coloring by John Kalisz is phenomenal work. Every panel has a great deal of vibrancy with the iconic green being a focal point. Dave Sharpe handles the lettering and provides a great flow of dialogue throughout the comic. What I love that Sharpe does is having the perfectly timed sound effects that give you an even better look at what’s happening in the story. Together, the artists really knocked this out of the park.

Matt: The artwork took us to some creative settings in this issue. Traveling from Earth to space and even to the HR office of the Green Lantern Corps! I loved how the team brought about diversity in the species we saw, such as Apes or the Drekonites. It’s always a joy seeing the creative ways that the Lanterns use their rings to create things such as trains or weapons in battle as well. Dave’s lettering captures the annoying voice of Guy and the soft, older brother concern of Stewart so well, which really brings the emotions out in various points of the story. I couldn’t get enough of the creativity within this issue!

Final Thoughts:

Megan: 10/10. I found Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: Guy Gardner #1 to be an absolute blast! Gerry Duggan knows how to keep the reader locked into the story and the artists made this a stunning comic all around.

Matt: 10/10. Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: Guy Gardner #1 is a fun and emotional rollercoaster, as only Guy Gardner could bring. One minute, we want to punch him in the face, and by the end of this issue, we want to just hug him. It was a fun issue, and I would love to get more from other Lantern perspectives!

Overall Grade: 10/10

Let us know how badly you want to punch Guy Gardner in the face in the comments below!