Friday, May 25, 2018

RETURN TO WILLWORLD

Here's a thoughtful and fun analysis of one of my favorite DC projects, Green Lantern: Willworld.  And I wholeheartedly agree with everything said about the late, great Seth Fisher.  No matter what I asked Seth for in my script, he gave it to me—times ten.  No, times twenty.  A brilliant artist with a truly extraordinary imagination.

13 comments:

  1. I don't care what you say, I actually like Willworld.

    I think I was 18 when I read it. which is maybe the perfect age, given the ideas.

    Also, I was starting to get REALLY into Starlin, which surely helped.

    I'm are that there is some critiques at it being in the GL mythos, and I can sympathize about genre mixing with GL. However, I think it explains itself well.

    Maybe, MAYBE its more of a Kyle story. I think it still works well though.

    Which reminds me, I always thought Kyle Rayner was the Green Lantern I wanted to see you write as a main character.

    His artistic soul (and job), freelancing, his lack of military or police training, having to make his own rules as a Lantern, his awe of other superheroes, complicated relationship with Flash, an ability to see the good in people, his imagination, his father issues, his mother issues, living in New York, and much, much more. Also, only Lantern (I know of) who used his power to give a crippled man legs.

    Jack

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    1. I pretty much missed the Kyle Raynor era, Jack. But he sounds like an interesting character.

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    2. That's a shame. He is an interesting character... a bit more of a Marvel character. Which makes his interactions with DC heavyweights like Batman and Superman interesting.

      I would recommend looking into some of his stories, if ever you are so inclined. His saga as the only Green Lantern was a very interesting one.

      HE was created by Ron Mar, if that has eny effect on you at all. I have always found him to be relatively solid.

      Kyle is also a lesson to writers. He was actually the first Green Lantern I read... coming form a more Marvel background...but many people were livid. Especially since Hal Jordan became evil.

      Well, Geoff Johns reconnected that, and opinions... shifted.

      A guy at my local shop loves GL, he is second only to Flash.

      He used to go on and on about how terrible Kyle was. The the retcon, and Kyle is simply "not his favorite, but still okay."

      That is the lesson that I think Marvel faced recently. It isn't about replacing, it is about what happens to the long standing character.

      I know it probably won't mean anything, I would like to describe Kyle's journey, in hopes of at least enticing you or anyone to give the character a chance.

      Kyle is give the last Green Lantern ring, out of simple availability and necessity. He sort of decides to give it a go. In the first few issues, his girlfriend is killed (this is where we get the term "fridging," coined by Gail Simone.

      He has a sort of rough go after that. With in his first year having to stop the now near all powerful Hal Jordan from re-writng history.

      Soon, he moves to New York. You see, he is a freelance artist, so he can technically work anywhere, and tehy actually get the freelance stuff right.

      He meets a former Green ALntern, who is incredibly depressed because she lost all that mattered to her.

      He actually befriends Guy GArdner (who knew that was possible), as well as John Stewart and Alan Scott... who takes an almost paternal role.

      FLash has an issue qwith him, not being Hal, since his uncle Barry and Hal were so close. You actually see a legit building of friendship, to the point where they become very close. Wally gives him a lot of crap for being a rookie early on.

      He joins the JLA, votes to keep BAtman in when his strike files are revealed. UNderstanding what superheroes look like frm the oputside.

      He admires SUperman, ,but is less comfortable around BAtman. Even mocking him in sketches ocassiony.

      EArly on he does what I don't believe any other Green Lantern has ever thought to do... give legs to an amputee. YEah. He gives legs to someone, when he hasn't quite grasped his power yet. Taht is an intersting turn.

      A part of his subconcious forms an evil entity that defeats toe JLA, and threatens the universe, and his ring sstarts manifesting things that Kyle thinks are real.

      He has mother issues from the start, but they grow closer. But there is a big question about his former military father, who abandoned Kyle as a kid.

      THey actually play on what that did to him a bit.

      Hal comes from the past at one point, after he dies, but before he is the Specter, and Kyle has inferiority issues.

      He actually holds out a belief that Hal is a good guy, despite teh issues, and is one of his strongest defenders after Hal's death.

      He goes off into space at one point to clear his had, ,after he gets a bit too agrgressive wihth some guys who commit a hate crime on a gay friend of his.

      Actually defending space...which few Green Lanterns do when there IS a corps and regulations to do as such, on his own.

      During this time his third girlfriend leaves him and he gets less connected with Earth, returning him only to see what has gone on without him. Joh Stewart now mostly taking over his role.

      He then leaves for space, looking for where he belongs. The month before Hal returns.

      Through out all of this, he holds out hope of being a fine artist.

      Then there is the whole torch bearer/second Ion thing.

      And that, is just the tip of the iceberg.


      Sorry about that.

      Jack





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    3. Sounds like great stuff...and Ron Marz is an excellent writer, so I'm sure it is!

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    4. Sounds like great stuff...and Ron Marz is an excellent writer, so I'm sure it is!

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    5. In fairness, their were other writers. Ron MArz created Kyle, and was probably the best and longest. HE came bck three times to close the chapter of him as the only GL, and push him forward past that.

      But tehre will still other writers who did good work, though. Not trying to take away from Mr. Marz, just give credit where credit is due.


      Jack

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  2. Hey Dematteis, did you know that you wrote a Black Lightning story for an issue of Detective comics in 1980?


    Jack

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  3. Off topic, finally saw Justice League Dark. It was pretty good. I love how Etrigan and Swamp Thing were properly represented. Not sure I appreciate this incarnation of Black Orchid being a huge fan of hers from the Vertigo series. I hope Sicily treated you well.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed it, Douglas. My contribution was an early version of the story, but I think they did a great job with it.

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  4. I sent a message supporting Willworld like two weeks ago.


    Jack

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    1. One of the Great Lost Comments, I suspect.

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    2. Actually, its up a little higher


      JAck

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