#1 [SPOILER] Green Lantern: The Blackest Night
Ya sobre el final de Sinestro War, tenemos novedades sobre lo que seguira de Green Lantern:
HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) - GEOFF JOHNS ON GREEN LANTERN #25
by Vaneta Rogers
If victory is "sweet," then Green Lantern fans are afflicted this week with a massive sugar high.
With Green Lantern #25, the Sinestro Corps War that started for readers in June with an oversized special has concluded with another doozy of an issue – this one a 54-page story of battles and revelations that not only ended this chapter, but teased what's on the horizon for Green Lantern readers for years to come.
So, just like the military briefing we conducted in the middle of the war, we're once again talking to the man who orchestrated this conflict, writer Geoff Johns – this time for a post-war report.
And just like last time, readers beware: Spoilers ahead. As we talked to Johns about the war and its ramifications, we not only reviewed what occurred in the battles of the past (and this issue in particular), but we also found out more about the issue's prophecy of the future that has Green Lantern fans abuzz.
Newsarama: We'll talk about the issue a little more in a minute. But I'm just going to skip right to the prophecy, because that's what everyone's talking about.
Geoff Johns: Before that, I have to give props to Ivan Reis and Albert Oclair and Ethan Van Sciver for their work on Green Lantern #25. It’s absolute genius along with Moose’s and Rod’s colors. And props to everyone who worked on this with me – especially Eddie Berganza, Adam Schlagman, Dave Gibbons and Peter Tomasi. Everyone involved delivered.
And one more thanks to Dan Didio. He’s the reason #25 looks so good. He gave us the extra days to get it done because he believed in the quality of the book. It’s been a pleasure for years to work with Dan. I just had dinner with him and I can’t wait for you to hear some of the things DC has planned. It’s driving me mad with glee.
NRAMA: Well, since we’re talking what’s planned, is the Blackest Night that Ganthet revealed to the Green Lanterns of Earth just a prophecy, or is it something that's in stone and is going to happen no matter what?
GJ: Yes, it’s a prophecy. That’s all I can say. But look at the tag line on the last page. “Across the universe, the dead will rise.” That will happen.
NRAMA: So that’s guaranteed. But that double-page spread of the "War of Light" that was shown in the prophecy – the seven corps at war – is that a guarantee?
GJ: I'd put money on it that it's going to happen. [laughs]
NRAMA: Sounds like odds are good. OK, let's talk about that black lantern we saw. This was the Anti-Monitor who was flying through the air, right?
GJ: Yep.
NRAMA: Landing on a planet somewhere. Are we supposed to recognize and know where he landed?
GJ: Nope.
NRAMA: OK.
GJ: I know where it is. [laughs]
NRAMA: Well, that's kind of handy. And then he unwillingly becomes part of a black lantern?
GJ: Yes. He's the power source of the Black Lanterns.
NRAMA: You've had this planned ever since you came up with the idea to have the Anti-Monitor in this storyline, haven't you?
GJ: Yes.
NRAMA: And then, we have the tease of The Blackest Night coming in 2009. You have it all planned that far ahead?
GJ: Yes. Along with the two geniuses Ethan and Ivan, I know the entire story. We planned everything out, all the way through the storyline. I know every single beat and I’m anxious for people to see them unfold.
NRAMA: Is Blackest Night going to be something that runs through the Green Lantern title, or several titles, or on its own?
GJ: I can't really talk about the specifics of it yet. I can tell you that it's planned, and it's big, and ...
NRAMA: And it involves dead people.
GJ: [laughs] Yes.
NRAMA: Coming out of the ground! Was that planet Earth we saw with the graveyards?
GJ: It looked very much like Earth.
NRAMA: And would that include dead superheroes being resurrected out of those graveyards?
GJ: I'm not going to say anything else. [laughs] But I will say to look closely at the symbol on the black rings.
NRAMA: Ah, yes. The symbol. We’ll let people go grab their issues and look at it. And there were also symbols on the various Lanterns on that double-page spread that Ethan [Van Sciver] did of the War of Light. All the different colored corps have their own symbols and looks?
GJ: All the lanterns, yeah. Everyone has a symbol. Ethan redefined the way Green Lanterns’ energy is used visually. He started the “siren” symbol and now it’s everywhere. He also designed the various Corps’ symbols and there’s a rhyme and reason to them all. My favorite touch is the Indigo Tribal Lanterns. Very organic, which plays into what that Corps’ philosophy and M.O. is all about.
NRAMA: There will be a lot of analyzing of the characters on that two-page spread. The seven corps of light. Let’s talk about these colors, because they're obviously playing a large part in upcoming stories. We've been seeing the revelations of this emotional spectrum building in Green Lantern for a long time now, haven't we?
GJ: It started with Rebirth, when the yellow impurity was revealed as a living power, as Parallax, the embodiment of fear. And green was the embodiment of willpower.
NRAMA: What made you embrace the idea of an emotional spectrum so enthusiastically and develop it into these stories?
GJ: I believe that emotions are more than just the result of a complex brain. There is power in emotions. And this is all about exploring that idea.
I love the idea that, the moment the first sentient being willed their finger to move, they created that spark of green energy out there that could be harnessed and wielded. That was the first power to ever exist. And beyond that are the other emotions and colors and their power.
And it just was cool. [laughs] It was cool to imagine – what kind of power is rage? What does pure rage do to somebody? I remember Ethan and I talking for literally hours about it way back when.
NRAMA: So is Green Lantern going to be exploring the powers behind these emotions even further? You've explained the ideas behind willpower vs. fear, and it's pretty obvious how they fit into the Green Lantern mythos. And the power of unchecked love fits with the Star Sapphire. But how do all these other emotions make sense in the story of Green Lantern?
GJ: You'll know soon. I don't want to talk about this in too much detail. It will all make sense when we finally get there, but the journey to The Blackest Night starts right away.
NRAMA: Well, you already showed us a lot of detail, with lanterns fighting and...
GJ: No, I didn't. [laughs]
NRAMA: [laughs] That wasn't really detail, huh?
GJ: That's the tip of the iceberg of what the story is and what happens with the story. It really is.
But the exploration of the emotional spectrum and why we're exploring that is because it's a great piece of mythology to the Green Lanterns. It's emotion-based. It's all about how people feel and react, with action involved. And that immediately appeals to me. That's what I like – emotion-filled action. And so it's just exploring what the primal emotions mean, and what they can do if we're overwhelmed by them, and how we use them as a power or a weapon for good or evil. Everybody can relate to one emotion. So it's just something great to explore for Green Lantern and Hal Jordan as a character and all the Green Lanterns as characters. And it's got huge physical and action potential, like with the War of Light.
NRAMA: Getting back to something you said about how people use emotions as weapons and get overwhelmed by emotions: You and I talked before about how disabling fear can be and how you're exploring that, albeit somewhat symbolically through the idea of an impurity and its effect on the energy of willpower. Are you doing the same with the other emotions as weapons? Are you going to be exploring their effects as emotions as well as their energy?
GJ: Yes. We'll be exploring all this in Green Lantern for the next ... what? 18 months until Blackest Night. The book will be exploring a lot of these facets. And what you got a small glimpse of in this issue will be explored over the next few issues.
NRAMA: But you're also making it all fit with the existing Green Lantern mythos, with one example being the way it not only made sense with the Star Sapphire story, but ended up explaining things that hadn't really been explained before.
GJ: Yes, it made sense with Star Sapphire. But I'm not "making" a lot of this fit. It just does. Back in Rebirth, Ethan and I were talking about the power of emotions and it just exploded from there. Everything flooded into place pretty quickly. The whole arc for Green Lantern is just ... it's all in place. I've been working on how I'm going to explore it and where it's going to lead us for years.
NRAMA: It’s leading into the third part of the trilogy, right? Like the end of this issue said, there was Rebirth in 2005, then Sinestro Corps in 2007, then Blackest Night is coming in 2009.
GJ: Yeah. But I mean that even with the emotional spectrum, there's so much more to come. But again, I don't want to talk too much about the future.
NRAMA: Another way you've made a lot of this story fit with existing mythology is by incorporating elements of the prophecy that first appeared during Alan Moore's run. Was that something you made an effort to do?
GJ: Alan Moore's story had introduced ideas, and Dave Gibbons and I, when he was working on Green Lantern Corps, we looked back at that story. It's really vague, but it said there will be absolute destruction of the Green Lantern Corps, and Sodom Yat and Children of the White Lobe were mentioned. And we wanted to introduce those elements into the bigger story that we're doing. Incorporate that organically into the prophecy of Cosmic Revelations that I’ve been working on.
I think Sodom Yat has turned out to be a great character. I really love what Pete [Tomasi] did with him and his backstory in Green Lantern Corps #18.
NRAMA: So just for the record, you pronounce it "Sodd-Um Yawt."
GJ: I do!
NRAMA: And what is his status right now, at the end of Green Lantern #25?
GJ: He's Ion. It's really cool because he's the strongest Green Lantern in the universe with the Ion force and the fact that he's a Daxamite, yet if he removes his power ring, he'll succumb to lead poisoning within a matter of minutes. So he's got this great big power, and this huge Achilles' heel, which makes him fascinating to me. I really love Sodom Yat.
NRAMA: Are you going to be using him in upcoming stories?
GJ: He'll be in Green Lantern Corps a lot, and he'll be in Green Lantern too. With Peter Tomasi on Green Lantern Corps now, the two books – they won't be crossing over with each other, but they'll be in the same universe a little more now than they were. We'll be dealing with the aftermath of Sinestro Corps in similar and different ways. The books will feel a little more unified even though they're separate.
NRAMA: Since we're talking status of Sodom Yat and how he fits into the two titles, let's talk about the guys you like to call the "four musketeers." Tell us the status of Hal, John, Kyle and Guy now and where we'll see them.
GJ: Well, they'll appear in Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps. They'll run through both. But really the main thrust of their stories will be told with Hal Jordan and John Stewart in Green Lantern, while Green Lantern Corps will feature and spotlight Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner. So Hal and John are partners and Guy and Kyle are partners.
NRAMA: And you had said in one of our conversations that you would explain in this story why there are four Green Lanterns from Earth. Why is that? Is it related to what Ganthet was saying about Earth being the "keystone" of the multiverse and because it's ... what's the language he used?
GJ: It's the most emotionally rich planet in the universe. Yeah, that's part of it. And there will be more to it when we get to Blackest Night.
NRAMA: So we'll see more about the idea of Earth as a keystone in that story?
GJ: Yes. Earth is a center; it's a hotbed for this kind of activity.
NRAMA: OK, we've got the status of Sodom and the four musketeers. Status of Ganthet and Sayd now?
GJ: They're off, doing their thing. [laughs]
NRAMA: [laughs] They're off creating "hope." And they've got a blue ring!
GJ: Yeah. They've got work to do.
NRAMA: What kind of work?
GJ: Oh, things to do.
NRAMA: [laughs] OK. Things to do. And rings to make?
GJ: Uh ... yyyeah.
NRAMA: OK, and what issue will we see them again?
GJ: You'll see them eventually in Green Lantern.
NRAMA: Status of Sinestro?
GJ: He's under arrest. We'll see him in Green Lantern #26.
NRAMA: He doesn't seem too upset.
GJ: No, he's not too upset. I mean, he could have pushed things further. And he didn't. But as you saw him sitting in the cell at the end, he's not that unhappy. And there are other things to come. He's anxiously awaiting the announcement of the next law.
NRAMA: The next of these 10 laws that the Guardians added? He loved that first law, which let the Green Lanterns use lethal force. But wait, if he's anxious for the next law, does Sinestro know what the laws are going to be?
GJ: He has a feeling what they are. He knows a lot more than he's letting on. About everything.
NRAMA: I'm tempted to ask how.
GJ: Well, we'll be exploring that in Green Lantern over the next several months.
NRAMA: OK, status of Superman Prime?
GJ: In the multiverse. When the Guardian was destroyed, Prime soaked up all the energy. And he's flying around in Countdown for a little bit. But I get him back pretty soon.
NRAMA: Pretty soon? Where?
GJ: Next year. In a... next year. In 2008.
NRAMA: In Green Lantern?
GJ: Nnnnnnnno. That's all I can say. [laughs] For now. I can't say anything else. But I always knew where I wanted to take Prime after Sinestro Corps. They wanted to use him in Countdown for a little bit, and then I get him back.
NRAMA: So the next Superman Prime story...
GJ: ... his next chapter is already planned.
NRAMA: And will be written by Geoff Johns.
GJ: Yeah. In a book I’m not currently writing.
NRAMA: OK, let's see... status of the Anti-Monitor? He's part of the Black Lantern now, right?
GJ: Yep. He's captured as the power source of the Black Lantern. And he's a shadow of what he used to be.
NRAMA: But he's not gone.
GJ: No, he's not gone.
NRAMA: OK, status of poor Cyborg Superman, with that tear on his cheek 'cause those damned Manhunters are going to rebuild him when all he wants to do is die.
GJ: [laughs] That guy never gets a break. What a great tragic villain.
NRAMA: When he looked out of that energy bubble that the Green Lanterns had created as a shield, and he said, "Thank you" as he was about to die – it was heartbreaking.
GJ: Yeah. He was psyched. He thought that was finally his time. And it really is unfortunate that the guy can't catch a break, but he's a really interesting villain, and a really interesting character.
NRAMA: Will we be seeing him again?
GJ: Of course.
NRAMA: And Parallax is divided among the four Earth Green Lanterns in the power battery, right?
GJ: Yes.
NRAMA: And one of those batteries just had to have a University of Michigan symbol on it.
GJ: [laughs] That's Guy Gardner's! He's from Michigan!
NRAMA: Yeah, but those of us from Ohio State can't enjoy that! [laughs] I mean, did you have to have him screaming "Wolverines?"
GJ: [laughs] Have you ever met anyone from Michigan?
NRAMA: Yes, unfortunately.
GJ: [laughs] Come on! It's Guy Gardner! Of course he'd do that!
NRAMA: [laughs] OK, I’ll give you that. You need to have him and Citizen Steel watching the game together.
GJ: Yeah! Totally.
[Newsarama Note: Much of Newsarama Senior Editor Matt Brady’s family went to the University of Michigan, and Brady’s uncle, Joe Carl wrote the music to “Let’s Go Blue.” Brady is finding this whole Michigan tangent distasteful… WOLVERINES!]
NRAMA: But back to Parallax, he's totally contained in the lanterns?
GJ: Yes, he's contained. Separated. Weakened. Screwed up.
NRAMA: But help us out here. If he's the embodiment of fear, do the Sinestro rings still have the same power?
GJ: Yeah, the Sinestro rings can still draw power. He's the living embodiment of that power, but that power of fear exists beyond Parallax. Just like green willpower exists beyond Ion. Ion is just a living being that was born out of that power, just like Parallax was born out of the power of fear.
NRAMA: So does it stand to reason that we will see other "living embodiments" that have been born out of the power of the emotions in the spectrum?
GJ: Perhaps.
NRAMA: OK. I want to talk to you about Coast City. It's a pretty cool story, what you've done with the city in this issue in particular. But tell me if I'm wrong here: Coast City itself is symbolic of Hal and the journey he's taken since Rebirth.
GJ: Oh yeah. It is. On a lot of levels. Issue #25 is, for me, the culmination of the last two years. If you go back into Green Lantern #1, that city's empty. And in the first arc, we focused on Hal's brother and his family. His brother is everything Hal isn't. He's kind of a product of their mother, who, after their dad died, became extremely overprotective. And because his little brother Jim Jordan was raised with that a little more than Hal was, because Hal was older, that really defined him and their relationship in a lot of ways. And you see Jim and his family at the end of that first arc deciding they're going to follow his brother to Coast City despite their fears.
NRAMA: There's that idea of overcoming fear again.
GJ: Yep. And they decide they're going to go there and make a life for themselves because that's their home. And they went, and it's been an unsuccessful rebuild since the beginning. The buildings they rebuilt are empty, the parks are empty, the streets are empty, the schools are empty... the subsidies from the government are stopping. And the way that has now evolved to become what it is today, it's a story of overcoming fear, and of how that city inspires Hal and the city is inspired by him. And that's how we feed off each other with inspiration. It's not just a one-way street. And for this city, and for Hal, things have come full circle. One of the worst moments of Hal's life was when Coast City was destroyed, and that's come full circle to where the city is standing behind Hal and trust him. They're like, "we believe in you."
NRAMA: It even seems representative of other things that happened to Hal over the last couple years. You talk about him earning the trust of Coast City, and it mirrors how he had to earn the trust of the Green Lantern Corps members, the trust of the Lost Lanterns, and even the trust of the Justice League.
GJ: Yeah! Exactly.
NRAMA: With him earning the trust of the people in Coast City, it's like you were closing that whole chapter of the book.
GJ: Yeah. For me, that's what it was. It's the end of that chapter in Hal's life, and in the life of the city. It definitely goes hand in hand.
And also, Coast City is now the City Without Fear. How cool is that?
NRAMA: [laughs] I'm moving to Coast City!
GJ: Yeah. Everyone's moving to Coast City. The place is amazing now. We mentioned how all these other cities were evacuating, but these guys stayed. And they put green lights in their windows to let Hal know, we're not going anywhere. One person put a light in the window, then someone else, then someone else. Who else has a city that's going to be behind them like that? And now you can walk down that street proud to be in Coast City. It's something big to be there. You wear T-shirts that say, "Born in Coast City."
NRAMA: This is becoming a trend for you, developing the stories of the cities. You did it for Flash, and now for Green Lantern.
GJ: Yeah, Keystone City was kind of a blue collar town. And now Coast City is this military town, with a lot of battleships in the harbor. But what's really cool about Coast City is that there are a lot of people living there who overcame their fear to move there even when others wouldn't. Everyone moves to Coast City who wants to stop being afraid of something. Anxiety in kids today is huge, you know. The post 9-11 generation is different than generations past. They used to be told there were nukes that could strike and hit – but they never did. In these kids’ worlds, it did happen. Fear is stronger than ever, so we have to be stronger than ever.
NRAMA: It’s what this whole story has been about really – the battle between the disabling emotion of fear and the enabling emotion of willpower – and here it’s all encapsulated in a city of regular people just like us.
GJ: Yeah. They're people who are looking to live a life free of fear. And it's a community and city that I think is much more, despite its size being so big, it's going to be much more supportive of one another than other cities will be because of everything they've gone through and everything Coast City represents to them. And they've got this great hero. That last shot where the four are flying over and you see the street's jammed? That just says it all. Everybody's going there. And you look at the page before that where, on the last panel, the guys are fixing the sign, and they're talking about, "What do we do for population?" On one side you see the traffic jam of cars with suitcases on them trying to get in, and on the other side is the highway out, and it's empty.
NRAMA: It's a powerful visual. But I want to get back to where you talked about that page with the four Lanterns of Earth flying together. It reinforces the idea of the four musketeers and their unity after the war. It’s not just the ending of a chapter in Hal's life, but for all of them, isn't it?
GJ: Yes, it's for all the GLs. It's for these four guys. I don't just think of Green Lantern as being Hal Jordan. I think of Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner. They've been through a hell of a lot, both together and separately. When I got on Green Lantern in the first place, the whole idea wasn't just, hey let's bring back Hal Jordan and forget everything; it was about bringing back everything. All four of these guys are important characters and are important to the Green Lantern mythology. They're important to the Green Lantern books, they're important to the readers, they're important to me, they're important to the Corps itself and the stories, and they're important to the DC Universe. These four guys are like, rock solid. And if I was in the DC Universe and something happened, I would want those four guys in my corner. They have a hell of a back-up too, you know? [laughs]
NRAMA: Oh yeah. And you had said before that Guy and Kyle would be featured mostly in Green Lantern Corps. And that you will be focusing on Hal and John in Green Lantern. In specific, what is John Stewart's role? Because Kyle and Guy are working with the Corps, right?
GJ: Kyle and Guy will be working with the Corps, and then Hal and John will be working in unison. But also, we have a lot of big plans for John Stewart next year. We're going to be fleshing out John's backstory. It starts with a couple things in #26. You're going to see more John Stewart and who he is. We're going to continue to push the idea that he's the best shot in the Green Lantern Corps.
NRAMA: Right. Like when he took out...
GJ: He took out Bedovian. He's the best shot. There's a reason for that. We get into that in that backstory. We get into where else he's gone. There are plans and ideas for John Stewart beyond Green Lantern. Hopefully those will come to fruition. But John Stewart's a hell of a character, and he'll be getting as much spotlight as all the other GLs.
NRAMA: When you say outside Green Lantern, he's in the Justice League now, right?
GJ: Yeah, he's in Justice League. So that's great, and he'll get more exposure in Justice League...
NRAMA: It was pretty defining how the Anti-Monitor was taken down in this issue by a combination of Guy's creativity and John's administrative skills.
GJ: Yeah. John's a leader. He doesn't screw around.
NRAMA: And Guy is the one who would think of, like, the bomb to throw at him...
GJ: Who else is going to come up with something to hit him with? [laughs] That's Guy Gardner. And that's the great thing about all four of them. You look at all four of them and they're all different. They're all individual.
NRAMA: We talked a little about John and Guy. What about Kyle? What makes him unique? What's his strength?
GJ: His creativity is his strength. And his compassion. He's such a compassionate character; he cares so much for other people. And he's obviously thinking outside the box at all times. And he's strong as hell. He's stronger than he thinks he is. He's not a rookie anymore; he's a veteran. But I still think that he underestimates what he can do sometimes.
NRAMA: He and Hal made quite the team when they went hand-to-hand with Sinestro.
GJ: Yeah! They're like, "What do we do now? We improvise." And they just leap over rooftops.
NRAMA: And when they take Sinestro's power, he's like, "Come on then. The both of you." But Geoff, why make that choice as a writer to have these guys just duke it out with their fists in the end?
GJ: I like the dichotomy of having this giant, huge battle between super-beings and Guardians and the Anti-Monitor and Prime and Green Lanterns and the DCU juxtaposed next to Hal, Kyle and Sinestro just going hand to hand.
NRAMA: And a two-by-four to the head. [laughs]
GJ: Yeah! And the two-by-four. That fight is great as they're jumping from building to building. At one point, you see Kyle just tackle Sinestro, and they fall across the street through a glass window of another building that's half built. And Hal just jumps in after them! I mean, what other heroes can do this kind of stuff?
NRAMA: That's very Hal. To just jump in, chasing the fight without a second thought.
GJ: It is. And at the end of the day, that's who Hal is. How he doesn't need the ring to be a hero. The ring helps him do a lot of cool things, but Hal's the same guy. We have a scene coming out soon where someone says to Hal, "I don't even know why you wear that mask because you act exactly the same. At least Bruce and Clark try to be different."
NRAMA: You know, having interviewed you about this character a few times, it seems like you identify with Hal a lot.
GJ: Yeah. I do. I like how Hal is straightforward. What you see is what you get. I just like Hal's attitude. Heroes are built to be related to and inspired by, and I think Hal's pretty inspiring. Like I just love how, when his power ring is empty, the Sinestro Corps is all over the place, and Kyle says, "What now?" – Hal says, "we improvise."
NRAMA: Do you identify with Hal more than most characters you write?
GJ: Well, you identify with and relate to every character you write. It all just depends on what character it is. But right now, he's probably my favorite character to write. He's just such a great character. He's such a wonderful character. And the Green Lantern mythology and history behind it all is so perfect for a comic book. The idea behind it, the concepts and everything.
NRAMA: Speaking of concepts behind the Green Lantern mythology, we haven't really talked about the Guardians. We've asked the status of everyone post-Sinestro Corps War. What's the status of the Guardians?
GJ: Well, we've got nine of them now because one's dead, and Ganthet and Sayd were banished. And you've got one of them that was scarred by the Anti-Monitor. Those scars will stick. That female Guardian will have those scars from here on out.
NRAMA: And the Guardians are ready to enact the second law?
GJ: Yes, but before that, they need to deal with something that spills out of the first law. The Alpha Lanterns grow out of the first new law.
NRAMA: The Alpha Lanterns grow out of the law enabling deadly force?
GJ: Yes. The Alpha Lanterns are there to help with the first law and allow the Guardians to initiate the second law.
NRAMA: Have we already seen any of the Alpha Lanterns?
GJ: No.
NRAMA: No. OK. Will people that we've already seen become Alpha Lanterns?
GJ: Uh... some will.
NRAMA: And the Alpha Lanterns are appearing in the next issue? #26?
GJ: Yes.
NRAMA: Now that Sinestro Corps is over, what else is coming up in Green Lantern?
GJ: We have three issues of the Alpha Lanterns, which will introduce them. Then we have Secret Origin, which is going to be an origin story with an eye toward the future.
NRAMA: It's Hal's origin story?
GJ: It spans from his childhood to his first time as a Green Lantern. The whole idea is to do a modern-day retelling of who Hal is, and looking at his friendship with Sinestro. We'll be focusing a lot on that.
NRAMA: And what's coming after that?
GJ: It's called Rage of the Red Lanterns.
NRAMA: The Red Lanterns. We saw some of them in this issue.
GJ: Yeah. So that will be a story that will begin in the later part of 2008.
NRAMA: Will it lead directly into Blackest Night?
GJ: No, there are a few more stories after that.
NRAMA: A few more colors?
GJ: Well, there are more stories. It all builds.
NRAMA: You know, this issue was so packed full, it's hard to imagine things can get bigger. You've compared the Green Lantern mythos to Star Wars, and it does seem like a series of blockbuster movies revealing more and more of the hidden mythos. Do you think the Green Lantern movie will be like this?
GJ: I don't know. I wish I had the chance to write the Green Lantern movie because I'd try to make it as kick-ass as this. And I’d pour my heart and soul into it.
NRAMA: And speaking of big, how many characters did Ivan draw here? It had to be hundreds. And so much detail.
GJ: Yeah. Ivan is no doubt the artist of the year. I think the amount of work he's done, the quality of the work he's done, and the effort and energy he put into Green Lantern, and especially Sinestro Corps, has blown away anybody else. And the fact that his work ethic is so unbelievable. He does stuff so fast. He doesn't rush through it – the work is still good. He just draws. Every line's perfect and the storytelling is great. His figures are beautiful and his detail is unbelievable. And I think Ivan is finally being recognized as the A-list talent he's been for years. And he should be. As a writer, I can write anything down on there and he can do it. I've seen pages from Green Lantern: Secret Origin and he can do anything from the great big wars to the real personal, emotional moments. He doesn't shy away from anything. And I'm really, really lucky to have him on this book. And I'm really lucky to work with him.
NRAMA: And you're going to be working with him for awhile into the future?
GJ: I hope we get to work together for a long, long time. He's without a doubt the guy who just shot up to the stratosphere this year.
NRAMA: Well, this issue certainly…
GJ: It proved it. I mean, it's Ivan's statement. And he wanted it to be quality, and he wanted it to be good. Initially, this issue was supposed to come out two weeks ago, and it just wasn't going to happen unless we had two more weeks for Ivan to do it. And he still ended up finishing two days early. And it's beautiful. He didn't rush through it. He doesn't just hack things out. In order for him to get the quality, he needed a little more time. But he did in six weeks what it would take a lot of artists six months to do.
NRAMA: It’s basically two issues, because he did over 40 pages in those six weeks. And you add in Ethan’s pages, and I don't think anyone can argue that this book doesn't come across, from start to finish, as a high quality product visually.
GJ: Yes, it's high quality, and that's what we were going for. We knew. We were like, this story is so big now, and people really enjoy it, we have to end it as carefully and as perfectly as we can. And I'm proud of what we did. I'm proud to work on this book and be a part of this team. Having Ethan come in and do some pages on #25 to set up the next chapter was the icing on the cake. Whenever Ethan and I get together I think there’s some good magic going on.
NRAMA: Is there anything else you want to tell people about Green Lantern as we head toward the next chapter?
GJ: Just that I hope they stick with the books. I hope they stick with Green Lantern and I hope all the people that came on board for Sinestro Corps will be around to see what we have coming up next because it's going to be a great ride. Really, we’re just getting started. Thanks to everyone for supporting the books!
http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=139577
Spoiler Parte 1
HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) - GEOFF JOHNS ON GREEN LANTERN #25
by Vaneta Rogers
If victory is "sweet," then Green Lantern fans are afflicted this week with a massive sugar high.
With Green Lantern #25, the Sinestro Corps War that started for readers in June with an oversized special has concluded with another doozy of an issue – this one a 54-page story of battles and revelations that not only ended this chapter, but teased what's on the horizon for Green Lantern readers for years to come.
So, just like the military briefing we conducted in the middle of the war, we're once again talking to the man who orchestrated this conflict, writer Geoff Johns – this time for a post-war report.
And just like last time, readers beware: Spoilers ahead. As we talked to Johns about the war and its ramifications, we not only reviewed what occurred in the battles of the past (and this issue in particular), but we also found out more about the issue's prophecy of the future that has Green Lantern fans abuzz.
Newsarama: We'll talk about the issue a little more in a minute. But I'm just going to skip right to the prophecy, because that's what everyone's talking about.
Geoff Johns: Before that, I have to give props to Ivan Reis and Albert Oclair and Ethan Van Sciver for their work on Green Lantern #25. It’s absolute genius along with Moose’s and Rod’s colors. And props to everyone who worked on this with me – especially Eddie Berganza, Adam Schlagman, Dave Gibbons and Peter Tomasi. Everyone involved delivered.
And one more thanks to Dan Didio. He’s the reason #25 looks so good. He gave us the extra days to get it done because he believed in the quality of the book. It’s been a pleasure for years to work with Dan. I just had dinner with him and I can’t wait for you to hear some of the things DC has planned. It’s driving me mad with glee.
NRAMA: Well, since we’re talking what’s planned, is the Blackest Night that Ganthet revealed to the Green Lanterns of Earth just a prophecy, or is it something that's in stone and is going to happen no matter what?
GJ: Yes, it’s a prophecy. That’s all I can say. But look at the tag line on the last page. “Across the universe, the dead will rise.” That will happen.
NRAMA: So that’s guaranteed. But that double-page spread of the "War of Light" that was shown in the prophecy – the seven corps at war – is that a guarantee?
GJ: I'd put money on it that it's going to happen. [laughs]
NRAMA: Sounds like odds are good. OK, let's talk about that black lantern we saw. This was the Anti-Monitor who was flying through the air, right?
GJ: Yep.
NRAMA: Landing on a planet somewhere. Are we supposed to recognize and know where he landed?
GJ: Nope.
NRAMA: OK.
GJ: I know where it is. [laughs]
NRAMA: Well, that's kind of handy. And then he unwillingly becomes part of a black lantern?
GJ: Yes. He's the power source of the Black Lanterns.
NRAMA: You've had this planned ever since you came up with the idea to have the Anti-Monitor in this storyline, haven't you?
GJ: Yes.
NRAMA: And then, we have the tease of The Blackest Night coming in 2009. You have it all planned that far ahead?
GJ: Yes. Along with the two geniuses Ethan and Ivan, I know the entire story. We planned everything out, all the way through the storyline. I know every single beat and I’m anxious for people to see them unfold.
NRAMA: Is Blackest Night going to be something that runs through the Green Lantern title, or several titles, or on its own?
GJ: I can't really talk about the specifics of it yet. I can tell you that it's planned, and it's big, and ...
NRAMA: And it involves dead people.
GJ: [laughs] Yes.
NRAMA: Coming out of the ground! Was that planet Earth we saw with the graveyards?
GJ: It looked very much like Earth.
NRAMA: And would that include dead superheroes being resurrected out of those graveyards?
GJ: I'm not going to say anything else. [laughs] But I will say to look closely at the symbol on the black rings.
NRAMA: Ah, yes. The symbol. We’ll let people go grab their issues and look at it. And there were also symbols on the various Lanterns on that double-page spread that Ethan [Van Sciver] did of the War of Light. All the different colored corps have their own symbols and looks?
GJ: All the lanterns, yeah. Everyone has a symbol. Ethan redefined the way Green Lanterns’ energy is used visually. He started the “siren” symbol and now it’s everywhere. He also designed the various Corps’ symbols and there’s a rhyme and reason to them all. My favorite touch is the Indigo Tribal Lanterns. Very organic, which plays into what that Corps’ philosophy and M.O. is all about.
Spoiler Parte 2
NRAMA: There will be a lot of analyzing of the characters on that two-page spread. The seven corps of light. Let’s talk about these colors, because they're obviously playing a large part in upcoming stories. We've been seeing the revelations of this emotional spectrum building in Green Lantern for a long time now, haven't we?
GJ: It started with Rebirth, when the yellow impurity was revealed as a living power, as Parallax, the embodiment of fear. And green was the embodiment of willpower.
NRAMA: What made you embrace the idea of an emotional spectrum so enthusiastically and develop it into these stories?
GJ: I believe that emotions are more than just the result of a complex brain. There is power in emotions. And this is all about exploring that idea.
I love the idea that, the moment the first sentient being willed their finger to move, they created that spark of green energy out there that could be harnessed and wielded. That was the first power to ever exist. And beyond that are the other emotions and colors and their power.
And it just was cool. [laughs] It was cool to imagine – what kind of power is rage? What does pure rage do to somebody? I remember Ethan and I talking for literally hours about it way back when.
NRAMA: So is Green Lantern going to be exploring the powers behind these emotions even further? You've explained the ideas behind willpower vs. fear, and it's pretty obvious how they fit into the Green Lantern mythos. And the power of unchecked love fits with the Star Sapphire. But how do all these other emotions make sense in the story of Green Lantern?
GJ: You'll know soon. I don't want to talk about this in too much detail. It will all make sense when we finally get there, but the journey to The Blackest Night starts right away.
NRAMA: Well, you already showed us a lot of detail, with lanterns fighting and...
GJ: No, I didn't. [laughs]
NRAMA: [laughs] That wasn't really detail, huh?
GJ: That's the tip of the iceberg of what the story is and what happens with the story. It really is.
But the exploration of the emotional spectrum and why we're exploring that is because it's a great piece of mythology to the Green Lanterns. It's emotion-based. It's all about how people feel and react, with action involved. And that immediately appeals to me. That's what I like – emotion-filled action. And so it's just exploring what the primal emotions mean, and what they can do if we're overwhelmed by them, and how we use them as a power or a weapon for good or evil. Everybody can relate to one emotion. So it's just something great to explore for Green Lantern and Hal Jordan as a character and all the Green Lanterns as characters. And it's got huge physical and action potential, like with the War of Light.
NRAMA: Getting back to something you said about how people use emotions as weapons and get overwhelmed by emotions: You and I talked before about how disabling fear can be and how you're exploring that, albeit somewhat symbolically through the idea of an impurity and its effect on the energy of willpower. Are you doing the same with the other emotions as weapons? Are you going to be exploring their effects as emotions as well as their energy?
GJ: Yes. We'll be exploring all this in Green Lantern for the next ... what? 18 months until Blackest Night. The book will be exploring a lot of these facets. And what you got a small glimpse of in this issue will be explored over the next few issues.
NRAMA: But you're also making it all fit with the existing Green Lantern mythos, with one example being the way it not only made sense with the Star Sapphire story, but ended up explaining things that hadn't really been explained before.
GJ: Yes, it made sense with Star Sapphire. But I'm not "making" a lot of this fit. It just does. Back in Rebirth, Ethan and I were talking about the power of emotions and it just exploded from there. Everything flooded into place pretty quickly. The whole arc for Green Lantern is just ... it's all in place. I've been working on how I'm going to explore it and where it's going to lead us for years.
NRAMA: It’s leading into the third part of the trilogy, right? Like the end of this issue said, there was Rebirth in 2005, then Sinestro Corps in 2007, then Blackest Night is coming in 2009.
GJ: Yeah. But I mean that even with the emotional spectrum, there's so much more to come. But again, I don't want to talk too much about the future.
Spoiler Parte 3
NRAMA: Another way you've made a lot of this story fit with existing mythology is by incorporating elements of the prophecy that first appeared during Alan Moore's run. Was that something you made an effort to do?
GJ: Alan Moore's story had introduced ideas, and Dave Gibbons and I, when he was working on Green Lantern Corps, we looked back at that story. It's really vague, but it said there will be absolute destruction of the Green Lantern Corps, and Sodom Yat and Children of the White Lobe were mentioned. And we wanted to introduce those elements into the bigger story that we're doing. Incorporate that organically into the prophecy of Cosmic Revelations that I’ve been working on.
I think Sodom Yat has turned out to be a great character. I really love what Pete [Tomasi] did with him and his backstory in Green Lantern Corps #18.
NRAMA: So just for the record, you pronounce it "Sodd-Um Yawt."
GJ: I do!
NRAMA: And what is his status right now, at the end of Green Lantern #25?
GJ: He's Ion. It's really cool because he's the strongest Green Lantern in the universe with the Ion force and the fact that he's a Daxamite, yet if he removes his power ring, he'll succumb to lead poisoning within a matter of minutes. So he's got this great big power, and this huge Achilles' heel, which makes him fascinating to me. I really love Sodom Yat.
NRAMA: Are you going to be using him in upcoming stories?
GJ: He'll be in Green Lantern Corps a lot, and he'll be in Green Lantern too. With Peter Tomasi on Green Lantern Corps now, the two books – they won't be crossing over with each other, but they'll be in the same universe a little more now than they were. We'll be dealing with the aftermath of Sinestro Corps in similar and different ways. The books will feel a little more unified even though they're separate.
NRAMA: Since we're talking status of Sodom Yat and how he fits into the two titles, let's talk about the guys you like to call the "four musketeers." Tell us the status of Hal, John, Kyle and Guy now and where we'll see them.
GJ: Well, they'll appear in Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps. They'll run through both. But really the main thrust of their stories will be told with Hal Jordan and John Stewart in Green Lantern, while Green Lantern Corps will feature and spotlight Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner. So Hal and John are partners and Guy and Kyle are partners.
NRAMA: And you had said in one of our conversations that you would explain in this story why there are four Green Lanterns from Earth. Why is that? Is it related to what Ganthet was saying about Earth being the "keystone" of the multiverse and because it's ... what's the language he used?
GJ: It's the most emotionally rich planet in the universe. Yeah, that's part of it. And there will be more to it when we get to Blackest Night.
NRAMA: So we'll see more about the idea of Earth as a keystone in that story?
GJ: Yes. Earth is a center; it's a hotbed for this kind of activity.
NRAMA: OK, we've got the status of Sodom and the four musketeers. Status of Ganthet and Sayd now?
GJ: They're off, doing their thing. [laughs]
NRAMA: [laughs] They're off creating "hope." And they've got a blue ring!
GJ: Yeah. They've got work to do.
NRAMA: What kind of work?
GJ: Oh, things to do.
NRAMA: [laughs] OK. Things to do. And rings to make?
GJ: Uh ... yyyeah.
NRAMA: OK, and what issue will we see them again?
GJ: You'll see them eventually in Green Lantern.
NRAMA: Status of Sinestro?
GJ: He's under arrest. We'll see him in Green Lantern #26.
NRAMA: He doesn't seem too upset.
GJ: No, he's not too upset. I mean, he could have pushed things further. And he didn't. But as you saw him sitting in the cell at the end, he's not that unhappy. And there are other things to come. He's anxiously awaiting the announcement of the next law.
NRAMA: The next of these 10 laws that the Guardians added? He loved that first law, which let the Green Lanterns use lethal force. But wait, if he's anxious for the next law, does Sinestro know what the laws are going to be?
GJ: He has a feeling what they are. He knows a lot more than he's letting on. About everything.
NRAMA: I'm tempted to ask how.
GJ: Well, we'll be exploring that in Green Lantern over the next several months.
NRAMA: OK, status of Superman Prime?
GJ: In the multiverse. When the Guardian was destroyed, Prime soaked up all the energy. And he's flying around in Countdown for a little bit. But I get him back pretty soon.
NRAMA: Pretty soon? Where?
GJ: Next year. In a... next year. In 2008.
NRAMA: In Green Lantern?
GJ: Nnnnnnnno. That's all I can say. [laughs] For now. I can't say anything else. But I always knew where I wanted to take Prime after Sinestro Corps. They wanted to use him in Countdown for a little bit, and then I get him back.
NRAMA: So the next Superman Prime story...
GJ: ... his next chapter is already planned.
NRAMA: And will be written by Geoff Johns.
GJ: Yeah. In a book I’m not currently writing.
NRAMA: OK, let's see... status of the Anti-Monitor? He's part of the Black Lantern now, right?
GJ: Yep. He's captured as the power source of the Black Lantern. And he's a shadow of what he used to be.
NRAMA: But he's not gone.
GJ: No, he's not gone.
Spoiler Parte 4
NRAMA: OK, status of poor Cyborg Superman, with that tear on his cheek 'cause those damned Manhunters are going to rebuild him when all he wants to do is die.
GJ: [laughs] That guy never gets a break. What a great tragic villain.
NRAMA: When he looked out of that energy bubble that the Green Lanterns had created as a shield, and he said, "Thank you" as he was about to die – it was heartbreaking.
GJ: Yeah. He was psyched. He thought that was finally his time. And it really is unfortunate that the guy can't catch a break, but he's a really interesting villain, and a really interesting character.
NRAMA: Will we be seeing him again?
GJ: Of course.
NRAMA: And Parallax is divided among the four Earth Green Lanterns in the power battery, right?
GJ: Yes.
NRAMA: And one of those batteries just had to have a University of Michigan symbol on it.
GJ: [laughs] That's Guy Gardner's! He's from Michigan!
NRAMA: Yeah, but those of us from Ohio State can't enjoy that! [laughs] I mean, did you have to have him screaming "Wolverines?"
GJ: [laughs] Have you ever met anyone from Michigan?
NRAMA: Yes, unfortunately.
GJ: [laughs] Come on! It's Guy Gardner! Of course he'd do that!
NRAMA: [laughs] OK, I’ll give you that. You need to have him and Citizen Steel watching the game together.
GJ: Yeah! Totally.
[Newsarama Note: Much of Newsarama Senior Editor Matt Brady’s family went to the University of Michigan, and Brady’s uncle, Joe Carl wrote the music to “Let’s Go Blue.” Brady is finding this whole Michigan tangent distasteful… WOLVERINES!]
NRAMA: But back to Parallax, he's totally contained in the lanterns?
GJ: Yes, he's contained. Separated. Weakened. Screwed up.
NRAMA: But help us out here. If he's the embodiment of fear, do the Sinestro rings still have the same power?
GJ: Yeah, the Sinestro rings can still draw power. He's the living embodiment of that power, but that power of fear exists beyond Parallax. Just like green willpower exists beyond Ion. Ion is just a living being that was born out of that power, just like Parallax was born out of the power of fear.
NRAMA: So does it stand to reason that we will see other "living embodiments" that have been born out of the power of the emotions in the spectrum?
GJ: Perhaps.
NRAMA: OK. I want to talk to you about Coast City. It's a pretty cool story, what you've done with the city in this issue in particular. But tell me if I'm wrong here: Coast City itself is symbolic of Hal and the journey he's taken since Rebirth.
GJ: Oh yeah. It is. On a lot of levels. Issue #25 is, for me, the culmination of the last two years. If you go back into Green Lantern #1, that city's empty. And in the first arc, we focused on Hal's brother and his family. His brother is everything Hal isn't. He's kind of a product of their mother, who, after their dad died, became extremely overprotective. And because his little brother Jim Jordan was raised with that a little more than Hal was, because Hal was older, that really defined him and their relationship in a lot of ways. And you see Jim and his family at the end of that first arc deciding they're going to follow his brother to Coast City despite their fears.
NRAMA: There's that idea of overcoming fear again.
GJ: Yep. And they decide they're going to go there and make a life for themselves because that's their home. And they went, and it's been an unsuccessful rebuild since the beginning. The buildings they rebuilt are empty, the parks are empty, the streets are empty, the schools are empty... the subsidies from the government are stopping. And the way that has now evolved to become what it is today, it's a story of overcoming fear, and of how that city inspires Hal and the city is inspired by him. And that's how we feed off each other with inspiration. It's not just a one-way street. And for this city, and for Hal, things have come full circle. One of the worst moments of Hal's life was when Coast City was destroyed, and that's come full circle to where the city is standing behind Hal and trust him. They're like, "we believe in you."
NRAMA: It even seems representative of other things that happened to Hal over the last couple years. You talk about him earning the trust of Coast City, and it mirrors how he had to earn the trust of the Green Lantern Corps members, the trust of the Lost Lanterns, and even the trust of the Justice League.
GJ: Yeah! Exactly.
NRAMA: With him earning the trust of the people in Coast City, it's like you were closing that whole chapter of the book.
GJ: Yeah. For me, that's what it was. It's the end of that chapter in Hal's life, and in the life of the city. It definitely goes hand in hand.
And also, Coast City is now the City Without Fear. How cool is that?
NRAMA: [laughs] I'm moving to Coast City!
GJ: Yeah. Everyone's moving to Coast City. The place is amazing now. We mentioned how all these other cities were evacuating, but these guys stayed. And they put green lights in their windows to let Hal know, we're not going anywhere. One person put a light in the window, then someone else, then someone else. Who else has a city that's going to be behind them like that? And now you can walk down that street proud to be in Coast City. It's something big to be there. You wear T-shirts that say, "Born in Coast City."
NRAMA: This is becoming a trend for you, developing the stories of the cities. You did it for Flash, and now for Green Lantern.
GJ: Yeah, Keystone City was kind of a blue collar town. And now Coast City is this military town, with a lot of battleships in the harbor. But what's really cool about Coast City is that there are a lot of people living there who overcame their fear to move there even when others wouldn't. Everyone moves to Coast City who wants to stop being afraid of something. Anxiety in kids today is huge, you know. The post 9-11 generation is different than generations past. They used to be told there were nukes that could strike and hit – but they never did. In these kids’ worlds, it did happen. Fear is stronger than ever, so we have to be stronger than ever.
NRAMA: It’s what this whole story has been about really – the battle between the disabling emotion of fear and the enabling emotion of willpower – and here it’s all encapsulated in a city of regular people just like us.
GJ: Yeah. They're people who are looking to live a life free of fear. And it's a community and city that I think is much more, despite its size being so big, it's going to be much more supportive of one another than other cities will be because of everything they've gone through and everything Coast City represents to them. And they've got this great hero. That last shot where the four are flying over and you see the street's jammed? That just says it all. Everybody's going there. And you look at the page before that where, on the last panel, the guys are fixing the sign, and they're talking about, "What do we do for population?" On one side you see the traffic jam of cars with suitcases on them trying to get in, and on the other side is the highway out, and it's empty.
NRAMA: It's a powerful visual. But I want to get back to where you talked about that page with the four Lanterns of Earth flying together. It reinforces the idea of the four musketeers and their unity after the war. It’s not just the ending of a chapter in Hal's life, but for all of them, isn't it?
GJ: Yes, it's for all the GLs. It's for these four guys. I don't just think of Green Lantern as being Hal Jordan. I think of Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner. They've been through a hell of a lot, both together and separately. When I got on Green Lantern in the first place, the whole idea wasn't just, hey let's bring back Hal Jordan and forget everything; it was about bringing back everything. All four of these guys are important characters and are important to the Green Lantern mythology. They're important to the Green Lantern books, they're important to the readers, they're important to me, they're important to the Corps itself and the stories, and they're important to the DC Universe. These four guys are like, rock solid. And if I was in the DC Universe and something happened, I would want those four guys in my corner. They have a hell of a back-up too, you know? [laughs]
NRAMA: Oh yeah. And you had said before that Guy and Kyle would be featured mostly in Green Lantern Corps. And that you will be focusing on Hal and John in Green Lantern. In specific, what is John Stewart's role? Because Kyle and Guy are working with the Corps, right?
Spoiler Parte 5
GJ: Kyle and Guy will be working with the Corps, and then Hal and John will be working in unison. But also, we have a lot of big plans for John Stewart next year. We're going to be fleshing out John's backstory. It starts with a couple things in #26. You're going to see more John Stewart and who he is. We're going to continue to push the idea that he's the best shot in the Green Lantern Corps.
NRAMA: Right. Like when he took out...
GJ: He took out Bedovian. He's the best shot. There's a reason for that. We get into that in that backstory. We get into where else he's gone. There are plans and ideas for John Stewart beyond Green Lantern. Hopefully those will come to fruition. But John Stewart's a hell of a character, and he'll be getting as much spotlight as all the other GLs.
NRAMA: When you say outside Green Lantern, he's in the Justice League now, right?
GJ: Yeah, he's in Justice League. So that's great, and he'll get more exposure in Justice League...
NRAMA: It was pretty defining how the Anti-Monitor was taken down in this issue by a combination of Guy's creativity and John's administrative skills.
GJ: Yeah. John's a leader. He doesn't screw around.
NRAMA: And Guy is the one who would think of, like, the bomb to throw at him...
GJ: Who else is going to come up with something to hit him with? [laughs] That's Guy Gardner. And that's the great thing about all four of them. You look at all four of them and they're all different. They're all individual.
NRAMA: We talked a little about John and Guy. What about Kyle? What makes him unique? What's his strength?
GJ: His creativity is his strength. And his compassion. He's such a compassionate character; he cares so much for other people. And he's obviously thinking outside the box at all times. And he's strong as hell. He's stronger than he thinks he is. He's not a rookie anymore; he's a veteran. But I still think that he underestimates what he can do sometimes.
NRAMA: He and Hal made quite the team when they went hand-to-hand with Sinestro.
GJ: Yeah! They're like, "What do we do now? We improvise." And they just leap over rooftops.
NRAMA: And when they take Sinestro's power, he's like, "Come on then. The both of you." But Geoff, why make that choice as a writer to have these guys just duke it out with their fists in the end?
GJ: I like the dichotomy of having this giant, huge battle between super-beings and Guardians and the Anti-Monitor and Prime and Green Lanterns and the DCU juxtaposed next to Hal, Kyle and Sinestro just going hand to hand.
NRAMA: And a two-by-four to the head. [laughs]
GJ: Yeah! And the two-by-four. That fight is great as they're jumping from building to building. At one point, you see Kyle just tackle Sinestro, and they fall across the street through a glass window of another building that's half built. And Hal just jumps in after them! I mean, what other heroes can do this kind of stuff?
NRAMA: That's very Hal. To just jump in, chasing the fight without a second thought.
GJ: It is. And at the end of the day, that's who Hal is. How he doesn't need the ring to be a hero. The ring helps him do a lot of cool things, but Hal's the same guy. We have a scene coming out soon where someone says to Hal, "I don't even know why you wear that mask because you act exactly the same. At least Bruce and Clark try to be different."
NRAMA: You know, having interviewed you about this character a few times, it seems like you identify with Hal a lot.
GJ: Yeah. I do. I like how Hal is straightforward. What you see is what you get. I just like Hal's attitude. Heroes are built to be related to and inspired by, and I think Hal's pretty inspiring. Like I just love how, when his power ring is empty, the Sinestro Corps is all over the place, and Kyle says, "What now?" – Hal says, "we improvise."
NRAMA: Do you identify with Hal more than most characters you write?
GJ: Well, you identify with and relate to every character you write. It all just depends on what character it is. But right now, he's probably my favorite character to write. He's just such a great character. He's such a wonderful character. And the Green Lantern mythology and history behind it all is so perfect for a comic book. The idea behind it, the concepts and everything.
NRAMA: Speaking of concepts behind the Green Lantern mythology, we haven't really talked about the Guardians. We've asked the status of everyone post-Sinestro Corps War. What's the status of the Guardians?
GJ: Well, we've got nine of them now because one's dead, and Ganthet and Sayd were banished. And you've got one of them that was scarred by the Anti-Monitor. Those scars will stick. That female Guardian will have those scars from here on out.
NRAMA: And the Guardians are ready to enact the second law?
GJ: Yes, but before that, they need to deal with something that spills out of the first law. The Alpha Lanterns grow out of the first new law.
NRAMA: The Alpha Lanterns grow out of the law enabling deadly force?
GJ: Yes. The Alpha Lanterns are there to help with the first law and allow the Guardians to initiate the second law.
NRAMA: Have we already seen any of the Alpha Lanterns?
GJ: No.
NRAMA: No. OK. Will people that we've already seen become Alpha Lanterns?
GJ: Uh... some will.
NRAMA: And the Alpha Lanterns are appearing in the next issue? #26?
GJ: Yes.
NRAMA: Now that Sinestro Corps is over, what else is coming up in Green Lantern?
GJ: We have three issues of the Alpha Lanterns, which will introduce them. Then we have Secret Origin, which is going to be an origin story with an eye toward the future.
NRAMA: It's Hal's origin story?
GJ: It spans from his childhood to his first time as a Green Lantern. The whole idea is to do a modern-day retelling of who Hal is, and looking at his friendship with Sinestro. We'll be focusing a lot on that.
NRAMA: And what's coming after that?
GJ: It's called Rage of the Red Lanterns.
NRAMA: The Red Lanterns. We saw some of them in this issue.
GJ: Yeah. So that will be a story that will begin in the later part of 2008.
NRAMA: Will it lead directly into Blackest Night?
GJ: No, there are a few more stories after that.
NRAMA: A few more colors?
GJ: Well, there are more stories. It all builds.
NRAMA: You know, this issue was so packed full, it's hard to imagine things can get bigger. You've compared the Green Lantern mythos to Star Wars, and it does seem like a series of blockbuster movies revealing more and more of the hidden mythos. Do you think the Green Lantern movie will be like this?
GJ: I don't know. I wish I had the chance to write the Green Lantern movie because I'd try to make it as kick-ass as this. And I’d pour my heart and soul into it.
NRAMA: And speaking of big, how many characters did Ivan draw here? It had to be hundreds. And so much detail.
GJ: Yeah. Ivan is no doubt the artist of the year. I think the amount of work he's done, the quality of the work he's done, and the effort and energy he put into Green Lantern, and especially Sinestro Corps, has blown away anybody else. And the fact that his work ethic is so unbelievable. He does stuff so fast. He doesn't rush through it – the work is still good. He just draws. Every line's perfect and the storytelling is great. His figures are beautiful and his detail is unbelievable. And I think Ivan is finally being recognized as the A-list talent he's been for years. And he should be. As a writer, I can write anything down on there and he can do it. I've seen pages from Green Lantern: Secret Origin and he can do anything from the great big wars to the real personal, emotional moments. He doesn't shy away from anything. And I'm really, really lucky to have him on this book. And I'm really lucky to work with him.
NRAMA: And you're going to be working with him for awhile into the future?
GJ: I hope we get to work together for a long, long time. He's without a doubt the guy who just shot up to the stratosphere this year.
NRAMA: Well, this issue certainly…
GJ: It proved it. I mean, it's Ivan's statement. And he wanted it to be quality, and he wanted it to be good. Initially, this issue was supposed to come out two weeks ago, and it just wasn't going to happen unless we had two more weeks for Ivan to do it. And he still ended up finishing two days early. And it's beautiful. He didn't rush through it. He doesn't just hack things out. In order for him to get the quality, he needed a little more time. But he did in six weeks what it would take a lot of artists six months to do.
NRAMA: It’s basically two issues, because he did over 40 pages in those six weeks. And you add in Ethan’s pages, and I don't think anyone can argue that this book doesn't come across, from start to finish, as a high quality product visually.
GJ: Yes, it's high quality, and that's what we were going for. We knew. We were like, this story is so big now, and people really enjoy it, we have to end it as carefully and as perfectly as we can. And I'm proud of what we did. I'm proud to work on this book and be a part of this team. Having Ethan come in and do some pages on #25 to set up the next chapter was the icing on the cake. Whenever Ethan and I get together I think there’s some good magic going on.
NRAMA: Is there anything else you want to tell people about Green Lantern as we head toward the next chapter?
GJ: Just that I hope they stick with the books. I hope they stick with Green Lantern and I hope all the people that came on board for Sinestro Corps will be around to see what we have coming up next because it's going to be a great ride. Really, we’re just getting started. Thanks to everyone for supporting the books!
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Gracias Geoff Johns!!!! 
