Of all superheroes, Guy Gardner is the biggest jerk and it’s not even close. Enter the new one-shot Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: Guy Gardner, out this week, which displays how much of a jerk he is, but also a bit of his humanity. An issue that delves into Guy and John Stewart, and his return after his copy was killed, it’s a good look at the Corps’ operations and a nice look at both heroes specifically.
Written by Gerry Duggan, a Marvel Comics writer in recent years, it’s a well-plotted and paced issue. It opens with Guy being a total jerk, even to those he saves, setting up a Green Lantern Corps internal affairs officer named Zardum. He’s looking into Guy and asks John Stewart to do some digging on him. That helps set in motion two plots, which converge into a heroes-versus-heroes fight, with a nice explanation as to why later in the issue.
While Guy is a total jerk with a big smile on his face, John Stewart is fairly serious when he’s introduced in the issue. Saving a woman from a spaceship that’s busting up, he has the efficiency of a seasoned Green Lantern, but even he comes up with fun constructs like a catcher’s mitt to save the woman. Once on the mission of investigating Guy, Duggan leans a bit into detective work, which will pique your interest.
What a jerk!
Credit: DC Comics
Meanwhile, Guy takes on some apes on the moon, with some fun constructs to get the job done. That is, until John gets in his way, which leads to their major confrontation. Duggan comes up with some fun constructs with artists Mateo Lolli, Laura Braga, and Vasco Georgiev. The fact that the gorillas play into a hilarious final page is just icing on the cake.
Speaking of hilarious, there’s a good mix of humor in the action and character work in the issue. A full-page splash of astronauts bored out of their minds, while Guy and John fight outside, is a nice break from nonstop action. In another scene, Guy demands money he’s owed from an alien he helped break free from prison, and while it’s quite mean of him, it still feels comical thanks to the art. Heck, there’s even a Scooby Doo reference.
By the end of the story, Duggan also plucks at your heartstrings, revealing the humanity in our characters. Guy has a tough childhood, and it plays a bit into the friendship he has with John.
Speaking of the art, all three artists bring high quality, and while they aren’t identical in style, the details are similar, and the experience is smooth from scene to scene. Most importantly, the characters shine through and feel genuine. Throw in a ton of cool constructs, and this is a great Green Lantern comic.
Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: Guy Gardner #1 delivers a fun and character-driven spotlight that balances humor, action, and surprising emotional depth. Gerry Duggan leans into Guy’s abrasive personality while giving him enough humanity to make the story land. The dynamic between Guy and John Stewart adds weight, and the creative art team keeps the visuals lively throughout. It may not redefine the character, but it is an entertaining and worthwhile read for Green Lantern fans.
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