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Friday, August 31, 2012

RED LANTERNS Recruit Manhunters For THIRD ARMY Fight


From Newsarama.com

When Peter Milligan hears the words "event" or "crossover," his heart usually sinks like a "big heavy sack of porridge."

But not this time.

Milligan, who writes Red Lanterns, promises that the upcoming Green Lantern event, "The Rise of the Third Army," is a good one. And he's utilizing the threat of the Third Army to explore some character-driven stories about his characters.


After this week's Green Lantern Annual #1, readers found out that the Third Army is a group of humanoid creatures who have no heart, no mouth and — most importantly — no free will.

But most horrific of all is their ability to turn anyone into a member of their heartless hoard. And they're currently on a mission to eliminate Lanterns of the Emotional Spectrum, including the Red Lanterns.

As we approach the "Third Army" event, we're talking to the creators behind the Green Lantern books (click here to see our interview with Green Lantern: New Guardians writer Tony Bedard).

Today we ask Milligan about how Atrocitus and the Red Lanterns react to the threat, and why they get the Manhunters involved.

Nrama: Peter, now that we understand the true nature of the Third Army as introduced in the Green Lantern Annual, can you summarize the threat the characters in your book will be facing during this event?

Milligan: On one level, the Red Lanterns are under the same threat that all other organic creatures driving by will face: annihilation. But maybe The Red Lanterns face a different kind of threat too. The Third Army seem to negate everything they are, or stand for. The Third Army don’t feel rage. They just go about their deadly way like a disease. For a creature like Atrocitus, who has built his credo and his life on the principles of rage, this is anathema.

Also, for Atrocitus, the discovery that the Guardians are responsible for The Third Army forces him to face once more the pivotal event that changed his life: the massacre of sector 666. It’ll also force him to hitherto unimaginable ends in an effort to save his corps. The storyline will force Rankorr to face what made him, too. And to wrestle with demons and questions that he’d rather not face.

Nrama: So from a philosophical standpoint, you're saying the lack of "will" in the Third Army is particularly threatening to a "rage-driven" Red Lantern?

Milligan: The Red Lanterns are driven by a will: a raging will for vengeance and retribution. So the Third Army represents their opposite. It’s clear that these groups can never co-exist: one of the will have to be destroyed.

Nrama: Let's talk about the structure of this story. Does Red Lanterns tell one story that readers can follow without buying all the other Green Lantern books during the "Rise of The Third Army" event? Or do they literally cross over?

Milligan: All right. In some sense, the Red Lanterns are undertaking their own stories, and they make sense by themselves. But I think reading the other books will make the actions of the Red Lanterns – particularly Atrocitus – a richer experience.


Sometimes the story is going to literally cross over. But at the outset, Atrocitus and the Red Lanterns are on their own, and they feel on their own. They’ll have to figure out how to fight this strange and deadly new threat.

And when Atrocitus realizes that the Red Lantern Power Battery is still underpowered (they’ll need all the juice they can get to fight the Third Army), it’s down to Atrocitus and his corps to try to do something about.

Nrama: You mentioned some of the struggles that Atrocitus will face in this story. How does this allow you to explore further the story of Atrocitus in particular?

Milligan: It’s going to push Atrocitus into some very interesting areas. It’ll force him to do things he couldn’t have imagined doing—and even bring him to a place where he questions whether – after all this time – rage is really the answer.

Nrama: What other characters are highlighted in the story?

Milligan: Rankorr plays a big role in this story line. Atrocitus realizes that to fight the Third Army they could really use Rankorr’s constructs. But his constructs are shaky. Rankorr still hasn’t got full control over this power. The only way he is going to get this control is to find ultimate vengeance on his “rage giver”: the thug who killed John Moore/Rankorr’s grandfather.

Only when a Red Lantern has hunted down and brought retribution to his rage-giver does a Red Lantern achieve his full potential.

Dex Starr will also feature. He too has an opportunity to get some pay-back...against Midnighter Dex Starr still harbors a simmering rage at that punch that Midnighter landed on him.

Nrama: Can you describe why the Manhunters become important to the story in Red Lanterns?

Milligan: I don’t want to give away too much here, but suffice to say Atrocitus comes to the conclusion that this long-dead army might be useful in the war against the Third Army.

Nrama: There's indication that we'll meet a Manhunter android who is powered by "Blood Magic?" What can you tell us about that idea?

Milligan: The Manhunters that Atrocitus finds on Ryutt have been sleeping for centuries. The old science of the Guardians cannot wake them. So the equally old blood magic of the inversions will be used to animate them.

Nrama: This betrayal by the Guardians has been building for months and readers have been anticipating it, but what's the response from the Red Lanterns? Haven't they been aware for awhile that something like this was coming from the Guardians?

Milligan: Generally, the Red Lanterns are too busy raging to go in for a lot of forward planning. But it’s true that when Atrocitus realizes that the Guardians might be behind the Third Army, it’s with a sense of inevitability. Of course, he’s always hated the Guardians, and always presumed they were evil. It’s everyone else that’s been wrong. Finally, they’re catching up with him!

Nrama: About time! What can you tell us about the story in issue #0? How does this fit with the origins we've seen before for the Red Lanterns?

Milligan: The main canonical points – Ryutt, Manhunters, massacre of 666 – are of course all there. And so is Atrocitus – or Atros as he was then – with his family. But I think what we get from this telling that we might not have seen before are emotions. And the things that this man – Atros – lost in his terrible journey to become Atrocitus.

Nrama: How much does the #0 issue play into what happens with the "Rise of the Third Army" event?


Milligan: We don’t see the Third Army in [issue #0]. But it sets up the kind of man Atrocitus is, and it establishes very strongly what his attitude is towards the Manhunters, which allows us to understand just how desperate he must be to go back to Ryutt and re-activate the murderous buggers.

Nrama: Overall, what should readers expect from Red Lanterns over the next few months?

Milligan: Really emotional, intense and powerful stories that drag our characters into places they don’t want to go, and never thought they’d have to go.

Nrama: Anything else you want to tell fans about Red Lanterns and the "Third Army" event?

Milligan: Normally, my heart sinks like a big heavy sack of porridge when I hear the word “cross-over” or “event.” But this really is a good one. And I love what it’s doing to the Red Lanterns.



Introducing The First Lantern


From DC Comics.com

On September 5th, the release of GREEN LANTERN #0 will introduce a brand new Green Lantern to the DC Universe. Then starting in October, the monumental crossover event, “Rise of The Third Army,” will span the pages of GREEN LANTERN, GREEN LANTERN CORPS, GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS, and RED LANTERNS. To help you prepare for these exciting adventures, we’ve been putting a spotlight on the Green Lantern universe and the upcoming events that will change it forever each day this week on THE SOURCE.

This past Wednesday marked the release of GREEN LANTERN ANNUAL #1, written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver with a disturbing epilogue by Johns and artists Pete Woods and Cam Smith. If you haven’t read the issue, the stop reading this post now (spoiler alert ahead)!

If you’ve already read the issue, you witnessed the introduction of the First Lantern. But who is this mysterious character? Why is he being introduced now? And what does he have to do with the “Rise of the Third Army”?

“Who the First Lantern is and what his role will be in the upcoming Green Lantern universe will come into play very, very quickly,” hinted GREEN LANTERN writer Geoff Johns. “The being inside has been imprisoned there for a long, long time. The Guardians consider him their greatest threat, but also their greatest source of power. Whether he's friend or foe will be up for debate, but regardless he is one of the potentially most dangerous beings in existence.”

“In GREEN LANTERN ANNUAL #1, readers got their first glimpse at the First Lantern, someone who’s been locked away for a very long time—for a VERY good reason!” teased editor Matt Idelson. “His presence in this story is the catalyst for something very bad, and yet his story is only going to grow from here.”

Stay tuned to THE SOURCE as more about the First Lantern is revealed in the coming months. In the meantime, check out the below page from GREEN LANTERN ANNUAL #1 to get a peek at this esoteric character who will gravely impact the Green Lantern universe this fall.


Thursday, August 30, 2012

More Of Ethan Van Sciver Commission WIP






5.2 Reasons To Love The Green Lantern Universe


The GREEN LANTERN ANNUAL #1 lit up comic book shelves yesterday, and can you believe... Wait, you have read it already right? If not, stop reading this article, go buy it from the comic shop or download it onto your mobile device, and read it immediately. It's okay. We'll wait.

Back? Awesome. So, crazy, right?! The First Lantern! Black Hand! The Third Army! Holy Moley. We've been fans of writer Geoff Johns' Green Lantern epic since he kicked things off with the GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH limited series, and since then, Johns has crafted a veritable space opera filled with amazing character development, epic action, and continuing twists and turns that leave us desperately wanting a ring to fly through our ceiling and recruit us into the Corps. (We don't know what the word "reality" means).

As such, this week, we're listing off the 5.2 Reasons to Love the Green Lantern Universe!

1. New Characters
The upcoming GREEN LANTERN #0 introduces readers to a brand new recruit: the mysterious Baz. Not much is known about him, but we're already pretty stoked to find out all we can. After all, this is part of a time-honored tradition with this title. Over the years, the Green Lantern comic has introduced quite a few new characters, and everyone has their favorite—Hal, Guy, John, Kyle, Kilowog, G'Nort for some of you out there, we're sure... probably. Needless to say, we can't wait to see Baz join the ranks of the Green Lantern greats.


2. Diversity
The Green Lantern Corps also boasts a very diverse cast of characters—from strong female heroes like Soranik Natu and Laira to one of comics' most prominent African-American characters, John Stewart, to whatever the heck Chaselon is—and with his Arab heritage, the newest Green Lantern adds to this mix. Of course, when making a point about diversity, it would be unthinkable to limit it merely to humans, and Green Lantern is proud to feature more Korugaran, Xudarian, Bellatrixian and Ungaran characters than any other comic book in history!


3. Epic Events
The introduction of the newest Green Lantern comes in conjunction with the latest chapter in the Lantern saga, "Rise of The Third Army," which in itself follows previous game-changing crossovers like the incredibly popular "Sinestro Corps War" and "War of the Green Lanterns." We still remember the chill we felt when Batman rose in "Blackest Night," and this moment in Sinestro Corps War is still one of our favorites ever for the character:


4. Seeing the Guardians Completely Lose It
We mentioned earlier the character growth present throughout all of Johns' GL run, but nothing stands out as both terrifyingly awesome and awesomely terrifying as the once-thought benevolent Guardians of the Universe ever so slowly going totally insane.

5. The Emotional Spectrum
If you’re new to the world of Green Lantern (welcome, by the way!), you may not realize that Lanterns in this world come in far more colors than just green. Johns introduced an entire emotional spectrum, each with its own Corps, color, and power. And like arguing whether you belong in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw (poor, poor Hufflepuff), fans have long since enjoyed discussing and theorizing about which Corps they'd belong in. Not to mention the replica lanterns, rings and shirts you can get to show off your Corps pride.

5.1 Ch'p and Dex-Starr Are Two Characters That Exist and It is Awesome


5.2 So. Many. Cosplay. Options.


GEOFF JOHNS Opens A Pandora's Box Green Lantern Annual #1


From Newsarama.com

Naturally, there are SPOILERS ahead. If you read on, considered yourself warned.


The Guardians vs. the Green Lantern Corps

Wow. Green Lantern Annual #1 was so full of teases for what's coming in the future of the Green Lantern Universe that it's tough to know where to begin.


Central to all of them, though, is this idea of the Guardians turning on the Green Lantern Corps. Yes, we've known for awhile this was coming, as the four "Lantern" titles teased it. But it was still shocking to see how nasty the Guardians could become, as they manipulated and imprisoned Black Hand and this mysterious "First Lantern," then proceeded to create truly horrific creatures they call the "Third Army."

Most notable, perhaps, is that the Annual revealed there are other Guardians who have been hidden away for eons. We're hoping they become they take over soon, because the current Guardians were revealed to be downright evil in this Annual. And we don't see how they could ever be redeemed.

So if the Green Lantern Corps has to eliminate the nasty little blue jerks who are now Guardians (and man, we can't believe this, but we're actually hoping they do...), there's always a chance the "old" Guardians could keep the concept alive.

Even More Green Lantern Concepts

Johns has already added so much to the Green Lantern universe since he revamped the title back in 2005. But it doesn't look like he's slowing down on the new concepts and characters.

Not only does the Green Lantern universe now face the assimilating powers of the Third Army (which will play out during the "Rise of the Third Army" crossover this fall), but there are several other potential threats and conflicts teased in the Green Lantern Annual.


As mentioned above, the Corps will have to deal with the Guardians themselves. But we have a feeling this First Lantern will also play an important role in upcoming stories. Who is he? Why was he imprisoned? What danger does he pose to the universe that would convince the Guardians to lock him away so extensively, even guarding his prison themselves?

We also have these "old" Guardians, who appear to be better than their newer counterparts, but who's to say? Will the escape?

And of course, we still have the threat of Black Hand, and the whole problem of Hal and Sinestro being locked away in Black Hand's ring. They don't have Green Lantern rings anymore. Could they team up with this First Lantern? Or the new Guardians? Or can any of these new guys be trusted?

Johns told Newsarama back in July that there would be more big stuff coming in the Green Lantern universe after "Third Army."

"Rise of the Third Army is not actually, not quite an event, it's the prologue to the next story that immediately follows it," Johns said. "I don't know how to explain it much better than that so hopefully that makes sense!"

And this Annual certainly paved the way for that to prove true.

Whether all these teases of future storylines excite you or not, you've got to admit, Johns gave readers a lot of stuff to ponder as DC entire the "Zero Month" in September.


TONY BEDARD Explains NEW GUARDIANS Future Post-GL ANNUAL

From Newsarama.com



What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? - Matthew 16: 26

As the first year of the New 52 titles ended this week, the Green Lantern writers prepared for their first crossover event within the relaunched universe: "Rise of the Third Army."

But for Green Lantern: The New Guardians, the second year also sees a major shift for its lead character, as Kyle Rayner attempts to harness the power of the Emotional Spectrum.


That is... the entire Emotional Spectrum.

According to the comic's writer, Tony Bedard, Kyle Rayner's quest toward mastery of the Emotional Spectrum will cause him to "grow in power and change in ways that will make you worry about who he'll be."

"What will it profit a man if he should gain the entire Emotional Spectrum but sacrifice his soul in the process? That's the big question for Kyle Rayner," Bedard told Newsarama.

Green Lantern: New Guardians will also get the addition of Carol Ferris in a new costume starting this fall. Bedard also made it clear that "Third Army" is not the culmination of what's been happening in the Green Lantern universe. (Green Lantern writer Geoff Johns told Newsarama back in July that there would be more big stuff coming in the Green Lantern universe after "Third Army.")


Launched last year as part of DC's reboot, Green Lantern: New Guardians has followed the adventures of a collection of Lanterns from the various colors of the Emotional Spectrum. As the title heads toward "Third Army" and more trouble in the Green Lantern universe, Newsarama talked to Bedard.

Newsarama: Now that we understand the true nature of the Third Army as introduced in the Green Lantern Annual, can you summarize the threat the characters in your book will be facing during this event as it relates to these disturbing "will-less" creatures?

Tony Bedard: The Third Army is a threat to every sentient creature in the universe, so the New Guardians must find a way to stop them — preferably by stopping the Guardians themselves. Kyle Rayner and Carol Ferris in particular have very personal missions in this event. Kyle wants, if possible, to rescue Ganthet, to restore the emotions and personality of the Guardian who was like a father to him. Carol wants, if possible, to get back her beloved Hal Jordan. The odds don't seem to favor either of them, but then long odds have always been part of the deal for these ring-slingers.

Nrama: Does Green Lantern: New Guardians tell one story that readers can follow without buying all the other GL books during the "Third Army" event? Or do they literally cross over?

Bedard: During the four months of "Rise of the Third Army" (Green Lantern: New Guardians #13-16 ) Kyle will be on a quest to master every shade of the Emotional Spectrum. He'll have to learn to wield Blue Hope, Indigo Compassion, Yellow Fear, Red Rage, Violet Love and Orange Avarice. It's those "negative" emotions like avarice, fear and rage that will prove the greatest challenge and affect Kyle's personality the most. Even if he succeeds, Kyle may emerge from this forever changed as a person. Those four months will be pretty self-contained on the New Guardians front, and then all four Lantern books will cross over more intensively as we build to a crescendo that I don't think anyone will see coming.

Nrama: Tony, the end of issue #12 seemed to mark a turning point for your book. As issue #0 begins, does that issue take place before your issue #1? And can you give any indication about how it ties into the threat of the Third Army and these soulless Guardians?


Bedard: Green Lantern: New Guardians #0 takes place in the present. This is a story about Kyle and his quest, with Star Sapphire Carol Ferris pushing Kyle to finally complete his training and fulfill the potential he's always had to wield all the colors and perhaps become a "White Lantern" combing all powers. It's a new beginning and a great jumping-on point.

Nrama: From a philosophical point of view, what drives each of the members of the New Guardians team as they battle the Guardians/Third Army? Why is Larfleeze there, for example, and all these other Lanterns? Is it merely survival, or is there more? What does the fight mean to the members of the your team?

Bedard: On a basic level it is about survival for all of them. Nobody wants to be a mindless pawn for the Guardians. But we do have individual motivations driving them, too. Kyle wants to rescue and restore Ganthet. Carol wants Hal back. Larfleeze wants his long lost family back. Arkillo wants to get out from under the shadow of Sinestro, and so on.

Nrama: We see the new look for Carol Ferris as designed by Brett Booth on the cover of issue #13. Were you involved at all in the redesign, and if so can you tell us anything about the ideas that informed her new costume?

Bedard: I think it began with wanting to give Carol a more modest look. The old costume with the plunging neckline was certainly visually striking, but it didn't seem to fit Carol's personality. She's a serious person, a captain of industry, etc. It just didn't make sense to have her showing that much skin. We have a lot of good moments coming up for Carol in New Guardians, and I think the new uniform will help keep the focus on her as a person, not as a hottie.

Nrama: What does Carol bring to the team going forward, and will it tie into Hal's disappearance/"death?"

Bedard: In many ways, Carol is a more natural leader than Kyle, and she gets him to finally focus and be all he can be. She's a driving force for the team, and she is driven herself by her love for Hal. Read New Guardians #0 and you'll see how Carol comes in as a co-leader and real kick in the pants for Kyle.

Nrama: As Kyle discovers what has been happening, what's his response? How does this affect him differently from the other members of the team — or from the other Green Lanterns?

Bedard: Kyle is horrified by what happened to Ganthet, but then he has been almost since the start of New Guardians. He's been fighting the Guardians for the last year's worth of issues, and now he has an even more compelling reason to keep up that fight and to earn the firepower he needs to stop them once and for all. Kyle's always been a character who exceeds expectations (when he was the Corps' "Torchbearer," when he was Ion, etc). Now he must combine all the emotional power he can to take down the most powerful beings in the cosmos.

Nrama: By the end of the Green Lantern Annual, the Guardians have become an enemy to all the Lanterns, obviously. But is Ganthet still at the center of the team's mission, and what role does Sayd play going forward in the book?

Bedard: Sayd will return in issue #15 when Kyle tries to get Larfleeze to share his Orange power. Ganthet has gone from renegade Guardian to acting more like the leader of the pack. When this all comes to a head, it's going to be Kyle versus Ganthet.

Nrama: Solicitations indicate (if they're right) that Kyle is going to be visiting Earth in issue #13. Now that we know the reason Baz gets a ring, does Kyle encounter him?

Bedard: I actually don't have a Kyle/Baz encounter planned until later, when the crossover really gets in gear.

Nrama: Since Kyle's apparently on Earth for issue #13, how much of a role does he play in the events there (it looks like the Guardians are specifically wanting a Third Army to be created from humans)? Is that one "front" for your characters?

Bedard: Earth is always central to DC stories, even the cosmic ones. Issue #13 is where Kyle must learn to wield Red Rage, and Atrocitus himself has come to Earth to show him the ropes. Of course, Atrocitus isn't gentle about anything he does, so the only question is how many people will have to die before Kyle gets schooled in the ways of Rage. As the whole Third Army thing rolls on, we'll certainly come back to Earth for more crazy fun, but it remains to be seen where the final showdown with the Guardians will take place.

Nrama: Now that it has been made clear that the Guardians are really messed up, should we read more into the title of your comic — the "new" Guardians?

Bedard: Yeah, the idea from the start was that this team could become a sort of inter-Corps "United Nations" eliminating the need for the Guardians. Let's face it... those little blue know-it-alls haven't exactly been batting a thousand. But as of issue #0, the emphasis shifts from a team with members from all seven corps to combining all seven colors in one man: Kyle Rayner. We won't see every single member of the cast in every issue, but that let's us go deeper with the character stuff regarding Kyle, Carol and others.

Nrama: Speaking of Guardians — is it possible we'll see those "old" Guardians that are locked in the Chamber of Shadows again? Or is that something that might happen outside your book?

Bedard: I don't want to spoil a thing about those guys, what they kept locked in the Chamber, or anything else regarding them. It's wayyy to cool to tip our hand just yet.

Nrama: Issue #14's cover doesn't look good for Kyle. Is this in-fighting among the team's members, or is there more behind that image of Arkillo vs. Kyle?

Bedard: I think it's natural that there would be in-fighting with such a disparate group, but that issue is also about Kyle learning to wield Fear, and Kyle giving a lesson right back to Arkillo, who has blossomed as a character over the past year of New Guardians tales. He's one of my faves right now, and I'm really looking forward to giving him more time on stage.

Nrama: Overall, what should readers expect from New Guardians over the next few months?

Bedard: Kyle is going to grow in power and change in ways that will make you worry about who he'll be at the end of this training process he's undergoing. What will it profit a man if he should gain the entire Emotional Spectrum but sacrifice his soul in the process? That's the big question for Kyle Rayner, who has in many ways been the most grounded and the most human of the Green Lanterns.

Nrama: Anything else you want to tell us about New Guardians and the "Rise of the Third Army" event?

Bedard: Just make sure you don't miss it, starting with Green Lantern: New Guardians #0 . We're rolling down a dark road toward a defining moment for Kyle and for Lanterns in general. Just as Blackest Night changed the cosmic landscape for the DCU, so the war with the Guardians will shake things up and become a moment we'll be talking about for years to come.




Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Talking “Rise of the Third Army” with the Writers


From DC Comics.com

On September 5th, the release of GREEN LANTERN #0 will introduce a brand new Green Lantern to the DC Universe. Then starting in October, the monumental crossover event, “Rise of The Third Army,” will span the pages of GREEN LANTERN, GREEN LANTERN CORPS, GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS, and RED LANTERNS. To help you prepare for these exciting adventures, we’ll be putting a spotlight on the Green Lantern universe and the upcoming events that will change it forever each day this week on THE SOURCE.

Today, take a front row seat as some of the writers of the titles involved in “Rise of Third Army” tease how this crossover will impact their respective series and discuss their creative processes, collaborating with one another, and more.

While working on the “Rise of the Third Army,” how often do you exchange notes with the writers of the other titles involved in this crossover? In other words, how collaborative has this experience been?

TONY BEDARD (GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS): Being on the Green Lantern team is always a collaborative process. We do frequent conference calls and the occasional “story summit” where we meet in person. It's actually one of the most fun parts of the job since I'm constantly learning from working with Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi is a longtime friend.  And now with RED LANTERNS writer Peter Milligan in the mix, it's even more interesting, since Pete wrote some of my all-time favorite stuff – like ENIGMA.

PETER MILLIGAN (RED LANTERNS): We all make use of a “drop box” in which we put our scripts and artwork, so we can check out what everyone else is touching upon. Also, we’re having pretty regular phone conferences, from all points of the globe (well, the UK and different parts of the USA). Here we throw ideas and storylines around a bit. This was particularly useful at the beginning when the details of who and what the “Third Army” were was being thrashed out.

PETER TOMASI (GREEN LANTERN CORPS): It's been very collaborative. We initiated this crossover with a summit at the DC offices to toss around ideas and craft a blueprint for “Rise of the Third Army” that focused on the character arcs and the storyline with Geoff leading the charge. From that moment on, all the writers and editors have been keeping each other up-to-date with outlines and scripts, insane wee hours of the morning emails and texts, and regular monthly conference calls to push each other to create a kick-ass event. We hope “Rise of the Third Army” will keep readers excited and inspire them to go along for a ride that I guarantee is going to blow the doors off and deliver unexpected thrills and emotional character moments that will be talked about for a long time.

Without giving too much away, what’s your favorite line of dialogue that you’ve written for “Rise of the Third Army” so far?

TONY BEDARD: "Of all the Lanterns in the universe, I’m the one you should fear most.”

PETER MILLIGAN: It’s difficult to take lines of dialogue out of context but I like this one. In RED LANTERNS #14, Atrocitus is giving his Red Lanterns specific roles – types of guilty ones they must go forth and collect “guilty blood” from. And this is how Bleez reacts when he gives her her function: “Passion? Depravity? I think I’m being typecast.”

PETER TOMASI: I’d go with SALAAK: “Be prepared, Gardner.” GUY: “For what, Salaak?” SALAAK: “For the worse.”

As a writer, what’s something your fans might not know about your creative process?

TONY BEDARD: I work with the news on. MSNBC all day long.  I can't work to music -- too distracting -- but news is no problem. Weird, huh?

PETER MILLIGAN: I like the mornings.  This puts me in a very exclusive club, as most writers I know are night-owls.

PETER TOMASI: Hmm? I would imagine fans know next to nothing about my creative process. Let's just say it involves me donning a red wig and a plastic Green Lantern ring and leaping around the house as I channel my favorite ring slinger, Guy Gardner, as I get into the moment and fight off the Third Army as they try and destroy my deadlines!

Do you prefer to give your artists visual guidelines or do you prefer to see how they interpret your words without any further assistance?

TONY BEDARD: Generally speaking, I like to leave the artist room to visually interpret things however they want. But I do embed reference images in my scripts sometimes when it's a specific real-world location or object, or when I'm trying to describe something so complicated that an image communicates it better.

PETER MILLIGAN: Definitely the former. Part of my job is to “see” the page and describe it as best I can. Of course, good creative artists might interpret your descriptions, and as long as this stays true to the narrative that’s great.

PETER TOMASI: I like to give as much information as possible in a panel description in my scripts. I like to paint a picture emotionally and descriptively that gives the artist all the beats that he needs so it's not a guessing game and allows him to do what he does best. My partner in crime on GREEN LANTERN CORPS, Fernando Pasarin, is always amazing and always way beyond my expectations as he continues to make me look better with each and every issue!

Will fans be surprised by how the “Rise of the Third Army” impacts your book?

TONY BEDARD: Fans won't just be surprised – they are never going to stop talking about how the Third Army storyline affects Kyle. Seriously. We'll see Kyle on a quest to unite all seven powers of the Emotional Spectrum within himself and achieve a status no other Lantern from any Corps has ever achieved. And then it gets really interesting...

PETER MILLIGAN: There are some incredibly surprising - even shocking – scenes in RED LANTERNS, which have been thrown up by "Rise of the Third Army."

PETER TOMASI: I sure as hell hope so. We've got plenty of surprises coming down the road for Guy, John, and other cast members of GREEN LANTERN CORPS, so I'm looking forward to how the readers react to not just my book, but also all of the Green Lantern group titles in the coming months.


Monday, August 27, 2012

Yet More : VAN SCIVER Brings THIRD ARMY To GREEN LANTERN ANNUAL


From Newsarama.com

As the Green Lantern universe launches into its next major crossover, Geoff Johns is reuniting with Ethan Van Sciver for this week's Green Lantern Annual.

The two were the creative team behind the revamp of the Green Lantern concept seven years ago in Green Lantern: Rebirth, and they've worked together on several of the series' biggest moments since.

In this week's Green Lantern Annual, the two will kick off this fall's "Third Army" event, which crosses between Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, Green Lantern: The New Guardians, and Red Lanterns.


The Annual, which features Van Sciver on the main story and Pete Wood on an eight-page back-up, has gotten a lot of attention for its bleeding-lantern cover, which mimics the "Death of Superman" comic's cover when that hero died. As a result, many fans have speculated that the issue features the death of a Green Lantern, most probably Hal Jordan or Sinestro. Green Lantern #12 added to that speculating because it had a prophesy that Hal Jordan would become a Black Lantern, which is usually manned by reanimated corpses.

Van Sciver's return to providing art for the Green Lantern universe comes after helping to launch Firestorm last year as co-writer and later penciler.

Newsarama talked to the artist to find out more about the Green Lantern Annual and got a hint that there are some new characters coming that may have a problem with the Guardians.

Newsarama: Ethan, what is it about the path you've taken with Geoff, and with the Green Lantern universe, that makes you the ideal person to do this Green Lantern Annual?

Ethan Van Sciver: It's always a pleasure to work with Geoff Johns. We work together really well. I understand what his thoughts are and I think he understands me. I'm actually interested in the Green Lantern universe and the larger scope and the scale of this universe.


So whenever we get together, no matter how long it's been since we worked... I don't know. I just click right back into it again, and I understand where he is and what he's trying to do, and what he's trying to say, and what his new ideas are for these characters that are 40 or 50 years old.

And we just have fun. We just have a great time.

Nrama: I know you have designed so many of the characters that are now staples of the Green Lantern universe. Did you come with some of the designs for the Green Lantern Annual, including the design we've seen of the Third Army?

Van Sciver: Yeah, I did. I designed the Third Army with Geoff's guidance because I didn't know what they were. When he asked me to design the Third Army, I assumed it was going to be something quite different from what it actually turned out to be. And this was before I read the script for the Green Lantern Annual.

It took awhile for me to understand what he was trying to do, but as soon as I figured it out, I was alarmed.

I said Geoff, are you sure? This is a huge, huge step for these characters. And he said, "You've got to trust me. I'm absolutely sure."

The Third Army is, wow, it's a degrading statement from the Guardians. It makes me not like the Guardians anymore.


Designing it was a lot of fun. But it was also dehumanizing. You'll find out what I mean by that when you meet the Third Army.

Nrama: I noticed they don't have mouths, and I'm assuming that's symbolic?

Van Sciver: [Laughs.] Yes.

Nrama: Geoff's been making the Guardians a little more scary.

Van Sciver: They are now. They're terrifying, especially in this particular book.

Nrama: They have a very rigid structure, especially now that they've stripped Ganthet of his emotions.

Van Sciver: You'll meet some new friends in this book that have something to say about the rigid structure of the Guardians, and even the way they appear.

Nrama: Not the Third Army, but some other new characters?

Van Sciver: Yeah. But I shouldn't say anything else about that.


Nrama: Did you design Baz, the new Green Lantern?

Van Sciver: No.

Nrama: Is he in the Green Lantern Annual?

Van Sciver: No. This leads to him.

Nrama: It's been hinted that there is something big coming for Sinestro in this issue. I know that you originally designed his new look six or seven years ago. Does that look still fit with him, or has he changed a little?

Van Sciver: I still draw him pretty much the same way, because Sinestro is who he is, even as he's growing in his political ways and his actions. He just now doesn't glower at Hal quite as much as he used to. But he's still Sinestro, no matter what uniform he's wearing.

I was conscious to make him a little bit less furious toward Hal, a little bit less condescending. I mean, he still condescends, but there isn't the hate behind it anymore. It was fun. It was a good exercise.

Nrama: You were such a big part of the development of a lot of Geoff's concepts for Green Lantern. Much of it feels very spiritual and philosophical, and tends to make the stories more epic. Is that the sort of story that you've drawn toward?

Van Sciver: I think that's what everybody finds so attractive about Green Lantern now. Geoff has made it into a statement about the condition of man: man's motivations, man's work...

I mean, I think this upcoming arc could be Geoff's statement about, or the Guardians' statement about man's self-worth.


What are we for, exactly?

This new Third Army concept is at a sharp angle from the emotional spectrum. It's jarring to think that, from the Guardians' perspective, none of that really mattered. And the Guardians see something else entirely.

I think that those broad themes are really attractive to people who read this comic, and they are to me too because they point in new directions.

And of course, they provide a landscape for new, interesting visuals.

Nrama: When you say self-worth, do you mean what makes mankind unique and worthy?

Van Sciver: Yeah, the uniqueness, but also, is our purpose really that vital to the grand scheme of things? I think that we look at our self-determinism and our will as something that moves mountains and can accomplish great things and is a source of pride, but in the grand scheme of things, it could mean absolutely nothing.

Like I said, this annual is a very, very dark book. It threw me for a loop. It's very scary, in a very philosophical way.

I think this is probably one of the coolest Green Lantern horror stories ever written. This is a perfect time to jump on board and see this new idea. It's going to be a hell of a ride.

Nrama: For awhile, we didn't see you drawing much. But lately, with you drawing Firestorm and then this Green Lantern Annual, it looks like you're getting back into drawing again. Why?

Van Sciver: Yeah, you know what? I feel like I took a year off to do conventions and things, and then I realized I missed drawing comics. I feel like I had lost something.

With Firestorm, I pitched myself back into the pool. Then I just said to Dan [DiDio] and Geoff, "You know what? I want to do this again, so start throwing stuff my way." And they did, big time. And I'm having a great time.

Nrama: When you say they're throwing things your way, does that mean we'll see more penciling from you at DC?

Van Sciver: Yeah. After this annual comes out, I'll be working on one of DC's monthly books again. And it's a riot.

ETHAN VAN SCIVER RAISES "GREEN LANTERN'S" THIRD ARMY


From CBR.com

In the pages of DC Comics Green Lantern franchise, the cosmically-powered Guardians of the Universe have a definite pattern: They create a task force to put order to the cosmos, and if that force fails them, they create a new one to destroy their past work and start again.

Asked whether that power is similar to the task of a comic book artist, and Ethan Van Sciver is quick to answer, "No! I didn't even think of that until now. But I hope I'm nothing like the Guardians," he laughed while discussing the upcoming "Rise of the Third Army" story with CBR.

Starting in this week's "Green Lantern Annual" #1, the Guardians will unleash a new space military to replace the Green Lanterns just as they once used the GLs to replace their Manhunter drones. That extra-sized story from franchise architect and DC CCO Geoff Johns will be drawn by Van Sciver, who also designed the look of the new army.

"This is really about Hal and Sinestro and their last stand," he said. "It focuses on them, and the Black Hand is in it quite a bit. But it also for the first time, I think, introduces us to a new way that the Guardians are thinking. They've changed their minds."

Comparing the process of making the Third Army to his previous work kicking off events like "The Sinestro Corps War," the artist said this tale necessitated a new approach. "It's a little bit different. I think Geoff tapped me early on and said, 'Hey, let's talk about this idea I have called The Third Army' and invited me to design it, which I did. But the nature of this upcoming story kind of makes my contribution to it sudden and then over. It moves on very, very quickly from where 'Green Lantern' left off. This 'Green Lantern Annual' is very startling and very dark.

"The Third Army is a lot less diverse that the Sinestro Corps was," Van Sciver added of the emotionless villains. "There was a lot less to do. With the Sinestro Corps, Geoff would tell me 'Here's a double page spread. Introduce us to the Corps. They're the most terrifying aliens throughout the universe,' which involved a lot of creating and a lot of thought. This story was one singular, dehumanizing idea. Creating it and listening to the specifications for it made me very angry with the Guardians."


The cover to the Annual features a "bleeding" Lantern logo, which obviously pays homage to the classic "Death of Superman" issue from the 1990s. Van Sciver explained that readers who took the hint can expect a similar level of violent destruction from that tale as well as he and Johns' past collaborations. "Yes indeed. This book was an awful lot of fun, and I didn't even stop myself this time. Geoff gave me every opportunity to draw some gore, to draw some violence. And I said, 'I'm going to do it' because within the context of the story it works out. So I had an absolute blast. I think the cover might short sell it a little."

And of course, this issue is the starter for an entire "Rise of the Third Army" mini event taking over the various Lantern-related series in the months ahead. Johns and company have already teased an appearance by a mysterious "First Lantern" as well as the full debut of Baz – the Arab-American GL who has made a splash online and will be promoted by Johns at a special event at the Arab American National Museum in Detroit this September. "This new Green Lantern – Geoff gave me a brief rundown of what his future is, where he came from and who he is. I need to know more now," the artist said. "I can't wait to see Doug Mahnke draw him, and I can't wait to see the other creators on the GL titles run with the ball from here. They've got big stuff and big ideas on tap, and that's always been the hallmark of Green Lantern. That's the privilege of working on this franchise. The ideas are always so big and bold. It's so easy to shake things up and try new things. That what this Annual is the start of. It's the start of the next big wave of Green Lantern ideas."

As for his own future, Van Sciver promised that the Annual will mark a return to more full time comics work from him at DC. "I think these days, my attitude is that I really miss being a comic book artist," he explained. "I took a year off where I wasn't drawing interiors. I missed it, and I was unhappy. So I was doing a lot of conventions and things. And any artist will tell you that if you do a lot of conventions, it's difficult to maintain your focus on a project. I quit doing conventions so prolifically and decided to stay home and just start drawing comics again.

"It started with a couple issues of 'Firestorm,' and I had fun drawing those. Then Geoff had this Green Lantern story, and I called DC and said, 'I want to start drawing comics again.' They let me know what my opportunities might be. My next project after this 'Green Lantern Annual' is that I'm hoping on a big arc on one of their monthly series. It feels good. I'm working long hours again. I'm at my desk interpreting great scripts that have been given to me by DC's top writers. This is where I want to be. So my plan going forward is to do a lot of interior work – as much of it as I can."

Editors Matt Idelson And Pat McCallum Discuss The Green Lantern Universe


From DC Comics.com

On September 5th, the release of GREEN LANTERN #0 will introduce a brand new Green Lantern to the DC Universe. Then starting in October, the monumental crossover event, “Rise of The Third Army,” will span the pages of GREEN LANTERN, GREEN LANTERN CORPS, GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS, and RED LANTERNS. To help you prepare for these exciting adventures, we’ll be putting a spotlight on the Green Lantern universe and the upcoming events that will change it forever each day this week on THE SOURCE.

To kick us off, editors Matt Idelson and Pat McCallum break down the Green Lantern universe and explain some of the fundamentals of what you need to know before picking up GREEN LANTERN #0 and the “Rise of the Third Army” titles. Take it away, fellas!

How many color Corps are there? What are they?

MATT: There’s the Green Lantern Corps, of course. And the Red Lanterns, the Star Sapphires, Sinestro’s erstwhile Yellow Corps, the Indigo Tribe, the Blue Lanterns and the one-man-Corps that is Larfleeze the Orange Lantern. There’s also the Black Lanterns, who are foul, undead creatures that plague ALL the other Corps. And then there’s also the White Lantern, who is the embodiment of life.

PAT: Each Corps has a unique color and mission: green (the most famous), as well as yellow, blue, violet (but everyone calls them “pink”), indigo, orange, red and...uh...no, that’s it. Seven total, a rainbow of fruit flavors.

What unique qualities distinguish the colors from one another?

MATT: The different colors represent the different emotions in the color spectrum. As everyone knows, green represents willpower. Red is for rage, yellow for fear, violet is love, orange is greed, blue is hope and indigo is compassion.

PAT: Green represents willpower, which readers will have to exert in order make it through my answers during this interview. Yellow is easy to remember: “Yer YELLA!” Yellow = fear. Red’s another easy one: “I’m seeing RED!” Red = rage. Blue is hope, orange is greed, violet is love and Indigo sounds like “Inigo,” the best character from The Princess Bride. Also, indigo = compassion.

How many Earth-born Green Lanterns are there? Who are they?

MATT: We’ve currently got four Earth-born Lanterns: Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner and Guy Gardner. But we’re about to introduce a fifth human in GREEN LANTERN #0, and believe me, he’s nothing like any Green Lantern you’ve met before.

PAT: Yeah, the new fella showing up in GREEN LANTERN #0 is going to be the straw that stirs the drink! On the Red Lantern front, we have two earthlings that wear the red ring. Jack Moore, now known as “Rankorr,” and the house cat-turned-most-dangerous-pussycat-in-the-Galaxy, the frothing feline fury men call Dex-Starr! A fan-favorite, he wears his ring on his tail.

How many Lanterns are there altogether? What sectors are represented?

MATT: There are roughly 7,200 Green Lanterns who patrol 3,600 sectors, but if you’re asking how many Lanterns in every Corps combined...? Wow. A lot. Thousands. While not every Corps is represented in every sector, there are ring bearers of one spectrum or another scattered all across the universe.

PAT: Ah, the joy of counting all those little Green Lanterns in those giant group shots. Then combine that number with ALL the other Corps...? That’s nuts! There’s a lot of these ring slingers out in space, and the area they cover is spreading. The Red Lanterns seek to bring their rage-fueled justice to the darkest corners of the universe, while the same can be said for the Blue Lantern’s mission of hope, the Star Sapphire’s mission of love, etc.

How does someone get chosen to be a Green Lantern?

MATT: When a Green Lantern is killed, his or her ring seeks out the one person in that sector worthy of taking on the responsibility of being a Green Lantern.

PAT: While there are a lot of Green Lanterns out there, comparatively speaking there AREN’T a lot of them when you factor in the size of the universe. Only those rare few with iron will, the ability to overcome fear, those who have what it takes to fight through any obstacle -- those are the ones chosen to be a soldiers in the Green Lantern Corps. Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart...those are some tough dudes who don’t know the meaning of the word quit!

How does this ring decide who gets chosen?

MATT: The ring bases its selection first on willpower, but it seems to also hunt for a specific personality profile as well, of the prior wearer. If Hal Jordan were to fall in battle, his ring would seek out someone like Hal, where as if Sinestro were to buy a one-way ticket to the afterlife, his ring would seek out someone very different from the person Hal’s ring would choose.

PAT: While the rings all seek out those with willpower, each ring seems to lean toward someone with similar traits of the last one who wore it. If Guy Gardner died, the next person the ring sought out would be someone with willpower AND those Guy Gardner-ish sensibilities.

What happens if the ring runs out of power?

MATT: Like an electronic device, it goes dead until recharged. So if you’re flying through space and you forgot to charge up before leaving the house, or you’ve expended all your energy fighting, you’re in a lot of trouble. Unless of course you’ve brought your Lantern Battery along to recharge from.

PAT: POOF! You’re naked. No, seriously, Green Lantern uniforms are energy constructs, so never forget your underwear when you’re a Green Lantern. The Green Lantern power ring may be the most powerful weapon in the universe, but if it runs out of juice, all it is a pretty piece of jewelry. That’s why Green Lanterns need to keep their power batteries someplace safe AND handy. A quick recharge from a Power Battery and Green Lanterns are up, running and, perhaps most importantly, wearing pants.

Who are The Guardians?

MATT: The Guardians of the Universe are an ancient race of aliens who took it upon themselves to bring peace & order to the universe. An early attempt at building a peacekeeping force, the robotic Manhunters, went murderously, monstrously wrong. Their more recent experiment is the Green Lantern Corps, a “space police” type organization designed to patrol the universe. The very first example the Guardians tried in this type of experiment was the mysterious First Lantern, who we see a glimpse of in GREEN LANTERN ANNUAL #1 … and who may very well have a larger role to play in the coming saga.

PAT: The Guardians of the Universe, the little blue aliens who inhabit the planet Oa, were once a great force for good, using their advanced tech and staggering powers to try and bring peace to the universe. But their thoughts and beliefs have grown darker, souring over centuries of watching chaos rule. The Guardians still want to deliver order and peace, but their methods have changed and their goals have become corrupted. Once the shining light of the universe, the Guardians have succumbed to a darkness that threatens to extinguish not just will, but all emotions: fear, love, rage, greed, hope, and compassion. All the fragile expressions of free will rest in the hands of the Guardians ... and the Guardians are clenching their fists.


Friday, August 24, 2012

BAZ Confirmed As 1st Arab-American GREEN LANTERN


By Vaneta Rogers from Newsarama.com

After months of speculation about his country of origin, it's now been confirmed that Baz, the mysterious new Green Lantern being introduced in September's Green Lantern #0, will be an Arab-American.

The confirmation comes from an unlikely yet reliable source:  Green Lantern writer and DC Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns is appearing on Sept. 8 at the Arab American National Museum in Detroit to mark the hero's debut, according to a story in the Detroit Free Press.

The article, which called the hero the "first Arab-American Green Lantern," is also the first DC confirmation of the character's name — "Baz"  — although Newsarama had previously reported the name from retailer-only solicitations.


Johns, who grew up in metro Detroit and is himself a Lebanese-American, will be visiting Detroit to also sign copies of Green Lantern #0 on Sept. 7 at local retailer Green Brain Comics.

Baz, who was first seen in DC's Free Comic Book Day issue in May, was later revealed in promotional images to be sporting an Arabic tattoo on his arm. Comic book fans began guessing that the hero was of Arab descent and possibly hailed from the Middle East or Asia.


However, the hero is now revealed to be an American, meaning Baz is the fifth American to wear the mantle of Green Lantern.

Next week's Green Lantern Annual #1 has been touted as a game-changing issue for the Green Lantern franchise, kicking off the "Third Army" event that crosses into all four Green Lantern-related comics. It presumably clears the way for Baz to debut as the new Green Lantern of Earth in Green Lantern #0.


GL By Ethan Van Sciver


Green Lantern Annual #1 Preview

Next week marks the launch of the next big storyline in the Green Lantern comics, Rise of the Third Army. For a long time now, the Guardians of the Universe have been planning to extinguish the Green Lantern Corps -- and they're finally putting their plan into motion. Plus, Black Hand is back and apparently, Hal Jordan is set to become the greatest Black Lantern of them all. Could that explain his absence from the previously released covers for October's GL books?

Green Lantern Annual #1 offers up a prologue to Rise of the Third Army, and is written by Geoff Johns with art from Ethan Van Sciver. It goes on sale Wednesday.









Monday, August 13, 2012

Green Lantern November 2012 Solicitations


GREEN LANTERN #14
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by DOUG MAHNKE and CHRISTIAN ALAMY
1:25 B&W Variant cover by DOUG MAHNKE
On sale NOVEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $3.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. The variant cover will feature the standard edition cover in a wraparound format.
• “Rise of the Third Army” continues!
• The Justice League comes after the new Green Lantern, demanding answers about the missing Hal Jordan!
• The Green Lantern Corps makes a disturbing discovery about the Guardians!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.


GREEN LANTERN CORPS #14
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by FERNANDO PASARAN and SCOTT HANNA
Cover by SCOTT CLARK
On sale NOVEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
• “Rise of the Third Army” continues!
• Guy Gardner’s life is ruined!
• The Guardians aim to take John Stewart out of the looming conflict no matter the cost!


GREEN LANTERN: THE NEW GUARDIANS #14
Written by TONY BEDARD
Art and cover by AARON KUDER
1:25 B&W Variant cover by AARON KUDER
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. The variant cover will feature the standard edition cover in a wraparound format.
On sale NOVEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
• “Rise of the Third Army” continues!
• What does Kyle Rayner fear? He’ll find out at the hands of Arkillo, the God of Terror!
• Can the rise of the Third Army be stopped?


RED LANTERNS #14
Written by PETER MILLIGAN
Art and cover by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA
On sale NOVEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
• “Rise of the Third Army” continues!
• Red Lanterns vs. the Third Army! Who is the next Lantern to be converted?
• What dark secret lays buried under the surface of Atrocitus’s home planet, Ryutt?
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