You'd do stuff like this if you had the ring. Admit it.
DC Retroactive: Green Lantern – The 90’s
DC Comics (October, 2011)
(features a reprint of Vol. 3 #78)
WRITER: Ron Marz PENCILER: Darryl Banks INKER: Terry Austin COLORIST: Allen Passalaqua LETTERER: Wes Abbot EDITOR: Ben Abernanthy COVER: Banks, Trevor Scott, & Randy Mayor
Kyle is relaxing while on Watchtower duty when he’s attacked by Effigy. I wish I had more to tell, but that’s it. Kyle and Effigy fight on the Moon and in New York while he monologues about how he found confidence. That’s it.
What they got right: I may not like a few things Marz did during his run (killing Alex), but the man knows Kyle better than anyone. The art is fantastic and between all of them I enjoyed the battle (including all the cute things Kyle does with the ring that makes Kyle awesome).
What they got wrong: Some of the fourth wall breaking (he talks right to the audience in the narration) took me out at least one point. Also, too much internal monologue by Kyle. There’s too much time spent on reminding us what Kyle was going through at the time and not enough just Green Lantern action. In light of the reprint, this is more off-putting, but I’ll get into that in a moment.
Wish I had a flying jetski right about now.
(reprint) Green Lantern V3 #78
DC Comics (September, 1996)
WRITER: Ron Marz PENCILER: Darryl Banks INKER: Romeo Tanghal COLORIST: Pamela Rambo LETTERER: Chris Eliopoulos ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Eddie Berganza EDITOR: Kevin DooleyKyle deals with various disasters around the city before keeping his date with Donna to discuss the future of their relationship. Again, that’s it.
What they got right: The art is still very good, and I think Kyle and his friends needed this time to relax after events in the comic. At least that’s the impression I get. But that’s the problem.
What they got wrong: Again, it’s the choice in reprint. While they could have given us a classic Kyle story that shows what he can do with the ring against a supervillain (much as the new story did), they decided to focus on one that showcases what Kyle’s life looked like, which if it couldn’t have been done showing Kyle in action as Green Lantern speaks poorly of Kyle’s treatment at the time.
Recommendation: Although it speaks poorly of Kyle’s treatment now. Both stories focus on Kyle telling the audience that he’s confident and his own Lantern, with circumstantial evidence to the contrary. Unless your a Kyle completest, you’re not going to find anything that worthwhile in this book. Don’t say, Ron Marz–show!
It's the little things that make Kyle my favorite Lantern.
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