Summary
- Hal Jordan faces challenges without his Power Ring and improvises with confiscated weapons.
- The new villain Thaaros manipulates emotions and experiments, setting the stage for the showdown.
- The Green Lantern series goes in a new direction with the “All In” initiative and changes the status quo.
With Absolute power Taking over the DC Universe and the United Planets in search of blood, it was a busy time for Green LanternLast year, Hal Jordan left his beloved Corps, but when an authoritarian took control of the Green Lanterns, the Emerald Knight had no choice but to step in.
Unfortunately, in the midst of this cosmic coup, Amanda Waller is out to take control of Earth’s superhuman population, including non-superpowered heroes like Green Lantern. At San Diego Comic Con, Screen Rant had the chance to speak with Green Lantern writer Jeremy Adams about Hal’s role in. Absolute powerand what lies ahead with the DC Universe’s newest threat, Lord Premier Thaaros.
Screen Rant: Jeremy, I find it interesting that Green Lantern is the only hero that Waller cannot depose. But you found a way to put Hal in the same position as everyone else during Absolute power.
Jeremy Adams: That was something where I thought, “Hmm. I wonder if I can do this without everyone freaking out.” Yeah. I mean, it’s about supporting Absolute Power, but also about what’s happening with my book, and that leads to Thaaros and Waller having this little power struggle in mind where Theros thinks Waller is nothing. Waller thinks, “I’m using Thaaros.” And that happens at the same time Absolute Power happens, Hal escapes, he gets beat up, Carol saves him, and everything is great! Then the mercenary shock troops. Hal has no chance of getting back to the main power battery. And now we’re back to Hal head-butting sharks to try to escape.
Hal is really the kind of person who thrives on improvisation, so you put him in a world where he doesn’t have access to the Green Lantern Power Ring. But he does Have access to everything Waller just confiscated. Did you think, “I’m just going to be a crazy guy and put Hal in this funny situation”?
Jeremy Adams: It was so much fun because I went through my who’s who and just wrote down crazy weapons and things that they have and then sent it to Mark. And Mark goes, “Yeah, that’s great. Add these three other obscure things.” I go, “Great! I’m chatting with Mark Waid about obscure weapons of superheroes and supervillains.” I mean, that’s great. It all kind of fell into place organically. Hal will be able to use some of these weapons. It’s going to be a really fun variation on Die Hard, except, “Oh, that’s Blue Devil’s old trident.” But not only that, it also connects Task Force VII #3 to the Jadestone Amazo, which is going to be crucial. Let me put it this way. That character is going to be more important to Green Lantern going forward.
There is so much going on in your book. You have the United Planets. You have everything that happens with Absolute power. Hal is trying to get his love life back on track. Do you sometimes feel like you’re taking on too much?
Jeremy Adams: It’s like on a plate. But we’ve had 12, 13, 14 books that have driven us crazy. Right now, it’s just reaching its peak. And I was very deliberate about the pacing of the book. People would say “Nothing is happening” and then all of a sudden Sinestro turns red. I’m trying to do it organically and in a way that makes us all feel like the train is moving. And I’ll tell you, the one-shot that Philip and I did, every page is like “Oh my God! No! What?!” I don’t find it chaotic or disjointed. But the real question is can I pay for it. But we’ll see.
Last time we spoke, you were a little bit reserved about the Emotional Spectrum, which has become a big part of your run. Jeremy, you have a mourning lantern! First off, do we have a name for this guy or his corps yet?
Jeremy Adams: I would say his name is Sorrow. There are two reasons for that. First, it’s a reflection of how Star Sapphire originally showed up for Hal Jordan. This was to give Carol an arch-enemy that was exactly the reflection of what it was for Hal with Carol. The gray in that, the sadness in that, is also a byproduct of the emotional spectrum. It’s really messed up right now. And I don’t think sadness is going to be the last emotion you see. The mythology that Geoff and all these people have developed is really massive. This is something different, this is a shard. This is like something breaking across crystal. This is like the Source Lantern, we don’t necessarily know exactly what’s going on. Kyle knows something’s going on. So this is a consequence of that and will lead to a new status quo in the Green Lantern universe.
I’m glad you mentioned Kyle because I was a fan of his White Lantern era. It was a really defining moment for him. You don’t ignore that and make it a very important part of him because the violation of the emotional spectrum really makes Kyle suffer. It’s like the pathos of the book.
Jeremy Adams: And there he is. His DNA is affected. And that leads to something that I think is very interesting… oh, I can’t even think of the right word right now!
You also mentioned Thaaros. Do you want to talk a little bit about him, because I think he’s one of the most heinous antagonists we’ve seen in a long time. He kind of reminds me of Sinestro with his whole fascist attitude, but Thaaros has done things that I don’t even think are Sinestro would do.
Jeremy Adams: Right. Guggenheim has created an incredible backstory in outlining his origin story but also making him very intelligent, which isn’t necessarily wrong. I don’t want to give you away where he goes, but it gets really complicated in a great way. And we’re just trying to create another really great villain. It’s really easy to say, “I’m going to use Darkseid, I’m going to use Sinestro.” I want to try to put more toys in the toy box. Thaaros was created by Philip Kennedy Johnson and I’ve had a lot of conversations about what might happen to him or what his endgame might be or what it might be. It’s not just the twist of him saying, “Hey, I’m manipulating things,” but “Hey, the people of my race are manipulating things. I’m doing experiments with Keli. I’m trying to do something with the Source Lantern. I have the ability to put people into different emotions and make them significantly more dangerous.” It gets worse.
So DC All In is coming. Yes. One of the biggest things about the tenders was the unveiling of the Civil Corps Special. What can you tell us about how things are going, especially since the ads mentioned the Darkstar Ring, which is currently in Green Lantern: War Diary. Jeremy, I’ve been following the Olgrun stuff for a while. I need answers!
Jeremy Adams: Well, the Olgrun stuff, you’ll have to spy on Phillip’s mind. But the one-shot is basically what will set up the finale of the Green Lantern story that I’ve been telling. That’s not to say I haven’t stuck to the book, at least I don’t know that I have. But it does mean that by the end, the status quo for Green Lantern will have changed. In some ways, we’ll be at a new crossroads. This one-shot is definitely the start of the end. And it’s great because we’ll really be in a new place for Green Lanterns and it’ll be a lot easier for people to enter the cosmos.
To “give everything”?
Jeremy Adams: Yes, give it your all. Give it your all! (laughs)
OK, we’re talking about the larger All-In initiative. This is a game changer in many ways, but for you it seems like business as usual. Did you feel any pressure or did they just want you to keep doing what you were doing?
Jeremy Adams: Oh, I’ve been isolated in that regard. The only thing that happens before All In is working with Mark and making sure everything is in service of absolute power. But as far as All In and what goes on there? Not at the moment.
Are there any Green Lanterns that you haven’t really used yet and you thought, “I haven’t focused on this Green Lantern yet, I’ll bring her back a little bit”?
Jeremy Adams: There are a lot of alien Lanterns that people are vying for, and I hope we get to play with them at some point, like we did with B’dg. Of course, we all want G’nort back. But no. Honestly, I want to spend more time with Razer. I want to spend more time with Tom Kalmaku. I want to spend more time fleshing out more peripheral characters so they can be bigger parts of Hal’s world. I’d love to explore more of Hal’s family.
Just because you mentioned him, I have to ask that again. I love seeing Razer. I think anyone who was a fan of the Green Lantern cartoon loved seeing Razer. But Jeremy, I have to ask you straight up: Where is Aya?
Jeremy Adams: (laughs and sings) Somewhere out there, in the pale moonlight.
Jeremy Adams: I mean, my first gig on TV was Green Lantern: The Animated Series. I did two episodes of that and I have a huge affinity for it. And it’s always there. In the back of my mind. “Where’s Aya? Where’s Aya?” …
Green Lantern #14 will be available from DC Comics on August 14th.
