Comic News: Guy Gardner Mini-Series Coming

[Kefkataran]

I'm sure this has been announced before now, but I just noticed it over at Newsarama (http://www.newsarama.com). Apparantly this November, we're going to be getting a new mini-series by Howard Chaykin starring fan favorite Green Lantern Guy Gardner. Titled Guy Gardner: Collateral Damage, it will be a two-issue mini-series, each issue being an extra-big 48 pages. An interview with Chaykin about the series can be found here (http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/GreenLantern/GuyGardner/CHAYKINGARDNER.html).

From the interview:

"I played with a number of concepts - originally, we were talking about doing a pastiche of The Man Who Would Be King, since the character lends itself to that. Ultimately it all evolved into Collateral Damage, and it takes place on the edge of the Rann-Thanagar War. There's an old African proverb that says, 'When elephants fight, it's the grass that hurts.' That's the premise of the book - it's what happens to the smaller nations when big nations kick the shit out of each other. What gets it all underway is an attempt at back door peace negotiations between two non-official representatives of Rann and Thanagar. Guy gets drawn in when he's asked to serve as an arbiter.""I never thought Guy was an idiot or a goofball," he said. "I always thought he was a guy with a lot of street-level smarts, who is plain spoken and hard boiled. I realized - and I'm not doing a likeness or anything like that, as the character is a blend of different sensibilities, in terms of a character, he's a lot like Dennis Leary - a smart guy, who's still a street guy. That's how I'm playing Guy."
A new Blue Beetle with a new book, Booster Gold starring in 52, Fire starring in Checkmate, and now this? Whoever said it was a bad time to be a fan of the classic Giffen/DeMatteis-era Justice League was dead wrong. I don't know Chaykin very well, but I'm willing to throw down the cash for two issues with a character like Gardner.

[agentgray]

For those of you who don't know, the new Blue Beetle issues 1 & 2 are out on a second printing. Pick it up. Just awesome.

[digitalErich]

Can we use this mini to change Guy's costume? Worst lantern costume ever.

[ECM]

For those of you who don't know, the new Blue Beetle issues 1 & 2 are out on a second printing. Pick it up. Just awesome.

Not trying to be a prick, but I found the new Blue Beetle to be pretty bland and uninspired and I really wanted to like it :(

[Captain Awesome]

For those of you who don't know, the new Blue Beetle issues 1 & 2 are out on a second printing. Pick it up. Just awesome.

Yeah it is, Giffen is a great writer, not to mention an artist too. That dude cracks me up.

[agentgray]

Not trying to be a prick, but I found the new Blue Beetle to be pretty bland and uninspired and I really wanted to like it :(
In what way? I thought there were some great one-liners in issue 3.

My only gripe is that they better start moving along a little faster with the back story, but it's a small gripe.

[Kefkataran]

Yeah it is, Giffen is a great writer, not to mention an artist too. That dude cracks me up.

Just for clarity's sake, Giffen's only doing co-writing. Only setting the plot up, as far as I can tell, with scripting done by the other guy whose name escapes me.

[Dr.Finger]

I love the Guy Gardner character, but I'm not sure about this book. Guy is going to be the lead in the Green Lantern Corps ongoing, so I'm not too sure where this mini fits.

[Soap]

Whoa, I thought Blue Beetle got hit killed during the OMAC series?

[Kefkataran]

I love the Guy Gardner character, but I'm not sure about this book. Guy is going to be the lead in the Green Lantern Corps ongoing, so I'm not too sure where this mini fits.

In the interview, as stated in the quotes, this takes place near the end of Rann-Thanagar War. Gardner's a lead in Green Lantern Corps, but I assume this is to give him more of a spotlight for a short mini.

Whoa, I thought Blue Beetle got hit killed during the OMAC series?

Actually, he was killed in the Countdown to Infinite Crisis one-shot, but as I said in the top "NEW Blue Beetle with new book". New kid, same name, somewhat new powers based in what came before.

[Soap]

Thanks Kef.

I kinda of see Blue Beetle as a Fifth-String Hero. For some reason, I just can't get into him. I think it's mainly the idea of taking seriously a hero named "Blue Beetle".

It makes me think of Volkswagons and Farfegnughen.

[agentgray]

Thanks Kef.

I kinda of see Blue Beetle as a Fifth-String Hero. For some reason, I just can't get into him. I think it's mainly the idea of taking seriously a hero named "Blue Beetle".

It makes me think of Volkswagons and Farfegnughen.
I honestly think he's gonna be this guy that comes out of nowhere, make a lot of major DC universe changes and then disappears.

[Everlost_MI]

Apparantly this November, we're going to be getting a new mini-series by Howard Chaykin starring fan favorite Green Lantern Guy Gardner.

I don't know Chaykin very well, but I'm willing to throw down the cash for two issues with a character like Gardner.

Damn good news. Howard Chaykin has written/created some excellent series/stories, especially American Flagg! and the new Bite Club series from DC.

[Captain Awesome]

Thanks Kef.

I kinda of see Blue Beetle as a Fifth-String Hero. For some reason, I just can't get into him. I think it's mainly the idea of taking seriously a hero named "Blue Beetle".

How hard is it to take any of these characters that seriously? Batman? Superman? The Green Lantern? None of these names scream "Intimidation" at all much less a touch of seriousness. They sound like names you would find in a prison.

It all comes down to the writer and the artist. If they can present an awesome package of story/character/and all around plot. They could make a character named "Shazam" great. And if they can do that, then they did their job well.

[Kefkataran]

I kinda of see Blue Beetle as a Fifth-String Hero. For some reason, I just can't get into him. I think it's mainly the idea of taking seriously a hero named "Blue Beetle".

He basically is a C or D-lister, but there's been several attempts to raise him up. I think this might be the most successful.

[Spigot]

I'm going to wait until the Blue Beetle run hits trade status.

[Kefkataran]

Hopefully DC's good about collecting this title in trade fast.

[SexualChoc]

Oh thank you DC! Hal has got Green Lantern, Kyle ION, Kilowog (and others) have Corps. It's about time Guy got his own book. His awesomeness knows no bounds. Or his hilarity.

[Kefkataran]

Sounds like they'll be downplaying the funny with this one and focusing on the attitude. Think if it sells well we might get another on-going? ;)

[SexualChoc]

Sounds like they'll be downplaying the funny with this one and focusing on the attitude. Think if it sells well we might get another on-going? ;)

Here's hoping. I mean Guy came into his own in Corps #5. Honour Guard FTW.