Green Lantern: RIP
Although I've already posted about the spoilers for Green Lantern Corps #42 here, the reality hadn't sunk in until I read CBR's recent interview with Peter Tomasi and forced myself once more to view the ending page.
The sight of his crab mask, partially buried in the snow, was what finally had me blubbering.
Newsarama: In terms of his importance within the GLC, where do you rank Kyle's status, and how big of an impact will his death have on the wider DCU?
Tomasi: As I said earlier, in my opinion, Kyle's just as important as Hal or Guy. For a generation of fans, he was their Green Lantern, just as for an earlier generation Hal Jordan was theirs. Now, to me, they are all equally important and have all been redefined for future generations to come, and that's a damn exciting thing to be a part of.
He's right. Kyle is my Green Lantern, my entry point into the DC Universe, and I'm devastated because while this is comics and resurrections are a dime a dozen -- this is the end of an era. We had a Green Lantern who was at the beginning an immature, insecure Gen-Xer grow into a responsible adult and a trusted member of the superhero community. We've seen him evolve into a god-like being and we've seen him give up those abilities because it meant losing his humanity. And we've seen him live through losing his loved ones with the knowledge that for all the powers he has as a Green Lantern, there's nothing he can do to bring them back.
With a heavy heart, I have to agree with Tomasi's comment about Kyle's death being 'organic' to the story. The entire sequence of Kyle's last moments was well-written and hugely respectful. It's not set up as a gratuitous or sensationalist death to sell books, for which I'm extremely grateful. No, this is Kyle Rayner showing us once more why he's worthy of being called a hero.
RIP Kyle, DC Comics won't be the same without you.
The sight of his crab mask, partially buried in the snow, was what finally had me blubbering.
Newsarama: In terms of his importance within the GLC, where do you rank Kyle's status, and how big of an impact will his death have on the wider DCU?
Tomasi: As I said earlier, in my opinion, Kyle's just as important as Hal or Guy. For a generation of fans, he was their Green Lantern, just as for an earlier generation Hal Jordan was theirs. Now, to me, they are all equally important and have all been redefined for future generations to come, and that's a damn exciting thing to be a part of.
He's right. Kyle is my Green Lantern, my entry point into the DC Universe, and I'm devastated because while this is comics and resurrections are a dime a dozen -- this is the end of an era. We had a Green Lantern who was at the beginning an immature, insecure Gen-Xer grow into a responsible adult and a trusted member of the superhero community. We've seen him evolve into a god-like being and we've seen him give up those abilities because it meant losing his humanity. And we've seen him live through losing his loved ones with the knowledge that for all the powers he has as a Green Lantern, there's nothing he can do to bring them back.
With a heavy heart, I have to agree with Tomasi's comment about Kyle's death being 'organic' to the story. The entire sequence of Kyle's last moments was well-written and hugely respectful. It's not set up as a gratuitous or sensationalist death to sell books, for which I'm extremely grateful. No, this is Kyle Rayner showing us once more why he's worthy of being called a hero.
RIP Kyle, DC Comics won't be the same without you.