Green Lantern (vol.3) #67 (1995)

Green Lantern (vol.3) #67 (October, 1995)
"Fast Friends? Part Two"
Writer - Ron Marz
Pencils - Paul Pelletier
Inks - Romeo Tanghal
Colors - Patricia Mulvihill
Letters - Albert DeGuzman
Associate Editor - Eddie Berganza
Editor - Kevin Dooley
Cover Price: $1.75

Going to wrap up the two-part "Fast Friends?" story from the early years of Kyle Rayner's turn as the main (and only) ring-slinger in the DCU.

I'll throw this one up over on the Collected Editions page for easy (chronological) reading!

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We pick up right where we left off last issue.  Wally has arrived in New York City... and asks the inexperienced Kyle to step aside while "someone who knows what they're doing" takes over.  As you may imagine, Kyle ain't quite feeling that.  All the while, poor Sonar is being completely ignored... and so, he lashes out!

Kyle manages to construct an emerald mattress of sorts for Wally to land safely on... but doesn't even get a "thank you" for the gesture!  Sonar turns his attention to the gathered New York City Police Officers, however, before he can do any permanent damage, Wally swoops in for the save.

No matter though, Sonar zaps the Flash with a sonic ray (which looks pretty adorable emanating from his index finger) which causes him to lose all equilibrium!

With Wally down and out, Kyle pops in and traps the baddie within a construct ball... which holds him just long enough for he and Wally to exchange a few more barbs.

Now freed, Sonar figures "screw it" and blasts both the ground below the heroes and a high-rise building causing all the windows to shatter (I guess dude's ambidextrous!).  Kyle is forced to construct a giant turtle beast to shield Wally from the razor-sharp shards.  This finally merits a begrudging "thanks" from the Speedster.

While Sonar crafts himself a throne of twisted metal, we shift scenes to the Statue of Liberty, and rejoin the legless fella from last issue.  With his new emerald-construct legs, he plans on climbing to the top of Lady Liberty for the first time.  As he makes the trudge, he catches his hand on a piece of rusted metal, which draws blood.  This causes him to lose his train of thought... and with it, his legs!  Luckily another visitor was right behind him, and caught him before he took a major tumble.  By now, dude looks positively twisted... and I still, for the life of me, can't remember how this ends up!

Back on the streets, Green Lantern and the Flash take turns trying to take down Sonar... neither are very successful.  It isn't until Kyle dismissively tells Wally to "go break the sound barrier" (in the vein of "go take a flyin' leap" that it clicks.  These two are going to have to work together to take Sonar out.

And so, they do just that!  Wally rushes Sonar, grabs him by the collar... and breaks the sound barrier, rendering his sound-based powers rather moot!  While he's outta commission (powers-wise), Kyle wallops him with a construct mitt.

By the time the dust settles, the heroes are well into Upstate New York... and Sonar has been captured in a construct tomb.  Wally tells Kyle to get Sonar over to the Slab, and they'll take care of the rest.

From here, the two have sort of a heart-to-heart.  Wally reveals to Kyle that there's sort of a tradition between their respective "flag bearers".  Flashes and Green Lanterns have a habit of teaming up... going all the way back to the Golden Age (though Wally only mentions Barry and Hal here)!

He continues, and even suggests that maybe somewhere down the line the get together just to hang out.  Kyle's pretty receptive to the idea, and it seems like these two might be on their way to becoming (maybe-not-so) Fast Friends...

... however, they do part company certain that they were the "stronger half" of this team-up!

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Okay, we have a little bit to unpack here.  Pretty standard superhero "can you top this" sort of story, which ends as they all do... with the heroes realizing they're going to have to work together.  Fair enough... nothing we haven't seen before.

Though, with these two, there's a bit more of a novelty to it.  This is really the first outing I can think of featuring two legacy heroes.  I'm wracking my brain trying to think of another, but I'm coming up empty.  I know Kyle hasn't met the new Green Arrow yet... maybe Wally's teamed up with him though.  Dunno.  Either way, that wouldn't have quite the "cache" of the next generation of Flash and Lantern teaming up.

Wally acts like kind of a jerk here... but, I can excuse it.  It wasn't so long ago people weren't quite sure whether or not he should be Barry's successor.  Hell, that's not even limited to inside the comic!  Marv Wolfman had actually created a character he wanted to replace Barry with!  Meet Mackenzie Ryan!

From The Flash Companion (2008, TwoMorrows Publishing)

... and, from Marv's mouth (he doesn't remember all that much)...

From The Flash Companion (2008, TwoMorrows Publishing)

So, yeah... no wonder Wally has a little bit of a complex, eh?  Okay, all joking aside... Wally wasn't immediately accepted by the superhero community.  Sure, he got the "intellectual rights" (the costume and name), but it took him awhile to grow into it... and get the respect and approval of his peers.  I'm thinking with Kyle, maybe it's a situation where he can "smell his own".

Or, maybe it's just that it's the first time where he gets to pull the "veteran card" on a rookie?  Either way, it worked for me.

There's that one cutaway to the man with the construct legs at the Statue of Liberty... and man, it's driving me nuts that I can't remember anything about this!  I feel kinda foolish for suggesting it could've been a long brewing deal with Kyle handing off his powers bit by bit, when it was actually dealt with in the very next issue!  Whatever the case, I'm pretty intrigued!

Overall, an important little two-parter wherein a pair of legacy characters sorta-kinda come together to continue the tradition of Flash and Lantern team-ups.  They're off to a rocky start, for sure, however that's just another reminder that these ain't your daddy's superheroes (give it a decade though).  This issue is available digitally.

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Green Lantern (vol.3) #66 (1995)

Green Lantern (vol.3) #66 (September, 1995)
"Fast Friends? Part One"
Writer - Ron Marz
Pencils - Paul Pelletier
Inks - Romeo Tanghal
Colors - Rob Schwager
Letters - Albert DeGuzman
Associate Editor - Eddie Berganza
Editor - Kevin Dooley
Cover Price: $1.75

Today we're going to continue our little impromptu "Paul Pelletier Appreciate Week" event by taking a look at the first team-up between Kyle Rayner and Wally West!

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We open with Kyle Rayner heading to the library for some reference materials for an upcoming art project, when he just so happens to stumble across an armor-wearing creep who promises to destroy the joint unless he's given a million bucks and all of his terroristy friends are released from prison.  Sounds fair, doesn't it?  Anyhoo, Kyle "Lanterns up" and is blasted right into a nearby fella in a wheelchair.  After shaking that off, he takes down the baddie with ease.

Once the dust settles, Kyle heads over to the man in the wheelchair to make sure he's okay.  We learn that this fellow lost his legs in a train accident... and our man wonders if there isn't something he might be able to do to help.  And so, he "breaks off" a teeny bit of his Green Lantern power and bestows it on the man... giving him the ability to "will up" a pair of emerald legs!  Kyle leaves with a sense of satisfaction... but without his reference material.

Meanwhile in Keystone City, the Flash is dealing with a brand-new supervillain... Sonar!  Wally ain't too keen on this dude tearing up his city... but, as you might imagine, Sonar doesn't really care what he thinks.

Sonar goes on a pontificate-y rant, proclaiming himself as the King of humankind.  Wally gives him the ol' "Not in my city, you ain't!", which seems like a forced bit of business to facilitate Sonar's response that Keystone City is too small for a man such as he as he vanishes into the sky.

We rejoin Kyle as he arrives back at his building.  He pops into Radu's Coffee Shop for a cup before heading upstairs.  Radu introduces him to another tenant, a model named Allison.  She and Kyle flirt for a bit while Radu prepares his Double-Sug-Cap.

As our man turns to leave, Radu informs him that he received a package while he was out... and that he put it in his apartment for him.  Turns out, it's a bouquet of roses from his new gal-pal, Donna Troy!  Man, whoever said chivalry was dead?  Anyhoo, this makes Kyle feel a bit guilty about chatting up Model-Ali downstairs.

Kyle then grabs his sketchpad and heads to the roof to do a little etching.  Unfortunately, just as he's settling into it, he's wracked by a sonar shockwave!  It's a good thing he's actually Green Lantern... I could only imagine how many poor civilians just got flung from their roofs!

After changing into uniform, Kyle heads uptown where he finds... you guessed it, the King of all Mankind... Sonar!  Ya see, Keystone is chump-change compared to New York City.  If there's ever a place to throw on a gaudy outfit and proclaim yourself "boss", it's gotta be New York.

Green Lantern and Sonar battle it out for a bit before being interrupted by the arrival of... the Flash!

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Had a lot of fun with this one.  I sometimes forget just how special these early Kyle issues were.  It's really like we were making a new friend here.

Speaking of "new friends", this is one of (if not the) earliest instances where Kyle and Wally crossed paths!  That's some pretty important "legacy hero" stuff, and I'm really happy to be revisiting it.  I really enjoyed their dynamic... where (for once) Wally West gets to pull the "experienced veteran card".  I'll put a pin in that for now, as I'm sure we'll be discussing that bit of business more tomorrow.

I wanna talk briefly about Kyle "breaking off" a bit of his power for the legless fella.  I'm going to use the old Chris-chestnut of "It's been awhile since I looked at this era, so I don't remember if this leads anywhere...", but I think this is a pretty cool idea.  Having Kyle, ever the altruist, giving away his powers bit by bit... until there comes a time where he's in a jam and might need it all back.  Did that ever happen?  Am I completely blanking on (what I'd assume to be) one helluva story here?

Either way, this is pretty cool... and, gotta say, the idea of a New York full'a folks with a tiny bit of emerald energy kinda tickles me.  One heckuva visual there!

Sonar... is kind of a goofball villain, though he doesn't seem like he's messing around.  In this issue alone, he was able to go toe-to-toe with both Wally and Kyle.  Pretty decent first outing for the guy!

Now, the reason we're looking at this issue today... the art!  I mean, broken record time, it's really great stuff!  Very clean and sharp... just really wonderful to look at!  It's the kind of art I'd refer to as "candy for the eyes".  Really well done.

Overall, I'd say jump on this issue... not only for the art, but for a heckuva fun story too!  There's a magic to these early Kyle Rayner issues of Green Lantern, and if you've never experienced them, you owe it to yourself to give 'em a go!  This issue is available digitally.

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Green Lantern (vol.3) #87 (1997)

Green Lantern (vol.3) #87 (June, 1997)
"Last of Their Kind"
Writer - Ron Marz
Guest Pencils - Tom Grindberg
Inks - Romeo Tanghal
Colors - Adelle Giddings
Letters - Chris Eliopoulos
Associate Editor - Eddie Berganza
Editor - Kevin Dooley
Cover Price: $1.75

This weekend's episode of the Cosmic Treadmill (that's Episode #110, for time-travelers) is going to be a bit... inter-multi-versal.  Er, that is to say (without giving it away), that it's going to be an intercompany affair.

Figured now's as good a time as any to take a look at an issue featuring, if I'm not mistaken, the only non-co-branded appearance of the character co-owned by Marvel Comics and DC Comics... that's right, today we're (very, very briefly) going to be discussing... ACCESS.

Heck, we'll even include the indicia for this one!

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We open in Kyle Rayner's apartment... suddenly a portal opens, and out walks... our man, Access!  Man, I still want that Radu's mug!  Anyhoo, instead of finding Kyle, our man Axel finds Kyle's house-guest, Jade... and she's not exactly pleased to have this weirdo 'porting in.  She's carrying a camera... which, at quick glance I thought were suspenders... was about to ask "Who dressed her?".

Access (sorta) explains who he is... and asks where Green Lantern's at.  He also informs Jennie that her powers are pretty different from Kyle's... despite their similarity in color.  Since Jade ain't spillin' the beans on GL's whereabouts, Access ports out... though, not before thinking to himself that he might check in with "that guy on the surfboard".  Cute scene!

So... just where in the heck is Kyle?  Well, he's hanging with the JLA!  They are just wrapping up a meeting on whether or not they should posthumously consider Tomorrow Woman an official member of their ranks.  She gets a thumbs-up, by the way.  As the members get ready to leave, Kyle takes in the sight of all of these amazing heroes... and has trouble believing that he's now rubbing elbows with them.

Before heading out, Wally asks Kyle if he wants to grab a bite.  Kyle, unfortunately has a prior obligation.  Ya see, he's going to be trained on monitor duty... by the member of the League who intimidates him the most... J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter!

Kyle's attempt at "breaking the ice" goes about as well as you might expect.

Thankfully, he's saved by the BREEPs... there's something going down!  J'onn informs him that the on-board communication system has been jammed... so, they will not be able to call the other Leaguers back.  Suddenly, a craft more than three-times as large as Manhattan Island cruises out of a portal... and it's headed straight for Earth!

Kyle and J'onn check the monitors to see what's happening.  What they find is rather curious... the craft is blasting Earth with a terra-forming ray!  When Kyle learns that the ray is aimed at So-Cal (where his mother lives), he and J'onn leap into action.

As they approach the craft... they are zapped by some rays, indicating that... whoever these invaders are, they're likely not up to talking things out peaceably.  Kyle whips up a construct of a pirate ship (tch... artists...) to distract the lasers, so they can make their way inside.

In a great bit of continuity, J'onn reflects on the last time he'd trusted a Green Lantern... and how that ended with the planet Xanshi being wiped out during Cosmic Odyssey.  Kyle promises that this will not end with the Earth being taken out.

Once inside, Kyle searches the corridors for any signs of life.  What he finally finds, is... a very dead alien!  What's more, this feller's been dead for a good long while, indicating that this tremendous craft is on auto-pilot.

Kyle suggests they just blow the whole thing up before it can do any real damage to the Earth.  J'onn ain't feelin' that.  He promises Kyle that the Earth will be fine... if his plan works.  With that, J'onn attempts to telepathically connect to the craft's "organic component".  What he learns is, this ship's mission was to find a new planet to transform into a suitable home for an extinct race... and they apparently chose Earth!

This gives Kyle an idea... and so, they redirect the craft... to an actual uninhabited planet.

That planet?  Well, it's our new pal, Mogo!

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Ah man, what a fun issue!  Kyle makes a great "POV" character... and comes across as extremely relatable in how he's attempting to "fit in" with these legendary heroes... while at the same time, kinda keeping them all on a pedestal.  It comes across as very human, and is incredibly well done.

I also dig how, in comparison to Kyle, Wally is no longer the "new pup" in the "legacy heroes" roundup.  He's portrayed as pretty comfortable around the big guns... though, he had previously teamed with several of them during the earlier incarnations of the JLI.  It's still pretty cool seeing him as a "veteran" when compared to Kyle.

Kyle sees Martian Manhunter as most intimidating member of the League... and it's easy to see why.  Taking his appearance off the table, he does come across as somewhat cold.  His wisdom and levelheadedness is such that, he isn't going to be all that "chatty" unless he really has something to say.  To pair him with a young (and extremely nervous) Kyle makes for a pretty awesome little story.

I always say, you can judge the strength of a writer's ability to "write human" by putting a constriction on who they can use.  It's the old "lock two characters in a room/elevator/wherever, and see what happens" deal.  Gotta say, this was handled expertly.  Not only did Marz bring to the fore the similarities between Kyle and J'onn (both being the "last of their kind"... Kyle the "last" Green Lantern, and J'onn the last Martian)... but, they also ended their adventure with a deepened respect for one another.

Kyle's idea for repurposing Mogo was pretty great... if he wasn't on monitor duty, who knows what might have happened!  Plus, this was before Mogo was pulled out nearly every month, so there was a novelty to seeing the once-Lantern Planet.  In fact, if you weren't aware of the legend of Mogo... this issue's reveal would've probably been just as much of a shock as the original Moore/Gibbons tale!

Then... we've also got Access!  Really neat to have this scene here, despite its brevity.  You know me, I'm a big fan of "everything matters"... and anytime I see a nod to something that isn't usually considered as part of continuity, I get kinda giddy.  This scene is no different.  Not only do we get Access... but a reference to the Silver Surfer!  Love stuff like this!

Overall... had a blast with this one.  Excellent characterization, as we've come to expect from Ron Marz... the art, despite being done by a "fill-in penciller" was quite good as well!  Well worth checking out, shouldn't break the bank.  Surprisingly, this issue is available digitally.  Gotta wonder if there were any special concessions made for the co-owned Access to appear... if, in fact they didn't excise that scene completely!

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