Hal Jordan, aka Green Lantern, and the wider Green Lantern Corps earned their lantern rings by showcasing the willpower to control their rings and the imagination to use them well. Being a Green Lantern is a role suited to only a few people per planet in the galaxy, turning anyone (or thing) with the requisite qualities into a protector of everyone in their sector. But while the entry requirements are strict, there are definitely some heroes over in the Marvel Universe who are worthy of a power ring.
The Green Lantern, as readers think of him today, first appeared in comic books in 1959’s Showcase #22. Hal Jordan was a fighter pilot who was recruited by the intergalactic police force that is the Green Lantern Corps. The creative powers that are needed to be Green Lantern meant the comics were constantly filled with new, imaginative ideas and images to wow audiences. The ring’s ability to focus willpower into created objects, often to beat villains against insurmountable odds, made the comic series a big hit.
While considering willpower and insurmountable odds, it’s hard not to think of the enigmatic Tony Stark. The character has been through the wringer quite a few times and pushed through time and time again. He used his creativity and intelligence to build the first Iron Man suit from scrap and then continued to build bigger and better creations to help others. While Iron Man has seen some trauma, he has never backed down from a fight and has never avoided joining the fight and protecting people. Though he may not seem like a typical ring-slinger, many Green Lanterns use their rings to form different types of construct, and Tony would join former architect John Stewart in the cadre of lanterns who count intricate, imaginative design as a chief strength.
There are so many options from the catalog of Marvel characters who exemplify imagination and bravery, but the young people of Marvel rise to the top. Balancing school, family, and vigilante work is hard enough, and their youth often makes their battles an uphill struggle that must be met with maturity and bravery beyond their years. One of these teenage supers, Miles Morales, would certainly make a great Green Lantern. His intelligence would fuel his imagination well, and his desire to do good often pushes him past his own fears allowing him to fight villains that seem insurmountable, like the demonic Blackheart. Miles is perhaps most similar to Jordan himself; a hero with strong moral convictions and the commitment to see them through.
Miles’ friend and fellow Champions member, Kamala Khan, is another obvious contender for the Corps. An unabashed nerd, Kamala uses her creativity not only in her STEM classes but in her elaborate Avengers-themed fanfiction stories. Kamala's existing powers are all about flexibility and creation, but her optimistic outlook belies an iron will that has seen her lead the Champions even in times when the team were opposed by their own government. Kamala is actually most similar to honorary Lantern Alan Scott - a hopeful but charismatic leader with solid moral convictions.
For the best choice for Green Lantern in Marvel Comics, however, it’s hard not to return to spider-themed characters and the original Spider-Man, plucky Peter Parker. Having lost family, loved ones, and fight after fight, Peter still manages to drag himself up to his feet and return to face the bad guy and save the day. If there’s one thing that can be said for Parker, it’s that even when he is flat broke, his life in shambles, and sporting a new black eye, he manages to summon the willpower to keep fighting. Plucky, jocular, and hopeful, Pete is most similar to Kyle Rayner - ultimately able to transcend just willpower and wield the entire emotional spectrum. Whether patrolling space or the streets of New York, Peter Parker’s sheer stubborn determination makes him a worthy hero to join the Green Lantern Corps.
from ScreenRant - Feed https://ift.tt/3h3LV1y
0 Comments