John Cunningham again the mod of the panel, plugged the usual; DC NYCC App, We Can Be Heroes, All Access.
Then Cunningham introduced the panel Robert Venditti (Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps), Van Jensen (Green Lantern Corps), Charles Soule (Red Lanterns), Bernard Chang (Green Lanterns Corps), Justin Jordan (Green Lantern: New Guardians)
Then Cunningham invites the creators to dish on their issues of the Lights Out crossover.
Green Lantern #24 on sale now – Robert pointed out that coming after Geoff Johns, who contributed so much to the mythos was no easy task. It was about building on the foundation that Geoff laid. Venditti wondered where the energy comes from. Relic, the current baddie, believes that the energy is held in a resivour. The Lightsmiths were the lanterns of his universe. He tried to be a scietist in his universe, but this time around he’s been more violent. He knows how the spectrum works and how to manipulate it. Relic tried to compromise in GL #24 but Jordan is too hardheaded. In GL #24 the battery gets drained.
GLC #24 – Hal and John used military tactics to keep Relic at bay. Oa blows up. Chang used the inset panels to highlight some lesser seen and fan favorite Green Lanterns. The scene with the GLs leaving in mass is a play on the trope of heroes flying up to defeat or face a villain. This time around they’re flying in retreat.
New Guardians #24 – Justin jokes that it features the defeat of Relic and everything back to normal. The entities feature prominently on the cover of the issue and in the story. Two entities are missing from the issue. A mystery figure shoves the GLs across the universe in a two page spread. The two page spread was full of apologies from Jordan to Brad Walker, the artist.
Red Lanterns #24 – Soule sells his book. He recaps the premise of the book. Guy is one of Soule’s fave lanterns. Quote from Soule “What I really like aobut lights out is that it’s boom boom boom boom, It’s not 18 parts” (My take; is that a subtle jab at the recently announced 18 part crossover Forever Evil: Blight?) In Red Lanterns #24 Guy takes out some frustration on Hal. Atrocitious has corralled the Butcher, he calls himself the Atrocity Butcher, a name that Soule particularly enjoys.
Green Lantern Annual #2 – It’s five parts all in one month. Relic visits the Source Wall and tries to get through it. Relic wants to examine Kyle, because his universe had no white lantern. The battle with Relic begins around page 20, but the following 19 pages are packed with revelations.
Cunningham claims that Lights Out delivers on what is promises. The Source Wall and messing with it will have repercussions. Cunningham’s favorite aspect of the story was the characterization of Relic. It’s captured in the scene when he kneels to Hal.
Q&A Time!
Do you have any favorite GL scenes? What were they? – Robert Vendetti’s was Larfleeze writing the letter to Santa. Soule’s was Batman sucker punches Guy. Bernard dug Super Friends, and told a story about how inspiring it was as an immigrant to see a character who used their imagination. Justin Jordan jokingly asked if the part where Hal killed the other GL’s is the wrong answer. Then he replied that he was too exhausted to come up with an answer.
When you’re writing or drawing who decides what the constructs are? Chang replied that it depends. It’s a balance between the two creators. Vendetti added that constructs are generally character based.
How do you plan on expanding the rogue’s gallery? Vendetti has plans for the most traditional villains. Justin’s next couple of arcs introduces new villains. Van points out that the sciencells were evacuated. Soule said that Red Lanterns will feature one-two issue stories where the Red go after new bad guys to target.
Will Sinestro play a part in Lights Out? Venditti says not in the way that you think. There may be a clue in New Guardians #24
Do you have some flexibility with Red Lanterns to tell stories, because they’re new to canon? Soule appreciates the question and spoke on the variety of rage, simmering rage, immediate rage. He gets to play beats that the greens don’t, but vice versa too.
Any tidbits about Anarchy? Anarchy makes his debut in Green Lantern Corps #25. John Stewart responds to stuff in Gotham and meets up with Anarchy.
Where is the Blue Lanterns going to go? Jordan, they are very powerful so it made sense to take them out. “I like the Blue Lanterns” but storywise it made sense for them to be taken out.
How much are you bound the iconic oath? Vendetti says that you run them through the ringer but try to keep the oath in mind
Cunningham offers asside – Are there any better fans than Green Lantern fans? He found the questions posed by the GL fans to be the best of the convention and praised them for being thoughtful and respectful.
Will GL cross over with Earth 2 to rekindle the friendship with Alan Scott? Vendetti cautiously said there are plans for the characters, “but saying more will get me fired.”
Is Larfleeze going to have a presence in Lights Out? Vendetti pointed out that thematically he was key to the beginning, he’s the biggest waster of light. And lanterns waste a ton of light especially when they fight each other. Larfleeze isn’t going ot tie in, so that his book can find its own identity.
Do they feel tied down to Geoff Johns ending for the characters? Vendetti interprets the scene as the book of Oa is written by people with an agenda. It’s only a vision of the future.
Will Hal and Carol’s relationship be addressed? And will the fact that the GL’s are the cause of a ton of strife in the Universe (First Lantern, THird Army) be addressed? For the first answer, Vendetti said that Hal and Carol will be addressed and maybe it’ll surprise. Van replied to the second question and said that Green Lantern Corps is going to deal with all of the bad pr the lanterns have gotten in the universe. It will answer the question How do you police a universe that doens’t want you to police it?
Are we going to see the Spider Guild, Dominators and some older space villains? Chang pointed out that GLC #24 has people in the background, particularly in the Sciencells scene. Van added that The Spider Guild will show up maybe not in ways you expect. Durlans and Khunds showed up.
