It’s not really news that there is going to be a human Red Lantern in the Red Lantern title by Peter Milligan. I mean, for one, he’s been building it since the beginning, and for two, DC is already soliciting books talking about him.
But who is he?
As a side story thus far in the title we’ve seen these two brothers on Earth, one, Raymond, filled with anger, the other, John, much quieter and passive. Total opposites. So a guy mugs and kills their grandfather, and Ray gets furious and wants to do something about it. He finds the guys house and firebombs it. Then he hits John in the face and tells him he can see he’s angry too. Next thing you know Ray is at John’s house needing to hide, because the cops found out he killed that guy. John won’t hide him, cops show up, they fight.
That catches you up for this issue where the cops haul Ray off as he tries to fight free. He hits one of the cops and what follows is the clearest instance of police brutality I’ve probably ever seen in comics as the three officers proceed to beat Ray to death with their nightsticks right on the front walk of John’s house while he stands there watching.
In that moment his rage comes to a boil, he accepts his anger, his pain, all of it.
And so the ring chooses him.
