Comics Rant: Hal and Kyle

Anyone familiar with DC comics, specifically Green Lantern knows of the divided fandom, created in early 1994, when DC brought writer Ron Marz in to get rid of the old Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, and the entire Corps of GLs, the Guardians, etc. Since then the lines have been drawn between pro-Hal fans (some of whom are a part of H.E.A.T.) and pro-Kyle fans.

Of course, like any issue that divides people, there are those in the middle, as I like to think of myself. See, Green Lantern was the only comic I subscribed to, back when Hal was the Green Lantern, but I stuck around after Hal was written out and came to like Kyle. However, I do think Hal is a better character and that slowly, Kyle is turning into more of a Hal-type then his own character.

The main problem is the way this happened. Unlike when the Flash mantle was passed to Wally West after Barry Allen died during Crisis on Infinite Earths, saving the universe, Hal was turned insane, then into a villain, then into someone who made mistakes and ultimately sacrificed himself to save Earth.

The idea that a character with 30 years of history could be killed off isn't new, albeit infrequent. However, to have that character turned into a villain was just too much. The whole idea behind Green Lantern was that there was a Corps of 3,600 Green Lanterns, with enough room for various different types of heroes. If they wanted to move Hal to a far away sector to patrol and make Kyle the Earth Green Lantern, it would have been one thing.

To make matters worse, Marvel copied the idea in Iron Man, making Tony Stark a villain. He was replaced not by a new character, but by his teenaged self. Then Marvel shunted them to the Heroes Reborn universe and a year after that brought back the original Tony and tried to say as little as possible about it. So they basically realized they made a mistake and brought back the original.

DC turned Hal into a villain and did very little to turn Hal into at least a villain you felt sorry for. His death in Final Night, while heroic, was too little, too late. And you were left with the idea that it wasn't a return to his original heroic self, but rather decided that his own goals were not as important as saving Earth.

Then DC made him into the Spectre, ruining two good characters (Spectre and Hal Jordan). The original Spectre was the Angel of Death, God's avenging angel. He'd routinely dispatch criminals by doing things like freezing them and then breaking them with a huge mallet. But when Hal assumed the mantle of the Spectre, he wasn't an avenging angel, he was made into a redeeming angel. Now Hal serves as a duex es machina in some story-lines and in others a pale imitation of the Jim Corrigan Spectre.

So what makes this so important now, seeing as how it's almost been 10 years of Kyle? The fact that there are rumors that DC will return Hal to the role of Green Lantern by the end of 2004. That and the fact that they took the current writer off of Green Lantern, gave Ron Marz a six-issue arc, and haven't mentioned what is to become of the future of the book.

Rumors abound as to DC bringing Hal back and restarting the series, with Hal as GL. Others say Grant Morrison will write GL, which, to me at least, means that Kyle will remain GL.

Add to that the fact that most of the changes made when Kyle was introduced are slowly being reversed or amended. At the time, Kyle was the only Green Lantern, the Guardians of the Universe died (leaving only one behind), their planet was destroyed, and Alan Scott--the original Green Lantern became Sentinel.

Now Alan Scott reclaimed the name Green Lantern, Kyle has started recruiting a Corps, the Guardians are back as children, their planet is back, and former Green Lantern John Stewart is once again a Green Lantern.

So as the rumors continue to circulate, Kyle fans are starting to sound like Hal's fans 10 years ago "If Hal comes back and DC dumps Kyle, I'm dropping GL," etc. Not only that, but no one knows what is going on, which makes fandom abuzz with rumors and speculation.

Personally, I think DC should bring Hal back, but they should also keep Kyle. Work out something where they can have their own titles and roles in the DCU, and while they're at it, keep John and give Guy Gardner a ring again.

I really think DC messed up by dumping Hal and ruining the character and they have the chance to amend this grievous error. The ball is in their court though...