CBR: Shelf Life - May 19, 2011

[CBR News]

Ron discusses returning to the world of Kyle Rayner along with artist Darryl Banks, describing the emotional attachment he has to the character after developing him from scratch in the pages of "Green Lantern."


Full article here.

[I-Ching]

Ah such fond memories of the Marz/Banks GL run. I had been a GL fan since the SuperFriends days but wasn't a comic reader until the 90's. I read a GL issue before they took over and it was just a dull and confusing read and I didn't buy another issue until I heard about the reboot so I gave that a shot.

I read it up until...I'm not even sure...over #100 I'm sure. I just really enjoyed the characterization of Kyle and the way that Donna was incoporated. I knew nothing/had never read anything of Donna before and I felt like Marz' writing is second only to Wolfman. Not since GL has Donna ever been written well. Ever.

And lets stop to talk about that costume. Now that folks, THAT is how you take a classic look and totally redesign it but still make it familiar and enjoyable. Banks did AMAZING work on this GL designs as the Parallax costume is also a major major standout.

Oh how I wish DC had commissioned him to redesign Wonder Woman!!

Kudos to DC for putting this all together. You CAN go home again!

[David Walton]

Great article. I never picked up a GL comic in my life until the "Reign of the Supermen" crossover where Mongul nuked Coast City. Which was something like one or two issues before Emerald Twilight, if memory serves. And man, did that story blow my mind. Fantastic stuff!

The opportunities to be on the ground floor for a new character that earns his or her place with the classics are few and far between. Occassionally, a new character breaks out of the crowd like Wolverine, but they're typically the exception to the rule. To my mind, Kyle was the breakout character of the 90s, and he's just a fantastic addition to the GL mythos.

Glad to see you'll be writing him again, Ron!

[the_speedball]

That GL #51 is one of the first comics I remember owning. Kyle remains one of my favorite all-time characters.

[saidestroyer]

The "Retro Active" title seems wrong somehow, in my opinion. But I won't let that stop me from reading stories from my favorite writers and artists.

Ron nailed it with the las few sentences: You can go back some times, but don't let it stop you going forwards.

[Lou7]

Thanks Ron & Daryl for creating Kyle ! I started reading GL with # 46 which was part of the crossover with the Superman books. I had no idea, absolutely no clue that Hal Jordan was going to be replaced, with Kyle.Yet I went with the flow and just kept buying GL and really loved it a lot. Thanks again guys, and I look forward to this retroactive book. It's cool to sometimes go home, but we do have to keep moving forward too.

[Genki Sudo]

51 was my first GL comic, man the memories. Can't wait to get this issue

[yonofui]

Kyle Rayner is "my " Green Lantern. I started reading Green Lantern in the 80, but it was not until Kyle appeared that it became my favorite comic.

He was a cool character, simple, innocent, trusting, even irresponsible, but creative and hard worker at the end.

Thanks for the good times Mr. Marz.

Moreover, the Kyle and Parallax costume were more sophisticated and gave the concept of new and innovative. (versus the plain old green and black pajamas.)

Thanks for that, too Mr. Banks

[Mart]

I grew up with Hal. loved the Corps but was ready for a change by the time Kyle came along. I did feel that Hal got shafted by DC, but that wasn't Kyle's fault, and I loved getting to know him as he got to know the ring. I miss having a Kyle solo book, so thanks for coming back, Ron and Daryl!

[grphxkindaguy]

I grew up with Hal. loved the Corps but was ready for a change by the time Kyle came along. I did feel that Hal got shafted by DC, but that wasn't Kyle's fault, and I loved getting to know him as he got to know the ring. I miss having a Kyle solo book, so thanks for coming back, Ron and Daryl!

QFT

Couldn't have said it better myself!

I had dropped Green Lantern a few months before Emerald Twilight. I borrowed a friends tpb of ET and was immediately hooked! I hunted down all the back issues pdq.

I always found Hal boring, but Kyle was like a breath of fresh air. I also loved his first costume and 'the crab mask' he wore. Was I the only one that liked it?!?

Its sad to see Kyle (and Wally also) treated like 'red-headed stepchildren' since Hal and Barry have returned from the dead.

I never knew Ron didn't voluntarily leave Sojourn. The book was never the same w/o him. And it ended on a damn cliffhanger!

[jloder24]

Kyle got me back into DC comics after college, and to this day he is my favorite GL. So thank you, Ron, for a great character. Although it won't happen while Johns writes Hal, I too would love a Kyle solo book. Or, give me a team book featuring Kyle, Wally, Conor Hawke and Cassandra Cain, with a good writer and artist, and watch it kick the current "Justice League" book's ass each month in sales.

[ftbagel]

I belive Marz and Banks' Kyle run in the 90's ties with Dixon's Robin for being the best modern versions of the classic Spider-Man motif. New young heroes trying to find their way in life while dealing with problems beyond their understanding.

The only difference between the two is that Tim sought his role out, while Kyle was thrusted into the spotlight.

[Boabie]

I always enjoy Ron's columns. Even when he's talking about a character I know zero about and care even less for like Green Lantern, I'm always engrossed. Partly it's the analogies, which, being about the same age as Ron, I get completely. (I'm off to see Cyndi Lauper next month, another trip down musical memory lane that's twenty plus years in the waiting.)

I'd also like to say kudos (kudoes?) to Ron for donating the No-Prize signed by Stan and John Romita for the Hero Initiative. I would only surrender my two No-Prizes after lots of tears and desperate offers of money, limbs and sexual favours.

[Mike Bullock]

If you're going to see Def Leppard and Journey, then you need to do GL with Banks and Silver Surfer with Lim. Anything else fails to fulfill your analogy.

[Ron Marz]

Thanks for all the kind words about our GL work. Much appreciated.

The pages that Darryl's turning are, as far as I'm concerned, even better than the stuff he did during our run on the book. I'm anxious for everyone to see the issue.