CBR: Peter Milligan Sees "Red Lanterns"

[CBR News]

"Red Lanterns" writer Peter Milligan spoke with CBR about fleshing out the most violent Corps in the DC Universe, the ramifications of Bleez's increased intellect and what a human Red Lantern may add to the mix.


Full article here.

[hondobrode]

My faith in Milligan got me to pick up this title I never would've otherwise.

Reading, and loving, all 4 GL titles, with this as my favorite.

[RoughNTumble]

I hate the origin he gave atrocitus

so much

[Flashpoint]

My faith in Milligan got me to pick up this title I never would've otherwise.

Reading, and loving, all 4 GL titles, with this as my favorite.

I love Red Lanterns, too. Especially how Milligan is fleshing out Bleez and giving her some depth and complexity. No more just grunting and screaming GRRRR!

I also loved this part:

Along the lines of exploring more Red Lanterns, why did you decide you wanted to focus on Skallox, Zillius Zox and Ratchet in issue #4? What do those Lanterns bring to the table?

After deciding to "upgrade" Bleez' intelligence, I thought it would be useful to have some of the other Red Lanterns as "players" -- creatures who had more personality and more of a mind of their own. I chose these three because they already seemed to have some profile and they looked the most interesting. They made me wonder what their stories were and what kind of character's they'd be.

We have Bleez and Atrocitus' histories now -- do you have any immediate plans to explore the history of any other members of the Red Lantern Corps through stand-alone stories?

I enjoy stand-alone stories, but I like them to be a part of the broad sweep of the story. While I'm really into the relationship between Bleez and Atrocitus I want to explore other Red Lanterns. Also, I have plans to introduce an entirely new Red Lantern, one who could be a bit of a paradigm shift.

Speaking of a shift in focus, while Atrocitus and Bleez are on Ysmault, you're also telling the story the human brothers on Earth, and it seems like one of them is heading for a Red Ring. With all the alien Red Lanterns, what would a Human add to the mix?

I'd really like for everyone to wait and see, but on one level, what they might bring is a human's POV on all this bloody insanity. For the Red Lanterns on Ysmault, all that lunacy and bloody vengeance is normal. It'll be nice to see how someone dropped in from outside will react to it all.

Very, very happy to see Milligan is giving some focus to other Red Lantern Corps members, especially Zilius Zox who is one of my favorite characters.

I'm looking forward to the human Red Lantern, too (though I still wish Guy Gardner had been that human Red Lantern).

This is a fun book! Love it!

[Pixie_Solanas]

the writers is british and so is the Red lantern...hmmmm

Isn't anyone else tired of white, anglophiles being the only ones picked for celestial duties.

What a ridiculous comment.

[DOVETAILS]

Love it. This is good superhero writing Milligan for sure. He works best with creator owned projects, as most fans of his know. But this seems pretty inspired. Hope he keeps up the good work filling out these hollow characters, I'll be front and center. So far sooo good.

[McJustice]

the writers is british and so is the Red lantern...hmmmm

Isn't anyone else tired of white, anglophiles being the only ones picked for celestial duties.

John Stewart and Dex-Starr? They aren't white or "anglophiles."

[halla]

Milligan: "Also, the way Ed [Benes] draws her she demanded to be given a greater role."

You mean his ability to show her tits and her ass at the same time in every single panel? Because, seriously, that's all I get from Benes' awful art.

The hate kitten should be upgraded to second-in-command. It is the best thing about the book.

[bongoes]

"Sometimes I think Ed is a genius."

Really? I find it hard to believe anyone would consider Ed Benes a genius. At least when it comes to art. I don't know, he could be great at math or something.

[ShaggyB]

the writers is british and so is the Red lantern...hmmmm

Isn't anyone else tired of white, anglophiles being the only ones picked for celestial duties.

not sure id wanna be picked for the red lantern corps in the way they are now.... perhaps if they all get the ability to think, until then.... most races would probably not want that "celestial duty"

[Flashpoint]

I should clarify: "Anglophiles" does not mean "Anglo-Saxon" it means someone who speaks English. All of the GL and RL come from an English part of the world.

Also, though John is black, there is still a far greater repersentations of whites on the GL team alone, when there should be some Asians and Latinos somewhere in there.

Good post and well-said. I completely agree with you.

[T Hedge Coke]

the writers is british and so is the Red lantern...hmmmm

Isn't anyone else tired of white, anglophiles being the only ones picked for celestial duties.

I don't think anglophiles is the word you want.

And, Milligan has written a wide variety of characters from different ethnicities, of different religions, genders, politics, and nationalities over the years.

Plus, as a white writer, there'd possibly be a minefield to dance through (to Electrobix on fastforward) if he chose a nonwhite character to be the manipulator of purest hate into blood-shapes or whatever it takes to be a Red Lantern.

[Pixie_Solanas]

Good post and well-said. I completely agree with you.

You're kidding. It wasn't. It was racebaiting and inflammatory, without an ounce of substance. There was no thought given to Milligan's previous output or an idea of where he's going with the title.

I'm all for a broader representation of ethnicities, but i'd choose to level criticism where it's actually warranted. This isn't that title.

[Flashpoint]

You're kidding. It wasn't. It was racebaiting and inflammatory, without an ounce of substance. There was no thought given to Milligan's previous output or an idea of where he's going with the title.

I'm all for a broader representation of ethnicities, but i'd choose to level criticism where it's actually warranted. This isn't that title.

I don't blame Milligan for the choice, but I do think DC editorial often fails to direct their staff to pursue more diversity in their cast of characters. Again, I don't fault Milligan for that; I think it's a failure of the people running the company.

And yes, the human Lantern Corps members are overwhelmingly white males. It's a fair criticism about that lack of diversity.

[Steve Broome]

Gonna check it out based on the coolness of that top image in the article