GL/GA sighting

[greenygal]

Because it's not readily apparent, and because I know at least one person reading this will care, I thought I would mention that the second story in DC COMICS PRESENTS: GREEN LANTERN features Hal and Ollie.

That said, it's mostly a Hal story that happens to have Ollie in it, and I also have to think it's a totally noncanon look at Hal. But it's quite an interesting idea, and the first story is reasonably entertaining, too.

Comments

[caia-comica.livejournal.com]

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

And the (not-so-good) comics store DIDN'T HAVE IT when I got there today.

...they say they'll have it for me next week, though. Probably.

*hates living in the middle of fucking nowhere, comics store wise*

[illmantrim.livejournal.com]

I got it and loved it and was like what the???

[chiefseamonkey.livejournal.com]

I think all of the DC Comics Presents... are noncanon. That Brian Azzarello story in the first half couldn't be shoehorned into continuity [though it was hilarious and completely unexpected from Azzarello]. I've been digging the hell out of these books.

[badficwriter.livejournal.com]

It's been hinted before that Hal's dad was 'hard' 'pushed his family around' and 'didn't approve of Hal' so I think this take is perfectly legitimate. It made Emerald Twilight make sense, to me.

The conman idea could've shoehorned in anytime, but Ollie's attitude seems similar to how Caia has described him after Dinah broke up with him, ex. Ollie getting upset, hitting Hal in the bar.

[greenygal.livejournal.com]

It's been hinted before that Hal's dad was 'hard' 'pushed his family around' and 'didn't approve of Hal' so I think this take is perfectly legitimate.

I didn't have a problem with that. Admittedly it seems off from Hal's attitude towards his father in Emerald Dawn, but even if I'm remembering it accurately I'm sure that could be explained. That part's fine.

What I just can't buy is the level of emotional repression being represented here. Yes, Hal's better-disciplined and more even-tempered than Ollie (okay, that's a bad example), and yes, he might well downplay strong feelings, or channel them towards a goal instead of venting them. But there's just far too much counter-evidence for me to accept that he's "scared to death he'll feel something." Or, for that matter, that he won't allow anyone to get too close to him--hey, Tom, Carol, Barry, Ollie, you wanna say something about that? And if Ollie yelling at him can provoke that kind of reaction, why on earth didn't it happen more often? Sure, in this story Ollie's hit him at just the wrong moment, but it's hardly the only time they've been under stress together, and violent arguments are quite a large part of their relationship. How'd Ollie survive? Why would Hal hang out with him in the first place? Why would he be chasing after the not-exactly-placid Carol Ferris, for that matter?

There are seeds of all these things in Hal, and I really like it as an idea. But as it was presented here, it's just too much; I can't believe that it's the Hal Jordan I'm familiar with. (Mind you, this didn't stop me from enjoying the story. I just regard it as an AU, instead of an explanation of what's really going on inside Hal.)

The conman idea could've shoehorned in anytime, but Ollie's attitude seems similar to how Caia has described him after Dinah broke up with him, ex. Ollie getting upset, hitting Hal in the bar.

If I were placing it somewhere, I'd place it considerably earlier; Ollie's in his pre-Seattle costume, and the "three billion dollars" line suggests that the loss of his fortune is still semi-recent. This strikes me as vintage '70s Ollie--in other words, a loudmouthed jerk. :)

[badficwriter.livejournal.com]

the "three billion dollars" line suggests that the loss of his fortune is still semi-recent

Dunno, he coulda bitched about that forever. But! I just picked up the old GA miniseries and Ollie got ANOTHER fortune there. And gave it up.

I mean, jeez, how many fortunes has Ollie gotten over the years? How much money has he watched fly out of his hands? It's like he has 'rich dude' stamped on his Destiny label, or something...