So this week at comic-con was the occasion of a very cool moment. Some people out there don’t know who or what Green Lantern is. That’s ok. Because soon, everyone will. Some of those who know who Green Lantern is don’t really know why he’s awesome. Perhaps it would help to see this:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS-oNBg1lVU&feature=player_embedded]
I had my doubts in some small place about Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan, but those are gone with that video. He gets it. He gets why Green Lantern is important. Green Lantern (and the GL oath) represent the banishment of fear. When good is easy (In brightest day), or when the wrong seems oft so strong (In blackest night). The refusal to turn a blind eye to injustice (no evil shall escape my sight). The refusal to let the unjust go without being confronted (let those who worship evil’s might), And the reliance upon a power greater than ourselves for that justice (beware my power, Green Lantern’s light). Sound familiar?
The other reason i like this clip is because i like kids and Reynolds is just about as cool as can be to this lil’ fan.
Here’s an excerpt from a book I’m reading:
“I learned about integrity and the American dream from Superman and Captain America; commitment from Batman; social justice from Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and Daredevil; the importance of family from the Fantastic Four and the X-Men; loyalty and friendship from the Justice League; and sacrifice from Phoenix and Ferro Lad, superheroes who died in the line of duty. I especially identified with Superman as an immigrant, Batman as a perfectionist, and Spider-man as the underdog.
Later, I would recognize that comic books often depict a Judeo-Christian worldview in subtle ways. Young Jewish and Roman Catholic writers and cartoonists created the comic book industry in the 1930s, when the prevailing worldview was still traditional. The stories reflected the time and the upbringing of their creators. Superheroes characterized essentially biblical values: doing good deeds in secret, a respect for authority, loyalty, patience, kindness, fighting for truth, sacrifice for a friend or a neighbor, rejecting the use of power for personal gain, defending the weak and the powerless, the importance of family, taking a stand for justice. There was an idealistic core to the comic book world that became part and parcel of the medium. The tone of th stories may have grown darker over the years, but their moral heart remains intact. Everyone knows that Superman stands for “Truth, Justice, and the American Way,” but even a shadowy vigilante like Batman abides by a strict code not to kill.
This spirit of idealism has translated to the big screen. Long before “Spider-Man” the movie made them famous, comic book fans knew by heart the words: “With great power comes great responsibility.”
In the few instances when the film failed to capture the idealism of the source material, comic book fans rejected it. The 1989 Tim Burton production of Batman featured a Dark Knight who had no qualms about killing those who got in his way. WHile the movie did well at the box office, fans complained that htis was not the character they had read over the years…”
~ Leo Partible, cofounder of DPG visions
(excerpt taken from “Behind the Screen: Hollywood Insiders on Faith, Film, and Culture.”)
fun post; and @Jennifer – great comment!
I love when they both hold up their rings together. I think that’s the classiest thing Ryan Reynolds did. It was almost like he was telling this little kid that they are equals. If I were this child I’d believe that I could be a person of great will and great courage. I’d believe that I could conquer fear. That’s why I love Green Lantern, because it is not about his power – it is about the power he inspires in other people. Go Ryan Reynolds.