The Red Lantern Corps Is Coming…

I’m a huge fan of the Green Lantern comic series and everything involved in it. They really sucked me in with the War of Light and Blackest Night. Call me a relatively new Lantern fan, but I can’t imagine what it would be like without the other Lantern Corps of the emotional spectrum. The Sinestro Corps is undoubtedly hardcore, being the anti-thesis of the Green Lanterns. The Orange Lantern Corps under Larfleeze is a little weird, all of them being constructs that Larfleeze has consumed and used as his soldiers. But one of my favorites are the Red Lantern Corps under the leadership of Atrocitus.

So you might imagine my excitement over the recent announcement of an upcoming Red Lantern comic series! Geoff Johns, comic writing superstar, recently did an interview with IGN revealing a little more about the comic. Check it out below:

IGN: Well said. A while back, it was announced that there’s a Red Lantern book coming.

Johns: There is! By Peter Milligan, who I love.

IGN: Yeah, it’s really exciting! Why do you think the Red Lanterns deserve their own book instead of one of the other Corps?

Johns: I think there is something really primal about rage that is interesting, and quite honestly, we have the good guys covered, right? There’s Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, and Emerald Warriors. So there is something really interesting about exploring the other side of Atrocitus. I don’t know if you read the Atrocitus issue of Green Lantern, but he’s not evil. I think people mistake that. He’s not evil; he’s really really wounded, and he’s really really angry. I think all of us have a lot of anger in us. I think all of us have anger issues. So I think that’s something you can explore with these characters. You ever have road rage? You probably do here [in LA].

IGN: Oh absolutely, you have no idea! [laughs]

Johns: Yeah! And half the time, it’s not really because they cut you off; you’re probably already pissed off about something else. You lash out; we project a lot onto people. When we yell, we’re usually upset about something else beyond just what we’re yelling about. And those are issues that we either deal with or they fester inside us. I think that in a Red Lantern book, rage will be something really interesting to explore and write about, especially in Atrocitus – and Dex-Starr and Bleez and Zilius Zox, the big mad bald guy. They’re all going to be delved into a lot deeper, just like the Green Lantern Corps is. I’m excited about it.

I have to agree with Johns about Peter Milligan, I love that guy! His run on X-men in 2005 with Salvador Larroca was remarkable, and the first time I’ve read his work. His ‘Golgotha’ storyline in X-men is hard to describe. It was dark, creepy and kind of uncomfortable, but in a good way! I normally don’t like any X-men storylines that take place in outer space or have to do with aliens but this one was one of my favorite X-men story arcs of recent years. I think Milligan will be perfect for the Red Lantern comic because he can handle dark and violent subject matter without being too over the top with it.

“With blood and rage of crimson red, ripped from a corpse so freshly dead, together with our hellish hate, we’ll burn you all, that is your Fate!”

– Red Lantern Corps Oath

Atrocitus and the Red Lanterns aren’t villains exactly. Atrocitus actually has a legitimate beef with a lot of the characters in the DC universe. The guy’s whole home planet and sector were wiped out by the Manhunters who were supposed to be under the control of the supposed Guardians of the universe. I’d feel pretty pissed if that happened here and I was one of the last people around. Then of course there is Sinestro who imprisoned him for a very long time after he and the remaining survivors of Sector 666 quested to destroy the Guardians.

His corps consist of those who hold rage and vengeance in their hearts after they have greatly wronged. The Red Corps are a hazy reflection of the Green Lantern Corps in many ways; They deal out justice violently to those who have wronged them with no questions asked, whereas the Green Lanterns would attempt to capture their enemies and hold a trial before deciding their fate. What follows are a few of the more notable members of the Red Lantern Corps:

Dex-Star

This one may seem ridiculous because it is, but I love cats so everyone can shut it. Dex’s mission in his feline life is to find the person who killed his master on Earth. Don’t let his appearance fool you though, this furry little bastard will rip your face like he has done to many a Sinestro Corps member. And oh yeah, he wears his power ring on his tail. Booyah!

Bleez

Bleez used to be a beautiful, winged sentient who never harmed anyone. Until the Sinestro Corps. On Ranx, she was tortured and raped by Sinestro’s followers before she was able to escape and a red power ring found her. Now she shows no mercy to any of those who assaulted her, killing any Sinestro Corps member with grim satisfaction.

Zilius Zox

Unfortunately not much is known about Zox. Besides him having “great rage” and looking like an extremely pissed off MODOK, we’ll have to wait until the Red Lantern comic releases, where Johns assures us we will get some back story on the Red Lanterns including Zox.

Vice

Vice’s mate was killed by Arkillo of the Sinestro Corps, who is a total asshole. After that he was inducted into the Red Lanterns, killing many during Sinestro’s capture by the Red Corps. He was captured by the Green Lanterns where he was imprisoned in the Sciencells of Oa, where he later escaped from to kill plenty more imprisoned Sinestro Corps members. This guy was a yellow ringed killing machine, but unfortunately he was killed by a malfunctioning Alpha Lantern during Blackest Night.

Is anyone else a Lantern Fanatic like me and can’t wait for this new series? Comment below if you are and let your rage be known!