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A new Lantern takes flight in first look & trailer for DC's Green Lantern: Legacy graphic novel
DC Comics' absorbing line of middle-grade and YA graphic novels is heating up with a refreshing new Green Lantern tale showing its emerald-tinted might on Jan. 21 — and SYFY WIRE is presenting an exclusive look at the special advance trailer and eight enticing pages of fantastic interior art.
This bold standalone YA offering is smartly written by Vietnamese-American children's author Minh Le (Drawn Together, Let Me Finish) and adorned with inspired artwork from Andie Tong (The Batman Strikes!, Tron: Betrayal). Its inspiring plotline signals the very first time an Asian-American has taken up the Lantern's intergalactic duties and solemn oath.
The heroic tale follows 13-year-old Tai Pham, who resides in a humble apartment above his grandmother’s store, where his sanctuary bedroom is loaded with an assortment of sketchpads and comic books. When Tai inherits his grandmother’s precious jade ring, he soon finds out it’s much more than it first appears.
Suddenly he’s whisked away to Oa and being inducted into a select company of space cops called the Green Lanterns. With his neighborhood infested with racist bullies, Tai is forced to confront the fact that he might not be creative enough or strong enough to honor his family's legacy. Now he must decide what type of hero he wants to be: Will he soar above insecurities, or will the past keep him grounded?
"My goal with this story was to craft a story that took a twist on the existing character while still staying true to the essence of the Green Lantern that readers know and love," Minh Le tells SYFY WIRE. "My hope was to create something that could appeal to readers who are new to Green Lantern as well as those who are familiar with the character’s rich history.
“Coming from a family of immigrants and refugees as I do is very humbling because your own daily struggles come into sharp relief when you consider the heroism required for your family to get to where they are. This dynamic comes into play for our main character Tai when he discovers his new powers and learns more about his grandmother’s past. Will he draw strength from his family’s example or will living up to their legacy prove to be too much pressure? That’s a question many of us have to ask ourselves — whether we have superpowers or not.”
Tong considers it easy to be inspired when one is partnered with such a talented creative team.
"From Minh Le's masterful storytelling, to Sarah Stern's amazing colors, to our meticulous editorial team, the project came together almost effortlessly," Andie Tong explains to SYFY WIRE. "Being able to tell the origin story of a new Green Lantern with a talented storyteller like Minh seems almost unbelievable to me. I’m still not sure how I ended up here, but I am very appreciative of the people who opened the path for me. I imagine it’s similar to how Tai felt when he found himself transported to Oa.
“Since the book was aimed at a younger audience, we felt the visuals needed to be as clean and as easy to follow as possible. I also wanted to make my art as dynamic as I could by utilizing what I learned from Manga and Western comics alike. The final ingredient was the vibrant color provided by Sarah. I think all of this combines to make the work pop visually, and I hope it grabs the attention of young readers.”
Take flight into our eight-page peek at DC's Green Lantern: Legacy in the gallery below, then tell us if this new Green Lantern adventure shines a light on your desire to grab a copy when it arrives Jan. 21.
