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Interview: Robert Venditti Talks GREEN LANTERN

Writer Robert Venditti talks Hal Jordan, Simon Baz, and his love for writing cosmic books

GREEN LANTERN: Uprising has come to an end, but everything certainly isn't back to normal for the Green Lantern Corps. Writer Robert Venditti has a lot on the horizon for this book, including Green Lantern: Godhead, which you can check out our video interview with Robert and Van Jensen from SDCC here. Writer Robert Venditti also talked to us about the series in general and his experience writing the series.

Cover to issue #34
Cover to issue #34

COMIC VINE: Hal Jordan has gone through a lot of changes, not just during your run, but during this arc so far. He's lost confidence in himself. Is this something that's going to have long-term affects on him and his ability to use the ring?

ROBERT VENDITTI: He made some mistakes when he took over as leader of the Green Lantern Corps, and he did lose a little bit of his confidence. But he adapted, and he grew as a character. He went from being a guy who charges headlong into battle, fist held forward and running on instinct, to defeating the Durlans by crafting a complex strategy involving ground troops, a surprise ambush, and artillery from space. Like everyone, though, Hal is going to learn it isn’t easy to change and still retain the core traits that make you who you are.

CV: Was there certain films or books that inspired things within this story line?

RV: More than that, the story grew out of who the Durlans are as a culture of shape-shifters. We really tried to focus on how their breed of warfare would be different from other adversaries the Green Lantern Corps has faced. They’re an enemy that piles deception on top of deception, which provides a unique set of challenges for a character like Hal.

CV: What is it about writing cosmic books that you like so much?

RV: Growing up in Florida, where NASA was a local phenomenon, I’ve always been fascinated with space. I also enjoy the world-building inherent in cosmic stories. All fiction writing involves world-building to some extent, but cosmic books demand a lot of it. New worlds, new cultures, new technologies. It forces you to think outside the box.

CV: Are we going to see any more Simon Baz?

RV: Definitely. Simon shows up in Green Lantern #34, and there are plans for him beyond that. Not just in the Green Lantern books, but in the wider DCU. He has a significant role to play.

CV: When it comes down to it, is there anything Hal and the Green Lanterns can do to undo the mess the Durlans created?

RV: The Durlans have tarnished the reputation of the Green Lantern Corps throughout the universe, partly through their deceptive ways, and partly by shining a light on mistakes that the Corps made all on their own. The only way for the Corps to reclaim their standing as a force for good in the universe is to win back the hearts and minds, one world at a time. The climax of “Uprising” and the Corps’ last stand on Zezzen, homeworld of Lantern Gorin-Sunn, is the first of many steps in that campaign.

Issue #35, on sale in October
Issue #35, on sale in October

CV: Who are your favorite Lantern villains and what attracts you to them?

RV: Sinestro, of course, because what’s not to like about a villain as pompous and driven as Sinestro? I also like Krona because he refuses to go away. Another favorite, believe it or not, is Sonar, the man with the tuning-fork gun. I have some ideas about how to reimagine his character, while still keeping his original motivations in tact. Maybe someday . . .

CV: What can you tell us about the Shadow Empire?

RV: You'll be seeing more of them in Green Lantern Corps. Beyond that, you'll have to ask Van!

CV: Are there still other Durlans walking around as Corps members, like Fatality?

RV: At the end of "Uprising," the Green Lantern Corps handed the Durlan empire a decisive defeat. So the Durlan threat has been quashed. For now . . .

CV: Any hints about the future of GREEN LANTERN?

RV: “Uprising” in many ways represents the culmination of the first long-form story since I started writing the series. During that time, we’ve seen Hal grow from an inexperienced leader to a field general. The adversary he’s going to face in the latter half of this year, though, is going to test him like no other. It’s quite possibly the greatest challenge the Green Lantern Corps has ever faced. And that’s saying something.

Thanks to Robert Venditti for talking Lanterns with us and make sure to check out his current run on GREEN LANTERN!