While reading this issue of Just Imagine I had so many comparisons for the book, both recent and past for what this issue is and influenced. The most obvious was that this version of Green Lantern is modeled similarly to Dr. Manhattan from Watchmen, now I a lot of that is because the artist for this issue is Dave Gibbons. Another that I liked was the fact that this Green Lantern was fairly similar to the New 52 Earth 2 Green Lantern. With all that included I saw this issue as another great addition to this comic series.
In this origin for Green Lantern Leonard Lewis, an archeologist working at a university in Los Angeles, searches for the mystical tree of life that is mentioned in many religious texts, including the Bible. As he leaves for Africa a student follows him on the journey and says she wants to join on the adventure. Leonard says yes this request because well she’s attractive, I’ll get to more on that later. While there they run into a group working for the series big bad known to us as Darkk. Leonard is shot and killed in the forest but a strange green mist carries him to the tree he is in Africa to find, and we find out it is known as Yggdrasil. This tree gives him super powers, and brings him back to life. After escaping Africa Green Lantern returns home to test his new powers, and is seen by the locals. Not much after that Reverend Darkk turns a giant robotic kaiju, think a red Godzilla, alive and Green Lantern fights it to save the town, but the student from earlier falls in the processes.
As I said in the intro the similarities to the New 52 Earth 2 GL made this book feel familiar as I was reading it. I like that Stan Lee and crew didn’t take away the sci-fi elements entirely from the origin but grounded it on earth with mythical stories. This is something that Stan Lee as been doing with his characters, and some of the Just Imagine characters, for all of his career. I also really liked Leonard as a character throughout, with some exceptions I’ll get to, and the fact that he was basically an Indiana Jones type that got super powers.
I feel there is one part of the issue that should be brought up as a negative. Before I get into it this doesn’t take away from my enjoyment of the issue but it’s there and we need to acknowledge it. The student that becomes a love interest in this issue is introduced with her defining character trait as being attractive. Leonard even mentions this multiple times as a reason for her being around. Now don’t get me wrong as a straight man myself I’m not apposed to being around attractive women, but it came off as weird in the story. She is given few things to do other than be a double agent for Darkk that later regrets her decision and to be something pretty for Leonard to look at. As a story element I wish more thought was put into her introduction in this issue.
With all of that said I really did enjoy the issue as a whole. Green Lanterns abilities are unique from the prime Green Lantern. His design, even if very Dr. Manhattan like, is good. All around I am surprised how much I like Just Imagine, and look forward to see if next week’s Flash issue lives up to the rest.
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Retro Re-Read: Just Imagine Stan Lee Created Green Lantern
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Writer-Stan Lee
Artist-Dave Gibbons
Inker-Dick Giodano
Colorist-Alex Sinclair
While reading this issue of Just Imagine I had so many comparisons for the book, both recent and past for what this issue is and influenced. The most obvious was that this version of Green Lantern is modeled similarly to Dr. Manhattan from Watchmen, now I a lot of that is because the artist for this issue is Dave Gibbons. Another that I liked was the fact that this Green Lantern was fairly similar to the New 52 Earth 2 Green Lantern. With all that included I saw this issue as another great addition to this comic series.
In this origin for Green Lantern Leonard Lewis, an archeologist working at a university in Los Angeles, searches for the mystical tree of life that is mentioned in many religious texts, including the Bible. As he leaves for Africa a student follows him on the journey and says she wants to join on the adventure. Leonard says yes this request because well she’s attractive, I’ll get to more on that later. While there they run into a group working for the series big bad known to us as Darkk. Leonard is shot and killed in the forest but a strange green mist carries him to the tree he is in Africa to find, and we find out it is known as Yggdrasil. This tree gives him super powers, and brings him back to life. After escaping Africa Green Lantern returns home to test his new powers, and is seen by the locals. Not much after that Reverend Darkk turns a giant robotic kaiju, think a red Godzilla, alive and Green Lantern fights it to save the town, but the student from earlier falls in the processes.
As I said in the intro the similarities to the New 52 Earth 2 GL made this book feel familiar as I was reading it. I like that Stan Lee and crew didn’t take away the sci-fi elements entirely from the origin but grounded it on earth with mythical stories. This is something that Stan Lee as been doing with his characters, and some of the Just Imagine characters, for all of his career. I also really liked Leonard as a character throughout, with some exceptions I’ll get to, and the fact that he was basically an Indiana Jones type that got super powers.
I feel there is one part of the issue that should be brought up as a negative. Before I get into it this doesn’t take away from my enjoyment of the issue but it’s there and we need to acknowledge it. The student that becomes a love interest in this issue is introduced with her defining character trait as being attractive. Leonard even mentions this multiple times as a reason for her being around. Now don’t get me wrong as a straight man myself I’m not apposed to being around attractive women, but it came off as weird in the story. She is given few things to do other than be a double agent for Darkk that later regrets her decision and to be something pretty for Leonard to look at. As a story element I wish more thought was put into her introduction in this issue.
With all of that said I really did enjoy the issue as a whole. Green Lanterns abilities are unique from the prime Green Lantern. His design, even if very Dr. Manhattan like, is good. All around I am surprised how much I like Just Imagine, and look forward to see if next week’s Flash issue lives up to the rest.
Please if you are enjoying the content take a second to comment your thoughts below, also hit the like button on the post. And to continue to get more posts like this, reviews, and my Crowdfunding Spotlight series subscribe!
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