This was part of DC's 1996 annual event, Legends of the Dead Earth, featuring stories set in the far future, long after earth was no more; but its heroes and heroines were still an inspiration. But, this issue takes its cues from older stories: it's a pair of fairly traditional Tales of the Green Lantern Corps stories. Although, there may or may not be a corps in the future, maybe it's just Kyle's ring getting passed on here and there; or not. Then again, in both stories, yellow is a vulnerability; and I don't think it ever was to Kyle!
In "The Value of I," the alien Bardookis are slaughtering and plundering, and manage to catch GL Rak Arranya with a lucky yellow shot: the Bardookis had known the GL's were vulnerable to something, but didn't remember what; so they had thrown the kitchen sink at him. Dying, Rak manages to get to the planet Zilliph, and give the ring to a local, Taa. Who then reports it to his government: that sounds like it would be a mistake on most planets, doesn't it? But the Zilliphs believed in majority rule. Really believed in majority rule. They wouldn't risk using the ring without first debating it, even as the Bardookis have already begun tearing up the place. After some discussion, some voting, a referendum; the decision is made: nobody should be allowed to use the ring! That would put someone ahead of everyone else, and that's not how things were done there. Taa is tasked with getting rid of the ring and battery, but instead is sparked to say the oath: "Beware...my power!"
Taa quickly sends the Bardookis packing, but knows his planet has been exposed: he wasn't going to be able to go back to his old life. Partly because he may have inadvertently changed the planet's governing principles...
"Nobler in the Mind..." also features the traditional mortally wounded GL trying to find a replacement; but El'qa Squa Zreenah isn't having much luck. Crashed on Qualar IV, the ring finds the locals skittish and chickenhearted, most of them passing out while being scanned! The ring finds one guy that could maybe take it, but...no time for buts! El'qa didn't think he had much time left, and gives the ring to the eccentric, somewhat scatterbrained Perdoo. Who mumbles his way through the traditional GL oath, then makes El'qa comfortable while he zips into space to see the armada that clocked his predecessor.
First mistaking the armada ships as "a whole new species of flitterby," Perdoo then demolishes almost all of them after they take a shot at him! Returning home, he finds El'qa still alive, not as mortally wounded as he had thought. Perdoo returns the ring, as "more trouble than it was worth," but does ask for a ride home...back to the asylum! Your first thought might be, maybe he was the only sane one, in a crazy world? Nah, his gears were pretty stripped, man.
1 comment:
I wonder if this was Dixon inserting his own political views in here with that 1st story or just illustrating the dangers of what happens when the needs of the many vs the needs of the few are taken to an extreme end.
Solid annual like you said though.
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