Guy Gardner is the black sheep of the Green Lantern Corps. And not just because he's a ginger. This unlikely hero was once considered the top choice to fill the role of space cop for Earth's jurisdiction, only beaten at the final hurdle because Hal Jordan was closer when his predecessor passed away. Despite being overlooked for the job Guy got a consolation prize as he was deemed Hal's back-up, just in case the main Lantern ever went AWOL. He did a pretty good job for a while, too, being a welcome addition to Green Lantern's ensemble cast. Then a the magic battery that fuels the Lanterns Corps' rings exploded in his face, he went into a coma for a year, and woke up a changed man. Which is to say a severely brain damaged man who began acting in a way not at all befitting a Green Lantern, generally being a cocky jerk to anybody who crossed his path. Which made him a perfect addition to Justice League International, a spin-off series played for laughs. Usually those laughs came at the expense of Gardner himself, and no bigger laugh - nor badass moment - was to be found than in the issue when a certain Dark Knight dropped by the team's headquarters. Thinking that he'd make a better leader than frickin' Batman, Guy challenges the Caped Crusader to a fist fight...and collapses like a sack of potatoes after just one punch to the face. A joke which he has never lived down, and a pretty awesome moment for Batman to boot. One punch!
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
