I love the wild concept Lanterns and also the fact that they had counterparts in the Sinestro Corps. (Ranx the Sentient City! Despotellis the deadly virus!)
Oh, let's not forget Rot Lop Fan, the green Lantern who lived in a sector with absolutely no light and no concept for it. I hope he shows up somewhere soon.
A green lantern who is an abstract mathematical progression?
That's a big thought, right there.
Also, I loved that Dr and Quinch story. Mind the oranges, Marlon!
That's now my most hated concept for a lantern, right behind the living viruses in the Green and Yellow corps.
Do you ever wake up in the morning and realize how horrible you are?
I'm going to have to second that.
Matt, you are a very bad person.
That very well may be so, but it's not because of this.
In all seriousness, I just really don't like the concept of an abstract mathematical sequence being "conscious" at all, much less that it's an active Green Lantern. Does that imply that somewhere, Pi is a living, conscious entity? What about twelve? What does that even mean?
It's one of those conceits that works for humorous fiction - e.g. Jasper Fforde's Nursey Crimes series, or Terry Pratchett's breathtaking work of genius, the Discword series - but in this sort of medium, it's distracting in its awkwardness.
My dislike for the sentient viruses is for a different reason: there's no logical (or even CLAIMED) explanation for what that really means. Is it that a single virus cell is conscious? Or is it some sort of network of viral cells? It's just such an ill-thought-out concept (however cool it sounds as a single sentence) that it bothers me (especially given the greatness of the rest of his work).
I love the wild concept Lanterns and also the fact that they had counterparts in the Sinestro Corps. (Ranx the Sentient City! Despotellis the deadly virus!)
Oh, let's not forget Rot Lop Fan, the green Lantern who lived in a sector with absolutely no light and no concept for it. I hope he shows up somewhere soon.
See, it's funny you post that: I think the living cities/planets are great concepts, and Rot Lop Fan is actually one of my favorite lantern concepts. That's because it's something clever, but still makes sense.
It's not that microscopic lanterns are logically weak, but rather the specific description of them as viruses and not, say, a network of viral cells. Since we've literally seen that Despotellis, for example, is actually just a single cell, it just doesn't make any sense to me.
I used to play an RPG where if characters believed hard enough, they could perform magic as avatars of Elvis and Barney, respectively. And it later turned out that that way these magicians worked basically meant that there is an ethereal and all-powerful Elvis Spirit and a Barney Spirits who use these people as avatars.
So when it comes to comic books... I can buy Pi as a sentient entity without any problem, and welcome an abstract mathematical Green Lantern.
Anyway, it was my impression from the War that the virii lanterns were human-capacity viral loads.
I love the wild concept Lanterns and also the fact that they had counterparts in the Sinestro Corps. (Ranx the Sentient City! Despotellis the deadly virus!)
Oh, let's not forget Rot Lop Fan, the green Lantern who lived in a sector with absolutely no light and no concept for it. I hope he shows up somewhere soon.
See, it's funny you post that: I think the living cities/planets are great concepts, and Rot Lop Fan is actually one of my favorite lantern concepts. That's because it's something clever, but still makes sense.
It's not that microscopic lanterns are logically weak, but rather the specific description of them as viruses and not, say, a network of viral cells. Since we've literally seen that Despotellis, for example, is actually just a single cell, it just doesn't make any sense to me.
I get what you mean about that, but I'm thinking the whole single-cell representation is just the easy way for artists to get the point across. I mean, obviously they do not infect people via one cell.
I love the idea of a mathematical progression being a Green Lantern because it makes me think that
- the Universe is very, very large, much larger than I can conceive of,
- I don't have the slightest inkling of how the Universe actually works,
- I don't have the slightest inkling of what consciousness is and who and what can/can't be conscious, and
- the Green Lantern Corps consists of members of every conceivable and inconceivable species and non-species that might exist and might need protection.
Which is exactly what I want a discussion of the GLC's myriad members to make me think.
Besides, I've come to expect a not-obviously-conscious species to be mentioned in every discussion of a group of aliens ever since I read about the Hooloovoo in the HHGTTG (the Hooloovoo, as you may recall, is a super-intelligent shade of blue).
I always loved this scene from "Welcome Back Frank". I also really loved the first couple of pages detailing his return but I couldn't find any scans of it.
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143999Tellin' yanot askin' ya, not pleadin' with yaRegistered Userregular
I love the idea of a mathematical progression being a Green Lantern because it makes me think that
- the Universe is very, very large, much larger than I can conceive of,
- I don't have the slightest inkling of how the Universe actually works,
- I don't have the slightest inkling of what consciousness is and who and what can/can't be conscious, and
- the Green Lantern Corps consists of members of every conceivable and inconceivable species and non-species that might exist and might need protection.
Which is exactly what I want a discussion of the GLC's myriad members to make me think.
That's more or less what I'm saying. It's a fun sensation to think of a universe so far beyond what we consider to be the norm, conceptually.
Plus, it means those little blue guys can talk to math.
Having a mathematical progression be a conscious entity is cool if you're going for a world that's still being explored, or is unexplainable - Phantom Tollbooth or something. But in Green Lantern it really makes no sense, since they're aiming for a certain amount of consistency.
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ThomamelasOnly one man can kill this many Russians. Bring his guitar to me! Registered Userregular
Having a mathematical progression be a conscious entity is cool if you're going for a world that's still being explored, or is unexplainable - Phantom Tollbooth or something. But in Green Lantern it really makes no sense, since they're aiming for a certain amount of consistency.
Is it really any more weird then a feeling/abstract concept as a conscious entity?
Having a mathematical progression be a conscious entity is cool if you're going for a world that's still being explored, or is unexplainable - Phantom Tollbooth or something. But in Green Lantern it really makes no sense, since they're aiming for a certain amount of consistency.
Is it really any more weird then a feeling/abstract concept as a conscious entity?
Not if it's consistent. Let me put it this way - do the green lanterns ever police mathematical constructs or algorithms? Would pi murder i, and need to be locked away in a sciencell? Why then would one of them want to become a green lantern? How could one even BE conscious or intelligent?
The working of the rings is very consistent, with specific rules laid down (usually). That makes it more believable in the context. Just throwing out a nonsense line like having an abstract green lantern hurts that. The microscopic gl's at least have a physical form with which to hold a ring.
SageinaRage on
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ThomamelasOnly one man can kill this many Russians. Bring his guitar to me! Registered Userregular
Having a mathematical progression be a conscious entity is cool if you're going for a world that's still being explored, or is unexplainable - Phantom Tollbooth or something. But in Green Lantern it really makes no sense, since they're aiming for a certain amount of consistency.
Is it really any more weird then a feeling/abstract concept as a conscious entity?
Not if it's consistent. Let me put it this way - do the green lanterns ever police mathematical constructs or algorithms? Would pi murder i, and need to be locked away in a sciencell? Why then would one of them want to become a green lantern? How could one even BE conscious or intelligent?
The working of the rings is very consistent, with specific rules laid down (usually). That makes it more believable in the context. Just throwing out a nonsense line like having an abstract green lantern hurts that. The microscopic gl's at least have a physical form with which to hold a ring.
But the progression is a conscious entity. The hows are unimportant, it's consciousness has been established. So why would it be more or less weird then any other entity becoming a space cop. If anything you could see something that orderly understanding the need for order. And the workings of the rings does have some wiggle room given that there is a lantern who doesn't understand color at all and works his ring with sound constructs.
I'm glad to see a bit of morality and reason in Batman. It was hard seeing him act like such a crazy dick for 8 issues. Well, 8.5. That whole speech about having to scare the rapists was more of the hamfisted shit that people are complaining about.
Having a mathematical progression be a conscious entity is cool if you're going for a world that's still being explored, or is unexplainable - Phantom Tollbooth or something. But in Green Lantern it really makes no sense, since they're aiming for a certain amount of consistency.
Is it really any more weird then a feeling/abstract concept as a conscious entity?
Not if it's consistent. Let me put it this way - do the green lanterns ever police mathematical constructs or algorithms? Would pi murder i, and need to be locked away in a sciencell? Why then would one of them want to become a green lantern? How could one even BE conscious or intelligent?
The working of the rings is very consistent, with specific rules laid down (usually). That makes it more believable in the context. Just throwing out a nonsense line like having an abstract green lantern hurts that. The microscopic gl's at least have a physical form with which to hold a ring.
i think it would be pretty awesome if in the dc universe, math only worked all the time because there was a math green lantern keeping all the numbers and formulas in order
Would pi murder i, and need to be locked away in a sciencell? Why then would one of them want to become a green lantern? How could one even BE conscious or intelligent?
Prepare to meet the latest recruit into the Sinestro Corps.
Honestly I think e would be in the Sinestro Corps out of jealously that Pi is more well known than he is. Also each Corp should have their own mathematical concept as a member.
Honestly I think e would be in the Sinestro Corps out of jealously that Pi is more well known than he is. Also each Corp should have their own mathematical concept as a member.
So Log would be a blue lantern....cause hope floats?
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ThomamelasOnly one man can kill this many Russians. Bring his guitar to me! Registered Userregular
Would pi murder i, and need to be locked away in a sciencell? Why then would one of them want to become a green lantern? How could one even BE conscious or intelligent?
Prepare to meet the latest recruit into the Sinestro Corps.
man, i love the goblin. does anyone have scans of that one scene of a villain's bar where a bunch of supervillains talk about how spidey is always cracking wise? That's one of my favorite Goblin moments
From the Marvel Western special, The Man Called Hurricane. In the story, Harry Kane, a notorious gunfighter, has been asked to escort a native american woman across the country. She finds herself completely underwhelmed by him, noting that he's slow-moving, a poor shot, and generally just sort of worthless. Later, they're ambushed by the enormous posse that's formed to take down the Hurricane. Sorry the scans suck, I had to get them out of my hardcover.
Though the hardcover's now out of print, I really recommend buying it if you come across it. It has stories from Jeff Parker, Fred Van Lente, Keith Giffen, Mike Allred, and a bunch of classic reprints and bonus material. Totally worth it.
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Oh, let's not forget Rot Lop Fan, the green Lantern who lived in a sector with absolutely no light and no concept for it. I hope he shows up somewhere soon.
That very well may be so, but it's not because of this.
In all seriousness, I just really don't like the concept of an abstract mathematical sequence being "conscious" at all, much less that it's an active Green Lantern. Does that imply that somewhere, Pi is a living, conscious entity? What about twelve? What does that even mean?
It's one of those conceits that works for humorous fiction - e.g. Jasper Fforde's Nursey Crimes series, or Terry Pratchett's breathtaking work of genius, the Discword series - but in this sort of medium, it's distracting in its awkwardness.
My dislike for the sentient viruses is for a different reason: there's no logical (or even CLAIMED) explanation for what that really means. Is it that a single virus cell is conscious? Or is it some sort of network of viral cells? It's just such an ill-thought-out concept (however cool it sounds as a single sentence) that it bothers me (especially given the greatness of the rest of his work).
See, it's funny you post that: I think the living cities/planets are great concepts, and Rot Lop Fan is actually one of my favorite lantern concepts. That's because it's something clever, but still makes sense.
It's not that microscopic lanterns are logically weak, but rather the specific description of them as viruses and not, say, a network of viral cells. Since we've literally seen that Despotellis, for example, is actually just a single cell, it just doesn't make any sense to me.
So when it comes to comic books... I can buy Pi as a sentient entity without any problem, and welcome an abstract mathematical Green Lantern.
Anyway, it was my impression from the War that the virii lanterns were human-capacity viral loads.
I get what you mean about that, but I'm thinking the whole single-cell representation is just the easy way for artists to get the point across. I mean, obviously they do not infect people via one cell.
- the Universe is very, very large, much larger than I can conceive of,
- I don't have the slightest inkling of how the Universe actually works,
- I don't have the slightest inkling of what consciousness is and who and what can/can't be conscious, and
- the Green Lantern Corps consists of members of every conceivable and inconceivable species and non-species that might exist and might need protection.
Which is exactly what I want a discussion of the GLC's myriad members to make me think.
Besides, I've come to expect a not-obviously-conscious species to be mentioned in every discussion of a group of aliens ever since I read about the Hooloovoo in the HHGTTG (the Hooloovoo, as you may recall, is a super-intelligent shade of blue).
That's more or less what I'm saying. It's a fun sensation to think of a universe so far beyond what we consider to be the norm, conceptually.
Plus, it means those little blue guys can talk to math.
They should journey to The Heart of Gold and encounter a Hooloovoo, which is a superintelligent shade of the colour blue.
Edit: shit, beat'd by like 12 hours. That's what I get for not reading to the end of the page before posting.
Is it really any more weird then a feeling/abstract concept as a conscious entity?
Not if it's consistent. Let me put it this way - do the green lanterns ever police mathematical constructs or algorithms? Would pi murder i, and need to be locked away in a sciencell? Why then would one of them want to become a green lantern? How could one even BE conscious or intelligent?
The working of the rings is very consistent, with specific rules laid down (usually). That makes it more believable in the context. Just throwing out a nonsense line like having an abstract green lantern hurts that. The microscopic gl's at least have a physical form with which to hold a ring.
But the progression is a conscious entity. The hows are unimportant, it's consciousness has been established. So why would it be more or less weird then any other entity becoming a space cop. If anything you could see something that orderly understanding the need for order. And the workings of the rings does have some wiggle room given that there is a lantern who doesn't understand color at all and works his ring with sound constructs.
No stupid, i is imaginary.
:P
Yeah, but it's expected for Pi to at least try to kill something that isn't there.
Pi isn't rational.
i think it would be pretty awesome if in the dc universe, math only worked all the time because there was a math green lantern keeping all the numbers and formulas in order
oh i see what you did there
Prepare to meet the latest recruit into the Sinestro Corps.
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Touché
So Log would be a blue lantern....cause hope floats?
Thats just Retarded.
Oh, and Pi is not welcome among us.
I seriously thought Batman landed on the stick shift when he winced after jumping in.
You've been reading too much Scan's Daily. :P
Anally.
He is Lovecraftian in the way his insanity seems to make horrible, horrible sense.
Though the hardcover's now out of print, I really recommend buying it if you come across it. It has stories from Jeff Parker, Fred Van Lente, Keith Giffen, Mike Allred, and a bunch of classic reprints and bonus material. Totally worth it.
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is the rest of the hardcover any good?