Michael Uslan. Lone Ranger / Green Hornet: Champions of Justice. Runnemede, NJ: Dynamite Entertainment, April 25th 2017. 148 pp.
A few months ago I read for the first time two comic books on the character “Green Hornet” that left me hooked so when I saw this story of Green Hornet and the Lone Ranger I felt compelled to read it right away. I did not regret it. Actually that is an understatement. I enjoyed this work immensely.
The story is situated largely in Cleveland, Ohio during the late 1930s. In this story the author reveals that the Green Hornet and the Lone Ranger are related: the Lone Ranger is the brother of the Green Hornet’s grandfather! Known also as “Uncle Joe,” this story tells the role the Lone Ranger played on the Green Hornet. It is a beautiful story of legacy, inter-generational challenges and also duty to what is right. We see that every generation has its villains which means every generation needs its heroes to stand up against evil. I love that dimension in this volume. I also enjoyed how the author pointed out how much both the Green Hornet and his sidekick Kato parallel with the Lone Ranger and his loyal friend Tonto. Both Kato and Tonto were minorities, with Kato being Japanese and Tonto being native Americans. Both were skilled warriors in their ethnicity’s martial arts. I also loved how both Kato and Tonto interacted with each other and also the author’s exploration and redemption of both characters as more than just “side-kicks” to the leading heroes. We see a theme of equality in this book and also the exploration of the problem of racism in a way that is believable and not over the top cliché or pushy with an agenda.
What I love the most about this book is the many references to actual history throughout the entire work. You see historical figures in this story. I won’t reveal all their names but they are famous individuals that readers will recognize such as President Teddy Roosevelt and a young Franklin Roosevelt. Even with characters that some readers might miss I thought it was neat to see the end of the book have notes on the refernces throughout the book of real historical figures in the story, real events and organizations. I wished there would be more graphic novels like this one and also more graphic novels of the same genre that had historical notes for the readers since after all history sometimes can be stranger than fiction!
I don’t want to give the impression that this is a history book (after all, the Lone Ranger and Green Hornet are just characters!) but at the same time I think it is neat story-telling to weave in a story that situates in the times and history of what did happen. I love the illustrations too with the colors and clothing that beautifully gives readers the feel of the 1930s pre-World War Two tension in the United States and also the noir gangster era. I recommend this book.
NOTE: This book was provided to me free by Diamond Book Distributors and Net Galley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

Sadly, this comic didn't grab me although I have to praise the uncanny pairing of The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet. Both worked well together, however the story line, the Bund, Murder Inc, Black Bart Jr, Nazis...it was too much in one go.

While it was a little different then I expected, it's still a well done story about the Lone Ranger, and the Green Hornet. The story did a good job connecting the two heroes stories, and explored interesting avenues that answers cool "What If" questions. Any more information and it would be spoilers, pick it up if you're a fan.

As a fan of both characters and a former avid comic collector (and yes, I still have boxes of the best of my collection), I was intrigued by this interesting combination. While there were a few aspects that didn’t thrill me, there were enough highlights to make this graphic novel enjoyable.

The artwork (Giovanni Timpano, with color by Pete Pentazis) was okay the first two issues, then really took off in the third issue and continued through the next two issues. Panel layout became more attractive, and the use of dark ink to color the area between panels served to extend many pages into full page drawings. This was a bonus, as throughout the entire novel there are many large drawings taking up half a page or more. The brown theme that appeared periodically throughout all five issues seemed to offer the feeling of being in the past, and was a nice touch.

The author (Michael Uslan) ties in many historical figures and events from the past. I thought that sometimes this worked well, while at others it felt forced and overplayed. For instance, the first page included political posters of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Alf Landon, which caught my eye immediately and helped reinforce the time period. The inclusion of the first appearance of Superman in Action Comics (shown being sold at a newsstand) gave me a smile. However, it almost became unbelievable as the parade of historical figures continue to march through the panels. Sometimes it became silly, with Teddy Roosevelt reciting parts of the Bat Masterson theme song from the TV show or later when Masterson talks about a “Masterson-mobile” but states it would be ridiculous to call it a “Batmobile.” Sorry, that’s going a little too far for a cheap laugh.

Mr. Uslan did go to great lengths to ensure the readers caught all the period references by inserting a helpful guide at the end entitled “Footnotes to History.” This was very interesting, as I did not catch everything he had inserted into the story, and found myself flipping back through the pages to take a second look. With such an interest in making the history match with the story, I questioned the term “people of color” and the 21st century feel to some of the race issues presented. While there were definitely racial problems in the 1930s and the author deserves kudos for introducing some readers to the story of Jesse Owens, I didn’t understand the present-day overtones the author inserted into the tale.

I also want to mention the five issue covers that are included. All are awesome, some are breathtaking, and every one of them help to set the mood of the story.

Overall, a good book, especially for those who appreciate artwork. The story is interesting, and tying two characters together in an adventure (especially given their age differences) had to present a challenge, which the author handled well. While it wasn’t anything like I expected, it was entertaining and a solid four-star effort.

NOTE: This graphic novel was read using my pc and not my Kindle.