Hello Again!


It's currently almost midnight when I am writing this review but things have been kind of crazy with the holidays and all the other things. However, here I am up late because I have started staying up late because I am off of work for a little while and I am just messing my sleep schedule all up. But I just finished vacuuming my bedroom, making a gallon of tea, and doing some other housework and was like I am going to write some reviews! Once I start wrecking my sleep schedule and staying up super late I get either really productive and get a lot of work done or play all the games (mostly a lot of sims). Tonight, it's really productive on the work side and this graphic novel was on my list to review (because I finished reading it a few weeks ago and I have been itching to write some thoughts on it).


SPOILERS AHEAD


Tai is a 13-year-old living with his family above his grandmother's store, things are not perfect but he likes his life and he loves his family and friends. There is a lot of trouble in Tai's neighborhood. One day Tai inherits his grandmother's Jade ring and turns into a Green Lantern. However, Tai has no idea what that is, what his powers, are, what is going on, or why his Grandmother left this ring to him. After her recent death, he has so many questions and no real answers until he meets another Green Lantern and begins to learn more about the ring and his grandmother's life as a Green Lantern. However, on his way to learning to be a Green Lantern Tai will have to decide if he will become a hero or if he will join the other side of this fight?


I have to say I went into this knowing literally nothing about Green Lantern. I had never even seen the movie. Having said that, I think this graphic novel did an amazing job teaching my all about Green Lantern and sharing that universe with me. The illustrations in this graphic novel were beyond amazing and I was constantly staring at them and going back and looking them over even after I finished reading the story. Additionally, I am super hyped to read the next graphic novel in this series because I just want to know more about the Green Lanterns in general and Tai's journey. I think if you are like me and know little to nothing about the Green Lantern this is the perfect graphic novel to jump into the universe with. I am giving this graphic novel five stars on Goodreads!





**I was given an E-ARC copy of this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Drawn Together is one of the greatest early graphic novel picture books, so I was ecstatic to hear that Minh Lê was going to be writing one of the DC Zoom titles! Green Lantern Legacy only lost one star because I think DC themselves did the book a disservice by having it be so short; I need so much more than what I got here. I would certainly welcome sequels, but I think a lot of story was left out and I don't think it was Lê's fault, but DC's. That said, the book is lovely and Andie Tong's art is a great fit.

Green Lantern: Legacy is a beautiful and well-written book. It’s one that I would gladly use in a graphic novels course — and one that I enjoy for my own reading life. The art is well done, and Minh Le brings depth to this character in a new way. Wow.

Thanks to Net Galley and DC for the ARC. DC is totally crushing int with the DC Zoom stuff. This story is so fun. When I was a kid, being a Green Lantern was maybe the coolest fantasy ever. Minh Le has delivered on that dream for pretty much every kid ever in this delightful take on the Green Lantern Corps. It was fantastic to see John Stewart as the mentor in this. He has always been my in my top two Lanterns of all time. Jessica Cruz is my favorite and I think she easily could have been in the Stewart role, but because our hero is an artist, it makes more sense for it to be John. Hand this book to any kid who dreams big.

So, Earth has 6 Lanterns now? (Simon, Jessica, John, Guy, Hal, Kyle, and now Tai?) Go Earth!

I was a little wary of this story when I chose to read it. Sometimes I like the Green Lanterns that are introduced (both Earth protectors and other worlds protectors) a little less than I'm supposed to I think (can't stand Hal, Guy is... okay, Kyle, I won't go there). Although, lately with Simon and Jessica, I've liked them more, and John is always my favorite!

But, I shouldn't have worried. This story, and Tai the new Green Lantern, are amazing.

Tai and his family are Vietamese. And, when his grandmother dies, Tai not only finds out that she was a Space Cop Green Lantern, but, that the ring has chosen him, and he's the next one. His mentor becomes John Stewart (woo), although, he also gets trained by Iolande, which was cool.

Then, he has to face his bad guy, which is a very apropos sort of bad guy for this day and age (in a good way, even though, I'm not sure how much of the subtext of his bad guy-ness the age group this is written for will get it)

The book was all about growth, but, not in a preachy way at all. I don't know if there'll be more by this author and in this series with this character, but, I'm definitely rooting for more, because, this was just awesome.

I received this book via Netgalley thanks to DC Entertainment.

A very solid middle-grade graphic novel introducing not one but two original Green Lantern characters. It's a good introduction to the mythos of the Green Lantern, and I absolutely loved the concept of a Granny Green Lantern! I didn't love the art, but I liked it just fine. There's a very contemporary underlying message about communities resisting gentrification and unethical tech innovators, which I think will appeal to new audiences.

Green Lantern: Legacy is the latest graphic novel from DC’s new Zoom Series. It’s written intentionally to pull in a younger audience. And that means we’re about to meet one of the youngest Green Lanterns yet.
Tai Pham is only twelve years old, but he has what it takes to be a Green Lantern. His whole life he never knew that his grandmother carried such an important job. He had thought she was enough of a superhero for bringing his Vietnamese family over to America and making a home for them all. But it turns out that she was an actual superhero as well.
While he may be a bit young for the job, he’s thankfully got the support of his friends –whom he trusts enough to confide in about his new superhero status. Together they’re going to take on a villain intent on taking over their little neighborhood. They’re going to continue the legacy his grandmother started.

Green Lantern: Legacy is a sweet and fun read in the Green Lantern universe. It’s perfect for new and young readers – as well as any reader just looking for a bit of a break from all of the heavier superhero plots out in the wild.
Minh Le has written a beautiful new introduction and series here. Tai Pham and his family are exactly what we needed to see in the DC universe. And it’s a strong reminder of all the potential heroes out in the world.
This plot was cute and predictable in all of the right ways, while still being interesting and fun. It’s the right balance, especially for younger readers you might be trying to entice into reading (because really: who doesn’t want to share their love of Green Lanterns with their children?).
Every Green Lantern we’ve met has seemed to have their own spin in regards to using their willpower and the ring. Tai Pham is no exception, and I think fans will be excited to see what he has in store for them. I know I was fascinated by this new revelation.
Andie Tong was the artist for this project, and they did an excellent job. I loved the balance of modern and tradition, both in the characters and the artwork itself. It was the perfect blend for this series. And I hope that if the series continues, Andie Tong will stay onboard.
I really enjoyed reading Green Lantern: Legacy, and can’t help but find myself excited to see more works like this coming out of DC. It’s exactly the sort of plot I’ve been hoping to see; one that is approachable to all audiences, giving kids a chance to follow in their parents' footsteps.

A nice addition for Middle Grade readers. This version of the Green lantern has interesting, diverse characters. It was wonderful to see the bond between Tai and his grandmother especially since older characters are not often found in graphic novels for this age group. Although the villain of the book should be obvious for any reader familiar with the superhero trope, it does not ruin the enjoyment of the story. Overall, Legacy will be a welcome addition for those looking to add representation to their bookshelves.

I'll admit that I'm not as familiar with the Green Lantern Corps as I am with other DC groups, but it's DC Zoom! They've been putting out a lot of awesome graphic novels lately, including _ and _! I'm grateful I had the opportunity to read it because it's a really fun one.

Quick Thoughts
-The artwork is fun and uses a lot of deep colors, offset by the bright green and yellows of the Green and Yellow Lantern Corps.
-The main character is Vietnamese-American!
-Tai's introduction to the Green Lantern Corps was easy to understand and easy to follow. As a newbie to Green Lantern comics, I really appreciated this.

Lasting Impressions

One of my favorite parts of this book was how the theme of legacy is explored through Tai. After his grandmother passes, he feels alone, but then he inherits the green lantern ring, and suddenly her legacy means a lot more to him than before. Tai's desire to uphold his grandmother's legacy is wonderful and noble.

I also liked how his friends played a major part in the graphic novel. I didn't feel like they were side characters just to be there, but they really supported Tai on his journey. Even when he made not-so-good choices, they still stuck with him.

Overall Feelings

I really enjoyed this graphic novel, and I'm excited to see if there will be a second volume, since there's so much more to explore.

This review will appear on www.allisawhitebooks.wordpress.com on Jan 21.

Green Lantern: Legacy is a new Green Lantern origin story that follows twelve-year-old Tai, who inherits his grandmother's jade ring and soon discovers that it is much more than just a ring. This graphic novel doesn't tread much new ground plot-wise, but I really loved how Vietnamese-American culture was woven throughout. I think that the story was overloaded thematically-- there was a lot going on which made the pacing feel off, and I think if Minh Lê had cut down on the themes he wanted to explore, or split them into two books instead of one, the result would have been much stronger. Also, I found some of the dialogue to be awkward. Still, this is a fine addition to DC's new line of graphic novels aimed at younger readers, and the representation is great!

I really enjoyed my time reading this graphic novel! The story, while feeling a little rushed in the beginning, created an exciting new origin story for Tai. I was surprised by the change in age since most Lantern iterations are late teens or adults, but I believe this makes the morals of the Green Lantern story more accessible to all ages. This story boasts wonderful themes of family, friendship, community, and legacy!

The art style was vivid in color and well drawn, and while not the kind of style I'd expect from a children's/YA graphic novel, really played into the theme Minh Le was going for.

Wow was this great. Minh Le has an awesome art style and I love the incorporation of the Vietnamese culture! I also love that it's John Stewart as Tai's mentor. Super cute, great ending.

Another really good Green Lantern graphic novel. This one revolves around the grandson of a lat corps member and how he tries to figure out how to properly honor the legacy that his grandmother left him. The story is pretty close to joyous, and you may shed a tear or two. Quite well worth the read!

Green Lantern Legacy was the tale of the next generation of Green Lanterns and the passing of the ring. In this multiverse, the ring is passed from Grandmother to Grandson and no one is sure it's the right choice, Tai included! Tai is immediately challenged with believing in himself and his family or the next bigger, better thing. With the help of his earthy friends and family and the Green Lanterns, he realizes why the ring chose him and how strong he really is. A story of family bonds, friendship and believing in yourself. Highly recommend!

I am a huge fan of Green Lantern so when I saw this Green Lantern children's graphic novel I knew I had to give it a try. It didn't disappoint. Sure, there could've been a lot more development in the characters, and there could've been a stronger plot, but overall I really enjoyed this children's take on the Green Lantern mythology. It was great to see some familiar faces from the GL universe, but I loved the idea that one of the strongest GLs of all is an old Vietnamese grandmother. It was great to see some diversity and have the hero be Asian. Overall, this was a lot of fun and I think kids that are into superheros would really enjoy it