Warning: Spoilers for Green Lantern: War Journal #10!

Summary

• Guy Gardner, often known as a joke, may be the unexpected savior of the Green Lantern Corps.
• DC Comics is repositioning Guy Gardner from a joke to a strategic hero, potentially changing his character.
• Gardner's recent heroic acts may lead to a revitalized image, reshaping the Green Lantern Corps and his role in it.

The biggest clown in the history of both the someone like Guy Gardner is best known for getting punched in the face by everyone he meets.

Guy Gardner may finally be on his way to getting some respect, starting with Green Lantern: War Journal #10 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Montos, Adriano Lucas, and Dave Sharpe. When the new Green Lantern, Shepherd, is on the brink of death in outer space, he's shocked to wake up to find that his savior is the infamous Guy Gardner.

He'd be the last one anyone - either the Corps themselves, or the audiences reading at home - would ever expect, but Guy Gardner might end up being the one to save the Corps from ultimate destruction, especially as he declares his intention to "bring Stewart home." John Stewart is considered one of the moster powerful Green Lanterns of all time, and now John's life is in Guy's hands.

The Justice League's Clownish Guy Gardner Saves a Green Lantern

And Could Save the Rest of the Corps

Guy Gardner first made his DC Comics debut in 1968's Green Lantern #59 by John Broome, Gil Kane, Sid Greene, and Gaspar Saladino, but his time with the Justice League in the '80s is what completely revamped his character, turning him into the "himbo" self-parody that he is today. In no time, Guy was reduced to being nothing more than a joke. One punch from Batman proved to be enough of a KO shot to Guy's character, completely defining his character for years to come. However, he isn't a joke to the point of no return.

Guy Gardner played a major — and hilarious — role in Justice League International by the legendary team of Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, Kevin Maguire, and many others along the way.

It appears as if DC may be taking steps to remodel Guy Gardner's image in the grander scheme of things. In War Journal #10, rather than a joke, he's positioned as a calculated savior, saving Shepherd from a newly villainous Green Lantern Corps, putting on a front for his leaders before whisking Shepherd off, promising to free him once they're far enough away. This save isn't an isolated incident either, as elsewhere, in the backup story for Green Lantern #12 by Jeremy Adams and Kevin Maguire, Guy stumbles upon the Eye of Krona, which could be the key to changing "everything for the Lanterns."

Guy Gardner Could Change the Green Lanterns Forever

And DC Could Change Guy Gardner Forever

For several decades, Guy Gardner has carved a niche for himself as DC's biggest loser — or at least the biggest loser in the Green Lantern Corps. However, if DC plays its cards right, Guy Gardner could be rebooted for an entirely new generation, just as he was changed drastically in the '80s from his '60s introduction. Guy is consistently placed in more heroic, pivotal positions lately, and if he manages to change (and maybe even save) the Green Lantern Corps, Guy Gardner's character could be revitalized into a game-changer — maybe even for a new iteration of the Justice League.

Green Lantern: War Journal #10 is available now from DC Comics.