Even though the various Green Lanterns of Earth usually headline the comic books DC Comics publishes, the Green Lantern Corps' heroism and bravery come in many different shapes and sizes. There is an argument to be had that the Green Lantern Ch'p, who is an anthropomorphic squirrel from the planet H'Iven, was one of the best Green Lanterns ever.
Created by Paul Kupperberg and Don Newton and first appearing in Green Lantern Vol. 2 #148, on the surface Ch'p appeared to be another addition to DC Comics' long line of silly super pets like Krypto, Streaky, Beppo, or Ace the Bat-Hound. However, according to Paul Kupperberg's blog, "Ch’p wasn’t supposed to be a joke... He was supposed to a badass chipmunk with a power ring that he ain’t afraid to use." Also, he mentioned that Ch'p was originally supposed to look like a chipmunk but Don Newton ended up drawing him as a squirrel which Kupperberg did not have a problem with because, well, because Newton was drawing his script.
Unlike Hal Jordan, who became a hero after being chosen by a power ring, Ch’p had already established himself as a heroic resistance leader. Before donning the power ring, Ch'p led the resistance on his planet H’Iven against the Crabster Army of Doctor Ub'x. The evil Dr. Ub'x resembles an anthropomorphic beaver bent on conquering Space Sector 1014. Prior to invading H'lven, Ub'x killed the Green Lantern protecting the sector. That made it easy for him to conquer H'lven and put down the resistance that Ch'p lead. While the Guardians of the Universe searched the space sector for a replacement, they came upon Ch'p who had been jailed until his planned execution. He had already proved himself the perfect candidate for a power ring as a resistance fighter. With the universe's most powerful weapon on his finger, Ch'p defeated Dr. Ub'x and his minions.
As a rookie Green Lantern, Ch'p trained under Kilowog in the same class as Hal Jordan. Throughout his career, Ch’p would take on various other anthropomorphic villains such as the Battle Beaver, the Mole Patrol, Chick Fury & his Eagle Scouts, and the Terrible B'Gul Bears. He also was loyal to the Guardians of the Universe, even though, like any good GL, he might question their orders, he would still execute them. Ch’p evacuated the planet Berrith due to its' unstable sun. He was among the hundred Green Lanterns who invaded Qward to destroy the Anti-Green Lantern Corps. In another adventure, Ch'p fought Maaldor, a powerful extra-dimensional entity. Maaldor's attack depleted the emerald energy of the Green Lanterns' main power battery, threatening the existence of the Corps.
On H’Iven and as the Green Lantern of Space Sector 1014, he kept his true identity secret from his girlfriend M'nn'e and his best friend, D’ll. Yet, like most secret identities, they are the toughest thing to keep secret. Dr. Ub'x would return time and again to battle Ch’p. Of course, Ch’p would defeat his archenemy but Ub’x gathered more and more info on him eventually discovering the Lantern's true identity, and used it to kidnap his girlfriend, M'nn'e. Fortunately, Ch'p outsmarted Ub'x and freed M’nne, who of course discovered Ch'p's secret identity and later married him.
His happiness wouldn’t last because the Crisis on Infinite Earths arrived. During it, Ch'p served the Corps gallantly but he lost everything. Post-Crisis after the resetting of DC's timeline, he found himself to be a squirrel without a past or present. His wife didn't even remember him. Only the Green Lanterns remembered him so with The Green Lantern Corps #201, released on June 1986, Ch'p settled on Earth with Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Arisia Rrab, Katma Tui, Kilowog, and Salakk. Ch'p and Salakk would become good friends as they struggled with changes in the post-Crisis. Even his appearance changed, Don Newton approached Ch’p realistically as possible with a hint of secrecy, like a Jedi Knight walking into "a wretched hive of scum and villainy." Joe Staton, who's best known for penciling the action-humor comic E-Man, took on The Green Lantern Corps art chores. Staton gave a cartoony redo which included white Mickey Mouse style gloves. This look diluted the intended “badassery” that Kupperberg and Newton intended for the character.
Unfortunately, Ch'p's life continued to be plagued with dark moments as a hero without a time-line. One bright moment was a friendship with Dr. Ub'x as they both tried to start over while living on their adopted planet, Earth. Ch'p's life ended in an anticlimatic way. Green Lantern: Mosaic #2, July 1992, when he was killed by a runaway yellow truck.
The tragedies that befell him constantly showcased how big of a heart he had. No matter how dejected or alone he was, Ch'p continued to fight for justice. His legacy was inspiration enough for the Guardian of the Universe to return to H’Iven to pick a new Green Lantern. The rookie, B'dge, took on everything from Sinestro to Superboy-Prime to overcoming the yellow defect in the power rings by learning to understand fear and overcome it. This might be the reason why writers like Geoff Johns or Tom Taylor would bring Ch'p into their runs of the Green Lantern comics or why Ch'p has appeared in various DC Entertainment shows like Green Lantern: The Animated Series. In Taylor's Injustice 2: Gods Among Us, a big piece of evidence that proves Ch'p is the best Green Lantern is that he single-handly defeated Superman by using his power ring to prevent the Man of Steel's synapses from firing correctly.
The idea of an anthropomorphic squirrel being a badass action hero takes full advantage of the Green Lantern concept because the universe is endless and so is its diversity, making it possible for the Corps to range from the full-size planet of Mogo to Leezle Pon, who is a sentient smallpox virus and the smallest Lantern. Even though at times Ch'p might be drawn to look like he belongs in a Warner Brothers' cartoon, he is actually a well thought out multi-dimension protagonist who never needed a power ring to be a hero only his heart and bravery.
Source: Paul Kupperberg Blog