A new story involving a variant of Green Lantern may be the answer fans have been hoping for after a promising queer romance was wasted. Hal's Earth-36 counterpart is coming back in DC's annual Pride release to honor his fallen love.DC has recently unveiled a mountain of Pride Month-themed content fans can expect for the publisher's June releases. In addition to a swath of variant covers, DC Comics will be releasing DC Pride 2023 #1, its latest anthology celebrating LGBTQ+ heroes and creators. As part of the anthology, comic book legend Grant Morrison is returning to the DC Universe along with artist Hayden Sherman for a new Multiversity story.
Sherman posted a look at the story on Twitter, revealing that it will center around Green Lantern's Earth-36 counterpart, Flashlight. The small glimpse shows Flashlight, aka Hank Hallmark, gripping his Power Torch as it flares against the infinite cosmos. Sherman says the story will show just how far Hallmark is willing to go in order to "honor his lost love".
Green Lantern and Flash's Multiversal Love Story Continues
Flashlight and Red Racer are the Green Lantern and Flash of Earth-36, a retro-styled world modeled after the Golden and Silver Age-themed Big Bang Comics. Though only seen together briefly in Multiversity, the two are shown to be a loving couple, with Flashlight begging Red Racer not to risk getting himself killed. While Red Racer assured his boyfriend that he would be fine, the speedster did wind up sacrificing his life when he pushed his body to its limits to create a new vessel for Justice Incarnate in the span of a few minutes. The team mourned his death and Flashlight lost both a teammate and the love of his life.
Many fans weren’t happy with the untimely death of Flash’s counterpart. In fact, writer Grant Morrison called out Red Racer’s death on their Substack, criticizing the decision to sacrifice the speedster. While Morrison was able to continue the story of Hank in their work in The Green Lantern, some fans feel that there was lot of potential that was squandered by killing Red Racer too early (not to mention the baggage that comes with fridging queer characters). However, it seems like fans are finally getting the chance to see the Flashlight/Red Racer story they've wanted since the heroes first appeared.
Grant Morrison Returns to Tell A Deserving Queer Romance Story
Now, just because Morrison is returning to pen a story about Flashlight and Red Racer doesn’t necessarily mean the Flash variant is coming back to life and resuming his life with Hank. It could very well just be a story that reflects on their love and past together. But regardless of what the story actually contains, it's nice to see something done with the couple. The idea of a Green Lantern and Flash in love is an interesting and original take on their classic bond and Morrison and Sherman clearly feel there’s more that can be done with them. Fans can read the multiversal Green Lantern’s romantic story in DC Pride 2023 #1, on sale May 30th.
Source: Twitter