Green Lantern: Don't Fear the Reaper

I think I've said a thing or three about how much pleasure I got out of voicing Sinestro on the audio drama "Green Lantern: The Man Without Fear." I auditioned for the part during the very small window (less than a year) that I went out looking for voice work, and ended up feeling very rewarded, since the character could well have been one-note and moustache-twirling. Not that that wouldn't have also been fun, but author Jovian Lab poured a surprisng amount of depth and feeling into the part, and it required a lot of me to pull it off (if, indeed, I did the words justice).

But there is no justice in Mudville, because it would seem that GL:TMWF is no more. Apparently, Warner Bros. legal sent out one of their dreaded Cease and Desist letters, asking Jovian and MJ Cogburn to remove the podcast, despite their inclusion of a fan production disclaimer, and their never having made a dime off the show.

One of my buddies is an entertainment lawyer, and he seems to still have his soul (though his children WERE born with cauls over their faces, and they laughed when each was removed), but it's a real shame that podcast had to get slapped down like that. It certainly honored and respected the legacy of Green Lantern more than, say, that Ryan Reynolds flick last year.* I had hoped that the excellent writing and thoughtful take on the characters would get the creators real, legit work in either the comics or entertainment industry, but instead, it got them dishonor and threats.

This, kids, is why more people don't put themselves out there. It reminds me of something I heard recently about the failure of Disney's JOHN CARTER (OF MARS): apparently, studio executives were squinching their longjohns in delight at the downfall of Andrew Stanton's would-be blockbuster, pleased as punch that a creative maverick like that would get tossed down to earth like Icarus with a forty pound tumor. They weren't just happy Disney had a flop and that their revenues were up, they were giddy that somebody had put all their efforts into something that didn't work for them, and were humbled publicly for it. Like they were royals squelching a peasant rebellion.

Now, it may not be the same thing, but I hope that neither Stanton nor the Green Lantern podcast guys give up their dreams. I hope they pull themselves up by their bootstraps and succeed so hard, it gives the naysayers vertigo, maybe motion sickness.

I wish I had the balls to fail or succeed in something.

Balls like you, sir.

Or ma'am.

Rish "Voz/Sinestro/Atrocitus" Outfield

*If you listen closely, on moonless nights just like tonight . . . you can still hear that movie losing money.