Green Lantern (Charlie)

Peggy Gardner (Mother)

Mace Gardner (Brother)

Gloria Gardner (Sister)

## **History**

### **Guy Gardner: 1984 - 2008**

Guy was the second of two sons born to Roland and Peggy Gardner in Zenith, Kentucky. Guy lived in the shadow of his older brother for most of his life and due to his sibling discrepancy and Roland Gardner’s alcoholic fits of rage; Guy was constantly beaten as a child, while his older brother, Mace, was idolized by both parents. By the time Guy was fifteen, he decided he could not compete with his brother as nothing he did was ever likely to be seen as good enough by his parents, so when Mace became a sheriff’s deputy in the notoriously dry county they lived in, Guy went the opposite direction: becoming a delinquent.

In going against the path his parents had set for him and getting out of his brother’s shadow, Guy began to shine… and by that I mean, he began producing and running his own moonshine. He got caught a number of times and got everything from slaps on the wrist to broken ribs and a small stint in juvenile hall. When he was twenty-one and just out of a stint in jail, Guy celebrated by stealing his brother’s police car. When Mace caught him, he didn’t haul his brother to jail, but instead decided that Guy needed to be taught a lesson the same way their dad used to: he beat him to unconsciousness and then let Guy sleep it off at his house. When Guy awoke two days later, Mace told Guy to leave Zenith and never come back. Mace gave Guy ten grand in cash which he had got from selling his own car and said “if you’re smart, you’ll get some schooling and do well in life with this.” This approach actually was the wake-up call that Guy needed as he finally realized, in some warped way, there was at least one person who cared about him.

Taking the money, Guy caught the first flight out. Guy got a job tending bar at a rundown bar near the airport in Sun City, Guy worked hard enough that the lonely owner, Henry Bailey, came to see Guy as family. When Guy asked if he could invest money into the bar to give it a much needed rebranding, Henry was eager to hear Guy’s ideas. Thinking the hero craze would pick back up again, Guy decided to rename the bar “Warriors” and filled it with hero memorabilia. Of course, Guy never imagined he’d be one of those heroes hanging on the wall.

### **Green Lantern: 2008 - Present**

One day while Guy was locking up his bar after last call, he was confronted by two men. Almost immediately, Guy recognized John Stewart from his picture overlooking the bar’s billiard tables. It was not too difficult for Guy to imagine a green mask on the other and realize that he was in the presence of Earth’s two Green Lanterns. Guy offered to pour them a glass and the two men inquired as to Guy’s life story. Not knowing what their visit was about, Guy decided to humor them and obliged.

The conversation that followed was actually sort of therapeutic for Guy and after several hours of relaying how he had left his family a disappointment and was trying to make something of himself with this bar, John and Hal paid for the drinks despite Guy’s protest and also left a ring as a tip, John then told Guy that both of them were being called away on special assignments, John had just lost his wife and needed time to find himself and Hal had been chosen to lead a special mission off-world. In their absence, Earth would need a Green Lantern and the ring had chosen Guy, knowing that the bartender was truly bold.

Of course, Guy signed on, John and Hal gave him a severe crash-course in the training he would need and introduced him to a few other heroes, knowing that Guy would need their help with the Justice League of America being disbanded at the time. Then, next thing Guy knew, he was alone. Admittedly, Guy was just sort of holding down the fort for the first few months. He did not go on patrol or delve into any investigations.

If he heard about a crisis, he would suit up and respond, but usually another hero or the police would have the matter resolved by the time he got there. Guy would not get his big chance to shine until platinum blonde private detective and her talking gorilla asked for Guy’s help in investigating an arms trafficking ring. After locking up the arms dealers, Guy got a taste for real heroics and it became a thirst that not even his stiffest liquor could quench. After this, Guy got invited to join the Justice League and the new Lantern taskforce where he would be partnered up with creative and young Kyle Rayner. The two constantly irk each other, but you can’t argue with their results.

## **Personality**

Guy Gardner is a complex man, whose real character never hits the surface of his behavior: he has quite an indomitable will, but is also insecure and afraid of not being up to the challenges he has to face. He is boastful and arrogant, hot-headed and ill-tempered, but his aggressiveness is often a form of self-defense. He nevertheless possesses a strong moral code and a deep and sincere sense of justice. Surely not a Lantern who acts by the book, Gardner is still one of the best members the Corps can count upon.

## **Trivia**

* Guy joined the Justice League in 2009 nominated by Martian Manhunter.
* The blonde and the gorilla that Guy worked with are Angel & Ape. Angel O'Day is a really well-trained female private detective and Sam Simeon is her partner from Gorilla City.
* He was one-punched by Batman.
* His identity is known to the public.
* He was Tanga's second handler. He passed the job onto Kyle Rayner.