The new Superman movie made some incredibly deep dives into the classic lore of DC Comics. Perhaps the greatest visual representation of this was the haircut of Guy Gardner. The cartoonish hairstyle stood out with many viewers, even with the movie’s stunning visuals.
However, the unfashionable bowl-cut is an iconic part of the acerbic Green Lantern‘s most famous costume. Indeed, actor Nathan Fillion fought to have it in the film. Comical as it may appear, however, the haircut has a surprisingly dark story behind it.
Guy Gardner’s haircut a tribute to childhood hero
The full story behind the haircut was revealed in 1993’s Guy Gardner #11. This comic was the first issue of a four-part miniseries that retconned much of the Green Lantern’s backstory. Specifically, it gave him a new history as the youngest child in an abusive home.
To say that Guy Gardner had an rough childhood would be understating it. He was held to impossible standards at home and school, constantly being compared to his perfect older brother, Mace. His father beat him on a regular basis, while his mother turned a blind eye. With no support from his parents, Guy turned to superhero comics to escape his problems.
His favorite superhero was General Glory, a patriotic hero cut from the same cloth as Captain America. General Glory had a sidekick, similar to Bucky Barnes, named Ernie Earnest. The so-called ‘Battlin’ Boy’ had a bowl-cut hair style. Dreaming of fighting alongside his hero in the same way as Ernie, the young Guy Gardner got his hair cut in the same style.
As an adult, Guy Gardner kept the same haircut. It reminded him of the scared boy he once was and the children he was determined to support as a teacher, even before he became a superhero. It also reminded him of the ideals he was sworn to uphold as a member of the Green Lantern Corps.
