The following article contains spoilers from "The Gumshoe in Green" in DC Pride #1, on sale now.
DC's pride book has done an excellent job of exploring its LGBTQIA+ characters, but one story, in particular, makes incredible use of color to silently tell the audience how its main character has been feeling. In "The Gumshoe in Green" from DC Pride #1 (by Tini Howard, Evan Cagle, and Lucas Gattoni), Sojourner "Jo" Mullein was taken on a gray-scale investigation of her clients and the intricacies of their romantic relationships.
Although the story's lack of color was used to build a crime noir feel to her investigation, in reality, it was a manifestation of the way she was feeling. Jo had been feeling depressed about the absence of her partner Syzn, whom she had not been able to reconnect with in a long time. As such, the colorless tones of the story were meant to reflect her sadness.
One of the few colors present in the story is green, pertaining to Jo's status as a Green Lantern. However, this wasn't just to represent her status, but also to signify what is important to her. Yes, while most of the world around her is dull and colorless, the ring and the color that her identity produces are as vibrant as ever.
This signifies that while Jo may value Syzn's companionship, it is not the only thing in her life that keeps her going. Being a green lantern is just as important to Jo and fulfills her in a different way. It's an important reminder that though love is important, it should never be something that defines a person. Jo's life has value because of her ambitions and morals, not because of an old flame.
That being said, work also cannot be the only important thing in her life. As an individual, she also needs companionship, someone to share her life with, not just romantically, but friends who will be there when she needs them. This is what makes the ending of the story so significant. The reality is, that Jo could have survived in this bleak existence. It wouldn't be easy, but she had the will to do so.
Once she found Syzn though, everything fell into place. The closer she got to her, the more color was restored in her world, signifying that she had found everything she needed to live a full life. Compared to the other stories, this one in particular uses color and its absence not only to convey emotions but to inform readers that love isn't the only thing worth living for.
Jo may have found her partner and restored color to her life, but her ability to preserve the color green in this gray-scale world indicates that if she could hold on to that amidst her sorrow, then she could conceivably find new colors to fill her life. The absence of Syzn hurt her, but with time, pain fades, and new possibilities -- new colors, could present themselves, filling the void, and finally moving forward.