How would you make Green Lantern sell?

[WebLurker]

Not really. She was only out of control a bit before Batman helped her regain her senses.

Yeah, pretty much. Power Ring was one of the villains in the Darkseid War story, but that a case where the ring entity took over her body and stuck her consciousness in the ring's gem, creating a side story of Cruz trying to get back into the driver's seat with Cyborg's help.

[Assam]

I miss Guy and Kyle's friendship.

Have they not showcased it at all in HJatGLC? What a waste...

Kyle would feel weird on the League now given how long it's been since he's been on it and how he hasn't really interacted with anyone in the League for years.
I think Kyle being on the League, for me, would depend on what roster you put him with.

Well, as usual, I wouldn't want a full Big 7 line-up. Plus, if he and Guy were on Earth, there'd still be the opportunity to showcase their friendship.

It could be fun as a one off to see them with different colors for a time.

I'm actually kind of curious to see what Jess with a Yellow ring would be like and how she'd adapt to it.

I don't disagree, but the people I was responding to were proposing the ideas as ones for the long term.

A little late in saying this, but it's good to have you back Assam .

Thanks man. Good to be back.

It's regression in another way. As Power Ring, she was a villain. Wouldn't putting her in the Sinestro Corps make her a villain again, and this time without the excuse of a sentient ring controlling her?

Not sure if you saw, but there are people on this thread who think that her going back to Power Ring would be a good idea. I'd be very interested in hearing from them why exactly.

[Carabas]

Not sure if you saw, but there are people on this thread who think that her going back to Power Ring would be a good idea. I'd be very interested in hearing from them why exactly.

Ah, it's because there are way too many earth Green Lanterns, or so they believe.
It's not about what fits the character. Kill her, make her a villain, retcon her out entirely... As long as there are fewer Lanterns it's all okay.

[jbmasta]

It's clear a big shake up, a change in the status quo is needed, but readers will need to meet DC halfway and be receptive to it. The Renegade era had potential, and Omega Men is the best Kyle we've had for years. Guy joining the Reds gave the Red Lanterns title a much needed invigoration.

[Assam]

Ah, it's because there are way too many earth Green Lanterns, or so they believe.
It's not about what fits the character. Kill her, make her a villain, retcon her out entirely... As long as there are fewer Lanterns it's all okay.

Oh I'm fully aware that that's what they're thinking. I'm just curious to see how they'd try to explain it without saying that.

[Trey Strain]

Sales in the 20Ks for Hal's title have never been acceptable, and they're not now. DC IS going to shake up the property, even if it has to do so over the objections of Geoff Johns. So the question is simply, how do you think they should do it?

[Trey Strain]

Oh I'm fully aware that that's what they're thinking. I'm just curious to see how they'd try to explain it without saying that.

Simon and Jessica's comic will be canceled. I guarantee it. And you know that sooner or later, either Hal or John will star in the Justice League. Hal because he's one of the Big Seven or John because DC will now try to push a black character in response to Black Panther.

What do you think should happen to Simon and Jessica then?

And as I've said, putting them in a Justice League B title won't save them.

[Assam]

Simon and Jessica's comic will be canceled. I guarantee it.

Eventually, yes, you are correct. Like ALL other titles save for a select few, Green Lanterns will eventually end.

What do you think should happen to Simon and Jessica then?

I already outlined what I think the GL books should look like. Despite what you and your seething hatred for the characters may think, nothing short of BOTH GL books being swapped out is going to cause GLs to be cancelled anytime soon. At worst it'll likely go monthly soon, as Green Arrow and Aquaman and some other titles have, and as Hal N' Pals and Nightwing will soon enough.

Sales in the 20Ks for Hal's title have never been acceptable, and they're not now.

How many different ways do people need to tell you that the market has changed?

[WillieMorgan]

Simon and Jessica's comic will be canceled. I guarantee it. And you know that sooner or later, either Hal or John will star in the Justice League. Hal because he's one of the Big Seven or John because DC will now try to push a black character in response to Black Panther.

What do you think should happen to Simon and Jessica then?

And as I've said, putting them in a Justice League B title won't save them.

Neither will pointlessly sticking them in Detective Comics like you suggested earlier in the thread.

Of course Green Lanterns will eventually get cancelled. So will Hal Jordan & The Green Lantern Corps (Hal n' Pals, I like that ) and practically every other title that DC publish save for a sacred few. DC's current Rebirth publishing line-up was never gonna last forever. That's the way that the industry works nowadays. Some people struggle to get their heads around that but it's not the end of the world. Not one single poster on this thread is naïve enough to think that Jessica and Simon's title was going to be in continuous print forever. You're arguing against yourself again, as opposed to other people.

What will happen then? I've said it before. They'll try and keep the current titles in place as long as possible and then overhaul them and try something different. Preferably taking the series in a new direction and making it more relevant and enticing for DC fans in general. What will happen to Jessica and Simon specifically? None of us know that. I extremely doubt they'll be foisted on something like Detective Comics though.

[Trey Strain]

Eventually, yes, you are correct. Like ALL other titles save for a select few, Green Lanterns will eventually end. I already outlined what I think the GL books should look like. Despite what you and your seething hatred for the characters may think, nothing short of BOTH GL books being swapped out is going to cause GLs to be cancelled anytime soon. At worst it'll likely go monthly soon, as Green Arrow and Aquaman and some other titles have, and as Hal N' Pals and Nightwing will soon enough.

How many different ways do people need to tell you that the market has changed?

No, Hal's comic won't get canceled. Simon and Jessica's will.

And no, sales of 28K are not fine for Hal's comic because "the market has changed." Those sales might be OK for Nightwing, but not for Hal.

[Trey Strain]

Neither will pointlessly sticking them in Detective Comics like you suggested earlier in the thread.

Of course Green Lanterns will eventually get cancelled. So will Hal Jordan & The Green Lantern Corps (Hal n' Pals, I like that ) and practically every other title that DC publish save for a sacred few. DC's current Rebirth publishing line-up was never gonna last forever. That's the way that the industry works nowadays. Some people struggle to get their heads around that but it's not the end of the world. Not one single poster on this thread is naïve enough to think that Jessica and Simon's title was going to be in continuous print forever. You're arguing against yourself again, as opposed to other people.

What will happen then? I've said it before. They'll try and keep the current titles in place as long as possible and then overhaul them and try something different. Preferably taking the series in a new direction and making it more relevant and enticing for DC fans in general. What will happen to Jessica and Simon specifically? None of us know that. I extremely doubt they'll be foisted on something like Detective Comics though.

Hal will always have a comic. The blunder was stuffing three other GLs in his comic so DC could give Simon and Jessica a comic.

All right. DC signaled their virtue. Everyone now recognizes that they're virtuous. But sooner or later, they'll have to get back to selling comics. That's because the bills they have to pay keep coming due.

And you dodged the question, Willie. What would YOU do with Simon and Jessica after they become unemployed?

[Trey Strain]

Double post.

[WillieMorgan]

Hal will always have a comic. The blunder was stuffing three other GLs in his comic so DC could give Simon and Jessica a comic.

All right. DC signaled their virtue. Everyone now recognizes that they're virtuous. But sooner or later, they'll have to get back to selling comics. That's because the bills they have to pay keep coming due.

And you dodged the question, Willie. What would YOU do with Simon and Jessica after they become unemployed?

I didn't dodge anything. Your original query seemed like it was addressed to Assam personally. I didn't realise that you'd posted an open question.

I certainly wouldn't relieve either Jessica or Simon of their rings when the inevitable happens. What is the point in expending good time and effort in creating two new Lantern characters just to backtrack on that? There have been other occasions in Lantern history where various characters have been given new identities or taken in different directions and they never took off. The characters inevitably reverted to being Lanterns again. Just because they aren't starring in their own title anymore doesn't mean that either Jessica or Simon are headed for the scrap heap. As long as they get a reasonable presence in the post-Rebirth GLC universe then they'll be okay.

If you're going to start accusing people of dodging questions then I can play that game too. I asked you a perfectly valid question a few pages back regarding how your reboot fitted in with the continuity of the larger DCU. Your response? Zilch.

Now that's a real example of dodging a question Trey. Something else you have form with.

[AngryComicBookNerd]

I think a big missed opportunity was not putting Simon & Jessica in the GLC. They are newish characters designed to draw people in. They should've been learning things from John & Kilowag & whoever, and as they learn, we as readers (and maybe new readers) see things through their eyes. They would've been the de facto stars and their interactions with characters like Kyle & Guy would give it a fresh perspective. We saw this a little bit with those 2 early issues but that was it. As it stands, they bring nothing to the franchise and I feel like this is why there is a general consensus that they're disposable.

The whole setup was just dumb. Here's your ring, here's yours, watch out for each other, bye bye. Imagine if cops were anointed that way? Here's your badge, here's your gun, good luck. No, cops need training. They need to know the law. They need to learn where their authority is coming from and what it means to have it. Instead, they just became isolated and made things up as they went. Putting them in the Justice League is even crazier if you think about it (other than the piss poor characterization they've had to endure). They should've been learning about this fantastical world of the GLC and finding their place in it. That setup worked for Harry Potter.

[Assam]

I think a big missed opportunity was not putting Simon & Jessica in the GLC.

Part of what made the Humphries run so great was that it focused on Simon and Jessica as characters, balancing out their adventures with great slice of life stuff. Had they been stuck in space, we wouldn't have gotten to that and their characters wouldn't be as fleshed out as they are now.

They are newish characters designed to draw people in.

And at least one of them has already become a very clear fan favorite, partially because with how much time we've gotten to spend learning about her. Simon isn't nearly as popular but most fans of the book still like him.

and as they learn, we as readers (and maybe new readers) see things through their eyes.

So like...what's actually happened?

They would've been the de facto stars and their interactions with characters like Kyle & Guy would give it a fresh perspective.

No, having them around constantly, while fun, would only serve to take away from developing the two as individuals.

We saw this a little bit with those 2 early issues but that was it.

And they were fantastic. I'd love to see more team-ups but again, having them be a constant thing from the start at least would have been a horrible move. Especially for the fans who'd just be wishing that Guy, Kyle and John were the leads instead, as that would only make them dislike Simon and Jess.

As it stands, they bring nothing to the franchise

Objectively wrong.

and I feel like this is why there is a general consensus that they're disposable.

Yes, a few angry fanboys qualifies as a general consensus. It isn't as if Jessica is one of the most popular new characters DC's had in years or anything.

They need to learn where their authority is coming from and what it means to have it.

You may recall that the corps wasn't even around when Rebirth started.

Putting them in the Justice League is even crazier if you think about it

Please tell me how it's any 'crazier' than Kyle being put on Morrison's League.

(other than the piss poor characterization they've had to endure).

Something we can agree on. Johns and Humphries so far are the only ones who really get these characters.