Green Lantern John Stewart Appreciation Thread

[Jinwaller]

New image:

CXQFakjWsAAxLXz.jpg

[Desh]

Project is coming along. So far, it's looking like this. The first image I already posted, but it makes the second one make more sense. Fortunately, I think it's easy enough to follow what is going on even without words.





There are other pages and images, but probably best not to post those
I incorporated John's love of coffee from Mosaic.

[Sodam Yat]

To some degree, yes. You have to be... something... to want to kill an extremely rare symbol of an upstanding black hero because he poses a threat to one of your many white heroes. Of all the many Green Lanterns to kill off they chose that one!? If not some level of racist, you at least have to be a cold hearted, unsympathetic, ignorant bastard to want to wipe out something that means a lot to people who rarely get anything like that because he threatens your fantasy or ideal, which you already have in abundance. And then you throw tokens at them and expect them to be satisfied with that.

Joshua Hale Fialkov said it was just "wrong" and that's why he quit.

It actually did crossed my mind about a year ago, concerning race. John Stewart is the most popular black superhero that DC has. Another problem is not just the higher ups refusing to promote him much more than they should, but they're letting other writers pick the lanterns who they want to write and some of them seems to refuse to use John as a lead in the story. Tom Taylor taking over seems to be a perfect example (assuming my fears comes true of course). I really miss Van Jensen and Cullen Bunn.

New image:

CXQFakjWsAAxLXz.jpg

Desh actually posted that about a year ago. That cool image is from an unfinished project that he did with Gail Simone.

[Desh]

It actually did crossed my mind about a year ago, concerning race. John Stewart is the most popular black superhero that DC has. Another problem is not just the higher ups refusing to promote him much more than they should, but they're letting other writers pick the lanterns who they want to write and some of them seems to refuse to use John as a lead in the story. Tom Taylor taking over seems to be a perfect example (assuming my fears comes true of course). I really miss Van Jensen and Cullen Bunn.

Well, to be fair, we really haven't seen enough of what Taylor has to offer to know much. We just know he hasn't had anything to say about John, and that he's especially excited to write Guy, and then there's the preview. It doesn't look promising, but we don't have a lot to go on at this point. Although, if DC does mean to showcase John as the lead, they could do a heck of a lot better at letting people know that. I'm sure John will be some kind of lead, but my fear is that they will "buddy" him with Guy instead of just allowing him to be the undisputed protagonist, which I think is something John deserves and needs, and that DC could easily take advantage of toward promoting stronger diversity in their books. By stronger, I mean not just having diverse characters as team mates or buddies, but as unmistakable protagonists of the stories.

I think editorial should force the writers who they should write about and focus on in these books (if they aren't), because, as seen, it's very easy for the 35+ year old white writers to bury John Stewart under some other Lantern they like/identify with more. Johns, Bedard, and Tomasi have all done this, and the jury is still out on Taylor, but I've gotten bad vibes from Edge of Oblivion so far. I bring out the age and race because there is a large audience that grew up with John from television, but the writers DC uses usually were likely not a part of that group, therefore, they don't really take that group (i.e. us) into consideration enough, and they don't seem to know what makes that group tick and how to deliver what they're looking for. This is a large reason why I believe John Stewart's fanbase is perpetually unsatisfied, and those fans who came from the cartoons to the comics--as some brought out they did earlier--were mostly all disappointed.

[JaggedFel]

Meh its been clear DC has no problem forcing or trying to force writers to do what they want so I think there is a clear double standard when it comes to John...they always try to push him into boring background role where he is just there in a vaguely leadership role but doesnt really get to shine feat wise. Which is something they never done with the White GLs.

[Desh]

Polished up that second image I posted. There were a lot of things wrong with it, so I repaired them. I've discovered that when I draw at such a small scale, I tend to get pretty lazy. I'll have to look out for that. The problem that I really couldn't tolerate was John's head in the second panel, and his arm in the fourth was bothering me, too. I did other things and added some additional details here and there. Thank goodness for white ink. New image:



A bit of trivia. The book John has been reading is The Dissassembly of Reason. It was written by Ba'alzamon:
http://wot.wikia.com/wiki/Ishamael

[Anthony Shaw]

It is peculiar how DC is not forcing anyone to write John Stewart in a dynamic light, given how editor-driven DC is notorious for being.

Still, it is funny how the other GL's have yet to break-out post Geoff Johns.

[BlackClaw]

It is peculiar how DC is not forcing anyone to write John Stewart in a dynamic light, given how editor-driven DC is notorious for being.

Still, it is funny how the other GL's have yet to break-out post Geoff Johns.

At this point I'm convinced the higher ups at DC have something against John.

[Anthony Shaw]

At this point I'm convinced the higher ups at DC have something against John.

Well, they did want to kill him off not too long ago.

Given how much effort they put in making him a wall-flower compared to the other Earth GL's during the Geoff Johns' golden era, they probably hoped no one would have noticed, or cared if Stewart was removed permanently.

[Sodam Yat]

Well, to be fair, we really haven't seen enough of what Taylor has to offer to know much. We just know he hasn't had anything to say about John, and that he's especially excited to write Guy, and then there's the preview. It doesn't look promising, but we don't have a lot to go on at this point. Although, if DC does mean to showcase John as the lead, they could do a heck of a lot better at letting people know that. I'm sure John will be some kind of lead, but my fear is that they will "buddy" him with Guy instead of just allowing him to be the undisputed protagonist, which I think is something John deserves and needs, and that DC could easily take advantage of toward promoting stronger diversity in their books. By stronger, I mean not just having diverse characters as team mates or buddies, but as unmistakable protagonists of the stories.

I think editorial should force the writers who they should write about and focus on in these books (if they aren't), because, as seen, it's very easy for the 35+ year old white writers to bury John Stewart under some other Lantern they like/identify with more. Johns, Bedard, and Tomasi have all done this, and the jury is still out on Taylor, but I've gotten bad vibes from Edge of Oblivion so far. I bring out the age and race because there is a large audience that grew up with John from television, but the writers DC uses usually were likely not a part of that group, therefore, they don't really take that group (i.e. us) into consideration enough, and they don't seem to know what makes that group tick and how to deliver what they're looking for. This is a large reason why I believe John Stewart's fanbase is perpetually unsatisfied, and those fans who came from the cartoons to the comics--as some brought out they did earlier--were mostly all disappointed.

I remembered when he said in his interview on how he likes Guy Gardner more, which was not too long after the Edge of Oblivion announcement. So I didn't want to post it here, because I know us John Stewart fans are panicky and sensitive. If my fears do come true, then it just means that DC isn't forcing any writers to write John Stewart and could care less. DC Comics readers/fans sometimes put down Marvel in sales when it comes to diversity/minority titles, but at least Marvel is trying.

From what you're saying, it does seem like racial bias or at least some form of it. Why attempt to promote with other DC minorities, but refuse to push the most popular black superhero as much as the other POC characters that DC is pushing? Why can't a black character be just as great? After Geoff Johns left the title, John did some notable achievements, which I hope writers would acknowledge it. If they don't and are aware of John Stewart's achievements, then it would mean to me that they don't want John to be too great.

[Captain13]

BvS is three months away, but I may be done with DC for good. Rumor from someone who went to an advanced screening is that Dan Amboyer is Green Lantern Hal Jordan, and that the Justice League is fully formed by the end of the movie. The rumor comes with this confirmation:



You can read more here: https://www.reddit.com/r/DC_Cinemati...in_la/#spoiler

If this isn't an elaborate ruse, I'm done. I won't even go watch the movie now until someone I know debunks it after seeing it him/herself.

I really have no interest in Hal Jordan, and I have even less interest in John becoming the Danny Glover to his Mel Gibson. John sets the DC Universe for me; if he isn't treated like he was in the DCAU, then I'm done with DC in all forms.

If this is true, Marvel will be destroying DC in terms of diversity and positive representation.

[Desh]

Agreed. That doesn't sound appealing to me at all. If WB is so insistent on using Hal Jordan for everything, then I think it's time for me to jump ship as well. Like I alluded to with the posts about Star Wars, I can go concentrate on and do other things. If this is true, then at least it's good to finally know.

This was John Stewart's one chance to actually get out from underneath Hal Jordan's shadow. If he didn't here, he likely never will. Or at least not for years and years and years and years to come. I think that's something for his fans to consider.

[Captain13]

Agreed. That doesn't sound appealing to me at all. If WB is so insistent on using Hal Jordan for everything, then I think it's time for me to jump ship as well. Like I alluded to with the posts about Star Wars, I can go concentrate on and do other things. If this is true, then at least it's good to finally know.

This was John Stewart's one chance to actually get out from underneath Hal Jordan's shadow. If he didn't here, he likely never will. Or at least not for years and years and years and years to come. I think that's something for his fans to consider.

That's exactly what I was thinking. This roster will solidify the founding team worldwide. If this rumor is true, John will be relegated to supporting Green Lantern and Hal Jordan bootlicker. Ergo, if this rumor is true, I can move on to other things now.

[Desh]

That's exactly what I was thinking. This roster will solidify the founding team worldwide. If this rumor is true, John will be relegated to supporting Green Lantern and Hal Jordan bootlicker. Ergo, if this rumor is true, I can move on to other things now.

Right. It kind of helps that ever since Lost Army was prematurely cancelled, and Van Jensen's run before that, I've been losing interest in their comic products and faith in their stories to be whole and coherently put together. Meaning not with obtrusive crossovers everywhere, and switches of creative teams all the time. What makes it even easier still is that Edge of Oblivion doesn't even look appealing to me. With all of that, and with my revitalized interest in other things, it actually seems like a pretty comfy time to leave DC anyway. I really don't believe they are going to give fans the John Stewart that they want, which is essentially what inspired me to undertake that project I've been working on. I just don't have faith in DC to do that. There's always something wrong. Or something in the way. Or... something. It's has gotten pretty tiring dealing with all that.

[BlackClaw]

I wouldn't be down and out just yet. Because on Dan Amboyers official site, it says on resume that he's playing a character called "Lt. Christie" in Batman vs Superman. Not Hal Jordan.

http://www.danamboyer.com/reel--res.html