Green Lantern John Stewart Appreciation Thread

[Desh]

xanshi and parallax being kept were a consequence of the GL mythos not being rebooted when flashpoint happened, same as the bat books. its simultaneously a sign of how badly planned and rushed the reboot was, a sign of the creative bankruptcy of the reboots (nothing necessarily bad on that front, legion and titans survived COIE in the same way), the personal influence of johns and morrison; and the fact that DC keeps managing to lose everyone else

They could have still gotten rid of the Xanshi event. They could have re-wrote that entire incident. They can't get rid of the incident now that it's been confirmed to have happened, but they can still portray it as not being John Stewart's fault. I think something like that should be done to help in repairing the character.

while our luck could have run the risk that a complete reboot could have reverted straight to hal (points to batgirl, question, JSA'ers, mr miracle etc); or they'd have reduced it to just hal and john (And alan off in earth-2 for crisis crossovers). would it have been better or worse than the current situation? personally i would have preferred john be the only once carried over for earth-prime.

I think we're better off with the way things are. Had they rebooted Green Lantern, I'm almost positive John Stewart would have been screwed over. I'd prefer if he was the only Earth Lantern on Earth Prime, too, but the-powers-that-be DEFINITELY don't see things our way. Since Hal Jordan received a movie only a few months before the reboot, and a cartoon show after that, I'm sure they would have stuck with him.

As for what would have happened to John Stewart? He'd probably be completely absent for a long while and probably reintroduced as something we'd all hate, if he was reintroduced at all. They might just leave him in limbo and replace him with Baz. Remember, these are likely the people who tried to kill him that we're talking about.

So, yeah. I think it's better for us that Green Lantern did not get a full reboot.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

The Xanshi incident happened when Superman, Starfire, Martian Manhunter, Batman etc. worked with the New Gods to stop the anti-life aspect. Since upcoming event is going to be featuring both Green Lanterns and New Gods, I think it's a perfect time for Van Jensen and co. to bring the Xanshi incident as a reference so we may see retcons/changes on what really happened when John Stewart tried to track down the anti-life aspect

I really see no reason as to why the New Gods would even care about Xanshi. At the end of Cosmic Odyssey (although its been a while since I've read, so my memory could be foggy), the New Gods that were present (Highfather, Darkseid, etc.) didn't even mention what went down on Xanshi with John Stewart. The last scene that even related to that whole thing was between John and Martian Manhunter and no one else.

So, I'd think that if they were going to retcon it or anything, they'd probably use characters with more of an investment in Xanshi than the New Gods. That's why I don't see them rewriting that moment, because they have had plenty of opportunity to do just that, what with John's romantic involvement with Fatality and all. The whole point of their romance after all is the very fact that Fatality forgave him for destroying her home world, making the transition from one of his villains to one of his love interests. Plus, I don't see them retconning just by the virtue that that very moment is seen as a pretty important event, not only to John Stewart, but in the history of the DC Universe (it actually made a list of the 75 most important moments in DCU history).

[BlueFlight]

I have the perfect idea on how to undo Xanshi without retconning continuity and while making John Stewart a greater hero than he already is. I can't explain it because I hope to actually make it happen someday.

[Sodam Yat]

I really see no reason as to why the New Gods would even care about Xanshi. At the end of Cosmic Odyssey (although its been a while since I've read, so my memory could be foggy), the New Gods that were present (Highfather, Darkseid, etc.) didn't even mention what went down on Xanshi with John Stewart. The last scene that even related to that whole thing was between John and Martian Manhunter and no one else.

So, I'd think that if they were going to retcon it or anything, they'd probably use characters with more of an investment in Xanshi than the New Gods. That's why I don't see them rewriting that moment, because they have had plenty of opportunity to do just that, what with John's romantic involvement with Fatality and all. The whole point of their romance after all is the very fact that Fatality forgave him for destroying her home world, making the transition from one of his villains to one of his love interests. Plus, I don't see them retconning just by the virtue that that very moment is seen as a pretty important event, not only to John Stewart, but in the history of the DC Universe (it actually made a list of the 75 most important moments in DCU history).

Well the New Gods were the ones responsible for assigning John and others different tasks throughout the spectrum. John Stewart doesn't have any relations with the New Gods other than the Xanshi incident post-crisis as far as I know, which I think there can be creative ideas that can be added upon and/or changes in the upcoming Godhead event regarding what happened to Xanshi. When Peter Tomasi was writing GLC, it seems the Martian Manhunter didn't make an appearance when the Xanshi incident been retold.

Yrra's romantic relationship with John was never real. She still haven't forgave him on the destruction of Xanshi. Her ring was responsible for her forgiveness to John along with her being John's love interest. Since she's no longer a Star Sapphire, she currently looks up to him as her enemy. I agree, I don't see them fully retconning the incident either, but it's possible there may be some touch ups that doesn't make John so incompetent.

[Desh]

WHOA! Green Lantern Corps Furtures End #1 preview is out and... IT LOOKS AWESOME!!!

[Desh]

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

Well the New Gods were the ones responsible for assigning John and others different tasks throughout the spectrum. John Stewart doesn't have any relations with the New Gods other than the Xanshi incident post-crisis as far as I know, which I think there can be creative ideas that can be added upon and/or changes in the upcoming Godhead event regarding what happened to Xanshi. When Peter Tomasi was writing GLC, it seems the Martian Manhunter didn't make an appearance when the Xanshi incident been retold.

Just because that was the only interaction they had does not mean that they'd actually care what went down on a planet that was neither theirs nor the destruction of which really had any impact on them. The only thing they had at stake was the Anti-Life Aspect, which was a matter that was eventually dealt with. If they did care, it would have been addressed immediately after the destruction of Xanshi, when the heroes reconvened on New Genesis.

Yrra's romantic relationship with John was never real. She still haven't forgave him on the destruction of Xanshi. Her ring was responsible for her forgiveness to John along with her being John's love interest. Since she's no longer a Star Sapphire, she currently looks up to him as her enemy. I agree, I don't see them fully retconning the incident either, but it's possible there may be some touch ups that doesn't make John so incompetent.

Do we know actually know at which point Yrra was replaced by the Durlan? I ask because I dropped Green Lantern Corps a little while back. Is it for certain that their romance was never real?

[Desh]

Do we know actually know at which point Yrra was replaced by the Durlan? I ask because I dropped Green Lantern Corps a little while back. Is it for certain that their romance was never real?

Yes, we do. That would be issue number 23. And even before Yrra was replaced by a Durlan, she was brainwashed by the Zamarons and controlled via her ring. Johns actually wrote that. Her love was never real, even in the Tomasi issues of Green Lantern Corps.

[Sodam Yat]

Just because that was the only interaction they had does not mean that they'd actually care what went down on a planet that was neither theirs nor the destruction of which really had any impact on them. The only thing they had at stake was the Anti-Life Aspect, which was a matter that was eventually dealt with. If they did care, it would have been addressed immediately after the destruction of Xanshi, when the heroes reconvened on New Genesis.

It doesn't matter whether they care or not, which that was never the case. There can always be open room for exploration between John and the New Gods that was never done or told before. Do you really think someone like John would find it okay that the New Gods don't give a crap about Xanshi's destruction and the same people who sent him on that specific task for that to happen, which changed his life since? Cosmic Odyssey is a 26+ year old book and we're in the New 52 continuity, which there will always be changes and updated status quos from old events/stories by different writers having new ideas and whatnot.

I also said there may be changes.

Do we know actually know at which point Yrra was replaced by the Durlan? I ask because I dropped Green Lantern Corps a little while back. Is it for certain that their romance was never real?

Well Desh answered your question.

[king of hybrids]

Yes, we do. That would be issue number 23. And even before Yrra was replaced by a Durlan, she was brainwashed by the Zamarons and controlled via her ring. Johns actually wrote that. Her love was never real, even in the Tomasi issues of Green Lantern Corps.

violet rings do need something to work with before hand, otherwise the zamoran's couldn't punch down through the sinestro corps and okarran brainwashing in order to indoctrinate her. its actually not a bad counter to the red rings (at least as programmed by atrocitus prior to soule's run) that seem to specifically seek out righteous fury (in the perception of the host) vs the violet rings going for any definition of love

now, in yrra's case any "love" she holds for john is probably the same sort that joker, cheetah and lex hold for bats, wonder woman and supes; but still.

[Desh]

violet rings do need something to work with before hand, otherwise the zamoran's couldn't punch down through the sinestro corps and okarran brainwashing in order to indoctrinate her.

I think that's true, but Fatality was actually put in some sort of crystal and altered. I don't believe that's the norm for most Star Sapphires. Usually, I think they're just given a ring, but Yrra actually went through some kind of metamorphosis or reprogramming. Still, she may have some sort of odd love for John. As we've seen from Nol-Anj, a Star Sapphire's love doesn't need to be of the romantic sort. It makes absolutely no sense for her to naturally have a romantic love for John, and never did. She just suddenly loved him out of nowhere, which only makes sense because she was brainwashed.

---

I think the point with the Xanshi thing posters are making is that it needs to be updated now that we're reading a new continuity and it's a plot point that is still being used. This isn't even the same universe that the event originally happened in, and as John's (absolutely terrible) "Wrath of the First Lantern" issue showed us, the event didn't play out the same way it did in the old continuity. We need an update on that, and much preferably one that paints John in a better light.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

And even before Yrra was replaced by a Durlan, she was brainwashed by the Zamarons and controlled via her ring. Johns actually wrote that. Her love was never real, even in the Tomasi issues of Green Lantern Corps.

I'm pretty sure the violet rings, like the red rings, simply magnify something that's already there. The crystal pod is not a metamorphic instrument, its more so a a big, pink magnifying glass. It quells some of the other aspects of their personality (i.e. extreme hatred) and magnifies passion and/or feelings of love. It's probably the case that Fatality was attracted to John before joining the Zamarons, but couldn't categorize those feelings, due to something else clouding her judgment of him (such as her extreme hatred of him for destroying her home world).

[king of hybrids]

oh i don't doubt for a minute yrra's attachment is the exact opposite of romantic, but there's probably something there (i mean, pretty much all she has left is her hate of john)

as for the crystals; wasn't yrra said to be a yellow lantern at the time? i imagine you would need some pretty intense exposure to overcome the sinestro brainwashing to install the zamoran brainwashing. i imagine that given enough time, even joker would be converted.

... and now, for some reason my mind is filled with leatherface joker in a sapphire outfit... ew.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

I think the point with the Xanshi thing posters are making is that it needs to be updated now that we're reading a new continuity and it's a plot point that is still being used. This isn't even the same universe that the event originally happened in, and as John's (absolutely terrible) "Wrath of the First Lantern" issue showed us, the event didn't play out the same way it did in the old continuity. We need an update on that, and much preferably one that paints John in a better light.

Thing is, its not all that different. Like DC has pointed out many times, several events from the old universe still happened in the New 52 (at least the histories of Batman and Green Lantern): Grant Morrison's, Denny O'Neill's/Neal Adams, parts of Dixon's, and parts of Moench's runs on Batman; and the pretty much all of the important events of GL history. Probably very few of the unimportant events, but John blowing up Xanshi, Kyle finding Alex in the fridge, Blackest Night, etc. are definitely still in there.

By the way, GLC wasn't being written by Geoff Johns during Wrath of the First Lantern, it was by Peter Tomasi. Geoff Johns was too busy getting 5-star reviews for his work on the main title. Too bad he's been replaced by something so lackluster.

[Desh]

Thing is, its not all that different. Like DC has pointed out many times, several events from the old universe still happened in the New 52 (at least the histories of Batman and Green Lantern): Grant Morrison's, Denny O'Neill's/Neal Adams, parts of Dixon's, and parts of Moench's runs on Batman; and the pretty much all of the important events of GL history. Probably very few of the unimportant events, but John blowing up Xanshi, Kyle finding Alex in the fridge, Blackest Night, etc. are definitely still in there.

And with this being a new universe, there is now a clear opportunity to update what happened there and change it, especially since it's already been changed some. That is what some posters would like. Is this difficult to understand?
Some events in the New 52 can happen differently than they did in the old universe, and Xanshi can be one of them (and already even is).

By the way, GLC wasn't being written by Geoff Johns during Wrath of the First Lantern, it was by Peter Tomasi.

I am well aware of that. I never said otherwise.

However, if memory serves, this scene was written by Geoff Johns. I could be wrong about that, since I really don't re-read that stuff, but that looks like Ivan Reis' artwork, who was the regular artist of Green Lantern. I do believe brainwashed Yrra is Johns' idea.