John Stewart Appreciation 2019

[SebastianS]

Hal was brought back because DiDio became editor in chief and he wanted to bring Hal back.

Barry was brought back because Van Sciver and Johns wanted to bring him back, and DC allowed them to do that based on their success with bringing back Hal Jordan.

So yeah, I would say that personal preferences of the people behind the scenes played a big part in those decisions. Had Jenette Kahn, Mike Carlin, Paul Levitz and Denny O'Neill been making the big decisions at the time, Hal probably would have stayed dead and they would have found something more compelling for Kyle to do. Wally likely would have stayed Flash, too. People sometimes bring up reasons like, "Well, they wrote themselves into a corner." This is comics. There's always a way out if you care to make one. Look at all the gymnastics Geoff Johns did for Hal Jordan. That happened because the people behind the scenes specifically cared to give that character an out, no matter how much the people prior to them tried to block that from ever happening with their damning stories.

This cannot be said enough times.

[Vampire Savior]

True, these so-called writers (and artist) are as much fans we are. So you have fans writing these stories. It's one of the main reasons John Stewart has been sidelined for Guy, Kyle, and Hal during the Johns era. Those (white) writers preferred those characters at the time, so they had mini's and had a bigger presence whenever John shared the Corps book with Kyle and Guy. Even EVS said Hal is his favorite and believe he should be the main Green Lantern. With that said, media adaptions are complete different thing. If those same guys were a part of it, John Stewart wouldn't appear as the lantern in Teen Titans Go! and other media. DC doesn't control WB.

This is true... kind of. It seems to me like you personally hold it against writers for having favorites that aren't yours, which I think is kind of silly. On the other hand, I understand your frustration. I lived through the Johns years, after all. It's probably for the best when people who are invested in these characters are actually stewarding them, but if not kept in check, they can lose their objectivity. And it certainly sucks when their preferences don't align with yours, but if you got what you wanted, there would just be another subset of fans who would be discontented. That's the problem with broken fanbases, and I've never seen one worse than Green Lantern in my entire life.

Also, it feels like there is an assumption that WB is all big on John Stewart. We don't really know that. The executives probably don't care that much about each specific Lantern and could probably be talked around to other characters, like, again, Jessica Cruz, for example. Really, the point I'm trying to impress is that nothing with that Green Lantern Corps movie is set in stone. Not John Stewart. Not the script. Not that the thing will even be made. I mean, it's great we've heard that John is playing an important part in a script that was being developed for it, but that's still not concrete enough for me to feel secure that John is a certain thing in the film, and that he will be the main character. I guess his chances are better than the other Lanterns at this point, but this is John Stewart. The cosmos seems to always be against him somehow (examples: Mosaic gets cancelled for some reason, he gets his back broken, somehow manages to get a regular role on TV, but no one in comics wants to fully recognize and embrace that, DC tries to kill him, Lost Army gets cancelled out of nowhere and is left unfinished, gets put on the Justice League and Snyder teases a romance but spits in the eye of Hawkgirl/Green Lantern fans by putting Hawkgirl with Martian Manhunter).

[Sodam Yat]

This is true... kind of. It seems to me like you personally hold it against writers for having favorites that aren't yours, which I think is kind of silly. On the other hand, I understand your frustration. I lived through the Johns years, after all. It's probably for the best when people who are invested in these characters are actually stewarding them, but if not kept in check, they can lose their objectivity. And it certainly sucks when their preferences don't align with yours, but if you got what you wanted, there would just be another subset of fans who would be discontented. That's the problem with broken fanbases, and I've never seen one worse than Green Lantern in my entire life.

Also, it feels like there is an assumption that WB is all big on John Stewart. We don't really know that. The executives probably don't care that much about each specific Lantern and could probably be talked around to other characters, like, again, Jessica Cruz, for example. Really, the point I'm trying to impress is that nothing with that Green Lantern Corps movie is set in stone. Not John Stewart. Not the script. Not that the thing will even be made. I mean, it's great we've heard that John is playing an important part in a script that was being developed for it, but that's still not concrete enough for me to feel secure that John is a certain thing in the film, and that he will be the main character. I guess his chances are better than the other Lanterns at this point, but this is John Stewart. The cosmos seems to always be against him somehow (examples: Mosaic gets cancelled for some reason, he gets his back broken, somehow manages to get a regular role on TV, but no one in comics wants to fully recognize and embrace that, DC tries to kill him, Lost Army gets cancelled out of nowhere and is left unfinished, gets put on the Justice League and Snyder teases a romance but spits in the eye of Hawkgirl/Green Lantern fans by putting Hawkgirl with Martian Manhunter).

It's not really just about writers having their own favorites over mines. But the problem is when writers choose lesser known characters over John Stewart is what really bothers me. They're will not do the most logical thing.

I think they are, though. Hal and John seems to be the biggest names in the Green Lantern franchise. I think WB not willingly to use those characters will cause a big issue among fans. A lot of these speculations about John being in the movie is based on assumptions if the movie was ever green lit. We don't know if it ever will be or not. I don't think WB will treat John the same way DC Comics treated him. About Scott Snyder, to this day I don't really understand why he did what he did. He even said that romance is one of his favorite moments in JL.

[Robanker]

Hal was brought back because DiDio became editor in chief and he wanted to bring Hal back.

Barry was brought back because Van Sciver and Johns wanted to bring him back, and DC allowed them to do that based on their success with bringing back Hal Jordan.

So yeah, I would say that personal preferences of the people behind the scenes played a big part in those decisions. Had Jenette Kahn, Mike Carlin, Paul Levitz and Denny O'Neill been making the big decisions at the time, Hal probably would have stayed dead and they would have found something more compelling for Kyle to do. Wally likely would have stayed Flash, too. People sometimes bring up reasons like, "Well, they wrote themselves into a corner." This is comics. There's always a way out if you care to make one. Look at all the gymnastics Geoff Johns did for Hal Jordan. That happened because the people behind the scenes specifically cared to give that character an out, no matter how much the people prior to them tried to block that from ever happening with their damning stories.

To be fair, Hal was mangled as a character and then hastily worked into sacrificing himself to try and restore some good will before being executed to add stakes to a poor event comic. Hell, he became the Spectre afterward because everyone knew his character was outright assassinated before he actually died. If you were a fan of his, well, I can imagine being frustrated with his exit. It was inglorious and, unlike Ted Kord who while he died in an ugly manner, he did so without betraying himself. If he was given a magnificent death like Barry, it may have taken him a lot longer to come back than it did.

Do I believe The Powers That Be are way too influential based on personal bias? Absolutely, but to be entirely fair, Hal got misused and I can see his fans growing up and wanting to right a wrong. Barry is where I simply get confused because he essentially had about as glorious a death a superhero could have outside, perhaps, Supergirl.

[Sodam Yat]

I'm guessing we're going to see a John/Barry dynamic in the next issue?

[Cosmic Emerald 23]

It's always cool for me to see white lantern John

[lemonpeace]

It's always cool for me to see white lantern John

Right! And he's modeled after the JLU design, the little kid in me is screaming!

[Lirica]

I haven't read the issue yet, but I would like to see how John uses his WL powers and if there's something different or unique compared to in the past.

From the preview I sadly suspect this is one of those too-go-to-be-true futures that should not come to pass, though.

[Johnny]

For some reason I've never been a fan of the bald head/goatee look. I think I still don't like it. :/

[Ironmonk]

I wonder will this white lantern John have an actual ring, or will he be the ring like current John.

[Cosmic Emerald 23]

For some reason I've never been a fan of the bald head/goatee look. I think I still don't like it. :/

You're not alone

[Cosmic Emerald 23]

I wonder will this white lantern John have an actual ring, or will he be the ring like current John.

That would be the definition of epic

[lemonpeace]

For some reason I've never been a fan of the bald head/goatee look. I think I still don't like it. :/

oh don't get me wrong, the adult in me wants to be repulsed but the nostalgia is too strong. Snyder's playing to the right audience i guess.

[Vampire Savior]

You're not alone

Bald headed John with the goatee is terrible. I honestly think it is the worst John Stewart look I've seen. I never could get into it at all. I guess it just doesn't fit my idea of the character at all.

[Sodam Yat]

This issue was good. I liked the future John/Barry dynamic that was shown here.

I guess I'm one of the few John fans, who likes the John Stewart bald look. I don't care much for the goatee, though. But the bald look is fine by me. Scott Snyder seems to like it, too.