John Stewart Appreciation 2019

[lemonpeace]

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.

For me, it's not so much the look on it's own that bothers me, it's the overuse of the design for black male characters that bothers me more as I've gotten older. Here it bothers me significantly less because Snyder is clearly playing on John's redesign between JL and JLU and it's only temporary but outside of Luke Cage, the design usually makes me roll my eyes due to the lack of creativity.

As for the issue, I really dug it! I liked seeing future John and future Flash buddying up. Having WallBarry setting the Earths that John designs, builds, and imbues with life energy in space-time is super fucking awesome. Him being an architect of Earths is such a cool idea and a beautiful hypothetical end to his character development; from being a destroyer of worlds to a builder of them.

[Sodam Yat]

For me, it's not so much the look on it's own that bothers me, it's the overuse of the design for black male characters that bothers me more as I've gotten older. Here it bothers me significantly less because Snyder is clearly playing on John's redesign between JL and JLU and it's only temporary but outside of Luke Cage, the design usually makes me roll my eyes due to the lack of creativity.

As for the issue, I really dug it! I liked seeing future John and future Flash buddying up. Having WallBarry setting the Earths that John designs, builds, and imbues with life energy in space-time is super fucking awesome. Him being an architect of Earths is such a cool idea and a beautiful hypothetical end to his character development; from being a destroyer of worlds to a builder of them.

I see what you mean, so it sort of comes off as generic and no creativity? I feel that bald African American men seem to come off very attractive among women. And I see someone like John getting the beautiful ladies But his regular hairstyle that we normally see in the comics is different than other African American male superheroes.

Speaking of the Flash, I think DC was creative with Wallace's hair style:

[Johnny]

For me, it's not so much the look on it's own that bothers me, it's the overuse of the design for black male characters that bothers me more as I've gotten older. Here it bothers me significantly less because Snyder is clearly playing on John's redesign between JL and JLU and it's only temporary but outside of Luke Cage, the design usually makes me roll my eyes due to the lack of creativity.

Exactly, it's not as if there's anything wrong with that design itself, it's just that there was a time where it felt like every black male character was sporting the bald headed/goatee look. Marvel even gave Blade that look at one point. smh

[Sodam Yat]

Now I really understand what you guys are saying. I thought wrong. Good points.

[lemonpeace]

I see what you mean, so it sort of comes off as generic and no creativity? I feel that bald African American men seem to come off very attractive among women. And I see someone like John getting the beautiful ladies But his regular hairstyle that we normally see in the comics is different than other African American male superheroes.

Speaking of the Flash, I think DC was creative with Wallace's hair style:

Parting Wallace's hair with a lightning bolt was a clever idea. Granted, it's a small tweak to the default short cut look but it definitely worked for me.

[lemonpeace]

When exactly did John acquire the title of Master Builder? I was thinking it was Mosaic but i'm really not sure.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

When exactly did John acquire the title of Master Builder? I was thinking it was Mosaic but i'm really not sure.

You're right, the Master Builder came about during the finale of Mosaic when John briefly became a Guardian of the Universe before Emerald Twilight put the kabosh on anything in the entire GL franchise that didn't rhyme with Shmyle Shmayner

[lemonpeace]

You're right, the Master Builder came about during the finale of Mosaic when John briefly became a Guardian of the Universe before Emerald Twilight put the kabosh on anything in the entire GL franchise that didn't rhyme with Shmyle Shmayner

Good, iunno why I thought I was mistaken. Has he been called Master Builder recently? I feel like that's a pretty fucking badass title they could throw out there more.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Good, iunno why I thought I was mistaken. Has he been called Master Builder recently? I feel like that's a pretty fucking badass title they could throw out there more.

Nothing from Mosaic has been referenced in the comics since they were published. As far as I know, there was one issue of Darkstars that dealt with sweeping it all under the carpet in order to make John the new leader of the Darkstars, then it was never mentioned again. Unfortunately, given Gerard Jones's legal troubles, I don't think Mosaic is going to be getting any love from anyone at DC in the foreseeable future.

The only elements from Mosaic that have survived to the present are Cully Hamner's badass redesigned costume, and the portrayal of John as more of a methodical intellectual, rather than the angry hot head he was in his first appearances.

[Vampire Savior]

I think it's kinda' funny in a sad way. I don't know if it's just my experiences talking with people and reading online posts and such, but after everything Gerard Jones wrote for DC--Green Lantern, Justice League, and so on--anecdotally, he seems to be most remembered for writing Green Lantern: Mosaic. And his conviction seems to affect no character more than John Stewart. I made a post above alluding to John Stewart's nonstop unfortunate luck. This goes right along with it. The writer of his most remembered and loved story happens to be a convicted admitted major sex offender, which will no doubt keep the story from ever being referenced or reprinted D:
I mean, it wasn't being referenced or reprinted anyway, but now we know it won't be. There is a Green Lantern: Hal Jordan trade, and a Green Lantern: Kyle Rayner trade. You likely won't see that type of treatment for John Stewart. What would they put in it?

[lemonpeace]

Nothing from Mosaic has been referenced in the comics since they were published. As far as I know, there was one issue of Darkstars that dealt with sweeping it all under the carpet in order to make John the new leader of the Darkstars, then it was never mentioned again. Unfortunately, given Gerard Jones's legal troubles, I don't think Mosaic is going to be getting any love from anyone at DC in the foreseeable future.

The only elements from Mosaic that have survived to the present are Cully Hamner's badass redesigned costume, and the portrayal of John as more of a methodical intellectual, rather than the angry hot head he was in his first appearances.

It's crazy how that name still floats around the character to this day. I mean, I heard of him being referred to as the Master Builder before I even knew about Mosaic, which is why I was curious if it had been mentioned since then. It's super unfortunate his most definitive comic role was tied to such a scummy guy. Well, I hope they'll throw the title out there one day, it's self-explanatory enough to not require further investigation into where it came from. Plus, DC does reference Mosaic on their DCU profile for John, so maybe they'll reinvent a reason to bestow him that title.

I think it's kinda' funny in a sad way. I don't know if it's just my experiences talking with people and reading online posts and such, but after everything Gerard Jones wrote for DC--Green Lantern, Justice League, and so on--anecdotally, he seems to be most remembered for writing Green Lantern: Mosaic. And his conviction seems to affect no character more than John Stewart. I made a post above alluding to John Stewart's nonstop unfortunate luck. This goes right along with it. The writer of his most remembered and loved story happens to be a convicted admitted major sex offender, which will no doubt keep the story from ever being referenced or reprinted D:
I mean, it wasn't being referenced or reprinted anyway, but now we know it won't be. There is a Green Lantern: Hal Jordan trade, and a Green Lantern: Kyle Rayner trade. You likely won't see that type of treatment for John Stewart. What would they put in it?

It is unfortunate but i think had DC not continuously fumbled so heavy with John since then they'd have more stuff to put in a trade for him. Although, right now they do have a good amount of stuff since the New 52 that, had most of it not been from the GLC ensemble title and likely collected there, they could make a solid trade for him. I think as time goes we'll start seeing more stuff for him, it's just been an excruciating snail's pace getting there. A solo, not likely anytime soon but I think it's just a matter of time until someone higher up realizes how bad it looks that their biggest black name has been basically playing second fiddle for the greater part of 3 decades. Even if I have to break into DC and secretly write it my damn self.

...only mostly kidding

[Vampire Savior]

One reason I think doing a remake of sorts of Mosaic is a good idea is so the entire concept and story won't be entirely overshadowed by Gerard Jones' dark deeds. Now, oftentimes when it is mentioned, people feel the need to bring that up... which is why several pages back, I didn't mention anything about the pedophilia. I didn't feel like perpetuating Mosaic being linked with that. I'm still able to enjoy the story because it doesn't have anything to do with pedophilia, but I know several people find it very hard to look past that and enjoy the story by itself.

[lemonpeace]

One reason I think doing a remake of sorts of Mosaic is a good idea is so the entire concept and story won't be entirely overshadowed by Gerard Jones' dark deeds. Now, oftentimes when it is mentioned, people feel the need to bring that up... which is why several pages back, I didn't mention anything about the pedophilia. I didn't feel like perpetuating Mosaic being linked with that. I'm still able to enjoy the story because it doesn't have anything to do with pedophilia, but I know several people find it very hard to look past that and enjoy the story by itself.

I definitely understand it, I found out about the pedophilia stuff in-between issues when i was making my way through it and, while it didn't ruin the experience for me per say, I immediately understood that we will probably not be able to see it brought up without that being in the conversation. The whole series from the premature cancellation to the sweeping under the rug to the later revelations is all very weird. I would 100% be down for DC doing a stealth reboot of the Mosaic concept. Give it a different name, slap a bigger name who knows what they're doing behind it and (while i enjoyed Hamner's art) put an good artist with a more accessible style; i think it could easily overshadow the negativity around the original story and concept and give the character a much needed booster shot.

[lemonpeace]

On a lighter note, I've been updating John's wiki and i need a little help filling in some blanks. Particularly I need help summarizing John's involvement in the Wrath of the First Lantern arc and creating a condensed summary of the Lost Army/Edge of Oblivion storyline before I start moving on to filling out the rest of his time on Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps to his current run on Justice League.

Help a brother out?

[Vampire Savior]

The whole series from the premature cancellation to the sweeping under the rug to the later revelations is all very weird.

Like I've said before, it's John Stewart. Him being brushed under the rug as a character DURING his greatest showing ever (Justice League cartoon) is very weird. Probably has something to do with him being black while having a bunch of white contemporaries/rivals that certain people prefer more. But everyone's already heard that discussion by now. Hate to pull the race card all of a sudden, but something's gotta' give here. I can only accept so much weirdness before I resort to something like that, and near John Stewart's entire history as a character has been "very weird".