John Stewart Appreciation 2019

[lemonpeace]

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".

I 100% agree, I personally think "Golden Age Thinking" (and i don't mean the literally golden age of comics per say) has led to DC not doing a good job of handling almost ALL of their characters of color and John, being one of DC's biggest (if not THE biggest) character of color, is a textbook example of that obliviousness to the optics of their decisions. Especially since they have so many white alternatives who can fill his role, two of whom predate him. They don't think use John better because he's not the one they want in the driver set and, up till recently, the ratio of 3:1 white guys always put him at a disadvantage. the Green Lantern franchise is a weird melting pot of Gold Age minded obliviousness and character hegemony. Yes if you are a fan of GL you know they each have their unique personalities and qualities but they need to do a better job of making it so that you can't just plug and play any Lantern in another's place because it gives them an out to perpetuate yet another white savior trope (which Hal has continued to fall into) due to them thinking playing to the good old days is the best/only option to go.

But I don't wanna rage against the machine too much, I'm trying to move toward a more positive approach to my fandom. Talking less about the things that bother me and more about the things I love and discussing topics related to that with fellow fans. That in mind, I posted about favorite constructs a couple pages back, what's your favorite John construct? Or if it's easier, favorite John moment using a construct. Thus far we have his Xanshi recreation, his "big John" constructs and his brain-rewiring construct from his fight with Fernus.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

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 wasn't labelled as Green Lantern: John Stewart, but it might as well have been.



I think if the Green Lantern Corps movie ends up being made, we'll see all of John's earliest appearances reprinted, including his first meeting with Hal, along with his first team-ups with Ollie, and his debut in JLA, which have only been reprinted in the JLA Bronze Age Omnibus as far as I know.

[Vampire Savior]

That in mind, I posted about favorite constructs a couple pages back, what's your favorite John construct? Or if it's easier, favorite John moment using a construct. Thus far we have his Xanshi recreation, his "big John" constructs and his brain-rewiring construct from his fight with Fernus.

I guess according to Green Lantern: Emerald Knights these wouldn't techinically count as constructs (but since I don't hold that video in particularly high esteem, I don't care0, but some beam or bubble or generic shield he made in the Justice League cartoon, and I'm not even being sarcastic. John has received a lot of criticism for the way he used the power ring in that show, especially since many comics fans didn't want him there to begin with (he had both Hal and Kyle fans all over him at the time), and he was often being compared to then current comic Green Lantern Kyle Rayner who used the ring just about oppositely in the comics. But as a kid, I had no problem with the beams and bubbles, and I liked how versatile and useful his power set was. If Flash and Batman needed to be carried because they can't fly, Green Lantern was there to give them a lift. If the League needed a shield, call on GL. He could survive in any environment, fly, and I liked the sound effects of the ring, and I thought the energy looked cool. That was enough to stimulate me as a kid, and I personally didn't need him making stegosauruses and bird cages and such. Maybe those were neat to see once in a while, but the way he used the ring in, say, his fight with Despero was pretty awesome, I thought.

The stupid shapes and stuff... I mean, it might sound absurd, but I think those hold Green Lantern back in a way. It's not that I don't like them. I do, but I also understand how ridiculous they can seem to someone else. They can work, but they can also really, really not. Like... hitting an enemy with a goat or something... I dunno'... In an adaptation, that's really easy for someone to get wrong I think. And in a particular setting or tone, I'm not sure it even works at all.

[Vampire Savior]

It wasn't labelled as Green Lantern: John Stewart, but it might as well have been.

I think if the Green Lantern Corps movie ends up being made, we'll see all of John's earliest appearances reprinted, including his first meeting with Hal, along with his first team-ups with Ollie, and his debut in JLA, which have only been reprinted in the JLA Bronze Age Omnibus as far as I know.

Yes. Since those stories are already collected there, I don't see the point in reprinting them again at this juncture. And the Van Jensen GLC and Lost Army are already collected in their respective trades. However, the Gerard Jones comics (both the ones in Green Lantern and Green Lantern: Mosaic), which are a really important part of the character's history, haven't been collected at all, and would have been ideal for a Green Lantern: John Stewart book.

[skyvolt2000]

Yes. Since those stories are already collected there, I don't see the point in reprinting them again at this juncture. And the Van Jensen GLC and Lost Army are already collected in their respective trades. However, the Gerard Jones comics (both the ones in Green Lantern and Green Lantern: Mosaic), which are a really important part of the character's history, haven't been collected at all, and would have been ideal for a Green Lantern: John Stewart book.

Don't forget Action Comics has not sniff a trade.

Also there is another arc in the 1990s series that followed after Alan Scott returned. John versus Star Sapphire-before issue 24.

[Sodam Yat]

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".

I think it pretty much does. If John Stewart was a white guy, I don't think he would've been treated like that for all those years. In DC's promotion, they always tell the fans on how they're 105% behind diversity and pushing these character and then struggling. But yet, when you have an obvious answer in front of you, who is one of the most beloved minority characters in DC, then it doesn't make any sense to not push him. Even Guy and Kyle mini solos at the time.

[Vampire Savior]

I think it pretty much does. If John Stewart was a white guy, I don't think he would've been treated like that for all those years. In DC's promotion, they always tell the fans on how they're 105% behind diversity and pushing these character and then struggling. But yet, when you have an obvious answer in front of you, who is one of the most beloved minority characters in DC, then it doesn't make any sense to not push him. Even Guy and Kyle mini solos at the time.

I think it's basically to do with not having any influential black people behind the scenes. Green Lantern was written and run by a bunch of white guys who seemed like they couldn't give two f's, and I don't think any of them particularly connected with John Stewart. They can say they're behind diversity, and they can even think that, but their own perspectives and interests came first, and much of the time they ran counter to actually promoting John Stewart.

Now, consider when Green Lantern was written by a black man (Christopher Priest). This is a really weird example, but despite him writing John Stewart surprisingly poorly in Action Comics Weekly and the Green Lantern Special, he actually paid attention to the character when anyone else besides maybe Steve Englehart would have forgot or ignored him. He gave John Stewart a power ring again and made stories specifically about him. And to be fair, he didn't do Hal Jordan any favors, either. I think the strange writing (Kat dying, the Apartheid story) was more to do with the times than any malice or incompetence on Priest's part. Watchmen and Dark Knight Returns had recently come out and were huge hits, and the direct market was becoming more and more the go to market for comics. As a result, grittier, "darker" storytelling that pushed the envelope was becoming vogue. Unfortunately (again) John Stewart just happened to be the recipient of it over and over again.

I should correct something I said above some. I don't necessarily think you positively need a black person behind the scenes for black characters to be done justice in a sea of old time white heroes. But I think you often need someone who actually cares about this stuff, and a black person, on average, is more likely to care than a Geoff Johns or someone like that. Otherwise, as DC has shown us with such shining examples as John Stewart and Cyborg, it's way too easy for these characters to be mishandled, forgotten, buried, and abused. Someone to step in and say, "Hey... we shouldn't do that to the character. He's one of our only prominent black heroes and he'll never recover from this. We have black readers and... you know... we should want to keep the ones we have and get more." "Hey, what do you think about shining some spotlight on this character? I'd like to do stories about him." I don't agree with everything Bendis does, but he really seems to be someone like that. Neal Adams is, too.

Then again... there was what Bendis did to Rhodey so he could make way for his own creation... so... I dunno'. But I think the point stands.

[Vampire Savior]

Don't forget Action Comics has not sniff a trade.

Also there is another arc in the 1990s series that followed after Alan Scott returned. John versus Star Sapphire-before issue 24.

Yes, I was thinking of a solicit for Green Lantern: John Stewart today.

Green Lantern: John Stewart Vol. 1


Follow the adventures of architect turned space warrior John Stewart in this collection that showcases his greatest tragedies. A brand new age for John begins when his wife, former Green Lantern Katma Tui, is murdered in their home. John must face his greatest challenge when he's swept up in the Cosmic Odyssey, a struggle for the fate of the universe, which features a major milestone in John's Green Lantern career! Back on Earth, John faces the ugly reality of Apartheid, and his super heroics are put to an end when confronted with the menace of Grayven, the son of Darkseid! Don't miss these classic tales in the history of Green Lantern John Stewart.
Collects stories from Action Comics #601-603, Cosmic Odyssey #1-4, Green Lantern Special #1, and Green Lantern Vol 3. #74-75.

[Holt]

In terms of trades, John is at an especially big disadvantage since I'm pretty sure the pedophilia charges brought against Gerard Jones mean we're not gonna see Mosaic collected anytime soon, even when the damn GLC movie finally comes out.

[Cosmic Emerald 23]

It wasn't labelled as Green Lantern: John Stewart, but it might as well have been.



I think if the Green Lantern Corps movie ends up being made, we'll see all of John's earliest appearances reprinted, including his first meeting with Hal, along with his first team-ups with Ollie, and his debut in JLA, which have only been reprinted in the JLA Bronze Age Omnibus as far as I know.

Hey, I love that cover!

[Cosmic Emerald 23]

Ok, let's say DC decides to go with my idea of a Bruce Timm/Paul Dini John Stewart book called Green Lantern Adventures (like they did with Supes and Bats). What direction would you want the book to go in? Would you want it to continue with the show's continuity, be it's own thing, or be set in the main DCU?

[lemonpeace]

Ok, let's say DC decides to go with my idea of a Bruce Timm/Paul Dini John Stewart book called Green Lantern Adventures (like they did with Supes and Bats). What direction would you want the book to go in? Would you want it to continue with the show's continuity, be it's own thing, or be set in the main DCU?

I would want it to be set in it's own continuity. While Justice League and JLU did wonders with John, I believe Dwayne McDuffie's influence played an instrumental role in his characterization's success; the secret sauce so to speak. I don't want to try to recreate that without him, so I think Timm and Dini should be in a space where they can do what they want to do and see how it goes. Plus, after his insistence on Batgirl and Batman, I don't completely trust Dini's judgement enough to play with John in continuity but I still would want to see what they can do with John. If it's successful enough in it's own continuity, if the continuity resembles the main DCU enough, it could be rolled into main continuity down the road a la Killing Joke was.

[Cosmic Emerald 23]

I would want it to be set in it's own continuity. While Justice League and JLU did wonders with John, I believe Dwayne McDuffie's influence played an instrumental role in his characterization's success; the secret sauce so to speak. I don't want to try to recreate that without him, so I think Timm and Dini should be in a space where they can do what they want to do and see how it goes. Plus, after his insistence on Batgirl and Batman, I don't completely trust Dini's judgement enough to play with John in continuity but I still would want to see what they can do with John. If it's successful enough in it's own continuity, if the continuity resembles the main DCU enough, it could be rolled into main continuity down the road a la Killing Joke was.

I guess I forgot about the whole Batgirl x Batman nonsense cuz I buried it in the back of my mind lol. Care is the key when dealing with John, don't wanna mess him up more than he already is, good points.

[Sodam Yat]

I think it's basically to do with not having any influential black people behind the scenes. Green Lantern was written and run by a bunch of white guys who seemed like they couldn't give two f's, and I don't think any of them particularly connected with John Stewart. They can say they're behind diversity, and they can even think that, but their own perspectives and interests came first, and much of the time they ran counter to actually promoting John Stewart.

Now, consider when Green Lantern was written by a black man (Christopher Priest). This is a really weird example, but despite him writing John Stewart surprisingly poorly in Action Comics Weekly and the Green Lantern Special, he actually paid attention to the character when anyone else besides maybe Steve Englehart would have forgot or ignored him. He gave John Stewart a power ring again and made stories specifically about him. And to be fair, he didn't do Hal Jordan any favors, either. I think the strange writing (Kat dying, the Apartheid story) was more to do with the times than any malice or incompetence on Priest's part. Watchmen and Dark Knight Returns had recently come out and were huge hits, and the direct market was becoming more and more the go to market for comics. As a result, grittier, "darker" storytelling that pushed the envelope was becoming vogue. Unfortunately (again) John Stewart just happened to be the recipient of it over and over again.

I should correct something I said above some. I don't necessarily think you positively need a black person behind the scenes for black characters to be done justice in a sea of old time white heroes. But I think you often need someone who actually cares about this stuff, and a black person, on average, is more likely to care than a Geoff Johns or someone like that. Otherwise, as DC has shown us with such shining examples as John Stewart and Cyborg, it's way too easy for these characters to be mishandled, forgotten, buried, and abused. Someone to step in and say, "Hey... we shouldn't do that to the character. He's one of our only prominent black heroes and he'll never recover from this. We have black readers and... you know... we should want to keep the ones we have and get more." "Hey, what do you think about shining some spotlight on this character? I'd like to do stories about him." I don't agree with everything Bendis does, but he really seems to be someone like that. Neal Adams is, too.

Then again... there was what Bendis did to Rhodey so he could make way for his own creation... so... I dunno'. But I think the point stands.

I couldn't have said this any better.

This is exactly what I said in the old John Stewart thread. I've said something like this on the thread when the fans found out that John was in Hal Jordan of the Green Lantern Corps.

[Sodam Yat]

I don't if any of you guys watch CW shows, but John Stewart and Hal Jordan was mentioned in a recent episode of CW Legacies. Legacies is a popular TV show that I enjoy watching. Earlier in the old John thread, I posted up a snapshot of that show where one of the main characters (MG) had a John Stewart poster (it was the Sinestro Corps one by Ivan Reis) on his wall. But now Green Lantern has been shown again.

On their recent episode, MG was talking to this girl who seems to be a Green Lantern fan and MG told her Green Lantern is his favorite. There was a John Stewart vs Hal Jordan debate on the show like what the CBR forums used to have lol. She said how John is the greatest Green Lantern, because Hal Jordan turned into Parallax and killed people, while MG argued that Hal Jordan saved people, which is why he likes him more. Later on the show when she deceived MG, she took him down and said John Stewart is the greatest Green Lantern.

I thought this was interesting to see the most popular Green Lanterns being mentioned on popular media shows.

I was surprised that Emerald Twilight was brought up, though.

It's very impressive that John Stewart is STILL popular to this day. Despite writers like Geoff Johns, Tom King, and others trying to make their silver age lantern character the greatest and put down John Stewart by lowering his popularity and trying to make him seem uninteresting, John still remains popular among people. Those people don't view those lantern characters the same way writers do. This popular show proved that!