John Stewart Appreciation 2019

[Crazy Diamond]

You know, the more I read, the more annoying I find it to realize just how many women have dated multiple Earth Lanterns. On the one hand, if you travel in the same circles there may be some inter-dating. But they do seem to take it to extremes. It makes more sense, though, when the women are Lanterns, too.

Did Rose Harding even like Hal all that much? It seemed like once she found out he was Green Lantern she wasn't interested in him due to her lack of trust in superheroes. It seemed like a stretch to call her his girlfriend.

[Vampire Savior]

Did Rose Harding even like Hal all that much? It seemed like once she found out he was Green Lantern she wasn't interested in him due to her lack of trust in superheroes. It seemed like a stretch to call her his girlfriend.

You bring up a great point. There was obviously some mutual attraction, but they never actually dated as far as I know. It seemed like they wanted to at times, but weird circumstances prevented it from happening. Their...relationship kind of continued even after Rose initially lost interest, since she admitted she wanted Hal Jordan to come back.

All in all, though, I shouldn't have called her Hal Jordan's girlfriend. Love interest would be a better term.

[Vampire Savior]

Action Comics Weekly was a disaster for Green Lantern. From what I've heard they ended Englehart's run (tbf he'd run out of steam after his peak with the COIE related stories) so that GL would be the star to carry the book.

He kinda' did, yeah. His best work was definitely the stuff that focused specifically on Katma and John. I still enjoy the Corps stories, but they weren't nearly as solid as his earlier stuff.

Then they proceeded to trash everything that made Green Lantern sell well under Englehart.

Some people behind the scenes were obviously losing their minds. And, of course, right after that stuff, that terrible Cosmic Odyssey story happened. In a span of only a few years, John Stewart and Katma went from their peaks as characters to being broken and destroyed as characters, and neither of them have recovered from it. I've seen videos of Jim Starlin talking about how he disliked Jason Todd--and I think the overall concept of Robin--and wanted to get rid of him. He starts talking about it at about 14:00 in. I don't bear him any ill will and actually admire him, but he also seems like a guy who has no problem wrecking characters he didn't create and not giving a darn about the ramifications of what he does.



I know that it was initially supposed to be Guy Gardner who was responsible for Xanshi, but whoever was going to be responsible for it would not recover easily, and as fortune had it, it was John Stewart. In my opinion, the character is still broken. The Bruce Timm version worked so well primarily because he simply didn't incorporate all the stuff that damaged the character.

[Sodam Yat]

I tossed this idea out on the Cyborg thread, I wanted to see how you guys feel about it:

This would be an awesome idea! That would be cool for John and Cyborg to help out the underprivileged.

[Crazy Diamond]

I know that it was initially supposed to be Guy Gardner who was responsible for Xanshi, but whoever was going to be responsible for it would not recover easily, and as fortune had it, it was John Stewart. In my opinion, the character is still broken. The Bruce Timm version worked so well primarily because he simply didn't incorporate all the stuff that damaged the character.

Good points. Jim Starlin is proof that you can be a fan of something (The Fourth World) and also not be a good writer for it. If it hadn't been for Mike Mignola I don't think I could've finished Cosmic Odyssey. I don't mind shaking characters up but the problem with Xanshi's destruction was the ridiculous way it happened and then how John Stewart was handled afterwards especially after Gerard Jones quit Green Lantern. They just kept bringing it up and forgetting anything prior to that moment. I'm not saying they should've swept it under the rug but at some time they should've dealt with it once and for all and moved on.

[Anthony Shaw]

You know, the more I read, the more annoying I find it to realize just how many women have dated multiple Earth Lanterns. On the one hand, if you travel in the same circles there may be some inter-dating. But they do seem to take it to extremes. It makes more sense, though, when the women are Lanterns, too.

I always found it kinda gross.

[Anthony Shaw]

He lets it all hang out XD

anyway what's your favorite John design, I like the Bronze Age one

I love the sleek & simplicity of this one.

I think only Guy & Kyle should have over-complicated designs.

[Anthony Shaw]

Some people behind the scenes were obviously losing their minds. And, of course, right after that stuff, that terrible Cosmic Odyssey story happened. In a span of only a few years, John Stewart and Katma went from their peaks as characters to being broken and destroyed as characters, and neither of them have recovered from it. I've seen videos of Jim Starlin talking about how he disliked Jason Todd--and I think the overall concept of Robin--and wanted to get rid of him. He starts talking about it at about 14:00 in. I don't bear him any ill will and actually admire him, but he also seems like a guy who has no problem wrecking characters he didn't create and not giving a darn about the ramifications of what he does.



I know that it was initially supposed to be Guy Gardner who was responsible for Xanshi, but whoever was going to be responsible for it would not recover easily, and as fortune had it, it was John Stewart. In my opinion, the character is still broken. The Bruce Timm version worked so well primarily because he simply didn't incorporate all the stuff that damaged the character.

This is a great post. I agree 100%.

I honestly feel that Guy would have survived the Xanshi incident, and still enjoyed the success he did. After Englehart & Jones, true development for John Stewart was few & far between. John & Kat were clear GL characters that needed a "rebirth", but never got it.

You are right again about the Bruce Timm version. That version of John was free of decades of bad stories that resulted in no growth.

[Anthony Shaw]

Good points. Jim Starlin is proof that you can be a fan of something (The Fourth World) and also not be a good writer for it. If it hadn't been for Mike Mignola I don't think I could've finished Cosmic Odyssey. I don't mind shaking characters up but the problem with Xanshi's destruction was the ridiculous way it happened and then how John Stewart was handled afterwards especially after Gerard Jones quit Green Lantern. They just kept bringing it up and forgetting anything prior to that moment. I'm not saying they should've swept it under the rug but at some time they should've dealt with it once and for all and moved on.

I really do think Xanshi is the one of the main DC stories from the 1980's that still gets brought up. Jason Todd is alive, and Barbara Gordon is mobile. Even Vibe is alive. Both Supergirl and Barry Allen are alive & well with TV shows.

Just about every bad GL story has been retconned, or never mentioned again (like a possed Carol Ferris killing Katma), but Xanshi remains.

[Sodam Yat]

I really do think Xanshi is the one of the main DC stories from the 1980's that still gets brought up. Jason Todd is alive, and Barbara Gordon is mobile. Even Vibe is alive. Both Supergirl and Barry Allen are alive & well with TV shows.

Just about every bad GL story has been retconned, or never mentioned again (like a possed Carol Ferris killing Katma), but Xanshi remains.

Yea, it's really beyond me on why Xanshi remains. As I said in the past, the best way to fix it is to bring Xanshi back to life again. This would be a good way to keep some writers from using it from bashing the character.

[Sodam Yat]

[superheat]

John Stewart is the best GL.

[Sodam Yat]

Yup. He is by far!

[BlackClaw]

Yea, it's really beyond me on why Xanshi remains. As I said in the past, the best way to fix it is to bring Xanshi back to life again. This would be a good way to keep some writers from using it from bashing the character.

Same, and they could find a way to bring Katma back.

[SecretWarrior]

John Stewart is the best GL.

Hear, hear