Kyle Rayner Appreciation 2019

[Sodam Yat]

Simon also co-starred in his own book, Green Lanterns and was a member of the Justice League in Rebirth. DC gave him a chance and pushed him.

[Vampire Savior]

If Green Lantern fans are always complaining about their favorite characters not getting pushed, then maybe...maybe Green Lantern shouldn't have so many freaking characters. It's really interesting that me saying this is totally relevant to right now, because it's not like this is just a past mistake. DC keeps pooping out Green Lanterns at an alarming rate. More so than ever before, even. There is a consequence to that. A big one. It doesn't work like, "Well, more is better. Just keep adding more! Everybody should be happy with that" What that causes is incredible dilution and then fans of the previous ones being upset when limited panel space goes to some other Green Lantern.

About Simon Baz in particular, he had a lot of problems simply as a character. One big one was lack of research on the writer's part. One of his main things is being a Muslim, and another is having a tattoo. The problem is those two things are in direct conflict with each other. It does happen I guess, like with Mike Tyson, but he was a convert. I'm lead to believe Simon Baz was born into the religion, so the choice to give him a tattoo is odd and looks to be done out of ignorance on the creators' part, If he's meant partially to appeal to and represent people who follow Islam, but then blatantly does something against their beliefs...well, that's not particularly effective.

It didn't help that he was pushed alongside a girl Green Lantern. She was more of a novelty simply for being a girl. There has only been one female Green Lantern before her, Jade, and she is often overlooked or not counted. Simon couldn't even trump Jessica on the diversity thing. The writers seemed like they were considerably more interested in her than in Simon. I don't like either characters really, but I don't blame them for that. Simon doesn't seem to have a lot to offer, which brings us to another big problem...

He was/is unnecessary. I'm not sure what he has to offer, and yes, I'm aware you can say this about any of these Green Lanterns, but it seems especially applicable to Simon. I think Johns created him to have his own character put in media adaptations (he was Chief Creative Officer at the time), but at some point realized Simon wasn't going to cut it, maybe because of complaints about the tattoo, the gun, and the ski mask, and felt he would have better luck with a Mexican woman, which is also a larger demographic in the US, so she may seem more appealing to executives.
Well, if Johns thought all of that, he was right.

[Lirica]

Yeah, Simon being continuously shafted like that is a bad look. Lantern fans always talk about their favorites being buried when they're not featured more prominently, but if there's any GL that's been legit buried it's undoubtedly Simon. Kyle and Guy at least got acknowledged here, Simon just keeps getting Superboy-Prime punched.

I'm not surprised Kyle was acknowledged here because this is the DCAU. It'd be weirder if they didn't mention him while still having Hal and Guy up there.

[Johnny]

I'm not surprised Kyle was acknowledged here because this is the DCAU. It'd be weirder if they didn't mention him while still having Hal and Guy up there.

Hal already showed up in the DCAU. Timeline-altering shenanigans and all. And didn't Guy make a cameo in the Superman episode about Kyle where he was reimagined as some mugger.

[Lirica]

Hal already showed up in the DCAU. Timeline-altering shenanigans and all. And didn't Guy make a cameo in the Superman episode about Kyle where he was reimagined as some mugger.

I am aware of that. That wasn't really what I was getting at. Let me try to explain myself better.

I was saying that to me (and really in general) it shouldn't be a surprise that Kyle was acknowledged because it's the DCAU. If it were any other universe I too would've been surprised tbh. Had Kyle also been left out, but Guy and Hal were still there, it would've been weird since at the time of JLU the established GLs from Earth were Kyle and John. Hal does exist by name but wasn't a GL yet aside from an alternate timeline. I'm not sure if that was Guy, but if it was, he wasn't a GL yet either. Of course by the time of this scene they became GLs, but my point was just it would've been especially weird to not have Kyle there based on this universe.

Now I want to know how Hal and Guy become GLs without any alternate timeline stuff.

[Lirica]

So, there's going to be a DC Comics HeroClix: Kyle Rayner Prize Figure, but it seems to be a 2019 HeroClix Convention Exclusive, only available to get/win at the 2019 WizKids National (and World Championships, I think).
https://wizkids.com/2019/04/01/2019-...championships/

[LP22]

If you can put Kyle in any current DC title where whold you put him(considering DC wants less titles on the market)

[RickWJ324]

I don't like either characters really, but I don't blame them for that. Simon doesn't seem to have a lot to offer, which brings us to another big problem... He was/is unnecessary.

I agree. Too many Lanterns from Earth and I don't care for Simon or Jessica at all. I'm not sure why Jessica gets the push that she does with DC. I don't really find her worthy of being a Lantern (my opinion so hate me if you want, but I'm sticking to it).

I'd much rather have a GL book focus on Kyle or John (both are my two favorite GL's). Kilowog and Guy are always fun as well. I stopped caring about Hal Jordan long before he became Parallax and died.

I'm also no fan of Morrison (yeah, I said it...) and will be glad when he leaves the book and hopefully we can get a fresh new book with any of the other GL's I mentioned (John, Kyle, Kilowog, or Guy).

[failo.legendkiller]

I agree. Too many Lanterns from Earth and I don't care for Simon or Jessica at all. I'm not sure why Jessica gets the push that she does with DC. I don't really find her worthy of being a Lantern (my opinion so hate me if you want, but I'm sticking to it).

I'd much rather have a GL book focus on Kyle or John (both are my two favorite GL's). Kilowog and Guy are always fun as well. I stopped caring about Hal Jordan long before he became Parallax and died.

I'm also no fan of Morrison (yeah, I said it...) and will be glad when he leaves the book and hopefully we can get a fresh new book with any of the other GL's I mentioned (John, Kyle, Kilowog, or Guy).

I agree with you on everything.
Only difference my favorite along Kyle is Guy.
I’m waiting for Morrison to leave and hope that we could have a new GLC book with everyone in.
Simon and Jessica can be forgotten forever for all I care.

[Vampire Savior]

I agree. Too many Lanterns from Earth and I don't care for Simon or Jessica at all. I'm not sure why Jessica gets the push that she does with DC. I don't really find her worthy of being a Lantern (my opinion so hate me if you want, but I'm sticking to it).

Yeah. I don't think someone with an extreme anxiety disorder would be the best pick for being a Green Lantern, which is a job that would put the individual in very high stress situations, often with other people's lives at stake. It would also not be realistic for Jessica to just "get over" something like that to where she would be fit for the job. I've dealt with people who have anxiety disorders, and they require a lot of patience. It can take years and years and years to sort through their situation, and they often need medicine to help them deal with it.

[Shamrock Holmes]

I agree. Too many Lanterns from Earth and I don't care for Simon or Jessica at all. I'm not sure why Jessica gets the push that she does with DC. I don't really find her worthy of being a Lantern (my opinion so hate me if you want, but I'm sticking to it).

I'd much rather have a GL book focus on Kyle or John (both are my two favorite GL's). Kilowog and Guy are always fun as well. I stopped caring about Hal Jordan long before he became Parallax and died.

I'm also no fan of Morrison (yeah, I said it...) and will be glad when he leaves the book and hopefully we can get a fresh new book with any of the other GL's I mentioned (John, Kyle, Kilowog, or Guy).

While I agree that the execution can be spotty, I like Jessica as a character because as the rings say "you have the ability to overcome great fear" and IMO showing Jessica's struggles to do exactly that are a great new spin on the "hero's journey". Another favourite GL arc of mine was early in Kyle's tenure, particularly once he joined the JLA and regularly confronted the challenges that that meant both personally and professionally (while he is sometimes held out as the "Creator's Pet"/Character Shill, and this may have been the case during Marz & Banks' GL run, it certainly wasn't the case on JLA).

I think that Hal's story as GL was (over)done decades as ago, and IMO John and Guy are more interesting as semi-retired veterns/mentors (Guy centered on Warriors, and they could have done far more with Shining Light Architecture for John) than dragging out their hero careers.

[RickWJ324]

I agree with you on everything.
Only difference my favorite along Kyle is Guy.
I’m waiting for Morrison to leave and hope that we could have a new GLC book with everyone in.
Simon and Jessica can be forgotten forever for all I care.

I'm watching JL VS FATAL FIVE right now and after seeing the initial Jessica Cruz segment I'm already wishing she wasn't on it! So UNWORTHY of being a GL or a member of the JL. I can honestly say I hate this character and wish she'd go away.

[LP22]

In couple of days titans will end and then Kyle will be in limbo for a while....

[LP22]

So the last issue of Titans dropped and it was a happy send off,hope Kyle will survive limbo

[Adset]

So long, sweet prince.