Why Isn't there Currently a Green Lantern Corps Series?

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

Honestly, just wondering. I am really liking Morrison's Green Lantern but that's a solo series. I'd think DC would want to put out a team book with one of their most recognizable teams, right?

[BohemiaDrinker]

Morrison has ONE big quality and ONE big flaw:

He is able to take 80+ years of continuity and make it work in modern qualities, while distilling a character and or franchise to it's core and building from there. He usually leaves franchises in better shape than he found it, and with a lot of elements in position to be used in future stories. That's his biggest quality.

However: he doesn't play well with others. Writers of other Batman titles back when Grant was writing Bats were clueless, and lots of inconsistencies stem from that. Countdown was crap partly because people couldn't really grasp what Final Crisis was going to be.

So, it's best to let Grant rebuild the franchise before having a second book. Just in case. I don't really like Jordan, and I miss the other GLs too, but it's the best move for the moment.

[Frontier]

Morrison has ONE big quality and ONE big flaw:

He is able to take 80+ years of continuity and make it work in modern qualities, while distilling a character and or franchise to it's core and building from there. He usually leaves franchises in better shape than he found it, and with a lot of elements in position to be used in future stories. That's his biggest quality.

However: he doesn't play well with others. Writers of other Batman titles back when Grant was writing Bats were clueless, and lots of inconsistencies stem from that. Countdown was crap partly because people couldn't really grasp what Final Crisis was going to be.

So, it's best to let Grant rebuild the franchise before having a second book. Just in case. I don't really like Jordan, and I miss the other GLs too, but it's the best move for the moment.

I think this was true for the Superman titles back during the New 52 reboot as well.

The one writer I think Morrison seems to jive with the best is Tomasi and that's probably because Tomasi used to be an editor.

[Dr. Ellingham]

Morrison has ONE big quality and ONE big flaw:

He is able to take 80+ years of continuity and make it work in modern qualities

<snip>

However: he doesn't play well with others.

Agreed, though I think it's possible to play off Grant, with the right approach. His 90s work is replete with careful continuity and "plays well with others" collaborations.

I suspect the last-minute changes so infamous at modern DC often leave Morrison holding the bag, except he's powerful enough to stick to his story, resulting in some discrepancies. Just a theory.

So a GLC series should work - if DC can stay directionally correct. Or at least out of Grant's way.

But what I'd prefer would be a miniseries / GN series featuring John. And maybe one for Kyle too. There's plenty of GLC trades already. Give them their own stories withing the mythology. It's a big canvas.

[Vampire Savior]

But what I'd prefer would be a miniseries / GN series featuring John.

I agree. I would be more interested in seeing this than another Green Lantern Corps ongoing. Much more so a graphic novel than a mini-series.

[j9ac9k]

Morrison doesn't seem to be doing a lot with the mythos or the GLC in general - it's just adventures with Hal doing his job. They could just cool it with GLC wide scope stories and have a second title with whatever other GL(s) some writer wants to write and have a year of adventures starring that other character - building them up as people the way Morrison is examining Hal without feeling a need to change the GLC status quo. The universe is a big enough place where nobody has to step on anyone's toes.

[BohemiaDrinker]

Agreed, though I think it's possible to play off Grant, with the right approach.

Possible, yes. Probable in current DC? Not much. Them having the humility to let this play out is better, IMHO.

[BohemiaDrinker]

The one writer I think Morrison seems to jive with the best is Tomasi and that's probably because Tomasi used to be an editor.

Who editted a lot of Morrison's stuff, as well. They probably have some useful shorthand, yes.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

I think Morrison's current disinterest/unwillingness to play well with others comes from his many, many bad prior experiences with editors rewriting his scripts to having his ideas stolen by other without giving him any credit (Mark Millar being the most notable example).

As a result, he now insists upon certain conditions before agreeing to any project, most importantly is that he wants to work with only one artist and he doesn't have to side-track his story to involve whatever the latest crossover event happens to be this month.

Since Snyder wanted to play with John Stewart in Justice League, Jessica was nabbed for JL Odyssey, and Kyle was planned to take Nightwing's spot in Titans, that only left Guy & Simon without a regular comic to appear in. Since those two characters tend to have the smallest/least-vocal fanbases, I can understand why DC thought this was a good way to give Morrison enough space to do his own thing with Hal & the Corps without sidelining any of the other popular GL characters.

Unfortunately, Justice League hasn't turned out to be much of a showcase for John (despite the promising first story arc), Odyssey has largely been a creative misfire, and Titans was a straight-up dud (at least from my perspective).

None of this is really Morrison's fault, but, once again, the best intentions by a lot of people have resulted in circumstances that aren't exactly satisfying if you aren't interested in either Hal Jordan or Morrison's take on him.

Far Sector looks to be side-stepping the issue by introducing a new GL, but set in such a distant part of space that it wouldn't impact whatever Morrison's cooking up in The Green Lantern with Sharp. Same deal with Teen Lantern in Young Justice, which has deliberately taken place outside of Earth-0 in order to avoid dealing with anything else going on in the DCU.

[BohemiaDrinker]

I think Morrison's current disinterest/unwillingness to play well with others comes from his many, many bad prior experiences with editors rewriting his scripts to having his ideas stolen by other without giving him any credit (Mark Millar being the most notable example).

While that's true, I don't think that it's just that. Morrison grew more and more complex and insular with time: put yourself at the shoes of a mediocre writer, with a deadline and mandates, hearing a resumed pitch from Final Crisis without seeing the script, and then being told (you're tying in with that".

Can't be easy.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

While that's true, I don't think that it's just that. Morrison grew more and more complex and insular with time: put yourself at the shoes of a mediocre writer, with a deadline and mandates, hearing a resumed pitch from Final Crisis without seeing the script, and then being told (you're tying in with that".

Can't be easy.

Yeah, I remember Rucka talking about doing a Final Crisis tie-in story and being given a stack of insanely-detailed background material from Morrison to use. Rucka's not exactly a slouch in the writing department, but even he was intimidated by how many ideas Morrison has constantly streaming out of his crazy brain.

[K. Jones]

I think Morrison's current disinterest/unwillingness to play well with others comes from his many, many bad prior experiences with editors rewriting his scripts to having his ideas stolen by other without giving him any credit (Mark Millar being the most notable example).

As a result, he now insists upon certain conditions before agreeing to any project, most importantly is that he wants to work with only one artist and he doesn't have to side-track his story to involve whatever the latest crossover event happens to be this month.

Since Snyder wanted to play with John Stewart in Justice League, Jessica was nabbed for JL Odyssey, and Kyle was planned to take Nightwing's spot in Titans, that only left Guy & Simon without a regular comic to appear in. Since those two characters tend to have the smallest/least-vocal fanbases, I can understand why DC thought this was a good way to give Morrison enough space to do his own thing with Hal & the Corps without sidelining any of the other popular GL characters.

Unfortunately, Justice League hasn't turned out to be much of a showcase for John (despite the promising first story arc), Odyssey has largely been a creative misfire, and Titans was a straight-up dud (at least from my perspective).

None of this is really Morrison's fault, but, once again, the best intentions by a lot of people have resulted in circumstances that aren't exactly satisfying if you aren't interested in either Hal Jordan or Morrison's take on him.

Far Sector looks to be side-stepping the issue by introducing a new GL, but set in such a distant part of space that it wouldn't impact whatever Morrison's cooking up in The Green Lantern with Sharp. Same deal with Teen Lantern in Young Justice, which has deliberately taken place outside of Earth-0 in order to avoid dealing with anything else going on in the DCU.

I love Guy Gardner, he's probably my favorite, but I'm okay with going a while without him. There's been a lot of Guy, front and center saving the DCU in the last decade or so. And he did turn up in Doomsday Clock. I like to think while Hal is on this wild adventure, John is dealing with the Justice League stuff (with Jessica & Kyle for backup) ... Guy is sitting on a beach somewhere with Ice enjoying some actual time off.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

I love Guy Gardner, he's probably my favorite, but I'm okay with going a while without him. There's been a lot of Guy, front and center saving the DCU in the last decade or so. And he did turn up in Doomsday Clock. I like to think while Hal is on this wild adventure, John is dealing with the Justice League stuff (with Jessica & Kyle for backup) ... Guy is sitting on a beach somewhere with Ice enjoying some actual time off.

I'd feel the same way about Hal Jordan if DC ever decided to send him to limbo for a few years. I'd much rather a character take a break so that fans have a chance to miss them than simply have mediocre comics churned out every month with them.

Guy Gardner is too good a character to lie around unused for long.