Hal Jordan: Green Lantern Appreciation 2020

[Mutatis_Mutandis]

I dunno, Morrison's Hal seems more like a stoic, straightforward, lawman in a very messy and complicated universe to me while Johns' was a more emotionally complicated and driven hero trying his best amidst a huge turbulence in the universe and after returning from a fall from grace.

Johns' felt more human to me but I think both are perfectly valid takes.

I don't know if Morrison's Hal comes across as stoic or straightforward. His "stoicness" in a sense is a ruse, hiding the fact that this is a man who has seen incredibly complex things for him to be able to relate to Earth matters in the same way the average person does. But at the same time, he's an incredibly layered character who can shift from one persona to another, who doesn't have a crisis over being these multiple versions of himself, they are all a part of him. There's something strangely zen-like about Morrison's Hal and at the same time, there's also something bittersweet about him. He does remind me of Luke from Cool Hand Luke in the best ways. Johns' Hal may be more human in a sense but he's also somewhat generic.

[j9ac9k]

I'd like to see more of Hal's ring as a character.

YMMV, but I was never a fan of that. I can see simply wanting to give Hal someone to play off since the use of thought bubbles has gone out of fashion, but if the ring is "a character" or in any way sentient, it can undermine the agency of the ring-bearer. Does it matter how good a driver Michael Knight is if he's got KITT? Maybe I'm old school, but I prefer the ring to be a tool that only speaks when spoken to and has no personality.

I don't know if Morrison's Hal comes across as stoic or straightforward. His "stoicness" in a sense is a ruse, hiding the fact that this is a man who has seen incredibly complex things for him to be able to relate to Earth matters in the same way the average person does. But at the same time, he's an incredibly layered character who can shift from one persona to another, who doesn't have a crisis over being these multiple versions of himself, they are all a part of him. There's something strangely zen-like about Morrison's Hal and at the same time, there's also something bittersweet about him. He does remind me of Luke from Cool Hand Luke in the best ways. Johns' Hal may be more human in a sense but he's also somewhat generic.

My take on the Morrison Hal (which is not so different from what you're saying I think) is that he's stoic about normal everyday stuff because he doesn't feel very connected to it. But when he's on a mission and lives are on the line, etc. he comes to life and you see his passion and fire. Personally, I prefer a Hal that just loves life, even when he's on earth because he's a man who has friends and loves the ladies and doesn't stress on his downtime. More easy-going than the Morrison stoic Hal, but the fact that he can be all these things only shows that Hal is a complex character with different facets.

[Gaius]

I'd like to see more of Hal's ring as a character.

[Frontier]

I don't know if Morrison's Hal comes across as stoic or straightforward. His "stoicness" in a sense is a ruse, hiding the fact that this is a man who has seen incredibly complex things for him to be able to relate to Earth matters in the same way the average person does. But at the same time, he's an incredibly layered character who can shift from one persona to another, who doesn't have a crisis over being these multiple versions of himself, they are all a part of him. There's something strangely zen-like about Morrison's Hal and at the same time, there's also something bittersweet about him. He does remind me of Luke from Cool Hand Luke in the best ways. Johns' Hal may be more human in a sense but he's also somewhat generic.

I don't see anything generic at all in Johns' Hal. I feel like whenever people cite Hal as being generic, I look at the Johns run to see that's not true.

Not that Johns didn't have his issues, like with New 52 JL Hal, but he still wasn't generic.

[Gaius]

I don't see anything generic at all in Johns' Hal. I feel like whenever people cite Hal as being generic, I look at the Johns run to see that's not true.

Not that Johns didn't have his issues, like with New 52 JL Hal, but he still wasn't generic.

Johns' Hal at his worst was early JL for me.

Though then again so was everyone on New 52 Justice League.

[Frontier]

Johns' Hal at his worst was early JL for me.

Though then again so was everyone on New 52 Justice League.

Yeah, it...wasn't a high point for anyone .

[liwanag]

[Gaius]

Still annoyed that Parallax suit hasn't become Sinestro's new default.

[Vordan]

I don't see anything generic at all in Johns' Hal. I feel like whenever people cite Hal as being generic, I look at the Johns run to see that's not true.

Not that Johns didn't have his issues, like with New 52 JL Hal, but he still wasn't generic.

Johns Hal felt like a young gun with a chip on his shoulder, out to prove himself (with him being literally deaged and losing the grey as a key plot point). Morrison Hal feels like the endgame of Johns Hal. A guy who has seen all there is to see and is completely self-confident. Nothing fazes or undermines him at this point, and he doesn’t care what others think of him. “Emotionally turbulent” vs. “emotionally secured”. Doesn’t mean Hal is unstoppable, he fails to stop Mu’s plan at the end of S1 even if he still wins at the end of Blackstars, and he dies during S2, but he never doubts his ability to save the day and that’s the big difference between the two I’d say.

[Gaius]

[Frontier]

The greatest cosmic rivalry of them all .

Still annoyed that Parallax suit hasn't become Sinestro's new default.

I'm not surprised, if only because Sinestro keeping Parallax would make him too overpowered. He kept it as long as he needed it for, in my opinion, and Hal got to finally beat him while he was wearing it so I was satisfied.

[liwanag]

[Gaius]

[liwanag]

[Gaius]