Would Geoff John's GL Be As Big If It Starred John Stewart instead of Hal?

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Guy has the benefit of piggybacking off the Johns run. He had a great second GL title written by Gibbons and later Tomasi that cemented him as my favorite GL that isn't Alan.

I think Guy's going to come up again. Honestly, Simon is the one who needs the most help. I don't know any fan or creator that champions the dude.

I think even Johns realized that he hadn't created anything special with Simon, which is why he created Jessica so soon afterwards. Even his attempt to team them up in Green Lanterns during Rebirth only succeeded in raising her profile.

I don't have any strong feelings one way or the other about Simon, which is kinda the problem. I've read enough of his comics, but the only impression I've got of him is that he's too similar to Guy, but not as interesting as Guy either. I thought someone would have fleshed him out in some interesting way, but without the great hook that Jessica's got, he just doesn't have anything compelling about him beyond the Guantanamo Bay stuff which doesn't have much staying power.

[Frontier]

And we might get the Miles/Peter stardom that Marvel is MILKING.

Is there any franchise that has been able to replicate that dynamic? And it has its flaws too.

DC needs to be called out for that. Because this is a mess THEY made.

Because here is the issue if Warner Brothers if they wanted a Lantern or two gone-who do you target?

You will not survive the backlash if you touch Hal, John, Jessica or Jo.

The one in Young Justice and the OGNs are off limits for obvious reasons.

Kyle's resume takes him off the ax.

Guy's resume say take him off the chopping block.

Simon? Do you depower him? Do you pull a Nightwing? Or kill him off? The last one is not fair to his fans because they didn't cause this mess.

I don't think Guy and Kyle are all that protected.

I think even Johns realized that he hadn't created anything special with Simon, which is why he created Jessica so soon afterwards. Even his attempt to team them up in Green Lanterns during Rebirth only succeeded in raising her profile.

I don't have any strong feelings one way or the other about Simon, which is kinda the problem. I've read enough of his comics, but the only impression I've got of him is that he's too similar to Guy, but not as interesting as Guy either. I thought someone would have fleshed him out in some interesting way, but without the great hook that Jessica's got, he just doesn't have anything compelling about him beyond the Guantanamo Bay stuff which doesn't have much staying power.

I think Sam Humphries did a good job expanding on Simon. It's a very surface level read that he's really similar to Guy.

[Robanker]

I actually had to look up who Jo even was. I have a feeling very few people would care if the Far Sector Lantern died. Some people might pipe up for a bit, but I think that would blow over rather quick.

As for Simon, I'd either kill him or have him retire as a Lantern and have him fade into the sunset. I'd probably kill him, though.

I'm of the mind that unless you have a great story to tell, retire the character. Shuffle them back into the deck until the time is right. Killing them outright just because you have nothing presently is pretty awful.

It's why characters like Roy or Hotspot were killed for shock value. It felt hollow, cheap and only made the story more polarizing when what it really needed was to draw people in instead of push them away.

Simon should probably hang up his ring and become a civilian for now until someone has something to do with him. There's no reason to kill him.

[Vordan]

Simon is the only Muslim hero DC has. I wouldn’t kill him or retire him unless they get a replacement. Right now he’s out of sight and out of mind, I say leave him there until someone has a pitch on what to do with him. There’s a weird desire among the fans that if a character isn’t being used they need to either retire or die. Why? It’s a big universe, just say Baz is off somewhere doing his thing.

[9th.]

I've never understood comic book fans obsession with killing characters they see no use for, just let him do something else or put him in limbo. Killing him does absolutely nothing and it's not going to stop them from creating new human lanterns whenever they feel like it. Death doesn't mean anything in comics anyway.

[Raijin]

It’s kind of weird that John Stewart fans want Simon Baz to be killed off b/c they don’t find his character interesting. It would be pretty messy to kill off their only prominent Muslim hero. Not going to lie, pretty disappointed in that logic.

[HAN9000]

It’s kind of weird that John Stewart fans want Simon Baz to be killed off b/c they don’t find his character interesting. It would be pretty messy to kill off their only prominent Muslim hero. Not going to lie, pretty disappointed in that logic.

Obviously although they claim that all they want is DC to spread love to every GL. What they truly want is DC focusing love on John and John only. They do not want equity. They want privilege. And every other GL is a stumbling block.

[The no face guy]

And yet people in this thread aren't saying anything like John on JLU didn't happen, or that Simon and Jess didn't hold down a title because in reality they did. But reality and events seem to suddenly be more fluid when it comes time to acknowledge any success for Hal. Even this run by Johns which was specifically written for Hal has to be downplayed by saying it could have been written for any GL. They would just have to change everything about it, no biggie! It's Hal's fault that the movie sucked! Hal has never had any success whatsoever in other media (despite GL the Animated Series doing well critically and in ratings)! It's all bad faith arguments.

At least on this site, now, it doesn't seem like Hal fans punch downward at other GLs or aren't open to the idea of seeing them in other media. Fans of the other GLs usually start threads like this as thinly veiled attempts to discuss why their character is better. I have no problem believing that Hal propping and relentless bashing of other GLs does exist or has existed elsewhere, but let's not pretend it doesn't cut both ways here.

I noticed that to, there does seem to be a lot of sniping at Hal from other GL fans now that you mention it, I imagine because they want their favourite character on the title of GL?

Well, 15 years later and Hal's still selling strong, despite the handicap of being left out of the JLA movie, the JLA cartoon, and more often than not the JLA comic book. Ryan Reynolds aside, the character doesn't seem to get much exposure outside the GL comic, so there has to be something about Hal Jordan the character himself, that people really like to keep attracting a new generations of fans.

As a Hal fan, I don't downpunch the other Gl's because I tend to like them all, and I wish they all had their own comic. I wouldn't have a problem with Hal being replaced by John or Kyle, provided they didn't kill him, and kept him as a GL, so he can come back and boost sales when needed. Back in the day, the animosity towards Kyle, was a result of how Hal Jordan was removed. Basically DC said to Hal fans, were taking your favourite character, and were going to turn him into a mass murderer so he can never come back, so we can bring in our shiny new Green Lantern, deal with it! Not really the way to inspire Green Lantern fans to like a new character.

[Vampire Savior]

I'm thinking of a non-combative sounding way to say this, but it's just going to come out as it does...

I don't feel a need to justify Simon dying because I don't feel he should have ever been created in the first place. First of all, there are already way too many Earth Green Lanterns, in my opinion. And to the guy who created him, I'd have to ask why he did that, seeing as he clearly had nothing to say with the character.

Also, I don't know if these "John Stewart fan" comments are directed toward me at all, since I mentioned killing Simon, but just for clarification, if John Stewart was killed, I don't think I'd mind, either, if it made for a stronger story.
I don't fanboy over any of these characters.

[Masterff]

I noticed that to, there does seem to be a lot of sniping at Hal from other GL fans now that you mention it, I imagine because they want their favourite character on the title of GL?

Well, 15 years later and Hal's still selling strong, despite the handicap of being left out of the JLA movie, the JLA cartoon, and more often than not the JLA comic book. Ryan Reynolds aside, the character doesn't seem to get much exposure outside the GL comic, so there has to be something about Hal Jordan the character himself, that people really like to keep attracting a new generations of fans.

As a Hal fan, I don't downpunch the other Gl's because I tend to like them all, and I wish they all had their own comic. I wouldn't have a problem with Hal being replaced by John or Kyle, provided they didn't kill him, and kept him as a GL, so he can come back and boost sales when needed. Back in the day, the animosity towards Kyle, was a result of how Hal Jordan was removed. Basically DC said to Hal fans, were taking your favourite character, and were going to turn him into a mass murderer so he can never come back, so we can bring in our shiny new Green Lantern, deal with it! Not really the way to inspire Green Lantern fans to like a new character.

Sorry, but WHAT???

Hal Jordan was in the ANIMATED MOVIES for example, had his own movie etc. etc. so more exposure than MANY OTHER HEROES...

[The no face guy]

Sorry, but WHAT???

Hal Jordan was in the ANIMATED MOVIES for example, had his own movie etc. etc. so more exposure than MANY OTHER HEROES...

I mentioned he had his own movie, aka Ryan Reynolds, but when it comes to the JLA projects he's often left out.

[dkrook]

Obviously although they claim that all they want is DC to spread love to every GL. What they truly want is DC focusing love on John and John only. They do not want equity. They want privilege. And every other GL is a stumbling block.

Hmmmmm, sounds exactly like Hal fans!! Go figure. To answer the op question John Stewart Lantern book would be bigger if Johns put the energy into that he does for Hal. Naturally that is because writing matters.

[Frontier]

I'm thinking of a non-combative sounding way to say this, but it's just going to come out as it does...

I don't feel a need to justify Simon dying because I don't feel he should have ever been created in the first place. First of all, there are already way too many Earth Green Lanterns, in my opinion. And to the guy who created him, I'd have to ask why he did that, seeing as he clearly had nothing to say with the character.

Also, I don't know if these "John Stewart fan" comments are directed toward me at all, since I mentioned killing Simon, but just for clarification, if John Stewart was killed, I don't think I'd mind, either, if it made for a stronger story.
I don't fanboy over any of these characters.

I think Johns wanted to create a different kind of GL, one of a different ethnicity then the rest. and tell their story.

I mean, by the time Johns created Simon his run was almost over, so I'm not sure if there was much more time for him to say anything else with Simon beyond being the new Lantern on the block with his own deal, world, and way of doing things, although he did put him on the New 52 JLA team (back when that was a thing for five minutes).

[Will Evans]

Question among the different Earth lanterns and Kilowog.

I know it was described how each lantern manifests their power.

Guy’s constructs always appear to be leaking like water.
Alan’s, from a different power source, constructs appear as fire like.
John’s constructs are always perfectly detailed since he’s an architect.
Kyle’s are anime and animation like since he’s an artist.
Kilowog’s constructs are the only ones that make sounds just because.

How are Hal’s, Jessica’s and Simon’s described as?

[Gaius]

Question among the different Earth lanterns and Kilowog.

I know it was described how each lantern manifests their power.

Guy’s constructs always appear to be leaking like water.
Alan’s, from a different power source, constructs appear as fire like.
John’s constructs are always perfectly detailed since he’s an architect.
Kyle’s are anime and animation like since he’s an artist.
Kilowog’s constructs are the only ones that make sounds just because.

How are Hal’s, Jessica’s and Simon’s described as?

In GL:Rebirth, Hal’s constructs are described as precise and concentrated towards accomplishing whatever the problem before him in the most basic but effective way. In the trade for his GL, Morrison says Hal’s been a GL so long he tends to go for non-flashy constructs not wanting to waste ring energy on threats that don’t really require it.