John Stewart: Green Lantern Appreciation 2022

[Redjack]

You know, I could stay quiet about this, but...blah blah blah...

You have no idea what you're talking about and the more you talk the more you prove it. There's a lesson there if you can decipher it. No charge.

[John Venus]

I imagine anybody writing GL in 2021 would have to content with the large number of GL characters. People are going to complain either way because a character was in it at all or not in it or even featured at all. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Would it be accurate to say that Redjack just wanted to do a solo John Stewart Lost In Space story but he also had to content with the continuity he was inheriting as well as having to deal with editorial edicts and plans for the book?

[Sodam Yat]

I imagine anybody writing GL in 2021 would have to content with the large number of GL characters. People are going to complain either way because a character was in it at all or not in it or even featured at all. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Would it be accurate to say that Redjack just wanted to do a solo John Stewart Lost In Space story but he also had to content with the continuity he was inheriting as well as having to deal with editorial edicts and plans for the book?

Yes, this is pretty accurate. You can't please everyone.

Since this wasn't a 100% John solo, I thought most would complain about Jo Mullein than Kelli. Kelli never really had a real strong presence. So her being in the book never really bothered me.

[skyvolt2000]

You know, probably a lot of people did not read it, actually, because they were instantly turned off by things like this...



But rather than blaming fans, I personally think it's more constructive and more graceful (i.e. a better look) to say something like, "Hey, I hear you. Sorry you didn't like it. Thanks for the feedback. We'll keep it in mind."

Then in that case a LOT of books should not be selling them. For almost all of them at some point have done that. Especially with variants or anniversary covers.
How many books at Marvel had Black Panther, Miles, Carnage, Peter, Deadpool and Gwen on their regular covers and none appeared in the book?

Especially Archie comics. Who have done it for near 70+ years with comics and especially digests.

It should also be noted there are times where nobody knows what the cover will be until it's on the shelf. Some artists get hired to do just art and that it is.
Larry Stroman did art for a book and was shocked to see it as a variant cover when I showed it to him.

Green Lantern cover stock #9 showed Allan Scott and Jessica-who were NOT in the book Don't hear anyone complaining about them.

Many people don't like the idea of the character, they don't like the design, and they don't like what they know or what they think they know of the character.

I think the point Redjack is making is why are there fits being thrown over a character that did little to nothing in the book especially later on in the run.

She was in 10 out of 12 issues.
Issue Panels

1 13
2 15
3 9
4 24
5 34
6 1
7 2
8 1
9 2
11 4
Total 105..

Once you got past issue 5 or a 12 part book-she had nothing but cameos of being asleep in volume 2.

4 times did she have 10+ panel time.

Yet the venom towards her would make you think this was her book.

[skyvolt2000]

I imagine anybody writing GL in 2021 would have to content with the large number of GL characters. People are going to complain either way because a character was in it at all or not in it or even featured at all. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Would it be accurate to say that Redjack just wanted to do a solo John Stewart Lost In Space story but he also had to content with the continuity he was inheriting as well as having to deal with editorial edicts and plans for the book?

Which almost every writer (and Bendis at times) has to deal with?

It's not like a John solo can't be done but one would still have to deal with other GLs. Especially in space.

[Sodam Yat]

I think the point Redjack is making is why are there fits being thrown over a character that did little to nothing in the book especially later on in the run.

This is exactly why I don't understand why there's more complaints about Kelli, who's presence was way lower than most in this book. I thought for sure there would be more complaints about other characters like Jo, since she had the most screen time outside of John.

Kelli was pretty much brushed off to the side. The intentions seemed pretty clear.

[LukeCagefan]

For the life of me I don't understand the hate and vitriol directed towards Keli. Like, just her mere presence in the story seemed to send some folks over the edge.

Which is weird because we make a point to show she's not a green lantern, she's WILDLY out of her depth, and, ultimately pays a pretty severe price for playing with the big kids before she was ready. And she's a 3rd tier character in the story.

People keep claiming they dropped the book because of her but she's barely in it.

We left her in a coma halfway through the story (she never comes out of it) and completely de-powered by the end (gauntlet gone/destroyed, beating one of the big bads).

Such an odd reaction from people I'm guessing didn't actually read the book at all as Keli's "downgrade" started in issue 1.

I guess some boys just hate girls.

Weird.

Actually, I think that's petty you suggest I hate girls just because I don't care for that particular GIRL you used. I don't care for her character and I prefer not to see her - at all. Nothing personal towards you. I dropped the book mainly because of the art and the story wasn't speaking to me or holding my interest. She was just a part of it. I love Vixen, Helena Bertinelli, Wonder Woman, Cassandra Cain, Babs Gordon, Katana and other female characters. I like Jade (Jenny Hayden) as well so I don't get the hostility. You reduced her role, I get it. I still didn't like her presence but it's not the sole reason I dropped the book. Peace though.

[Redjack]

Actually, I think that's petty you suggest I hate girls just because I don't care for that particular GIRL you used. I don't care for her character and I prefer not to see her - at all. Nothing personal towards you. I dropped the book mainly because of the art and the story wasn't speaking to me or holding my interest. She was just a part of it. I love Vixen, Helena Bertinelli, Wonder Woman, Cassandra Cain, Babs Gordon, Katana and other female characters. I like Jade (Jenny Hayden) as well so I don't get the hostility. You reduced her role, I get it. I still didn't like her presence but it's not the sole reason I dropped the book. Peace though.

Please describe the character you "hate." I ask that because, prior to me getting my hands on her, except for one background story in Young Justice, Keli was just a name that was a pun, a costume and a vague and unexplained power set.

If you feel stung by my words about the motives behind what I deem to be the bizarre Keli hate, here's what I have for you: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Beyond that? Zero interest.

[LukeCagefan]

Please describe the character you "hate." I ask that because, prior to me getting my hands on her, except for one background story in Young Justice, Keli was just a name that was a pun, a costume and a vague and unexplained power set.

If you feel stung by my words about the motives behind what I deem to be the bizarre Keli hate, here's what I have for you: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Beyond that? Zero interest.

I'm not trying to come across as rude or disrespectful, I respect you as a creator and I'd love to see what you'd do on Black Lightning, Bronze Tiger or Mister Terrific. I truly wish I would've enjoyed the story more, but I didn't. I told you she wasn't the only reason I dropped the book. I don't care for her character or concept. Maybe over time it'll change but she doesn't interest me and she annoyed me even when you wrote her despite what ultimately happened to her and how little you say she was used. I wasn't feeling the story and the art sucked in my opinion.

[Redjack]

I'm not trying to come across as rude or disrespectful, I respect you as a creator and I'd love to see what you'd do on Black Lightning, Bronze Tiger or Mister Terrific. I truly wish I would've enjoyed the story more, but I didn't. I told you she wasn't the only reason I dropped the book. I don't care for her character or concept. Maybe over time it'll change but she doesn't interest me and she annoyed me even when you wrote her despite what ultimately happened to her and how little you say she was used. I wasn't feeling the story and the art sucked in my opinion.

Well, it's absolutely your right not to like things you don't like. I don't take it personally when people don't like my work. The only thing that bugs me is when people lie about what the work is and a lot of that has been happening about this book.

I ain't mad at you. I promise. I know what life I signed up for. Some folks will not like what I write and some will. BOTH sets of opinions are exactly equal. I do not take dislike of my work to heart. Ever.

[LukeCagefan]

Well, it's absolutely your right not to like things you don't like. I don't take it personally when people don't like my work. The only thing that bugs me is when people lie about what the work is and a lot of that has been happening about this book.

I ain't mad at you. I promise. I know what life I signed up for. Some folks will not like what I write and some will. BOTH sets of opinions are exactly equal. I do not take dislike of my work to heart. Ever.

Thank you. Well, I'm willing to give your book another chance if and when you return. I did like season 5 of Avengers Assemble and I heard you were on the creative team. If true then it was some of the most amazing writing I've ever seen on Black Panther so thank you for that!

[HsssH]

This is exactly why I don't understand why there's more complaints about Kelli, who's presence was way lower than most in this book. I thought for sure there would be more complaints about other characters like Jo, since she had the most screen time outside of John.

Kelli was pretty much brushed off to the side. The intentions seemed pretty clear.

I don't know why is it surprising that people tolerate different characters differently. For example, I really don't like Batman Who Laughs and I don't care how many pages he takes in the book, if his appearance is bigger than just a cameo then I'm very likely to drop that book entirely.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

I don't know why is it surprising that people tolerate different characters differently. For example, I really don't like Batman Who Laughs and I don't care how many pages he takes in the book, if his appearance is bigger than just a cameo then I'm very likely to drop that book entirely.

I'm in the same boat with you on that one. And I'm reaching that point with Joker himself, too. Used to like him, but all my interest in the character has been drained from me by oversaturation and mediocre stories trying to rehash his greatest hits to diminishing returns.

[John Venus]

Yes, this is pretty accurate. You can't please everyone.

Since this wasn't a 100% John solo, I thought most would complain about Jo Mullein than Kelli. Kelli never really had a real strong presence. So her being in the book never really bothered me.

TBH, Kelli is so new as a character that I honestly didn't know what to expect from her appearance in the main GL title. The hate towards her was surprising.

Which almost every writer (and Bendis at times) has to deal with?

It's not like a John solo can't be done but one would still have to deal with other GLs. Especially in space.

Yes, exactly. A lot of people are making it sound as if RedJack chose to include all the Lanterns that he did. I'm saying that anyone who took over the book, regardless of which Lantern was going to be the 'main' Lantern, were going to have to contend with the glut of human Lanterns in the GL franchise. Even if someone like Kireon Gilleon took over there would still be people going 'why wasn't X featured/why was X featured'. These complaints aren't unique and maybe detractors should come back with something more original instead of the same tired arguments.

[SecretWarrior]

I'm in the same boat with you on that one. And I'm reaching that point with Joker himself, too. Used to like him, but all my interest in the character has been drained from me by oversaturation and mediocre stories trying to rehash his greatest hits to diminishing returns.

Exactly, I don't see why we're debating feelings. We feel how we feel.