John Stewart: Green Lantern Appreciation 2022

[Frontier]

Interview with Ernie Altbacker and John Semper about the upcoming animated film.

Yeah John had appearances in Johns' early run, but he didn't really use him as a prominent character (or even a real supporting character). In his early run, John was put on an irrelevant mission that had nothing to do with the main story. There was no real purpose. His appearances were mostly just cameos and miscellaneous roles. The same applies to Sinestro Corps.

From the top of my head, John was in the Agent Orange story arc, where he didn't do anything note worthy there, other than getting his ass kicked.

He also appeared in the Zamaron story arc, where Johns tried to pair him and Fatality together, where that little build up didn't go nowhere until the end of Tomasi's run years later when he took over John. And then Van Jensen added further developments to it and fixed it (because it made no sense). It was really a half-assed development in Johns' run.

He appeared in the Alpha Lanterns storyline where he decline an offer to be an Alpha Lantern.

He also appeared in a cameo appearance fighting Hal in Hal's origin.

He retcon John to be a stoic Marine in the Blackest Night story line.

These are just from the top of my head. Basically removing John from all of that wouldn't have made a difference to the story direction and the Green Lantern mythology.

Green Lantern Rebirth and the single issue of Blackest Night is the most Geoff Johns ever did for John and that's not really saying much. Everything else is just crumbs and irrelevant stuff.

As for Peter Tomasi, Guy Gardner is his favorite Green Lantern character, which was why Guy was the most prominent. It's also the reason why in Green Lantern issue zero, Guy had an origin where John was not present in that issue and had no origin. The time John had a big role in Tomasi's run was when he was captured as a POW and Guy Gardner had to rescue him. The story lead up to the next one where John was then put on trial for killing another GL. So that's the biggest role John had in Tomasi's run. Guy was the real star there and the most heroic.

Now the most John has ever done as far as making a real difference is the recent stories.

This all started when Van Jensen and Robert Venditti took over the franchise.

John helped rebuild OA on Mogo.

Trained new recruits.

He saved the GLC by restoring the Power Battery in Lights Out!

Became the first male violet lantern, because of his strong love for the Green Lantern Corps. Which then lead to a successful rescue mission and saved the Zamerons from being killed.

Saved a planet from being literally destroyed in the end of Van Jensen's run.

Quickly ended the conflict between the GLC and Sinestro Corps by adding a failsafe Sinestro Corps rings.

It was fixed that John still had his Guardian powers.

He became a GOD and defeated Koyos, restored a destroyed OA back as new again, which saved the entire Corps from being destroyed.

So yeah, he definitely made a real difference to the mythology as a character after Tomasi's run.

This was all because of his leadership and skills as it transitioned to later stories like we seen in Cullen Bunn's run, Robert Venditti's Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps, Robert Venditti's Justice League, to now in Redjack's run

If anyone says John didn't make a difference to the mythology post Johns' era, they either haven't read recent stories or is lying lol.

He was also in the GL: Wanted arc where he was, in my opinion, a true MVP.

[Sodam Yat]

Interview with Ernie Altbacker and John Semper about the upcoming animated film.

This interview was good! I really like the good things they said about John. The only disagreement I had in the interview was their reasoning on why John and Ollie paired up. They said that Green Lantern and Green Arrow are iconic when they partner up. But I don't think it's any Green Lantern that Ollie pairs with is iconic, though. It seemed more like only Hal and Ollie are considered iconic among their fans when they pair up. Even though he was there to add some comic relief (as they said in the interview) to make both characters as an interesting dynamic, I think it would've made more sense that they could've just used Flash here. Flash and GLs are always iconic when they pair up, regardless which one it is.

I wonder what does this mean!!?

Altbacker: If I had to say something, the script was probably a little long, and there were some conversations between John and Shayera that had to be trimmed because it had to be made producible. It's still 85 minutes and went over; usually [these animated movies] are 72. The relationship is still there and strong, and it's good.

Please please please I hope there would be a potential romance with John and Shayera!!!

He was also in the GL: Wanted arc where he was, in my opinion, a true MVP.

lol John didn't make any appearance in that story other than the last issue. In fact, the JL characters had bigger roles than him. He was never a real contributing factor there, which is why he made an appearance at the end of the story. That's the story where John makes his presence known and says anyone called for backup? lol. Geoff Johns really views John as a backup lol. John could've been replaced with any GL and it wouldn't really make a difference in the story. I guess having one of the best feats under Geoff Johns' run is the only thing he has that's going for him.

[Frontier]

This interview was good! I really like the good things they said about John. The only disagreement I had in the interview was their reasoning on why John and Ollie paired up. They said that Green Lantern and Green Arrow are iconic when they partner up. But I don't think it's any Green Lantern that Ollie pairs with is iconic, though. It seemed more like only Hal and Ollie are considered iconic among their fans when they pair up. Even though he was there to add some comic relief (as they said in the interview) to make both characters as an interesting dynamic, I think it would've made more sense that they could've just used Flash here. Flash and GLs are always iconic when they pair up, regardless which one it is.

I wonder what does this mean!!?

I mean, if people think you can pair any GL and Flash together, it's not a stretch to do the same with Green Arrow. Even if I dislike it as much.

I don't need John and Barry.

Please please please I hope there would be a potential romance with John and Shayera!!!

I wonder if Earth-1 Hawkman is dead already...

lol John didn't make any appearance in that story other than the last issue. In fact, the JL characters had bigger roles than him. He was never a real contributing factor there, which is why he made an appearance at the end of the story. That's the story where John makes his presence known and says anyone called for backup? lol. Geoff Johns really views John as a backup lol. John could've been replaced with any GL and it wouldn't really make a difference in the story. I guess having one of the best feats under Geoff Johns' run is the only thing he has that's going for him.

Didn't John go undercover and was basically the main reason Hal survived? Unless I'm thinking of another arc. I think it was to sell them more as partners and friends than just "backup."

[BlackClaw]

John and Wally>John and Barry

[Sodam Yat]

I mean, if people think you can pair any GL and Flash together, it's not a stretch to do the same with Green Arrow. Even if I dislike it as much.

I don't need John and Barry.

Well I guess it's because there's been more GL/Flash pairing, but we'll see whether Green Lantern and Green Arrow can work here.

I wonder if Earth-1 Hawkman is dead already...

I really hope not.

Didn't John go undercover and was basically the main reason Hal survived? Unless I'm thinking of another arc. I think it was to sell them more as partners and friends than just "backup."

Yeah, he was undercover. Hal was ringless when John showed up in that story. That right there pretty much symbolized John as the backup GL. Hal's GL status isn't active, so now it's John as the backup GL that's needed. I guess you can say that's one way to make John look good, where your main guy is powerless. I think overall, it was something Geoff Johns trying to find something useful for John to do. Especially since he made his appearance towards the end of that arc just to show he's doing something.

[Sodam Yat]

Believe it or not, I actually think Keli was utilized better than Duke was in Tom King's Batman run. Considerably so, even. Because as relatively short-lived as it was in the story as a whole, and while also accounting for the narrative payoff in relation to her specifically (so not necessarily in relation to the story, where the narrative payoff of showing the high stakes does technically work and make sense), Keli was allowed to be an actual character, at least in the first half prior to falling into that coma (where she became a narrative symbol thenceforth), which is something that Duke wasn't permitted to be beyond the Rebirth issue, and in a much longer and larger overall story, thus exacerbating the already large negligence in the lack of Duke's use and inclusion in and throughout it. So I wouldn't say Keli's presence was irrelevant, unlike Duke's in Tom King's stories.

(That Rebirth issue gets to me to this very day. It teased so much potential for Duke and delivered on none of it, leaving Scott Snyder's All-Star Batman to pick up the slack.)

Honestly, you're actually right. I've been looking too much at the later half of the story where she was in coma, not really doing anything. But in the earlier issues, she has been relevant there. So I sort of exaggerated. It's quite obvious that Tom King had no interest with Duke. I thought he did when he sort of hyped him up, but he decided not to go with that direction. I don't know whether it was mandated to have him in the book, because it really seemed like it. Personally, I never been a fan of Tom King's Batman or even him as a writer. The only work I liked him in was Grayson.

[HandofPrometheus]

I'm trying to stay positive about this movie but ugh.

[Frontier]

John and Wally>John and Barry

Agreed.

Yeah, he was undercover. Hal was ringless when John showed up in that story. That right there pretty much symbolized John as the backup GL. Hal's GL status isn't active, so now it's John as the backup GL that's needed. I guess you can say that's one way to make John look good, where your main guy is powerless. I think overall, it was something Geoff Johns trying to find something useful for John to do. Especially since he made his appearance towards the end of that arc just to show he's doing something.

I feel like it's looking too much into a moment where John saved Hal and looked cool, but that's just me.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

I'm trying to stay positive about this movie but ugh.

Same here, but that costume is worse than the abomination they gave Flash.

[Sodam Yat]

I'm trying to stay positive about this movie but ugh.

The movie looks promising imo. I'm excited to watch it. I don't think I ever been this excited for a DC animated film.

[Anthony Shaw]

I'm gonna wait to read Sodam's review of the animated film.

[LukeCagefan]

I'm trying to stay positive about this movie but ugh.

What's stopping you? I just struggle hearing John Stewart outside of Phil LaMarr.

[Frontier]

Same here, but that costume is worse than the abomination they gave Flash.

Flash looked fine aside from the chinstrap in my opinion.

[SecretWarrior]

Flash looked fine aside from the chinstrap in my opinion.

His nose area was messed up and it threw off the look. The nose bridge shouldn’t go down to his nostrils like that. They also added a circular logo to his belt that looks tacky imo.

[Vordan]

I'm trying to stay positive about this movie but ugh.

What’s bothering you? Something I missed?