Green Lantern Franchise: What Would YOU do?

[Johnny]

I find it pretty disingenuous to dismiss people's dislike for a character you do as simply not liking them for being popular.

Sounds like you think Hal is currently being belittled by DC at large. Welcome to the reality those of us who like non-Hal Lanterns have to live in.

The only disingenuous part is acting like this character is unpopular based on what fringe portions that do nothing other than engage in mudslinging and attacking characters who are "in the way" of their favorite, have to say. To act like these people somehow represent what the overall Green Lantern fanbase across the board thinks about Hal indeed feels very disingenuous. The actual reality all of us live in is that there are far too many Lanterns that's impossible to be balanced out in a satisfactory fashion. Someone will always be left out or pushed to the side to the chagrin of their fans, and Hal being the longest-tenured Lantern and usual frontman of the series among other factors I already mentioned, makes him an easy target for the the type of fans that you brought up simply because they neither want him to be prioritized over someone they happen to favor, nor are they ever taken to task for the way they tend to express themselves about it. That's all this is about. Your previous comments on this thread said that that GL was turned into the Hal Jordan show that "fans" had to put up with being prioritized "over characters they love", trying to make it sound like Hal is not only largely unpopular with the existing fanbase but is somehow detrimental to the GL franchise's popularity and potential growth, which is demonstrably false given that he's had the most successful run in the brand's history, all based on how the people you mentioned personally feel about his character. Well if you still can't understand why I don't tend to put too much stock into what people like that have to say and amusingly try to tell me that I'm being disingenuous in my assessment of them, I don't really know what else to tell you.

[El_Gato]

Yeah, I don’t want to continue the social politics talk but the second largest racial group in the US is African-American. Hispanic is not a racial classification (before folks freak out and rip my throat out).

That being said, I think GL has a little too many Earth Lanterns. For all of them to get the spotlight, there has to be multiple titles. I liked the multiple GL line thing just after the nu52 and I’d much rather the franchise continue that way. There are too many established Earth GLs for the spotlight to fall on a single character. I love what Redjack has done with John Stewart and I hope it sticks (the title as a whole has been a dense, fun read). He’s been upgraded a number of times but he always seems to be reverted to default settings.

I actually also agree with folks that say that GLs are a little too weak sometimes. Yes, some years back we saw Hal Jordan defeat Zod but stuff like that is so rare and I’d much rather see GLs being at least on par with Kryptonians and not completely washed by them.

Per the 2020 census the 2nd largest racial group in the USA is Other (the preferred category for Latinos as 45M identify as such)

USA demographics (breaking up the Multiracial category)

235.4M White (or partially White)
49.9M Other (or partially Other)
46.9M Black (or partially Black)
24M Asian (or partially Asian)
9.7M Native American (or partially Native American)
1.6M Pacific Islander (or partially Pacific Islander)

So I’d say pushing Latino characters like Kyle, Jessica and Jaime would be smart on DC’s part, since they’d represent the people currently identifying as Other racially.

[Thephantasm]

Doesn't Jessica also represent ppl with anxiety issues in general, that's a main aspect of her character which makes her relatable

[Ascended]

This.....is not the conversation I expected to find.

Um. Right.

Well, what would I do with the franchise......

For one thing, I think I'd get back to the "buddy cops...in SPACE!" sensibility a little bit. I love the high concept stuff, that Morrison flavored headtrip, and I wouldn't want to get rid of it entirely but the space cop element is what speaks loudest to me here. I can get Morrison-esque high concept cosmic in a number of comics but there aren't many doing buddy cops, and fewer doing it as hard sci-fi.

If I were writing it, maybe I'd do the first issue in a COPS style layout. Have a news crew from the United Planets follow the officers of 2814 around for a day, present the art from the camera's PoV in widescreen panels....could be fun. Anywhos, stray thought.....

The main title.....I'm thinking a procedural book featuring a fairly sizable ensemble cast. Good place to showcase the size and scope of the franchise while retaining a familiar, relatable structure, and a place for characters who aren't headlining anything to pop up. NYPD Blue. Brooklyn 99. Like that. Short arcs, each one dealing with a specific case. Main setting; a precinct house serving the junction between 2814 and 2813. Hal and Kyle as the patrolmen, I think? Subplots for both on earth, but Kyle especially; that guy is best served as an Everyman, which is hard to do when you're never on the same planet as your audience.

Other ensemble cast might be whoever works at the precinct house, the office jockeys. Whoever's patrolling 2813 these days. Other GL's passing through. People who aren't GL's. Ambassadors from the United Planets, stopping in on their way here and there. Space Cabbie. Perps being brought in for processing. The local chapterhouse of Red Lanterns would show up, sometimes as suspects, sometimes not. Back to being a biker gang with Guy at their head. Guy probably runs Warriors bar in NYC and hangs with Kyle off-hours. Jessica Cruz as the Yellow Lantern of 2814. A heroic Yellow, and Sinestro's prized pupil. No warrants for her arrest, but she's not popular with the Greens. Lots of ways these people might mix together, depending on the circumstances. Could be fun.

I'd like to bring back the Darkstars again, and a hired security firm. Used by the UP. Maybe Baz can be a part of that, if his new thing as a "ring whisperer" doesn't pan out. Doesn't seem like holding onto Baz is worth much effort, but if a place can be found for him somewhere, it'd be nice. Darkstars would be a fun professional rival to the GLC, I think; arguing over jurisdiction with the Greens and such. Evil Star gets pardoned and joins them, obviously. Solid "will he/won't he" redemption arc there.

I like John with these new godstorm powers and I wanna see how that plays out. Not sure what to do with him until then. Regardless, I think the franchise can support a second book and I'd want to give John a solo title, if I could. From what little we know about his new status quo, this would be the book for the bigger concept stuff, dealing with the Source and gods sphere and whatever else. Being a solo focused on John would also make it more distinct from the ensemble GL book. Frequent trips to Oa, if possible. Really sell the difference between the relatively humble life of beat cops at 2814 and the chief of police in the center of it all at Oa (not sure if John's gonna be in charge or not but certainly he'll be near the top somehow). Killowog as a major supporting character of course, with the other usual Oa suspects showing up too. I'd also want John in the League, if at all possible. He's the best fit there, I think.

Teen Lantern goes away. If someone else wants to use her fine, but she'd have no place in my Lantern franchise. Nothing against her, really, but she's a kid, not an officer of the law. The gauntlet stays in an evidence locker, where it will remain until someone needs it for a story.

So yeah. A police procedural set in space. Emphasis on the duality of the fantastical setting and the almost everyday workplace. More sci-fi than superhero.

Not the most original idea out there, admittedly, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be good.

[Rich Johnston]

Bleeding Cool is not a source of facts. It's a clickbait site, designed to get people mad about stuff. Angry people argue and that generates clicks.

Nope, that was well sourced from good sources. It's not clickbait if it's true. And it has played out.

[Redjack]

Nope, that was well sourced from good sources. It's not clickbait if it's true. And it has played out.

dude.

not the time nor the place.

but, if you want a vigorous and comprehensive deconstruction of you, specifically, and your site, on the whole, that can certainly be arranged.

[WebLurker]

The only disingenuous part is acting like this character is unpopular based on what fringe portions that do nothing other than engage in mudslinging and attacking characters who are "in the way" of their favorite, have to say. To act like these people somehow represent what the overall Green Lantern fanbase across the board thinks about Hal indeed feels very disingenuous. The actual reality all of us live in is that there are far too many Lanterns that's impossible to be balanced out in a satisfactory fashion. Someone will always be left out or pushed to the side to the chagrin of their fans, and Hal being the longest-tenured Lantern and usual frontman of the series among other factors I already mentioned, makes him an easy target for the the type of fans that you brought up simply because they neither want him to be prioritized over someone they happen to favor, nor are they ever taken to task for the way they tend to express themselves about it. That's all this is about. Your previous comments on this thread said that that GL was turned into the Hal Jordan show that "fans" had to put up with being prioritized "over characters they love", trying to make it sound like Hal is not only largely unpopular with the existing fanbase but is somehow detrimental to the GL franchise's popularity and potential growth, which is demonstrably false given that he's had the most successful run in the brand's history, all based on how the people you mentioned personally feel about his character. Well if you still can't understand why I don't tend to put too much stock into what people like that have to say and amusingly try to tell me that I'm being disingenuous in my assessment of them, I don't really know what else to tell you.

Thought it was self-evident that I was talking about the perspective of the people that didn't like the character for whatever reason and that it would be also self-evident that there would also be people who do like him.

[Robotman]

Jeezus. This thread is a perfect example of what’s wrong with the GL franchise. You can only splinter the fanbase so much before it collapses in on itself.

[Daedra]

Jeezus. This thread is a perfect example of what’s wrong with the GL franchise. You can only splinter the fanbase so much before it collapses in on itself.

Finally a glimpse of reason, you speak a truth That can no longer be ignored, no lore can be discussed, no plot points or world building because every time it all has to devolve into cheerleading and partisan bickering

[Johnny]

If you're going to state that a character that you simply don't like is somehow largely unpopular with "the fans" based on what some embarrassing fringe lot has to say about him, it stands to reason that you might get pushback for it. "Partisan bickering" wouldn't occur if noone instigates it.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Jeezus. This thread is a perfect example of what’s wrong with the GL franchise. You can only splinter the fanbase so much before it collapses in on itself.

Bingo. Every GL fan feels disgruntled because there's never enough spotlight to go around and each new human Lantern created over the past few decades has only compounded the problem further and further. Now, every GL fan feels like they're being pitted against another due to some truly dumb editorial decisions that seemed specifically designed to piss off or alienate at least some segment of the fandom. Add on top of that the simmering cauldron of resentment that comes up with adding diversity to the overwhelmingly white male superhero genre, and you've got a perfect recipe for the exact cluster*&%# this thread has become.

By the way, I know exactly what I would do with the GL franchise if I was in charge--find some talented creators passionate about telling stories with the GL characters and let them do that. Period.

[Daedra]

If you're going to state that a character that you simply don't like is somehow largely unpopular with "the fans" based on what some embarrassing fringe lot has to say about him, it stands to reason that you might get pushback for it. "Partisan bickering" wouldn't occur if noone instigates it.

The issue here is that the discussion surrounding GL has been nothing but that, fanbases baiting other fanbases, triggered people taking the bait and monopolizing each and every argument related to the franchise…. as if this issue wasn’t enough now the infighting has taken the connotations of a race and gender war just because people don’t seems to able to look past a fictitious character ethnicity or sexual preferences.

[Doctor Know]

I've been talking about the super saturation problem of Earth Lanterns and how the bulk of them have nothing to do.

Right now, we have 9 active Earth Based GL characters.

1. Alan Scott
2. Hal Jordan
3. Guy Gardner
4. John Stewart
5. Kyle Rayner
6. Simon Baz
7. Jessica Cruz
8. Keli Quintela
9. Sojurner Mullien

Why?!

Looking at the list above, all we are missing is Jade (Alan's Scott daughter and Kyle Rayner's ex gf) and we'd have an even 10 Earth based lanterns. It's absurd. The least DC could do is give us a rotating roster or retire out Lanterns who have no purpose anymore. Sorry Guy with no JLI. Sorry Torchbearer/Ion/White Lantern Kyle. Hal took your job back in 2004. You've been on the decline since. Sorry Simon (hey, weren't you supposed to train Jessica Cruz to be the greatest Lantern?) Baz. Must blow to see a Lantern you were connected to surpass you in popularity and relevance. Alan and the rest of the JSA characters need to retire, period. Hal, John and Jessica aren't going anywhere. Jury is out on whether Jo sinks or swims. Ryan Wilder and Naomi have thudded with audiences and they occupied the same space Jo does.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


9 Earth based Lanterns and yet the GLs are still the biggest chumps in the galaxy. The Green Lanterns are a joke in terms of pop culture. Every media they show up in now sees them take massive losses.

Green Lantern First Flight - The corps gets stomped by Sinestro. This film came out in 2009. The last time any GL DTV movie came out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHt5ad_AryM


Justice League War: Hal's meme curb stomping.



Superman Red: Hal, Guy and John get the snot beat out of them by Soviet Superman.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtewpjpUW-g



Justice League vs The Fatal Five: Jessica Cruz, Kilowog and Salaak are beat within an inch of their lives by the Fatal Five. On Oa of all places.


Justice League Dark: Apokolips War - Hal dies in a freeze frame. Eaten alive by Paradooms. On screen: Guy Gardner, Arisa, Jon Stewart, Kilowog, Arkkis Chummuck, Galius Zed, Green Man and all the Guardians BTFO by Darkseid.




Injustice 1 and 2: No one looks good in these games except Brainiac and Darkseid. Even people who aren't fans of DC play them though. Green Lantern is a chump everywhere else. Why would you expect these games comics to be any different?


Young Justice: I am admittedly behind on this show. I haven't seen anything done bad to the GLs there but I haven't seen anything good either. But no news, isn't bad news. So that's a plus.


The Green Lanterns are said to wield the most powerful weapon in the universe and yet they are repeatedly demonstrated to be terrible at their jobs. No more!

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another thing I talked about is how little DC does with it's existing cosmic properties. GL's main operating theater is in space. Put those superfluous lanterns to work out there. On top of that, read the below list and ask yourself.

When was the last time (if any) that the GLs had any interaction with it's major alien powers?

I listed my examples next to their corresponding Marvel counterparts. Because Marvel never lets you forget their species exist out their in the universe.


Marvel & DC Dare To Compare:

Militant Genetic Manipulators: Kree - Dominiators

Hostile Shapeshifters: Skrull - Martians (White and Green) and Durlans

Planet Conquering Bird Men: Shi'ar and Thanagar

Alien Insects: Brood, Annihilation Wave, Chitauri - The Reach, Parademons and Bugs of New Genesis

Sentient Machine Races: Technary and Phalanx - Coluans (Brainiacs) and Manhunters

Almost Human: Inhumans - Tamaraneans and Kryptonian/Daxamite

Part time space outlaws/Full time heroes: Guardians Of the Galaxy and Starjammers - Omega Men

Gods or the Next Best Thing: Eternals and Asgardians - New Gods

Alien Rogues and Renegades: Symbiotes, Annihilus, Blastaar, Ego The Living Planet - Mongul, Lobo, Despero, Tyrant Sun and Imperiex

All-Knowing and All-Powerful (some of the time): Watchers - Oan Guardians/Zamorans/Controllers

PHENOMINAL COSMIC POWER!!!: Celestials, Beyonders, Galactus and Heralds - The Monitors and Omega Titans

It's a big galaxy out there and I think we all would agree that DC is not taking full advantage of it's space properties. Plenty of enemies to fights but no Will to do so. Methinks TPTB at DC are focused too much on the wrong "spectrum", if you get my meaning.



Miscellaneous: Green Lantern Corps HBOmax Series, Green Lantern Beware My Power animated movie and the Green Lantern movie reboot. All of these projects were announced years ago. We heard nothing about them since their announcement. Why is that I wonder?

[Daedra]

I've been talking about the super saturation problem of Earth Lanterns and how the bulk of them have nothing to do.

Right now, we have 9 active Earth Based GL characters.

1. Alan Scott
2. Hal Jordan
3. Guy Gardner
4. John Stewart
5. Kyle Rayner
6. Simon Baz
7. Jessica Cruz
8. Keli Quintela
9. Sojurner Mullien

Why?!

Looking at the list above, all we are missing is Jade (Alan's Scott daughter and Kyle Rayner's ex gf) and we'd have an even 10 Earth based lanterns. It's absurd. The least DC could do is give us a rotating roster or retire out Lanterns who have no purpose anymore. Sorry Guy with no JLI. Sorry Torchbearer/Ion/White Lantern Kyle. Hal took your job back in 2004. You've been on the decline since. Sorry Simon (hey, weren't you supposed to train Jessica Cruz to be the greatest Lantern?) Baz. Must blow to see a Lantern you were connected to surpass you in popularity and relevance. Alan and the rest of the JSA characters need to retire, period. Hal, John and Jessica aren't going anywhere. Jury is out on whether Jo sinks or swims. Ryan Wilder and Naomi have thudded with audiences and they occupied the same space Jo does.


9 Earth based Lanterns and yet the GLs are still the biggest chumps in the galaxy. The Green Lanterns are a joke in terms of pop culture. Every media they show up in now sees them take massive losses.

Green Lantern First Flight - The corps gets stomped by Sinestro. This film came out in 2009. The last time any GL DTV movie came out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHt5ad_AryM


Justice League War: Hal's meme curb stomping.



Superman Red: Hal, Guy and John get the snot beat out of them by Soviet Superman.




Justice League vs The Fatal Five: Jessica Cruz, Kilowog and Salaak are beat within an inch of their lives by the Fatal Five. On Oa of all places.


Justice League Dark: Apokolips War - Hal dies in a freeze frame. Eaten alive by Paradooms. On screen: Guy Gardner, Arisa, Jon Stewart, Kilowog, Arkkis Chummuck, Galius Zed, Green Man and all the Guardians BTFO by Darkseid.




Injustice 1 and 2: No one looks good in these games except Brainiac and Darkseid. Even people who aren't fans of DC play them though. Green Lantern is a chump everywhere else. Why would you expect these games comics to be any different?


Young Justice: I am admittedly behind on this show. I haven't seen anything done bad to the GLs there but I haven't seen anything good either. But no news, isn't bad news. So that's a plus.


The Green Lanterns are said to wield the most powerful weapon in the universe and yet they are repeatedly demonstrated to be terrible at their jobs. No more!


Another thing I talked about is how little DC does with it's existing cosmic properties. GL's main operating theater is in space. Put those superfluous lanterns to work out there. On top of that, read the below list and ask yourself.

When was the last time (if any) that the GLs had any interaction with it's major alien powers?

I listed my examples next to their corresponding Marvel counterparts. Because Marvel never lets you forget their species exist out their in the universe.


Marvel & DC Dare To Compare:

Militant Genetic Manipulators: Kree - Dominiators

Hostile Shapeshifters: Skrull - Martians (White and Green) and Durlans

Planet Conquering Bird Men: Shi'ar and Thanagar

Alien Insects: Brood, Annihilation Wave, Chitauri - The Reach, Parademons and Bugs of New Genesis

Sentient Machine Races: Technary and Phalanx - Coluans (Brainiacs) and Manhunters

Almost Human: Inhumans - Tamaraneans and Kryptonian/Daxamite

Part time space outlaws/Full time heroes: Guardians Of the Galaxy and Starjammers - Omega Men

Gods or the Next Best Thing: Eternals and Asgardians - New Gods

Alien Rogues and Renegades: Symbiotes, Annihilus, Blastaar, Ego The Living Planet - Mongul, Lobo, Despero, Tyrant Sun and Imperiex

All-Knowing and All-Powerful (some of the time): Watchers - Oan Guardians/Zamorans/Controllers

PHENOMINAL COSMIC POWER!!!: Celestials, Beyonders, Galactus and Heralds - The Monitors and Omega Titans

It's a big galaxy out there and I think we all would agree that DC is not taking full advantage of it's space properties. Plenty of enemies to fights but no Will to do so. Methinks TPTB at DC are focused too much on the wrong "spectrum", if you get my meaning.



Miscellaneous: Green Lantern Corps HBOmax Series, Green Lantern Beware My Power animated movie and the Green Lantern movie reboot. All of these projects were announced years ago. We heard nothing about them since their announcement. Why is that I wonder?

Thank you, that’s a very nice recap, as per your last question I too can’t help but wonder why these projects seems to move at snail speed when they are not outright dead in the waters.
What do you guys think of Jade portrayal in the stargirl tv show?

[Frontier]

I've been talking about the super saturation problem of Earth Lanterns and how the bulk of them have nothing to do.

Right now, we have 9 active Earth Based GL characters.

1. Alan Scott
2. Hal Jordan
3. Guy Gardner
4. John Stewart
5. Kyle Rayner
6. Simon Baz
7. Jessica Cruz
8. Keli Quintela
9. Sojurner Mullien

Why?!

Looking at the list above, all we are missing is Jade (Alan's Scott daughter and Kyle Rayner's ex gf) and we'd have an even 10 Earth based lanterns. It's absurd. The least DC could do is give us a rotating roster or retire out Lanterns who have no purpose anymore. Sorry Guy with no JLI. Sorry Torchbearer/Ion/White Lantern Kyle. Hal took your job back in 2004. You've been on the decline since. Sorry Simon (hey, weren't you supposed to train Jessica Cruz to be the greatest Lantern?) Baz. Must blow to see a Lantern you were connected to surpass you in popularity and relevance. Alan and the rest of the JSA characters need to retire, period. Hal, John and Jessica aren't going anywhere. Jury is out on whether Jo sinks or swims. Ryan Wilder and Naomi have thudded with audiences and they occupied the same space Jo does.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


9 Earth based Lanterns and yet the GLs are still the biggest chumps in the galaxy. The Green Lanterns are a joke in terms of pop culture. Every media they show up in now sees them take massive losses.

Green Lantern First Flight - The corps gets stomped by Sinestro. This film came out in 2009. The last time any GL DTV movie came out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHt5ad_AryM


Justice League War: Hal's meme curb stomping.



Superman Red: Hal, Guy and John get the snot beat out of them by Soviet Superman.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtewpjpUW-g



Justice League vs The Fatal Five: Jessica Cruz, Kilowog and Salaak are beat within an inch of their lives by the Fatal Five. On Oa of all places.


Justice League Dark: Apokolips War - Hal dies in a freeze frame. Eaten alive by Paradooms. On screen: Guy Gardner, Arisa, Jon Stewart, Kilowog, Arkkis Chummuck, Galius Zed, Green Man and all the Guardians BTFO by Darkseid.




Injustice 1 and 2: No one looks good in these games except Brainiac and Darkseid. Even people who aren't fans of DC play them though. Green Lantern is a chump everywhere else. Why would you expect these games comics to be any different?


Young Justice: I am admittedly behind on this show. I haven't seen anything done bad to the GLs there but I haven't seen anything good either. But no news, isn't bad news. So that's a plus.


The Green Lanterns are said to wield the most powerful weapon in the universe and yet they are repeatedly demonstrated to be terrible at their jobs. No more!

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another thing I talked about is how little DC does with it's existing cosmic properties. GL's main operating theater is in space. Put those superfluous lanterns to work out there. On top of that, read the below list and ask yourself.

When was the last time (if any) that the GLs had any interaction with it's major alien powers?

I listed my examples next to their corresponding Marvel counterparts. Because Marvel never lets you forget their species exist out their in the universe.


Marvel & DC Dare To Compare:

Militant Genetic Manipulators: Kree - Dominiators

Hostile Shapeshifters: Skrull - Martians (White and Green) and Durlans

Planet Conquering Bird Men: Shi'ar and Thanagar

Alien Insects: Brood, Annihilation Wave, Chitauri - The Reach, Parademons and Bugs of New Genesis

Sentient Machine Races: Technary and Phalanx - Coluans (Brainiacs) and Manhunters

Almost Human: Inhumans - Tamaraneans and Kryptonian/Daxamite

Part time space outlaws/Full time heroes: Guardians Of the Galaxy and Starjammers - Omega Men

Gods or the Next Best Thing: Eternals and Asgardians - New Gods

Alien Rogues and Renegades: Symbiotes, Annihilus, Blastaar, Ego The Living Planet - Mongul, Lobo, Despero, Tyrant Sun and Imperiex

All-Knowing and All-Powerful (some of the time): Watchers - Oan Guardians/Zamorans/Controllers

PHENOMINAL COSMIC POWER!!!: Celestials, Beyonders, Galactus and Heralds - The Monitors and Omega Titans

It's a big galaxy out there and I think we all would agree that DC is not taking full advantage of it's space properties. Plenty of enemies to fights but no Will to do so. Methinks TPTB at DC are focused too much on the wrong "spectrum", if you get my meaning.



Miscellaneous: Green Lantern Corps HBOmax Series, Green Lantern Beware My Power animated movie and the Green Lantern movie reboot. All of these projects were announced years ago. We heard nothing about them since their announcement. Why is that I wonder?

YJ just had a big GL:TAS episode which was fairly respectful.

Beware My Power is totally coming out this year.