John Stewart: Green Lantern Appreciation 2023

[sifighter]

the canon's the canon.

Hal got his ring because Abin Sur's ship crashed and he was the nearest person to fit the necessary criteria which, apparently, is just the ability to overcome great fear.

Guy got his ring because, apparently, for some reason, Hal needed a back-up.

John was marked as a future ascended being by the Guardians which is why he got his ring. Training wheels.

Kyle got his ring because, as Ganthet put it, "you'll have to do." Right place, right time, no special qualities beyond luck.

(Can't remember why Simon and Jess got theirs.)

Jo got her ring because Nemosyni needed an 'off-the-grid' Lantern with a prototype ring that wouldn't be affected by Koyos's schemes.

The original notion of "back-up GLs" doesn't even make sense. If a GL falls, the ring finds a replacement. "Back-ups" aren't necessary. Another will be found right away.

If I recall Simon got his ring from both Hal and Sinestro choosing someone to save them from the black lanterns I believe.

Jessica got her from Darkseid war when she nearly died saving I think Barry Allen from the black racer, and because of her bravery as power ring a green lantern ring was bestowed on her.

[Frontier]

Wasn't the backups just if the GL couldn't physically do the job for a period of time? There wouldn't be a reason to find a replacement if the GL could recover.

[SecretWarrior]

Wasn't the backups just if the GL couldn't physically do the job for a period of time? There wouldn't be a reason to find a replacement if the GL could recover.

Yes, that's right.

[j9ac9k]

Have there been any other instances of it being mentioned that a GL had a "backup?" Maybe one "Tales of the GLC" comic, but it's odd how important it is to Guy and John's origins yet it's an aspect of the GLC that's never mentioned otherwise. Eh... no biggie, it's just interesting.

[Redjack]

Wasn't the backups just if the GL couldn't physically do the job for a period of time? There wouldn't be a reason to find a replacement if the GL could recover.

Yeah. Also nonsensical Silver Age thinking.

Do we imagine that no other GL in the millennia they've existed has been mildly-to-severly incapacitated? And how long could that even last, considering the ring is able to protect and sustain a Lantern in the harshest alien environment, regardless of that GL's species? Why wouldn't it just heal Hal of whatever injury he'd suffered? One ring kept its GL "alive" post death, after all. Healing a busted up human should be child's play.

Why would it pick another human, anyway? There are multiple sentient species on DC's Earth. If the injury was so incapacitating Hal couldn't be a GL, wouldn't that count as "death," thus sending the ring to find a new PERMANENT GL to replace the fallen? Why would the Guardians care enough about GL 2814 (or ANY individual GL) to save his seat til he was feeling better? It's not like there's a shortage of potential GLs, even in the one sector.

The truth is, they never thought things through in those days because the books weren't targeted at adults and kids don't give a damn about logical fallacies and implausible plot devices. So, it becomes canon and we're stuck with it.

[SecretWarrior]

Have there been any other instances of it being mentioned that a GL had a "backup?" Maybe one "Tales of the GLC" comic, but it's odd how important it is to Guy and John's origins yet it's an aspect of the GLC that's never mentioned otherwise. Eh... no biggie, it's just interesting.

Probably because the franchise is earth-centric due to the readership.

The story I read originally but can't find online now to confirm was that Hal's original title was slumping sales-wise, and the folks behind the scenes were thinking it was because the readership didn't like Hal--not the franchise. From what I read, the editors, including Schwartz I guess, were toying around with introducing some newer (more likable/relatable) character to take over the book. To dip their toes in the water, they created Guy but didn't have him take over immediately so as not to rock the boat. Guy's first appearance was in Green Lantern #59 (March, 1968). Neal Adams later decided he wanted to try his hand at a Black Green Lantern, thinking it was weird that there was so little representation, especially considering what Olympic podiums looked like at the time; the best of the best didn't all look the same. He came up with the idea of a backup too, but it was an independent idea since he didn't know about Guy Gardner. To make his story work after he learned about Gardner, he and Denny O'Neil literally threw Gardner under the bus so that there would be a different Green Lantern backup. Editorial approved the story, since Adams essentially shamed Schwartz about the book's diversity and since sales were considered low anyway. John first appeared in Green Lantern (Volume 2) #87 (December 1971/January 1972). The book was cancelled two issues later in Green Lantern (Volume 2) #89, published February 22, 1972 and cover dated April 1972. Green Lantern #90 did not appear until May 3, 1976, with a cover date of September 1976. That's over 4 years later. Besides the issue dates, I can't corroborate what I read previously, but I didn't make it up. Just can't say how much of it is true through fact checking. Guy was originally written pretty differently than before he was written out of his coma though, so it's not implausible. Besides an early 1970s Christmas issue of Justice League, John didn't appear again until the 80s when he when he became a full time GL. Guy awoke from his coma after that (with a new personality).

From a publishing standpoint, a "backup" allows you to test the waters with a new character without fully committing and alienating old fans. Once DC realized they could have more than one GL per sector (since they couldn't just shuffle John off the book after Hal became GL again), the whole backup thing became pointless. In current continuity, a "backup" is probably just the person most likely to be selected in a sector, given their personal qualities and proximity. They may temporarily step in while the hero recovers from being incapacitated.

The idea of a backup was always going to happen in a franchise about being chosen. In that situation, people will always wonder about who else could have been chosen. It's just the nature of curiosity. Rowling did the same thing with the Potter franchise when she brought up the idea that Neville Longbottom and Dean Thomas were others who were considered as potential chosen ones in-universe. Star Wars has toyed around with Leia being the chosen one instead of Luke.

During his run, Van Jensen brought up the debate about whether or not John was Earth's second or third GL, with John himself thinking he counts as the second. Whichever character he's talking to says that Guy would debate him on that. But during the Johns run, he designated each Earth GL as 2814.1, 2814.2, etc., and John got 2814.3. Not that it matters, since writers ignore what they want to and the universe is always in flux in and out of universe. Also, seems silly to debate who gets silver and who gets bronze, but YMMV. At the end of the day, he was both second backup and second full time, but he was never third string.

[Frontier]

Yeah. Also nonsensical Silver Age thinking.

Do we imagine that no other GL in the millennia they've existed has been mildly-to-severly incapacitated? And how long could that even last, considering the ring is able to protect and sustain a Lantern in the harshest alien environment, regardless of that GL's species? Why wouldn't it just heal Hal of whatever injury he'd suffered? One ring kept its GL "alive" post death, after all. Healing a busted up human should be child's play.

Why would it pick another human, anyway? There are multiple sentient species on DC's Earth. If the injury was so incapacitating Hal couldn't be a GL, wouldn't that count as "death," thus sending the ring to find a new PERMANENT GL to replace the fallen? Why would the Guardians care enough about GL 2814 (or ANY individual GL) to save his seat til he was feeling better? It's not like there's a shortage of potential GLs, even in the one sector.

The truth is, they never thought things through in those days because the books weren't targeted at adults and kids don't give a damn about logical fallacies and implausible plot devices. So, it becomes canon and we're stuck with it.

I assume it's standard procedure beyond Earth.

It would probably depend on the injury or what is infirming the GL and how much the ring can do. To be honest the healing capabilities of the ring beyond shields is pretty underdeveloped, I don't think it can fix up physical damage more than most medical equipment can. The exception seems to be like how Simon was able to inexplicably heal his brother-in-law who was in a coma but it was called out for being beyond what the ring would normally be capable of.

I think it's also reasonable that it would pick a back up within a similar vicinity to the main GL of that sector. As long as the ring doesn't register that the Lantern is KIA, it has no reason to basically desert said GL unless the Guardians forced it too.

[HsssH]

If I remember right in one of Wein's JLA issues Hal trips in the bathroom and hits his head so John gets "activated" for his backup duties. Wild stuff.

[Username taken]

Sometimes a main character's gotta be a main character.

Exactly.

It could be other qualities not connected to power levels but there has to be a reason for the main character to stand out.

[John Venus]

IIRC that was in one of the Christmas specials.

lol, the Guardians are ruthless. Program the ring to find a replacement if a GL is injured or incapacitated but not take one to the hospital or call someone about a possibly lethal head injury.

[Username taken]

SIDEBAR:

Going to be rolling out comics, both digitally and POD, starting at the end of this month.

AMAZON.
INDY PLANET.

And some other stuff you all might like too.

Will definitely look out for this.

[Vordan]

Murphyverse (Batman: White Knight) John Stewart has debuted in the last issue of Beyond the White Knight, and it seems like he’s going to be involved in the sequel series. He’s an FBI Agent along with Diana. Not that I expect him to be treated well mind you, but figured I’d share

[Frontier]

Murphyverse (Batman: White Knight) John Stewart has debuted in the last issue of Beyond the White Knight, and it seems like he’s going to be involved in the sequel series. He’s an FBI Agent along with Diana. Not that I expect him to be treated well mind you, but figured I’d share

Random, but this is the White Knight universe so that's to be expected.

[Sodam Yat]

That's interesting. It's still good to see him being used elsewhere.

Green Lantern seems to be trending on Twitter thanks to Wayne T. Carr

[Vordan]

That's interesting. It's still good to see him being used elsewhere.

Green Lantern seems to be trending on Twitter thanks to Wayne T. Carr

Oh right I forgot the remnants of the Snyder Cult were doing another hashtag campaign today.