Hal Jordan Appreciation

[HAN9000]

I don't know if this will make any sense to anyone, but I like Captain Kirk Hal Jordan. Admiral Kirk Hal Jordan is not nearly as interesting to me. Make no mistake, Hal is a leader, but he is not born to it.

I understand. I prefer Captain Hal Jordan too. I just don’t like how the writer screwed him up to push another character. One thing I like about Hal is he can realize anything impossible by his will. So I can’t accept that “Nah, he is inept, just get him out to make way for other people”. That definitely is not intrinsic for this character.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

I understand. I prefer Captain Hal Jordan too. I just don’t like how the writer screwed him up to push another character. One thing I like about Hal is he can realize anything impossible by his will. So I can’t accept that “Nah, he is inept, just get him out to make way for other people”. That definitely is not intrinsic for this character.

If that was your argument from the start, nobody would have taken issue with your comments. Vendetti's New 52 run was pretty bad. However, that bad writing shouldn't negate the later story choice to finally give John leadership of the GLCorps. Vendetti did not tear Hal down in order to build John up.

[liwanag]

Lol. I don't know. I just came across it on you tube. I'm sure it's from an episode so I need to find from which one.

Yea, I like how he sounds too. JL Action made Hal's hair black for some reason. But it looks like they got his personality right which is the important part.

let me know once you found the title? really would appreciate it.

seems like a hal centric episode, which i think might be the only episode focused on hal(?)

[mrumsey]

let me know once you found the title? really would appreciate it.

seems like a hal centric episode, which i think might be the only episode focused on hal(?)

The episode was titled "Barehanded" - and if you liked GL;TAS you'll like the neat cameo in it!

[Frontier]

let me know once you found the title? really would appreciate it.

seems like a hal centric episode, which i think might be the only episode focused on hal(?)

"The Ringer" was also Hal-centric, although it was also very focused on The Atom.

[Margaret]

Five years ago, before Venditti’s run, did you consider Hal is a worse leader than John? Hal was the president of United States in some elseworld stories. Did you think he is not a general type?
Please, if you read how Venditti wrote Hal as a child that even Kyle could criticize his immaturity, maybe you would know what I mean. Honestly I feel Venditti’s five-year run is a long conspiracy shitting on Hal to build up John while many Hal’s fans seem to accept that perfectly. When he took over the Green Lantern title, Hal was the leader of the Corps, the main character of the main title, a Justice League member although not often showed up. Now he is one of the four characters leading a B list comic (which malapropos has Hal’s name on the title), the same with John. And John, who happens to be Venditti’s favorite, is the Corps leader and a permanent member of Justice League.

You know, I don't like Venditti, at all. His New-52 run was average at best, and while his Rebirth had potential in the beginning, it has lost my interest a long time ago with its shallow explosive action with meager substance, and his favorite way of writing Hal seems to keep coming back to a lot of brawn and very little brains. However, I feel that we should give him some leeway, because Venditti did try to make Hal as likable as his ability to understand the character allows.

Hal Jordan is one of those guys who is born a hero. He always, whether intentionally or not, puts himself in dangerous situations, a full time hell raiser that changes the tide of a war. When bad comes to worst, he's quick-witted and resourceful. Hal thinks of a crazy plan, then he just does it, not because of hot-headed impulsiveness but because he's confident in his ability to pull it off. When facing a cliff and the only option is to jump, a great leader would be making a plan on how to jump safely or to jump with the best odds of survival, but Hal would jump then figure out how not to die on the way down, and it usually works for him, because he thinks fast in a crisis.
The thing is, though, I think Hal doesn't always know what to do when life isn't at stake. We have a long line of comics panels throughout the years about Hal losing his jobs, moving from one odd job to another and historically having a particular hard time sustaining a stable relationship. He can pull off incredible deeds like it's nobody's business, but I bet he's hopeless at mundane stuff like sitting behind a desk in a conference or filling out forms or even filing tax returns. Hal's cool as hell, but he simply doesn't carry the temperament to be a full time leader.
Hal does lead, but he leads by example. People look up to him, and follow his lead in battle, but when the battle is over I feel that Hal would gladly step away and be content with running missions with a small team of close friends, or he would go back to Earth and be with the JL, occasionally fly some planes and be with Carol.

[HAN9000]

If that was your argument from the start, nobody would have taken issue with your comments. Vendetti's New 52 run was pretty bad. However, that bad writing shouldn't negate the later story choice to finally give John leadership of the GLCorps. Vendetti did not tear Hal down in order to build John up.

Yes, he did. He wanted John to be the leader from the start. However just as you said, Hal was the logical choice then. So he shat on Hal to make him uncompetitive so that John could take the place naturally. His original plan was making Hal a bad leader, go renegade, then John become the leader. That changed a little bit when it came to execution because of the DCYOU relaunch. He seemed very unhappy about that and couldn’t help complaining about DC’s decision. But he still fulfilled his plan after he took over HJGLC. He’s planned that for a long time. He talked with the writer of the Red Lantern to make Guy a RL so John could be the only leading character in the Green Lantern Corps book while it was Hal taking the blame. That was the first step to build up John as the Corps leader. These were all what he said in interviews (except the shitting part, of course).

[vartox]

To be fair it felt like EVERY GL book in the post-Johns era was constantly taking shots at Hal, not just Venditti I don't know if it's just my perception or what but it felt like every time he was shown or mentioned it another book at the time it was usually in a negative light. Maybe they thought people were sick of Hal after 9 years of him being in the spotlight?

[HAN9000]

To be fair it felt like EVERY GL book in the post-Johns era was constantly taking shots at Hal, not just Venditti I don't know if it's just my perception or what but it felt like every time he was shown or mentioned it another book at the time it was usually in a negative light. Maybe they thought people were sick of Hal after 9 years of him being in the spotlight?

Van Jensen is a close friend of Venditti. He never read any GL comics until Venditti entrusted him with the Green Lantern Corps and his favorite character John. As for Justin Jordan, I don’t know much about him…

[jbmasta]

Van Jensen is a close friend of Venditti. He never read any GL comics until Venditti entrusted him with the Green Lantern Corps and his favorite character John. As for Justin Jordan, I don’t know much about him…

Hal didn't have much role to play in New Guardians, and the New Guardians issues of Lights Out and Godhead were separate strands of the story from that which Hal was in.

[Anthony Shaw]

Hal Jordan is one of those guys who is born a hero. He always, whether intentionally or not, puts himself in dangerous situations, a full time hell raiser that changes the tide of a war. When bad comes to worst, he's quick-witted and resourceful. Hal thinks of a crazy plan, then he just does it, not because of hot-headed impulsiveness but because he's confident in his ability to pull it off. When facing a cliff and the only option is to jump, a great leader would be making a plan on how to jump safely or to jump with the best odds of survival, but Hal would jump then figure out how not to die on the way down, and it usually works for him, because he thinks fast in a crisis.
The thing is, though, I think Hal doesn't always know what to do when life isn't at stake. We have a long line of comics panels throughout the years about Hal losing his jobs, moving from one odd job to another and historically having a particular hard time sustaining a stable relationship. He can pull off incredible deeds like it's nobody's business, but I bet he's hopeless at mundane stuff like sitting behind a desk in a conference or filling out forms or even filing tax returns. Hal's cool as hell, but he simply doesn't carry the temperament to be a full time leader.
Hal does lead, but he leads by example. People look up to him, and follow his lead in battle, but when the battle is over I feel that Hal would gladly step away and be content with running missions with a small team of close friends, or he would go back to Earth and be with the JL, occasionally fly some planes and be with Carol.

[Frontier]

To be fair it felt like EVERY GL book in the post-Johns era was constantly taking shots at Hal, not just Venditti I don't know if it's just my perception or what but it felt like every time he was shown or mentioned it another book at the time it was usually in a negative light. Maybe they thought people were sick of Hal after 9 years of him being in the spotlight?

I know John and Guy each got a chance to sock Hal in the face...

[j9ac9k]

Yea, I like how he sounds too. JL Action made Hal's hair black for some reason. But it looks like they got his personality right which is the important part.

Hal, without his ring, also takes on Lobo and **spoilers**..... takes him out!

[Anthony Shaw]

I honestly felt like Geoff took a dump on Hal by turning his rivalry with Sinestro into a doomed bromance.






It was perfect when their ideological views turned very personal, and very ugly.



While strong-willed, Hal is a laid back man who has a "live & let live....but if you push your weight around....I'll get in your face with no funks given" mentality.

Hal is all-American. His true love is flight....kick rocks, gravity. Hal is all about freedom.

Sinestro is simply a fascist. He'll keep everyone down through suppression. Sinestro is gravity, in human form.

These two should always want to tear each other apart, not secretly want to hug.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Hal does lead, but he leads by example. People look up to him, and follow his lead in battle, but when the battle is over I feel that Hal would gladly step away and be content with running missions with a small team of close friends, or he would go back to Earth and be with the JL, occasionally fly some planes and be with Carol.

Yeah, I think Hal spends a few days every month or so, back on Earth hanging out with his friends in the League, Carol. Tom. Where is Tom Kalmaku? Make him Mayor of Coast City and move Jessica Cruz there. I like Hal and Jessica as a duo better than Simon & her. Haven't read the latest arc with her and Hal in Green Lanterns yet.

I would love to see a League meeting with Hal making Barry & Ollie laugh because he was so bored during some bylaw whatever, with Batman trying to keep everyone on task. I like that, while John is now the League's resident GL, Hal is still active on the team. Would love to see Guy & Batman in a room together again. Mooning him on the Watchtower is the last time I remember them having any kind of fun interaction.