John Stewart Appreciation 2019

[skyvolt2000]

Some of the back and forth here is similar to a recent Titans' thread.

With the current state of DC, the folks in charge, and film ambiguity, being the JL Lantern with no solo in an event book is as good as it gets for John.

The lone GL book starring Hal, written by Grant, was not in the top 20 last month. What would Hal's numbers be without Grant? What happens when Grant eventually leave?

I'm not sure what John's chances would be at having a successful solo run in the current market.

Well, if Martian Manhunter can have a 12 issue maxi-series and Hawkman still has an ongoing title despite both being some of DC's lowest selling titles, then I don't see why characters like John Stewart and Hawkgirl can't at least have their own limited series. Same goes for a character like Guy Gardner.

I bet Hal is going down because too many unsold copies are sitting on shelves. Because I have seen too many copies in bins and I have a feeling those buying the first 6 issues are going to trade wait. That is the disadvantage of a 12 part mini.
I don't think Grant leaving makes a difference. If folks have a feeling a book won't get axed-they will come and go or trade wait.

Yes you can do minis with those guys and in many cases the TRADE will make up the money spent to make it.

See Moon Girl. Ms Marvel has sold a million copies.
On Amazon I can name almost every low seller of Marvel that has beaten Dc in trades sales for more than one week.

And you can always pull a Black Panther-get a writer OUTSIDE of comics.
As much as I don't care for Coates-his NAME got that book coverage that it (and comics in general) would not get.

If you go get a Jason Reynolds-I can assure you trade sales at libraries & schools. He did Miles's novel and that book was a New York Times best seller before it came out. I met folks who had no idea who Miles was that bought it on Jason's reputation as a novel writer.

And before anyone says it won't work-it did for New Superman. He last two more volumes than he should have thanks to volume 1 sales.

[skyvolt2000]

Just because DC does something stupid (releasing a title with a lead character that has a history of not selling with a writer like Robert Venditti [seriously, what were they expecting to happen?]), doesn't mean they should do something else that is stupid because of that. Or, at the very least, it shouldn't be used as a reason to do something else that is stupid.

A John Stewart book shouldn't be attempted unless there is good reason to believe that book will actually sell. What some are suggesting will likely just result in a low selling book that will get cancelled anyway, and lower the character's equity. Look at Cyborg. Two clunker series in a row that didn't sell that DC was actually behind. It makes him look like a joke, especially since DC was trying to lead us to believe he actually mattered.

They said a book about a Muslim heroine would not sell.
They said a book about a Spider-Man NOT starring Peter Parker would not sell.

HOW DID THAT WORK OUT?

Ms Marvel is now past 60 issues. She wasn't suppose to last 6.
Venom, Ben Riley & Miguel O'Hara say hi. Miles would say hi but he's shining his Oscar and the fact he has done more in 8 years than all the black folks at Dc put together.

How did getting books axed hurt Black Panther? Deadpool? Moon Knight? Punisher? Harley? Carol Danvers? Peter Parker? Aquaman? Luke Cage? Deathstroke? Hal Jordan? Blade? Static?
Antman? Miles Morales?
21 movies, 10+ tv shows and 100+ trades. 4 Oscars wins?

It only fails when you don't build on it like we saw with Cyborg (and Storm).

[Vampire Savior]

They said a book about a Muslim heroine would not sell.
They said a book about a Spider-Man NOT starring Peter Parker would not sell.

HOW DID THAT WORK OUT?

Ms Marvel is now past 60 issues. She wasn't suppose to last 6.
Venom, Ben Riley & Miguel O'Hara say hi. Miles would say hi but he's shining his Oscar and the fact he has done more in 8 years than all the black folks at Dc put together.

How did getting books axed hurt Black Panther? Deadpool? Moon Knight? Punisher? Harley? Carol Danvers? Peter Parker? Aquaman? Luke Cage? Deathstroke? Hal Jordan? Blade? Static?
Antman? Miles Morales?
21 movies, 10+ tv shows and 100+ trades. 4 Oscars wins?

It only fails when you don't build on it like we saw with Cyborg (and Storm).

Do you want me to point you to the John Stewart series that did not sell well again? I'm not talking hypothetical here. We have hard data that suggests that if you do a certain thing, another thing will happen.

You people say John Stewart should have a series. What I just said above ^ is a big reason why he doesn't have one right now. It should make perfect sense to any reasonably minded individual.

Van Jensen Green Lantern Corps - Didn't sell well on its own.
Lost Army - Didn't sell well.
Edge of Oblivion, which John shared with Guy Gardner - sold terribly.

*shrug* All you guys have to offer up are hypotheticals, dreams, finger pointing, shoulda' woulda' coulda', and completely unrelated characters, but at the end of the day, numbers don't lie, and they trump everything you put forward.

[Vampire Savior]

Anyway, I don't think I have any more to say. I think the history and numbers speak for themselves. People can argue against those if they want. They're there for anyone to take a look at, but I'm sure most here will like to completely ignore them and will likely go on doing that. Being a fan of something is an emotional response. Things like reason, numbers, data, business, and all that is going to take a big backseat to a fan, clearly.

[Anthony Shaw]

I bet Hal is going down because too many unsold copies are sitting on shelves. Because I have seen too many copies in bins and I have a feeling those buying the first 6 issues are going to trade wait. That is the disadvantage of a 12 part mini.
I don't think Grant leaving makes a difference. If folks have a feeling a book won't get axed-they will come and go or trade wait.

Yes you can do minis with those guys and in many cases the TRADE will make up the money spent to make it.

See Moon Girl. Ms Marvel has sold a million copies.
On Amazon I can name almost every low seller of Marvel that has beaten Dc in trades sales for more than one week.

And you can always pull a Black Panther-get a writer OUTSIDE of comics.
As much as I don't care for Coates-his NAME got that book coverage that it (and comics in general) would not get.

If you go get a Jason Reynolds-I can assure you trade sales at libraries & schools. He did Miles's novel and that book was a New York Times best seller before it came out. I met folks who had no idea who Miles was that bought it on Jason's reputation as a novel writer.

And before anyone says it won't work-it did for New Superman. He last two more volumes than he should have thanks to volume 1 sales.

The business model Marvel uses is totally different than what DC utilizes, especially in regards to their POC characters.

I don't agree with everything that Marvel does with their POC characters over the last decade, or so, but they will consistently use them until they bear fruit.

DC seems content to race bend white characters and/or let their POC characters collect dust. Also, DC has a bad habit of fracturing the fan bases of franchises that could make them money.

[Anthony Shaw]

I think John works best in ensemble settings. I'd rather see John in a GLC book (that has a top tier creative team + an ongoing push by editorial), and/or a JL book with an emphasis on character arcs.

DCAU John flourished because he was given regular character arc, and bonded with other characters.

Actually, John's best moments in comics and cartoons came when character dynamics was more important than events.

It's when key events are going down, that John has suffered the most. He either failed big time, lost loved ones, a key player in some tragedy, or stoic wall-flower.

[Cosmic Emerald 23]

What I would do if I was trying to utilize John (in DC's current situation), I would:

1) Get Bruce Timm and Paul Dini to work on a Green Lantern Adventures book like they did with Batman. I know I've brought this up before and the idea of Timm and Dini writing John without McDuffie present didn't sound too appealing to some, but they are two creators who are confirmed to actually give a rat's behind about him. Plus, DCAU nostalgia will play a role in gaining interest in the first place.


2) After that, I'd launch that All-Star book from way back. Again, going with creators who actually went out of their way to make a John Stewart pitch, evidence that they had at least some care or interest in the character. It also helps that one of said creators was Brian Azzarello.


This is stuff to test the waters to see how John would do on his own, they seem like low risk high reward options.

[Holt]

John will reportedly be in the first series of DC Multiverse figures from McFarlane Toys.

https://www.mephitsu.co.uk/post/firs...YQ_ypzLeLYGvCk

[Shockingjustice]

So I'm kind if curious for some what if scenarios. If John will never outshine Hal, what would happen if he left the green lantern corps? How would you guys feel if DC gave him different powers and abilities and pushed him then? Something not related to the Green lantern mythos at all. Have heroes ever had their powers changed?

[lemonpeace]

So I'm kind if curious for some what if scenarios. If John will never outshine Hal, what would happen if he left the green lantern corps? How would you guys feel if DC gave him different powers and abilities and pushed him then? Something not related to the Green lantern mythos at all. Have heroes ever had their powers changed?

I mean it's been done before so I personally wouldn't mind it, but I would like for it to happen with at least some relation to the Lantern mythos. His time as a Green Lantern and his leadership of the Greens have been a key defining factor for John in recent years and if they mix it up they should keep him connect just to honor that.

[Shockingjustice]

I mean it's been done before so I personally wouldn't mind it, but I would like for it to happen with at least some relation to the Lantern mythos. His time as a Green Lantern and his leadership of the Greens have been a key defining factor for John in recent years and if they mix it up they should keep him connect just to honor that.

That's understandable. I'll admit though I did like him in JLU I'm kind of over the stoic black guy personality. Plus I do kind of think he'll never amount to Hal Jordan. I really want to see more of him. Honestly him having a family with Katma and the different cultures was an interesting concept. But I feel like being apart of the Green lantern mythos is more a hindrance to his character than otherwise.

[Wakeneuron]

Why can't Hal Jordan be something else besides a Green Lantern? It makes more sense to me. The Spectre didn't work out but I see that Doctor Fate is looking for a new host.

[Cosmic Emerald 23]

Why can't Hal Jordan be something else besides a Green Lantern? It makes more sense to me. The Spectre didn't work out but I see that Doctor Fate is looking for a new host.

You know that's not gonna happen. The company (especially DiDio, the guy running the ship) is fully behind Hal as GL and has been heavily marketing him as "That Dude" among the GLs since the mid 2000's, they wouldn't just throw that away to make him into a B-list character after they've spent so much time investing in him. Plus they don want to piss off Hal Jordan fans again like they did with Emerald Twilight.

[lemonpeace]

Why can't Hal Jordan be something else besides a Green Lantern? It makes more sense to me. The Spectre didn't work out but I see that Doctor Fate is looking for a new host.

it's unlikely to happen with the current way the leadership is set up, they reeeeally want Hal to be THE Green Lantern™. however, considering I personally believe they've wrung all the milage they could out of the character, I think if they did retire Hal as a Green Lantern they should do what they did with Kyle when they brought Hal back into the limelight and make him the new Ion: by which I mean he replaces the Ion entity as the new form of the willpower entity. I feel like that's the best way to book-end (even if temporarily) Hal's story while following the whole Willpower Jesus/Green Savior™ thing they've got going on to it's logical conclusion.

[Johnny]

Why can't Hal Jordan be something else besides a Green Lantern? It makes more sense to me. The Spectre didn't work out but I see that Doctor Fate is looking for a new host.

Because it's been done already and there's no point since it's neither sustainable on a more long term basis, nor would fans want to read about it. They even made Hal a space hobo and that didn't last more than a year from what I recall. All the Lanterns have been something else before, even Alan Scott was Sentinel at one point, they all revert back to Green Lantern eventually because people want to see them as Green Lanterns, not as Spectres or Darkstars or Warriors or Ions.