Am I crazy or are GL fans completely irrational about this???

[FishyZombie]

Because they enjoy a balance of down-to-earth stories and sprawling space/cosmic stories?

Or because they like the heroes supporting cast on Earth and seeing the hero having some normal downtime?

Or maybe some of those villains on Earth are interesting?

But it makes no sense, the GLs are supposed to guard a large part of space, it would be downright selfish of themsleves to abandon all the other planets that need their help in order to stop bank robbers in Coast City. Hell thats one of the reasons that the movie sucked. Also the thing that separates the GLs from the other heroes is that they operate in space, otherwise their stories might as well be superman or Flash stories. It also takes away from the adventure and the exploration away from the character. So yes, it is a horrible, awful idea to have a green lantern book that mostly takes place on earth, regardless of which character is headlining it. If there are any good earth based green lantern villains then give them to other superheroes.

[Trey Strain]

But it makes no sense, the GLs are supposed to guard a large part of space, it would be downright selfish of themsleves to abandon all the other planets that need their help in order to stop bank robbers in Coast City. Hell thats one of the reasons that the movie sucked. Also the thing that separates the GLs from the other heroes is that they operate in space, otherwise their stories might as well be superman or Flash stories. It also takes away from the adventure and the exploration away from the character. So yes, it is a horrible, awful idea to have a green lantern book that mostly takes place on earth, regardless of which character is headlining it. If there are any good earth based green lantern villains then give them to other superheroes.

Oh my heavens. Here is what you can do with Earth-based GLs. You just need some imagination.

http://tstrains.blogspot.com/

[FishyZombie]

Oh my heavens. Here is what you can do with Earth-based GLs. You just need some imagination.

http://tstrains.blogspot.com/

Again, why would was space cop, who is entrusted to protected a giant space sector, occupied by trillions of people who needs his/her help, spend all their time protecting one city in their home planet. as for your suggestions, sure I could see them helping out at earth every once in a while to... deal with drones or whatever, but dedicate ALL their time to earth?? The only time I like them in earth is with the Justice League, and that is because they deal with large scale threats. when they are supposed to be protecting the universe from guys like Black Hand and Sinestro?

[Trey Strain]

I said two Lanterns on Earth and two in space. And you didn't read that story, did you? Go read it. I could just write it so that two Lanterns are specifically ASSIGNED to Earth!

[FishyZombie]

Look this is getting off topic, and we clearly aren't going to agree. But why would the corps waste TWO of their best Lanterns, on one planet already occupied with superheroes? As for the story? are you talking about the link you sent me? yes I read it. And I'm sorry, but I still think it is a terrible idea. There is just so much more you can do in space compared to Coast City. Honestly I just think having a Green Lantern book take place on earth just goes against the whole space cop concept.

[JaggedFel]

Any Earth based superheroing should be downtime essentialy.

[Den]

Well, quite often Earth in comics is portrayed as having cosmic import even above other planets. The linchpin between dimensions yadda yadda. It wouldn't be hard to rationalize that I don't think.

That, and I can see one of the GLs visiting family only to find a villain causing trouble "While I'm on the same continent anyway...maybe I should go kick that bad guy's butt." etc

[JackDaw]

Well, quite often Earth in comics is portrayed as having cosmic import even above other planets. The linchpin between dimensions yadda yadda. It wouldn't be hard to rationalize that I don't think.

That, and I can see one of the GLs visiting family only to find a villain causing trouble "While I'm on the same continent anyway...maybe I should go kick that bad guy's butt." etc

Deep down I think its one of those (many) instances where the general conventions of the super hero genre ("Good looking Americans fight crime on Earth...the single most important planet in the universe") triumph over the specific assumptions setting up a particular story.

If the specific assumptions behind the GL set-up were followed (GL's are part of a universe wide police force/ army) then you wouldn't really expect GL's to get involved in local matters while on vacation. You know...just as you'd be astonished if US troops, visiting family in New York, took to the streets in full uniform and used their military equipment to sort out local drug pushers.

I think we'd actually get better stories overall if writers did pay more attention to specific assumptions under-pinning a particular story, and less attention to the hoary old general super hero cliches. But...no doubt we'll be seeing the old cliches recycled endlessly for the next 20 years. Accompanied by threads wondering why fewer people read mainstream super hero comics.

[Trey Strain]

Nobody ever needs to argue again that it's all about space armies and that there are no stories to be told about Earth Lanterns. I've just shown you one, and so that discussion is over. And to prove that that wasn't a fluke, here's another one. The next chapter will be up in about a week.

http://strainstrey.blogspot.com/

[Teste]

Nobody ever needs to argue again that it's all about space armies and that there are no stories to be told about Earth Lanterns. I've just shown you one, and so that discussion is over.

Sorry, the point is that there are no good stories to be told about Earth Lanterns. You haven't shown us any of those.

[Güicho]

Again, why would [w]as space cop, who is entrusted to protected a giant space sector, occupied by trillions of people who needs his/her help, spend all their time protecting one city in their home planet. as for your suggestions, sure I could see them helping out at earth every once in a while to... deal with drones or whatever, but dedicate ALL their time to earth?? The only time I like them in earth is with the Justice League, and that is because they deal with large scale threats. when they are supposed to be protecting the universe ....

Agree, it's fine to stage some stories on Earth, when it's a huge JL level threat (which Earth already has an over abundance of protectors focused just on Earth).
Or at a down time moment they just happen to be there, and deals with smaller threats, to develop more personal character moments, you need that too.
Overall though, the implied concept of any GLs assignment and stories, are to protect (and constantly patrol) their entire sector.
That's what makes them different from your regular JL member.
And to cross over and join neighboring sectors and GLs when the fate of the Universe is at stake, that is the role of GL and the power they wield.
To permanently assign GLs to spend all their time just on Earth or one city, flies in the face of the implied cosmic level power they carry, and the actual concept.

[Desh]

In my opinion, basing Green Lantern primarily on Earth is typically boring and not taking advantage of the concept to its fullest. I also agree that the focus on Earth is one of the key features that held the 2011 film back. Though there were other massive blunders as well.

[DrNewGod]

In my opinion, basing Green Lantern primarily on Earth is typically boring and not taking advantage of the concept to its fullest. I also agree that the focus on Earth is one of the key features that held the 2011 film back. Though there were other massive blunders as well.

I can see your point. Over at Marvel, Thor has the same problem. However, there's no reason there can't be a balance of the two. That said, it's pretty tough to make that work when you're juggling five different Green Lanterns.

[Iconic]

Trim down the earth GL's. There's too many and its watered down the concept. The one thing I did like about the Kyle days was that the GL ring was "unique". Today, not so much.

[Güicho]

Trim down the earth GL's. There's too many and its watered down the concept. The one thing I did like about the Kyle days was that the GL ring was "unique". Today, not so much.

For better or worse, Kyle got a Corps ring (to that end they slaughtered or implied the Guardians left all the others to die, so Kyle could have the only Corps ring.)
But the unique solo GL concept was already well established in the more mystical individual Allan Scott.
Actually belonging to the bigger Corps concept, was the more unique idea amongst DC pantheon.
In the end Kyle just added yet another redundant Earth Corps member, who wasn't even that unique. The more young and creative, thinking outside the box GL was already established in John Stewart. Maybe if they'd actually made Kyle a woman, it would have been a bold new move, but he was like the 4th white male Earth GL.
Unique, no.
And eliminating the bigger Alien Corps concept, for that?