A lot of people grew up watching the Justice League cartoon series which featured John Stewart as the Green Lantern, as opposed to the typical founding member; Hal Jordan.

While I was aware of Hal growing up, (though not actually a comic book fan as a kid,) John Stewart was an entirely new character to me, and I think a lot of people had that same feeling. Without a doubt though, John Stewart clearly enjoyed a boost in popularity from the DCaU exposure and I think it made him a favorite Lantern to a lot of people.

Though it's interesting that, whenever I see John Stewart brought up as a Green Lantern, in comics he gets a great deal of flack. I've regularly seen the word "boring" used to describe him. Especially compared to Kyle or Hal, with such characterization used as the basis for not using him as the Green Lantern in any upcoming films.

So, I'm curious.

• Did Justice League hurt, by giving people an unrealistic depiction of John Stewart as a character?
• What do you think could be done to make John Stewart less "boring" for people who find him so?
• Would you be OK with Hal being replaced by Kyle, Guy, or John in a Green Lantern or Justice League film?

1) No. What was unrealistic about Stewart's potrayal? He got some of the best episodes and character development in JL and JLU. The fans who hated it either never liked Green Lantern or just hated the fact that there was a black on the team so much that they didn't give the character a chance.

2) Nothing that I know of, but I'm biased because I'm a fan of Stewart. I don't want to see him bumbling around or complaining about his fate like so many other characters at DC and Marvel. It's nice to see a character who isn't in that mold and it's the same reason why I like Guy too. When you try to cater a character to people who just don't get them, you get the BS that happened to Static and Black Panther. One got his arm cut off for no good reason and the other keeps getting jobbed out. It's ridiculous.

3) It doesn't make sense to use Hal again considering that the GL movie failed and of that bunch Stewart is the most recognizable GL. Guy I would only want to see in a movie if they do one based on the JLI but that won't happen anytime soon if ever. :(

1. No. To me Steward isn't all that unrealistic, he is a man who got a kick a$$ ring who he protects people with. He isn't anymore unrealistic portrayed in the DCAU than Superman, Wonder Woman or Batman. I think people who don't like him in the DCAU just never found Green Lanterns Interesting.

2.Honestly I have no idea how to make him a more likable and interesting character since a lot of the better character development IMO has been given to Kyle, Hal, and Guy.

3.In a film I feel it would be cool to see another lantern on the big screen. For me preferably for the first movie it would have to be Scott, Jordan or Steward because to me they are the start of the Green Lanterns.

On the other hand I really feel Kyle Rayner would be a excellent choice to put on the big screen. In a trilogy to see him go from green lantern to a white lantern would be pretty epic.

As for Guy in a movie I see him in more of a comedy movie, because I have always thought he would be a great in a comedy movie.

From what I gather, a lot of the hate Stewart gets is because people that were either neutral or didn't like him from the comics anyway saw a whole new group of Stewart fans going ranking him up their or even beyond Hal, and that didn't sit with them from what they'd read in the comics about a character who, if his wikipedia article is to be believed, has always gotten the shaft compared to any other Lantern. His race is probably what got him in the JL/JLU series, but I don't think it bothered too many people who weren't fans at first.

I have to agree. I think John is the type of character who should truly believe in his actions, because with his military background it's likely he's had to make tough calls. Even tougher ones being a Superhero. It should forge him into the type of guy who isn't prone to second guessing and moping. He should be the one kicking people in the butt when they get like that and telling them to start acting like heroes.

I'd agree with that to an extent, but I believe in giving a character a second chance. Especially in comics and with the new Cinematic Universe style of storytelling. However, I do think this should be John Stewart's time, even though I'm 99% sure it'll be Hal who gets the spotlight. Kyle will probably get some play and Guy will either be a Red Lantern or just comic relief. John, at best, likely gets five minutes, including a Sniping scene during a huge battle that he doesn't play that large a role in.

I think most people did like him from the DCaU. It's when those fans started calling him the best and putting him over Hal or Kyle that I think a lot of people were like "Uh...no. Maybe in Cartoon Land, but not in the comics," and those two sides have been at it ever since.

Yeah. Going by his wikipedia page, (which I actually managed to read through fairly quickly, which I find a bit disturbing,) he's gotten the shaft more often than not, which is a real shame. I suppose they could make him some sort of Rogue Lantern...

I think I remember someone mentioned the idea of having the trilogy of GL films be about Kyle's training. He could potentially appear in the second or even in all three, since John is in charge of training new recruits, and I think he could have a relationship similar to the one his character had with Wally in Justice League/Unlimited.

John doesn't have much of a personality

John is boring to me. Not as fun as Kyle, not as brash as Hal, not as opinionated as Guy. He's just...bleh.

1. Lol so true.

2.Yeah, it sucks that his character development has been kinda shafted. I mean don't get me wrong he is the most level headed of the Lanterns and that's really cool. But when you have The nostalgia of Scott, Hal's unwavering will power, Guy being a rage filled angry Lanter who switched lantern rings, and Kyle essentially to be being the most relateable Lantern all given great character development it overshadows Steward's levelheadedness.

3. That would bee so cool on the big screen if Wally and Kyle were friends.

Why do you think that is? Why do you think, as long as he's been around he's gotten arguably the least exploration as a character?

So nothing about the character really stands out to you? I mean, you state traits of the other guys which are quite clear, but you may not even like them. Why do you think that is, and do you have any ideas for how John could be less "bleh?"

Which is a shame, because I think DC has failed overall to capitalize on the popularity the character got from the DCaU despite taking elements from that version of the character and folding them into his comic incarnation. You'd almost think they didn't want John Stewart to be a thing...

Yeah, but I think that would be something we see in almost a Rebooted or long into the DC Cinematic Universe. Since, I'm sure DC wants to make their main team with their primetime players like Hal, Bruce, Barry, Kal, Diana, etc.

I don't want to see John as a mentor or wallpaper or in a wheelchair. I want him to be the star. Van Jensen, Gerard Jones, Dwayne Mcduffie, Steve Englehart, and Len Wein showed that it can work. I like that Stewart can't be reduced to a cliche but to me he's The Thinker and The Architect. I liked how John in the comics and even in the cartoon at times tried to look for the bigger picture instead of just punching people with constructs. He also did more with the ring at times than just making constructs.

As for the Hal and Kyle fans who can't stand that some fans like John Stewart more, I don't care what they think. John got turned into wallpaper under Geoff Johns until 2013 so at least for those who liked the character JLU was a good alternative to that. Also helped that the cartoon and the DCAU and general was better than comics a good chunk of the time. They didn't have to deal with stupid stories like Infinite Crisis. It never bothered me that Stewart was added to the team because hey, why have an all-white Justice League in the 21st century? It's silly and out-of-touch. It also helped that John Stewart was a favorite GL of Bruce Timm and Dwayne Mcduffie. That's another reason why they used him that always gets conveniently forgotten time and time again.

Personally, instead of worrying about people who were never going to get Stewart in the first place, I would rather DC focus more on pushing and developing him like Van Jensen has.

Well, someone had to get the least exploration. Might as well be the black guy.

@guybrush_threepwood: The funny thing is, I completely agree with you, but looking at history it's tough to think that DC of all people would actually want to push Stewart. I honestly think it's been made abundantly clear where the majority of DC rates his importance as a character and it's not a high position.

I mean you can even look at the DCaU and it's clear that that was probably, while an overall better product, clearly not in line with what DC wants to do with a lot of those characters. Coincidentally enough, Static and Stewart are a perfect example of that.

...I'll take a somber and disappointing sip of acceptance to that...

John is a tough as nails badass who doesn't take sh*t or isn't pushed around. He reminds me of Marcus Fenix with some Jon Snow mixed in. He's basically the character Denzel Washington Washington plays in action films. That's why I find him fun to read.

He's also the most multifaceted GL.You can sum up the others in one or two words. For example, Hal is the cocky pilot (generic), Guy is the the likable jerk, and Kyle is the sensitive artist. But John is more complicated. He's the son of a politician, a marine sniper, a social worker, and an architect. He's a natural leader. He's loved, and he's felt the pain of lost love.

He uses his wit and experience to win fights, not raw power (though he has that too).

Those aspects to his character make him incredibly layered and complex. Not to mention he has a lot of great stories under his belt.

Gallery

John stood on his own in the DCAU. He's carried multiple financially successful books on his own. He has a great dynamic with other characters.

Gallery

He can definitely stand on his own in the DCCU. I mean, if Scott Lang can carry a film, then so can John Stewart. And, to be frank, if he isn't the central Green Lantern in the DCCU (meaning in the Justice League and Green Lantern films), then I don't care about the DCCU at all.

I mean, Hal's film failed and his cartoon failed. To keep him on just because he's white is ridiculous, especially since John Stewart is who the public loves from Bruce Timm's Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. John carried the GL book when Hal couldn't in the 1980s, sold gangbusters with Mosaic in the 1990s, became a household name in the 2000s, and is primed for the big screen in the 2010s. John Stewart is the reason I got into the DC Universe and comics in general.

More on why John is awesome here: http://greenlantern.co/about-john-stewart/

@captain13: In all honesty, I don't even think it's a race thing. It's a "Hal is DC's favorite Lantern, regardless of what the general public thinks, and therefore he will be the one that we use when we want to market Green Lanterns...unless we need a black guy. And probably not even then," thing.

@scouterv: I do think it's a race thing. DC feeds their properties to Hollywood, an industry in which minorities and women are systematically undervalued based on an unproven notion. Let's not forget that Hal couldn't hold a title until Johns wrote him. He got all these chances, while John, who did have profitable runs (GL proper, Mosaic) and was on TV at the time, was set aside for 8 years. John was a threat to what they wanted to establish in Hollywood: Hal Jordan Green Lantern--which failed. Azzarello and Chang wanted to do an All Star John Stewart book, but DC wanted to keep John Stewart on the sidelines so they could promote a character they thought would be more profitable because they believe that character is more appealing to White audiences. After the public realized John wasn't the central character in the 2011 Green Lantern film, DC tried to kill off John. Now DC turns Wally black because they think it will motivate people to fight those who want Wally to look like he did pre-Flashpoint. And for them to combat racist accusations, DC uses Cyborg as a token by not treating him like they do his team mates, relegating him to a secondary position, and making him a eunuch. It's sick. Not everyone sees it or will agree, but DC has a race problem. They (whoever is calling these shots) seem to be very exploitive, rather than noble, in their thinking on race. At least that's how it looks from the outside. I hope they get better and that this rant didn't offend you.

But that's my point. Johns is the man at DC. (Or at least, one of them.) Hal is his guy. Of course he's going to get the push. Don't get me wrong, I agree to an extent that DC has a problem when it comes to race. John Stewart's treatment is more he's not a favorite Lantern at DC. He's arguably the most expendable for DC. Guy is doing the Red thing, Hal is THE Green Lantern, Scott has the Starheart and Earth-2, and Kyle is the GL Messiah. Stewart would have arguably been better served being shifted to Earth-2 for all the good Flashpoint did him.

My thing is, if John had been white, he still wouldn't get pushed over Hal or Kyle by DC and most certainly not the fans because Hal would have gotten the Justice League (cartoon,) spot and still would have gotten a movie. John would be lucky to get what he has now had he been made white, and he probably would have gotten more in the long run, but I have little doubt DC would have done very little with him overall. His position would arguably be worse if he was white or any other color.

I honestly think John should have been the one who took the Lantern title in The League. Cyborg is good, but he never really screamed Justice League to me and the fact you can point him out as a token and given how long it's been without his own solo title (and there are a few reasons I can imagine that,) should tell people something.

But it's like I said. I don't disagree with you that there's a race problem at DC. You see it all the time, (or you actually don't, given the invisibility of the characters,) with most of their minority characters in limbo or barely hanging on by a thread. I can't even tell you which is worse for them. What I'm just saying is, in this particular instance, It's not John's race is secondary to being an expendable Lantern, whereas Hal is the Golden Child for DC as far as the Lanterns go.

John Stewart has tons of personality. He just doesn't go around like a clown like many of the other Green Lanterns. He's a man of duty, sometimes judgmental, thoughtful, and intelligent. To me, he brings a certain elemental of class and dignity to the role of Green Lantern that the others don't. Green Lanterns are officers, after all, so I think that's appropriate.

The reason John hasn't gotten as much attention in comics as some of the others is because he's Black. Now, before you act like I'm calling DC racists, I'm not overtly calling them that, but they have made decisions based upon race, consciously and subconsciously. The people who have written Green Lantern comics have typically been White. The people who read Green Lantern comics have typically been White. Therefore, they have given the roles that are more prestigious and which have more focus to White characters. It's really that simple. When they bury John Stewart and ignore him, perhaps they are not aware of what message that sends to Black fans, or perhaps they did not care in the past. However, this is something DC seems to be trying to get better at. See Van Jensen's current Green Lantern Corps run.

I'm not saying only Black writers need to write John Stewart, but White writers need to start seeing more beyond just their own White male perspective, and realize that there are other people who may appreciate seeing something different. And also realize that there are many people who view John Stewart as the real Green Lantern because of the cartoons, and they may be looking for that character in comics.

As for what can be done to get people who don't like John Stewart to like him, the best that DC can do is actually use him in high profile key roles, in great stories, and stop ignoring him. Let him be the star of his own ongoing for a very prolonged time. Make him the main hero of a key event. Give him great feats and interesting relationships with other characters. Some people, however, will never like John Stewart, and those people shouldn't be catered to at all, because it would be a lost cause.

John Stewart should be the cinematic Green Lantern because he's arguably the most recognized and loved of the Green Lanterns because of his huge role in famous cartoons. Hal Jordan only has notoriety with comics fans.

I think I can agree with that line of thinking, when it comes to DCs race issues, though I honestly feel like his being black is secondary to him simply not being Hal or Kyle and therefore, not as important to DC in general.

Though I will say, I like the way you've described him as a Lantern, and I think that if that were more how it was taken by more fans who tend to call him boring and say he doesn't have a personality, he would get a bit more of a rub. Though I do think there should be more diversity in the race of the writers and creators, and that they should get the opportunity to write characters who look like them, because I think the audience that really does appreciate these characters look like them.

Like, I was talking with a white friend of mine. We were discussing our favorite heroes, and I called out Static. He implied that Static was merely a rip-off Spider-Man as a teenage hero. What I don't think he got was the fact that, while they had a similar mold, Static and Spider-Man did not deal with the same issues, and I think it's partially a race thing that some characters can't appreciate certain other characters of a different race and only see what they are at their base/on the outside.

While I agree that actually using John in a high-profile role would probably do a lot for him, I doubt DC ever would. I'd imagine Guy would get that chance before John would, which is a real shame going by your definition of his role, again. Guy arguably has a better shot of getting cast for Justice League in the films.

• Did Justice League hurt, by giving people an unrealistic depiction of John Stewart as a character?

Not sure I understand the question. By JL do you mean the cartoon and by realistic do you mean accurate compared to the comic? Then the answer is no it didn't hurt him. People prefer the animated version to the comic version. IMO it wasn't until later that Stewart started taking elements of personality from the animated to the comic. A sort of merger of the two.

• What do you think could be done to make John Stewart less "boring" for people who find him so?

I think they're already doing it but still my least favorite.

• Would you be OK with Hal being replaced by Kyle, Guy, or John in a Green Lantern or Justice League film

No, even if I didn't like Hal or preferred liked another character better I'd probably still feel the same way. It's the same thing with Wally and Barry.
I like both characters but it should be Barry in the JL movie.

@scouterv:

John Stewart has a MUCH better shot at being the cinematic Green Lantern than Guy Gardner or Kyle Rayner, who are not even Green Lanterns right now. The general public has no idea who Guy Gardner or Kyle Rayner are. WB is not so stupid to ignore the Lantern people know for other ones, especially after the debacle with the 2011 Green Lantern film. It's important to understand that DC Comics doesn't make cinematic decisions, Warner Bros. does. I seriously doubt WB has any particular loyalty to Hal Jordan, especially after his failed movie and cartoon. I think you're being overly pessimistic due to John's treatment during the Geoff Johns era, which is over now. If you read current Green Lantern comics, you can already see things leaning more toward John Stewart than Hal Jordan (who is often portrayed as a fool or incompetent).

Green Lantern is getting a huge status quo change this Summer when WB moves DC Comics' headquarters out to Burbank. WB is doing that specifically to take firmer control of DC and its output. It would not surprise me if John Stewart comes out on top of that because Warner Bros (not DC Comics) chooses to endorse the character more. Have you seen the huge demand fans have made to see John Stewart as the DCCU Lantern? It can't be ignored. I'm positive WB knows about it. While DC Comics may want to keep throwing Hal Jordan at people, pretty soon, it won't be them making decisions about such things.

• Did Justice League hurt, by giving people an unrealistic depiction of John Stewart as a character?
• What do you think could be done to make John Stewart less "boring" for people who find him so?
• Would you be OK with Hal being replaced by Kyle, Guy, or John in a Green Lantern or Justice League film?

1). The League brought John along at the absolute right time and for it he has been rewarded and the Justice League has been rewarded. John Stewart is the number one black Superhero in comics. He is the most powerful of all black heroes, that's just being a Green Lantern, and when you consider his will is tops among Green Lanterns he might be the most powerful person in comics. That does not mean he wins every battle, or he is tops in every feat, what it means is as for as power goes, with Will power being the balance of all we humans know, and WILL powers the ring, and the ring past Batman/Bruce Wayne, and Superman/Clark Kent when it chose Hal. Let's not forget the ring did not chose John, the Guardians did from the time he was born. John Stewart, the Opener of Doors, will was far greater than what the ring could control. Green Lanterns are among the most powerful beings in the universe, and John sits even higher when it comes to power.

Nothing. We can all agree that if John was a failed character the Justice League and DC would have taken him off the series. We all know there are enough Lanterns to have a revolving cast. John was done beautifully, from his intro, to his power and his relationship with the ring, although I notice some inconsistencies, but I am sure it was done for the greater good of the show. His brotherly relationship with the Flash and everyone had to love that at least DC did so much so DC spent so much time trying to sell Hal and Barry for the Flash Green Lantern movie, when Hal brotherly relationship was with Green Arrow. John and Wally was envious and in DC's effort to erase John and his Marine straight-laced attitude, which they captured very well, paired with Flash's (Wally West) simple 20 year old, who needs a plan, we will always win, so why practice instead let's grab a burger or ten on the way to the fight attitude. The pairing of Hal and Barry is a complete copy of what John and Wally did and the popularity of it. And the highest rise for John was with Shayera, wow what two beautiful characters can do. No romance in Superhero space was as hot, it was flirty, it was steamy, it was open, yet closed, again it was steamy but not sloppy or soppy. Basically it was Batman-esque. But it was no soppy and that is what made it. Even with the arrival of Vixen you were always hoping for John and Shayera to get back together which they do, thanks to a kid named War Hawk (kinda obvious don't you think). That's the power of love.

I would have been ok with Hal being replaced by John in the Green Lantern movie. For the Justice League movie I feel Hal should not be replaced, but John should be included. I feel strongly that based on characters themselves. John not only should be in the movie, but John should be the first of the two Green Lanterns to join the Justice League as John is more of a team player. Hal is a little different, based on the character Hal Jordan, and what he does as a test Pilot. For starters Hal is a Officer in the United States Air Force, Officers give orders they are not to kind at receiving them, that would be a problem Hal would have to over come with Batman and J'onn J'ozz telling him what to do. Hal likes to deviate a bit. When you only answer to you that is ok, when you perform as a team it might be a little different. John is a former enlisted guy, which means long before he was giving orders he was following them which makes him ideal for joining the team. As much as Batman knows two Green Lanterns would make the Justice League twice as powerful, attitude make a team; they can also divide a team. Hal knows this as well, and until he is ready the best he can do is help out on occasion. I would not want Hal to be replaced, I would rather John be added. To me by adding John you start to give birth to the Green Lanterns of Earth. As it begins the process of the Green lantern franchise so when the movie comes along far less time will be required in telling us who John and Hal are and we can focus on other things like Kyle, Guy and the rest of the Green lanterns Kilowog, Katma, and some we do not even know...