Green Lanterns and Hal Jordan & The Green Lantern Corps Announced

[Ωmega Man Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Ωmega Man]

I just read that article over at Bleeding Cool a few minutes ago. I wish EVS' enthusiasm for his new GL title would translate into better writing. We all know the art will drastically improve.

I've always felt like his characters look too stiff. Making the Lanterns' badges and rings spit out multiple floating symbols to fill up panels is annoying as well, and if you've seen EVS draw the GL symbol in one Lantern's eyes you've seen him do it at least a half dozen times.

And saying he and Geoff left GL is a bit of an exaggeration. Geoff didn't leave until after a good deal of the new52 series had happened and EVS still did the occasional cover and standalone issue. Hell, EVS even did an issue of renegade Hal!

Retreading the same ground as the last ten years with two new Earth Lanterns and separating the more classic characters and setting isn't going to get them their fans back. Telling new stories, with new characters, in a balanced setting... THAT needs to be priority for the mainstream Lantern title. And for once, could the sector partner of an Earth Lantern be an alien? Just once? If not that, putting the two most popular Lanterns together as sector partners, the two who carried the title the longest [Hal and Kyle] should be a no brainer. I'd love to hear EVS and Geoff's thoughts on why that hasn't happened. All those fans they've lost? They could've got a ton of them back with that pair of GL's.

~M~

[Trey Strain Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Trey Strain]

I've always felt like his characters look too stiff. Making the Lanterns' badges and rings spit out multiple floating symbols to fill up panels is annoying as well, and if you've seen EVS draw the GL symbol in one Lantern's eyes you've seen him do it at least a half dozen times.

And saying he and Geoff left GL is a bit of an exaggeration. Geoff didn't leave until after a good deal of the new52 series had happened and EVS still did the occasional cover and standalone issue. Hell, EVS even did an issue of renegade Hal!

Retreading the same ground as the last ten years with two new Earth Lanterns and separating the more classic characters and setting isn't going to get them their fans back. Telling new stories, with new characters, in a balanced setting... THAT needs to be priority for the mainstream Lantern title. And for once, could the sector partner of an Earth Lantern be an alien? Just once? If not that, putting the two most popular Lanterns tog
ether as sector partners, the two who carried the title the longest [Hal and Kyle] should be a no brainer. I'd love to hear EVS and Geoff's thoughts on why that hasn't happened. All those fans they've lost? They could've got a ton of them back with that pair of GL's.

~M~

You've got how many Earth Lanterns now, and you want to give Earth duty to an alien? What problem does that solve?

[Ωmega Man Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Ωmega Man]

Gets back to the roots of GL, and I never said "Earth duty", I said sector partner. A human thrown into an intergalactic peacekeeping force seems more intergalactic when your partner isn't just another human. As I said though, if that's not an option Hal and Kyle in the same title as partners is something we haven't seen yet and should be considered an option.

Both of those make a hell of a lot more sense than removing constructs which you've mentioned, or putting Baz and Cruz together in a title which is apparently the best idea TPTB have. I think it's insulting too to put them both in the League. I hate that GL is falling to the PC comic era and suffering for it. Let the new Blue Beetle be female instead of giving Reyes a third shot (it's apparent he'll never be that popular), and instead of giving Aquaman and the Flash black sidekicks up the status of an established black hero like Steel or Black Lihtning.

DC needs a lot of work. They're capable of so much more than what we're seeing.

~M~

[EmeraldGladiator Manhunter Repairman Find all posts View Profile Close EmeraldGladiator]

Amen to that

or putting Baz and Cruz together in a title which is apparently the best idea TPTB have. I think it's insulting too to put them both in the League. I hate that GL is falling to the PC comic era and suffering for it. Let the new Blue Beetle be female instead of giving Reyes a third shot (it's apparent he'll never be that popular), and instead of giving Aquaman and the Flash black sidekicks up the status of an established black hero like Steel or Black Lihtning.

DC needs a lot of work. They're capable of so much more than what we're seeing.

~M~

amen, what I hate is, when DC needs a quick fix for it's diversity problem, it always runs to the GL corner first (Alan Scott, Baz, Cruz). If this forced diversity was such a windfall, then the GL franchise would be flourishing but it is not. The changing of Alan, nor the creation of Cruz or Baz has done anything that I can see for sustained fan interest, or sales (Earth 2, Justice League of America). DC has very well fleshed out minority characters that could work. John's Mosaic run is one of the best runs on any green lantern character ever, Mr. Terrific during Geoff's run on JSA has to be one of this eras best creations (however badly he was handled during new 52 launch), Vixen even.

I am not saying Cruz and Baz can't work but flesh them out before giving them a book. It seemed like decades before Wolverine got a solo title despite being uber popular in Uncanny X-Men. It might seem like I am hating on Green Lanterns but really that isn't it. What makes me mad is there are many different Green Lantern related titles that would sit atop my pull list but Green Lanterns doesn't (for me at least) have what it takes in the competitive crowded field for my comic buying dollars. I was buying 3 Lantern related monthlies (GL, Sinestro, and GLC title) and could have bought more of the right type but sadly Rebirth is only offering me one Lantern book whose concept interests me at all (until hopefully a JSA book with 'my' Alan Scott out).

[Ωmega Man Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Ωmega Man]

Its also annoying Kyle is only good for being part Spanish now as well, despite never knowing his father and being raised by his Irish mother. One page of one comic eluded to his father being Spanish, we never saw his dad again after that. Kyle was just another white guy with dark hair like Clark Kent or Bruce Wayne.

~M~

[Mister Ed Horse of a Different Color Find all posts View Profile Close Mister Ed]

One page of one comic alluded to his father being Spanish, we never saw his dad again after that.

Did you miss the comic where he went and found his dad?

[Trey Strain Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Trey Strain]

amen, what I hate is, when DC needs a quick fix for it's diversity problem, it always runs to the GL corner first (Alan Scott, Baz, Cruz). If this forced diversity was such a windfall, then the GL franchise would be flourishing but it is not. The changing of Alan, nor the creation of Cruz or Baz has done anything that I can see for sustained fan interest, or sales (Earth 2, Justice League of America). DC has very well fleshed out minority characters that could work. John's Mosaic run is one of the best runs on any green lantern character ever, Mr. Terrific during Geoff's run on JSA has to be one of this eras best creations (however badly he was handled during new 52 launch), Vixen even.

This is exactly right. Green Lantern is always the proving grounds for it. Even if it means taking a character who's been straight for 75 years and making him gay. And even if there are already too many Earth Lanterns.

This can be done someplace else. It doesn't always have to happen in Green Lantern.

[Hypo Lil' Leaguer Find all posts View Profile Close Hypo]

amen, what I hate is, when DC needs a quick fix for it's diversity problem, it always runs to the GL corner first (Alan Scott, Baz, Cruz).

Black Helena Bertinelli, new female bat-sidekick Harper Row, new black bat-sidekick Duke Thomas, bisexual Selina Kyle and bisexual (lesbian?) Eiko Hasigawa (Catwoman) all say hi.

It seemed like decades before Wolverine got a solo title despite being uber popular in Uncanny X-Men.

Why are we citing an example from the 80s for how these things should be done?? Staying with Marvel for more recent examples:

• They gave Silk her own ongoing 8 months after her first appearance
• They gave Spider-Gwen her own ongoing 3 months after her first appearance.
• They're giving Gwenpool her own ongoing 10 months her first appearance on a variant cover.

I was buying 3 Lantern related monthlies (GL, Sinestro, and GLC title)

Neither Sinestro nor Green Lantern Corps: Edge of Oblivion are top 100 books. They're not selling so they're going in a different direction.

[Hypo Lil' Leaguer Find all posts View Profile Close Hypo]

Video: WonderCon 2016: Sam Humphries Talks GREEN LANTERNS
Video: WonderCon 2016: Robert Venditti Talks HAL JORDAN & THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS

[Mister.Weirdo Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Mister.Weirdo]

No, no it really doesn't...

That's probably putting it lightly, lol.

Honestly, I just think DC doesn't know what to do with GL at this point. For that matter, they don't seem to know what to do with most of their characters not named Batman, unfortunately.

[EmeraldGladiator Manhunter Repairman Find all posts View Profile Close EmeraldGladiator]

Black Helena Bertinelli, new female bat-sidekick Harper Row, new black bat-sidekick Duke Thomas, bisexual Selina Kyle and bisexual (lesbian?) Eiko Hasigawa (Catwoman) all say hi.

Neither Sinestro nor Green Lantern Corps: Edge of Oblivion are top 100 books. They're not selling so they're going in a different direction.

When you have as many books as the bat related titles, you can have more room to experiment, however per capita ( characters) I maintain more of this diversification has happened to GL related characters than any other corner of the DCU.
As for the new direction, You might be right but trying something new that a 'seeming' majority either dislikes or feels ambivalent about, in efforts to draw in new readers that may or may not care for the new direction. We will see, I think the GL franchises problem is writing, not lack of characters.

[Ωmega Man Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Ωmega Man]

Did you miss the comic where he went and found his dad?

That's the one I'm talking about. On the page his dad claims his last name is Vasquez, they have a slight heart to heart, then we never see or hear from Aaron Rayner [his 'real' name up to this point] again. Kyle's father and his heritage NEVER influenced the person Kyle was, and now it's like the writers completely forget he was raised by a single Irish mother for the most of his life and have him speaking prayers in fluent Spanish. Let some writer try to randomly make Batman Jewish and watch shit hit the fan...

Black Helena Bertinelli, new female bat-sidekick Harper Row, new black bat-sidekick Duke Thomas, bisexual Selina Kyle and bisexual (lesbian?) Eiko Hasigawa (Catwoman) all say hi.

You realize half those fall under the territory I mentioned earlier where every hero was getting a black sidekick? Black Helena is playing sidekick/supporting character to Agent Grayson, Harper Row seemed to be trying to fill Nightwing's boots, Duke is becoming a Robin character since everybody else already had black sidekicks [Aqualad and the current iteration of Wally West] really at this point in the JL... Wonder Woman is the only one without a mainstream black counterpart.

DC has had John Stewart for DECADES yet he hasn't got a fair shot since MOSAIC. Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz get their own title together PLUS League status... together for some reason. You mean to tell me they make Kyle this Spanish version of himself and already have John Stewart, both with decent sized fanbases of their own... and the GLC needs MORE diversity? It needs a hard reboot at this point. DC needs to get a few more established ethnic heroes good creative teams in their own titles rather than shoehorn them into franchises as sidekicks. Steel, Black Lightning, Amazing Man, Vixen, Fire & Ice [Brazilian and Norwegian], Longshadow [the modern Apache Chief], etc. could all use some love a little more than Superman or Aquaman need a black sidekick or understudy.

I'm surprised nobody has called out DC on all the black sidekicks but no headliners. Static had a half hearted attempt at a series that was canned really early in the New52, Mr. Terrific I think lasted a little longer but was canned even after being tied to Earth 2, and Reyes Blue Beetle was tried again and ultimately failed [again]. A whole three titles out of fifty-two. Now... we just have Cyborg. And more Green Lanterns than we need.

~M~

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

I'm all for diversity in comic book characters...until MY pet characters start getting sidelined. Then all bets are off.

If you want to add minority characters to reach out to new readers (or simply to make sure your liberal credentials are in good order), do it the RIGHT way; add a character to a team roster like Avengers did with Triathalon where the roster has members going in and out anyway. Or add a spin off character to the Bat family like Batwing where the line can sustain umpteen million books. Take an old D list name that hasn't been used in years and put someone in the costume like Mr Terrific.

But for the love of God...DON'T take a franchise like Green Lantern, that ALREADY has FIVE human characters that are all beloved by fans of the franchise...and add TWO more to be diverse. The GL franchise is at the point where two titles is about what it can sustain, and you give ONE of them to two newbie minority characters? While Hal, John, Guy and Kyle all have to fight for panel space in the other? THAT'S bullshit. All four of those characters are good enough to star in their own titles. All DC has to do is NOT make them suck. But instead fans of those characters are forced to see them all mashed together with the rest of the GLC like so much window dressing. I don't need diversity that badly, thank you very much.

I hope the title with Baz and Cruz is terrible and fans reject it and it gets a fast death quicker than a Giffen title. It would serve DC right, even if they refuse to learn anything from it.

[EmeraldGladiator Manhunter Repairman Find all posts View Profile Close EmeraldGladiator]

I'm all for diversity in comic book characters...until MY pet characters start getting sidelined. Then all bets are off.

If you want to add minority characters to reach out to new readers (or simply to make sure your liberal credentials are in good order), do it the RIGHT way; add a character to a team roster like Avengers did with Triathalon where the roster has members going in and out anyway. Or add a spin off character to the Bat family like Batwing where the line can sustain umpteen million books. Take an old D list name that hasn't been used in years and put someone in the costume like Mr Terrific.

But for the love of God...DON'T take a franchise like Green Lantern, that ALREADY has FIVE human characters that are all beloved by fans of the franchise...and add TWO more to be diverse. The GL franchise is at the point where two titles is about what it can sustain, and you give ONE of them to two newbie minority characters? While Hal, John, Guy and Kyle all have to fight for panel space in the other? THAT'S bullshit. All four of those characters are good enough to star in their own titles. All DC has to do is NOT make them suck. But instead fans of those characters are forced to see them all mashed together with the rest of the GLC like so much window dressing. I don't need diversity that badly, thank you very much.

I hope the title with Baz and Cruz is terrible and fans reject it and it gets a fast death quicker than a Giffen title. It would serve DC right, even if they refuse to learn anything from it.

This^^^post is exhibit A of DC being out of touch with it's fan base. A relaunch should generate excitement, with a little bit of trepidation. The announcements at least where Green Lantern is concerned is generating largely disdain. Sadly I share BDDT's feelings about this, even though the corps have always been near and dear to my heart. The concept and direction of Green Lanterns, Green Lantern membership in Justice League and retaining of Venditti are like 3 strikes.

[Trey Strain Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Trey Strain]

I'm all for diversity in comic book characters...until MY pet characters start getting sidelined. Then all bets are off.

If you want to add minority characters to reach out to new readers (or simply to make sure your liberal credentials are in good order), do it the RIGHT way; add a character to a team roster like Avengers did with Triathalon where the roster has members going in and out anyway. Or add a spin off character to the Bat family like Batwing where the line can sustain umpteen million books. Take an old D list name that hasn't been used in years and put someone in the costume like Mr Terrific.

But for the love of God...DON'T take a franchise like Green Lantern, that ALREADY has FIVE human characters that are all beloved by fans of the franchise...and add TWO more to be diverse. The GL franchise is at the point where two titles is about what it can sustain, and you give ONE of them to two newbie minority characters? While Hal, John, Guy and Kyle all have to fight for panel space in the other? THAT'S bullshit. All four of those characters are good enough to star in their own titles. All DC has to do is NOT make them suck. But instead fans of those characters are forced to see them all mashed together with the rest of the GLC like so much window dressing. I don't need diversity that badly, thank you very much.

I hope the title with Baz and Cruz is terrible and fans reject it and it gets a fast death quicker than a Giffen title. It would serve DC right, even if they refuse to learn anything from it.

Seconded.

And it would help Guy, John and Kyle if DC didn't keep reminding everyone that Hal (and Sinestro!) are "greater" than they are. You can't state that character A is inferior to character B and then expect character A to sell a comic. That just won't happen.