Something Different... Earth Lanterns circa 2600

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

So... does anybody here actually read the Justice League?

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A few weeks back I'd found an article somewhere online about how a story in the JL title was changing history, or rather adding to it. When I found out how the Lanterns were handled I had to read the story. I thought the new spin on Lantern Corps policing individual planets was pretty slick. Other nice bits in the story Timeless included a young Brainiac 5 in the 31st century giving Cyborg his 'flight bracelet' that only fits around two of Cyborg's fingers, Aquaman fighting alongside ancient dry Atlantians before the city was sunk, as well as Wonder Woman being present for the birth of the Greek Gods.

But back to those Lanterns...

At first glance, the artist didn't put Lantern symbols in the giant chest circles and it looked more like energy similar to what Alpha Lanterns were drawn like at times. The story of this Corps revolves around the Earth getting quarantined so that 'it's darkness cannot spread throughout space'. More on that later. The backstory then continues with 'One Lantern chose to stay, but even he couldn't save us from the darkness...' and the Lantern shown looks similar to Hal Jordan. The people and aliens already living on Earth were victims of war with power beyond measure. Until they harnessed the green light. Then the people built a battery of their own. Presumably, this became a popular thing in the future with the 'first of it's kind...' line. And to be honest, for a concept in stories set in the future... it isn't half bad.

Now about that darkness... aka the Power Plagues. Which from what I understand of the story [or how I interpreted it] forces like the magics of Atlantis and the Amazons, the Speed Force, and future technology has wrecked the planet. Now in the story, I *think* it was the then enemy of the JL... the Timeless. However, if you still go on the whole Power Plagues and set up the enemies of the Earth Corps... you could have enemies with Flash type powers and abilities, rogue Amazons, scorned Atlantians... hell maybe the Amazons go to war with Atlantis Flashpoint style and THAT'S how part of the world goes to hell. And future/advanced technology has polluted the time stream for years with villains like Chronos, the Lord of Time, etc. and heroes like Booster Gold.

This concept was born in the pages of the Justice League post Rebirth with issue #16. Aside from Baz and Cruz being the ones interacting with this future Corps, I'd highly recommend the arc. The first issue of the follow up arc just hit stand a week or two back. The story was pretty solid but it kinda left me wanting more after Superman and Batman basically took over. There's also this group of time travelers who helped the League defeat Rao... IDK what to make of them yet.

And yes... there are constructs.

What do you guys think... would an alternate future more like this one appeal more to you than another spin on the Legion of Superheroes?

~//V\\~

[Star-Lantern Weaponer of Qward Find all posts View Profile Close Star-Lantern]

The only aspect I have a comment on right now is that the idea of a single member of the Lantern Corps patrolling only one planet is actually not bad. The reason I say this is because after decades and decades and decades, no one has really made very worthwhile use of Sector 2814. The best use of it was probably when Hal Jordan was living on that asteroid in the early '80s.

When a Green Lantern is patrolling 2814, that has basically been another way of saying they're on Earth, because that is where all (or practically all) their adventures take place. This has made it to where the stories don't make a lot of sense without the reader filling in A LOT of blanks for themselves, because we have to wonder why the Lantern is giving so much attention to this one planet when they supposedly have many to oversee.

If the Green Lantern is supposed to patrol Sector 2814, then just make them do that, writers, but if they're primarily going to be limited to Earth (as they usually are when in Sector 2814), then make it so Earth is what they're solely charged with protecting. The story would flow better and make more sense. You can still keep the Corps and whole cosmic connection.

These are the types of things I would think about if I was coming up with the concept. If the character has an entire space sector to patrol, I would either show them doing that, or there would have to be a really good reason why most of their adventures take place on Earth. A reason that is better than, "Well... ya' know... our readers can easily relate and empathize with Earth and its problems, and it's where practically everything in our superhero universe takes place." That's a "real world" reason, sure, but it doesn't work for the narrative.

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

I've been reading it. I liked the twist on GLC, but I honestly never cared for the LoSh, so There isn't really a spin that's gonna hook me at this point.

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

It's different. I like the idea of having GL's based on a planet, and wouldn't mind seeing the sector partner idea expanded. Perhaps once they get past this idea that the GLC is always in a state of dying on the vine and running out of members like the Night's Watch, they could try another expansion? Like all sectors have at least two GLs, but the number goes up depending on how busy the sector is? Some have 4, 7, or even 12 GLs? And they could have an apprentice program, where after Killowog is done training them in boot camp, a GL goes off to be paired with a veteran GL for extended training?

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

...If the Green Lantern is supposed to patrol Sector 2814, then just make them do that, writers, but if they're primarily going to be limited to Earth (as they usually are when in Sector 2814), then make it so Earth is what they're solely charged with protecting. The story would flow better and make more sense. You can still keep the Corps and whole cosmic connection. ...These are the types of things I would think about if I was coming up with the concept. . .

They definitely overdid it in the silver and bronze age and this explanation won't completely answer that, but my take on it is that Hal's only definite duties as GL of 2814 were (1) to keep the peace on an interstellar level and (2) to answer any and all missions actually given by the Guardians.

But other than that, he did not have to split his time equally. He was free to base himself at home (Earth, even Coast City) and keep the peace on a local level until his duties conflicted with that. At that point, it would be wrong for him to say investigate a bank robbery while letting planet Flipple Dibble blow up.

That seems to fit with other GLs who also seemed to have homes and spent their time more there.

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

They definitely overdid it in the silver and bronze age and this explanation won't completely answer that, but my take on it is that Hal's only definite duties as GL of 2814 were (1) to keep the peace on an interstellar level and (2) to answer any and all missions actually given by the Guardians.

But other than that, he did not have to split his time equally. He was free to base himself at home (Earth, even Coast City) and keep the peace on a local level until his duties conflicted with that. At that point, it would be wrong for him to say investigate a bank robbery while letting planet Flipple Dibble blow up.

That seems to fit with other GLs who also seemed to have homes and spent their time more there.

Of course, having wise, competent, non-evil Guardians is an important piece of THIS puzzle, because it assumes that somebody with a wider knowledge than the GL of what's going on in the universe at large, and how to deal with it, is on the job, and able to give those assignments. Otherwise the GL has little CHOICE but to actively patrol the whole sector, because they wouldn't have any other way of knowing when they were needed somewhere other than at home.

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

Agreed. I was only addressing the old stuff really. Doesn't seem to matter now. They're all on Mogo and just answering specific threats to the corps.

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

Agreed. I was only addressing the old stuff really. Doesn't seem to matter now. They're all on Mogo and just answering specific threats to the corps.

For the record, I liked it better the old way...

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

So.... WOULD any of you try a book with something like this GLC of Earth fighting villains with powers from the Speed Force, Amazons, and Atlantians, as well as people with future tech?

I'd personally like to see more of this. And it's set five hundred years in the future so it wouldn't effect anything in the modern day. They just need to give us a core group, lay out the situation for the rest of the planet like what's been blown to shit and where people are mostly living, etc. Can you imagine a group of supervillain Flashes beating a few GL's to death?!? Or a war between Atlantis and the Amazons that ACTUALLY devastates half the planet?

~//V\\~

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

For the record, I liked it better the old way...

The old silver-age way of GL duty was much simpler, but it was also a product of its time. The changes that were made were necessary, even if I wasn't always a fan of it myself (GL's goals are all over the place for example). Still I liked the changed regardless.

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

Should I go back and resave those images? It looks like the convo strayed from the GLC of the year 2600...

~//V\\~