shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Mar 13, 2016 19:56:24 GMT -5
 I'm surprised by how little mention John Stewart gets around here. I've always liked and respected the character, especially for the righteous edge he had when he first appeared in the 1970s, unapologetically mad at the establishment for all the injustice it had turned a blind eye to. But it was only in talking with fellow fans while working Neal Adams' table at Wizard World Cleveland that I realized just how much of a first the character was. While not the first African American superhero by a long-shot, he was the first mainstream African American hero to be college educated, gainfully employed, and generally a POSITIVE righteously indignant black role-model. I wonder how many folks realize that. (For what it's worth, Lion-Man, was the very first college educated Black Superhero in the pages of All-Negro Comics #1, but that book had exceptionally low distribution) I also wonder if it's been long enough now that kids who grew up with Justice League Unlimited and, thus, knew John Stewart as being the Green Lantern, are adults frequenting this community yet. |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Mar 13, 2016 19:59:45 GMT -5
And, before someone else makes the joke:  As Neal Adams explained in response to a fan asking him if he'd created John Stewart, "Yes, and I also created Stephen Colbert." |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Mar 13, 2016 21:51:34 GMT -5
I like the old John Stewart alot, but not the current one. I like him as an anti-establishment architect... not a ex-jarhead whose only role seems to be as the token black guy.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Mar 13, 2016 21:54:57 GMT -5
I like the old John Stewart alot, but not the current one. I like him as an anti-establishment architect... not a ex-jarhead whose only role seems to be as the token black guy. I'm more familiar with the former and not the latter, but I certainly hope modern day John Stewart isn't just a token. |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Mar 13, 2016 21:56:58 GMT -5
He sure feels like it to me.. even when he's in a leadership role, he never truly seems to be in the spotlight. Of course, I'm not the best judge, since I haven't really enjoyed Green Lantern since friggin' Geoff Johns brought Hal back and did the rainbow nonsense.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Mar 13, 2016 22:00:06 GMT -5
He sure feels like it to me.. even when he's in a leadership role, he never truly seems to be in the spotlight. Of course, I'm not the best judge, since I haven't really enjoyed Green Lantern since friggin' Geoff Johns brought Hal back and did the rainbow nonsense. I've always meant to read the 1980s GL run where John was the main character. It was the run that was on shelves when I was a kid and, while the second comic I ever bought was from that run, I lost it years ago and was too young as a 5 year old to understand it. This was the second comic book I ever bought:  |
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Post by batlaw on Mar 13, 2016 22:37:39 GMT -5
I never much cared for Stewart in the comics. He always seemed weaker and less confident. Especially after cosmic odyssey where he just second guessed himself to death. Wasn't until the justice league cartoon where they really breathed life into him and totally started really liking him there and in the books. Now though I can't read him for the same reasons I can't really read any dc, his character and stories are just vessels to force feed social justice propaganda. There's more to John Stewart than his race. The fact he's black is the least interesting thing about him and hardly what draws me to him or would turn me away.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2016 3:07:06 GMT -5
I'm a fan of John Stewart in the Justice League Unlimited Cartoon Series and he seems to be more level headed and possess a leadership style that's authoritative and practical (probably not the right word here). It's one of many reasons that I liked him in this animated cartoon series that I missed so much!  |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Mar 14, 2016 7:22:34 GMT -5
Anyone else notice that, for Justice League Unlimited, his look seemed to change to match that of Commander Sisko's change in appearance in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine?  Even John's JLU costume bears a similarity to the DS9 jumpsuit, only green. |
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Mar 14, 2016 7:58:12 GMT -5
Anyone else notice that, for Justice League Unlimited, his look seemed to change to match that of Commander Sisko's change in appearance in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine? Even John's JLU costume bears a similarity to the DS9 jumpsuit, only green. That's funny because when John got his own title in Green Lantern : Mosaic, I thought "hey, they're making him Benjamin Sisko"! Not that Sisko is a bad model. Great captain. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2016 8:26:01 GMT -5
Anyone else notice that, for Justice League Unlimited, his look seemed to change to match that of Commander Sisko's change in appearance in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine? Even John's JLU costume bears a similarity to the DS9 jumpsuit, only green. He would make an awesome John Stewart Green Lantern ...  |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2016 8:26:24 GMT -5
My wife's first exposure to most of the DC characters was through the animated Justice League, and for her John Stewart is Green Lantern. She knows of my love for Hal, though she doesn't get it. And she's really hoping that when they introduce a GL in the Justice League movie, it's John. (And considering how the GL movie turned out, a totally new version of the character might be a good idea.)
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Mar 14, 2016 8:29:38 GMT -5
My wife's first exposure to most of the DC characters was through the animated Justice League, and for her John Stewart is Green Lantern. She knows of my love for Hal, though she doesn't get it. And she's really hoping that when they introduce a GL in the Justice League movie, it's John. (And considering how the GL movie turned out, a totally new version of the character might be a good idea.) What frustrates me so much about the Green Lantern mantle is that I love EVERY character to have ever answered to that name in completely different ways. Hal, John, and Kyle, in particular, are each completely distinct from one another and each immensely awesome characters. But you've still got to give credit to Alan and Guy, and I could totally get behind Kilowog representing the GLs on the Justice League. |
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Post by sabongero on Mar 14, 2016 13:48:22 GMT -5
I am only familiar with John Stewart from the Justice League/Justice League Unlimited Animated series from the Cartoon Network. Reading up on it online, they said that John Stewart's character is that series was a combination including some of Hal Jordan's characteristics. As for the comic books, I am only familiar with the John Stewart of Geoff Johns' GLC Recharge and the ongoing title leading up to the Sinestro Corps. Unlike the JS of the animated series, the JS in the comic books is not considered the primary earth-born GL. However, I did like that when he utilized his power ring, his ring constructs were that of an architect-style design, and is different than the other three Earth GLC members.
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Post by tingramretro on Mar 14, 2016 14:01:04 GMT -5
I'm surprised by how little mention John Stewart gets around here. I've always liked and respected the character, especially for the righteous edge he had when he first appeared in the 1970s, unapologetically mad at the establishment for all the injustice it had turned a blind eye to. But it was only in talking with fellow fans while working Neal Adams' table at Wizard World Cleveland that I realized just how much of a first the character was. While not the first African American superhero by a long-shot, he was the first mainstream African American hero to be college educated, gainfully employed, and generally a POSITIVE righteously indignant black role-model. I wonder how many folks realize that. (For what it's worth, Lion-Man, was the very first college educated Black Superhero in the pages of All-Negro Comics #1, but that book had exceptionally low distribution) I also wonder if it's been long enough now that kids who grew up with Justice League Unlimited and, thus, knew John Stewart as being the Green Lantern, are adults frequenting this community yet. Surely Marvel's Black Goliath would technically predate him? Admittedly he didn't appear as a costumed hero until 1975, but as scientist Bill Foster he'd already been around since 1966. |
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