I know. I know. You hate me already, but hear me out. Below you’ll find 5 unquestionably valid reasons why Green Lantern John Stewart should be killed. We’re not going to mention former incoming writer GLC writer Joshua Hale Fialkov’s leave and the rumors surrounding it. I’m just going to “randomly” give you reasons that I truly believe that this character should be killed off.
5. John Stewart isn’t being used anyway
Its one thing to kill off a Robin that has had 6 years of great stories surrounding him and countless fans trumpeting every line of dialogue he has. Its quite another thing to have a character that has been around since the early 70s, and yet to have no “classics” under his belt. Hell, you would be hard pressed to find 5 truly great John Stewart moments. Geoff Johns clearly loved Hal Jordan more than John, and that’s fine, but in 8 years of comics, he’s had a minimal role at best. Even when Tony Bedard shined a spotlight on John during his first arc on Green Lantern Corps, it turned into a Boodikka story. Pete Tomasi, with his love of big casts, had John on trial and that still ended up being a Guy Gardner story. No one wants to play with John Stewart.
4. John Stewart has no personal life
You kill off Batman, you affect an entire city. You kill off Hal Jordan, you’re hurting Carol, Kalmaku, Guy, and even Sinestro. You think Ice won’t be crushed if Guy Gardner bites the big one? John Stewart’s death may get sympathy from the other 3 Earth Lanterns(excluding the fresh Simon Baz who as of this article has not met John Stewart) but who else would care? Maybe MAYBE Fatality will shed a tear, but that’s a stretch even for a Star Sapphire. John’s personal life started and ended with Katma Tui. She’s long gone and wasn’t even hinted at when the First Lantern trifled through his history. I know what you’re thinking. “But the fans would care!” Maybe you would, but chances are you would care for all the wrong reasons. Not because John Stewart has been such a great character in recent years but because he’s black or you don’t like the idea of DC killing off characters.
3. This isn’t Justice League Unlimited
Even though his constructs were really basic, Green Lantern John Stewart was a pretty good character on Justice League Unlimited. Unfortunately for John, he hasn’t been giving that shining spotlight that he had as the only(for the most part) Green Lantern around. His relationship with Hawkgirl was a rollercoaster of fun and drama, and it was just plain good. He has none of that in comics. Maybe that would have changed with Joshua Hale Fialkov taking over Green Lantern Corps. Maybe it will still change with Van Jensen taking over. But the reality is, despite being the most recognizable black character in the DC Comics stable(maybe tied with Static Shock), he has nothing that the cartoon built for him but a military background. A background which is often serves as the only bit of characterization the guy gets. Sorry John, but Bruce Timm can’t save you. He can’t even save his own show.
2. Simon Baz
Ignore the racial factor. I know its there and you know its there but we’re going to ignore it like a python in a rabbit cage. Just ignore it and hope it slithers away. Essentially, Simon Baz is Geoff Johns’ last ditch effort to put a big giant Geoff Johns signature stamp on the Green Lantern franchise. What better way to do that than create your own Earth lantern? Oh I know, put that new guy smack dab in the middle of a Green Lantern event. Oh even better, put that new guy(with about 4 issues total to his name) in the new Justice League of America series. You know that book that turned out to sell better than any other DC comic since 1996? Yeah, that one. Simon Baz has the spotlight that John Stewart yearns for. Sure, its not a Green Lantern: Mosaic but its certainly got a lot of profile. Kyle Rayner fans have been scared of the character’s death since Hal Jordan’s return. When Green Lantern: New Guardians launched, they all took a big sigh of relief. When Simon Baz appeared, they all wet their pants. But its not the Kyle fans that should worry. He’s made his mark. He’s impacted the DCU. You can’t tell a Donna Troy recap without mentioning Kyle. You can’t bring up Alan Scott without mentioning his daughter, Kyle’s ex-girlfriend Jade. And while both those women are no longer around, Kyle’s made his mark beyond them. Ask Gail Simone. And if you think Simon Baz is going anywhere after selling that many copies and being created by the CCO of DC Entertainment, then you my friend are in the market for a bridge in San Francisco.
1. John Stewart is a MURDERER
John Stewart has murdered. That alone is a big deal. Maybe less so now that “lethal force” has been active since the Sinestro Corps War, but it should still be the last resort move of the lanterns. John Stewart isn’t that kinda guy. He’s the murderous kind. Even worse, he’s the friendly fire kind of murderer. He’s out there killing his own people! Xanshi, the home planet of Fatality, was destroyed by John. Sure he was sorry for it. Really really sorry, but he got over that. He’s gone on to kill another planet, Mogo which is even worse because this one was ALIVE. He’s also snapped the neck of a fellow lantern because he was about to tell Oa’s secrets. He snapped the man’s neck because the man couldn’t stand the torture. The man was already dying John, if you didn’t think he could have survived, you could have just punch him unconscious. Or wait until the bad guys killed him anyway. Why would you just snap his neck? Because John’s not that nice. Don’t worry though, he doesn’t stop killing there. Oh no, he goes on to kill some Alpha Lanterns because they are trying to stop him from escaping…AFTER he’s broken out of custody and destroyed a good 3 blocks of Oa. John Stewart isn’t even sorry about that.He’s not a good guy. Did I say that already? He’s pretty much deserving of death at this point. Just don’t have Guy Gardner anywhere near the trial or it’ll end up with more deaths.
There are fewer reasons that John should live, and those are probably a lot more likely to get you upset. Am I suggesting that DC kill Green Lantern John Stewart? That depends. Would you miss him?
your last point is way off
Let me point out your hypocrisy for anyone who might happen across your article:
You claim that John Stewart should be killed because he doesn’t have much of a history. Question, my friend: How can John Stewart develop a history if you advocate killing him?
You also claim that he should go because he has no personal life and that no one has done much with him. You do realize most writers are old and white, right? That they might not be as comfortable writing about experiences with which they are less familiar? That it kinda might be like trying to write a book on Japanese culture based on video tapes and anime? This is not John Stewart’s fault and the solution isn’t to eliminate minority characters and replace them with white ones just because they are easier for white writers to write. The solution is to get younger writers and/or minority writers who are in touch with the multicultural world that exists today. People like that would know how to write John Stewart and people who know how to ‘write’ him would be more inclined to ‘use’ him. See how that works? Here, I’ll give you an example — the JL/JLU animated series. Being astute as you are, you realized that the John Stewart of animated series is not like the one of the comic books. He’s more interesting, isn’t he? Well, that’s what John Stewart would be like if written by people who understand how to write a character like him. That’s the difference!
I cannot believe you mentioned Simon Baz. I mean, you’ve already dug yourself a deep hole but you just keep on digging! Simon Baz is NOT a character, but a tool that DC tried to use to deflect accusations of racism as they attempted to murder one of their oldest, most popular, most visible minority superheroes. DC was so mindful and considerate of the Arab culture that they decided to celebrate the first Arab-American Green Lantern with a picture of him in what looks like a balaclava with a tattoo on the arm and a pistol in hand. Yeah, that’ll go over real well with readers. Yeah, that’s the guy you want to market tv shows and toys with. Your final point is so ridiculous it’s barely worth a response. John Stewart is bad because he’s an ‘accidental’ murderer… but a wish-fulfillment gallivanting pedophile is much better. I kid but not really.
What is wrong with you? Are you really that out of touch? My God, man! Think before you write, please!
Signed,
Your friend
This post is nonsense.
What “Your Friend” said.
And hopefully, as the round of DC Movies comes out I am expecting a Green Lantern reboot AND Hal, Guy, Kyle AND John Stewart inclusion.
He is a Sex Object. John Stewart represents the trend of women loving and desiring the Black Man. In unlimted John Stewart was an attraction too at least 3 different women. A luxury given to no other hero or villain. Warhawk is the product of John and Hawkgirl. This further represents the skewed relationships in today’s society where although John knows he has to be with Hawkgirl he wants to be with Vixien and still have the child with Hawkgirl. Anyone else know of a black man with a wife and a girlfriend at the same time? Finally the concept represents that women want the BBC and don’t care how many women the Black Man has. Don’t believe me? Open your eyes and look around at society.
all the comments that theyre racist they really aren’t static shock for one is interesting and has time devoted to him. John Stewart just sucks he was a bad character and needs to be gotten rid of.
Most lanterns are uninteresting characters and John Stewart is no different. I thought he was the worst JLU character too. He always missed opportunities to stop things from crashing into buildings when he could and thinks too much with his lower half and those two things should make him unworthy or the ring. So dumb just give it to batman already or stay in space lanterns. No need for a human one either.
All 5 of these “reasons” are bullshit lmao. John Stewart is by far the best character in this series so no, he shouldn’t die at all. In fact, he deserves to be focused on way more in the comics, but of course…. the writers don’t like to give too much focus on a black character in this series. Which is why they cancelled Green Lantern: Mosaic for literally no reason at all, despite its popularity.
John Stewart is a pointless and boring character. Kyle Rayner is just a cheap pointless Hal knockoff. Hal Jordan is the best. Guy Gardner has his own unique personality and is a fun character. I never understood John Stewart’s appeal. He is a stiff boring block of wood who bores me stiff.