Lanterns Just Cemented The One DC Green Lantern Retcon So Good, Nobody Even Questions It

Published Aug 22, 2026, 6:30 PM EDT Derek is the Training Lead for ScreenRant. Before his current position, he spent 20 years working in games, TV, and film while also writing for several entertainment sites. Derek is also the co-host of three pop culture podcasts: Across the Omniverse, The Bad Batch, and Watch Men. The DCU's Lanterns is a certifiable hit, with the premiere episode ranking near the all-time top viewership numbers for HBO Max and the series being praised by critics who have seen seven of the eight episodes. It's safe to say that this is the most attention DC's Emerald Knights have received since the travesty of the 2011 movie. And while Earth's Green Lanterns have been a popular character in comics and animation for decades, for many viewers, this is the first time they have been introduced to John Stewart. The John Stewart they are meeting isn't exactly like the version readers know. For one thing, this one has two brothers. But, thus far, everyone seems to agree that Aaron Pierre is a perfect choice to play the role, and the show itself is treating John with the respect the character deserves. Still, there is one element of John Stewart they have included that has been debated by fans for over two decades now; a retcon to the character that some feel is proper, while others feel it takes away part of what makes John Stewart stand out as his own man. John Stewart Was Made To Be A Specific Type Of Person Created by Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams, John Stewart was one of the earliest representations of a Black superhero in DC Comics. The two creators had a very specific idea of what they wanted John to be, which included playing heavily into his race. Where Hal Jordan and most of DC's heroes were as white as Wonder Bread and would never argue with one another, O'Neil and Adams built Stewart to be a more individualistic figure, basing him on the iconic actor Sidney Poitier. As they saw it, John Stewart had more in common with the Black Panther Party than the Justice League. In his debut — Green Lantern vol. 2 #87 — John Stewart is introduced in a scene showing him confronting a police officer who is harassing two other Black men. When the cop threatens Stewart, saying, "You want trouble?" Stewart's answer shows why he is a perfect choice to be a Green Lantern... "I don't want it... but I'm not about to run away from it, either! And anyway, I kind of doubt you're man enough to give it -- Even with your nightstick!" Clearly, John Stewart isn't afraid. More than that, he is willing to put himself in danger to help others. But there's an element here that didn't really exist in superhero characters at the time: he will not blindly follow or respect authority figures. John Stewart knows that having power does not mean a person deserves that power. The next thing readers learn is that John Stewart is a college graduate and architect, but can't find a job. And he knows why architecture firms won't hire him: his skin color. From there, Hal Jordan begins to train John, and constructs a Green Lantern costume for him, including a mask. John quickly tosses the mask aside, making his statement at the same time (though, admittedly, the dialogue is little... rough)... "I won't wear a mask! This Black man lets it all hang out! I've got nothing to hide!" Throughout the issue, Hal and John save some people, including a racist senator, who John happily mocks. John and Hal butt heads, but, by the end, Hal comes to see why the Guardians want John on the team. But, for anyone who only knows John Stewart from the 2000s Justice League cartoon or from any comics after 2007, there seems to be a part of his origin that is missing. And that's where the problems start. John Stewart Became A Marine And Lost A Piece Of His Personality Photograph by John Johnson/HBO MaxCredit: HBO When they were creating the fantastic Justice League animated series, Bruce Timm and the other producers decided that John Stewart should be a military man and made him a former Marine. As the story goes, Timm wanted to move away from Stewart's "angry young man" personality and make him a more disciplined figure to help him better fit into a team of upstanding superheroes. It also made John a perfect straight man to the more comedic Flash. Their thinking was that the Green Lantern Corps are militaristic, and they wouldn't want someone who is anti-authority in their ranks. By 2007, this change was incorporated into the comics, retconning John Stewart so that he was in the military before he became an architect. The problem is, this took away an integral piece of John Stewart and what made him stand out not just from the other Lanterns, but from many of DC's heroes. Suddenly, John Stewart's past wasn't all that different from Hal Jordan's, who was also in the military at one point in his past, and by taking away his unease with authority, he no longer stood out as a character on his own. For a time, John Stewart seemed less like his own man, and more like a copy of Hal Jordan. Since then, a number of writers have worked to show why John Stewart is more than just another Green Lantern, but the stigma has stuck with many readers who don't know about the first 30+ years of the character's lore. Now, Lanterns has followed suit by showing that John is a former Marine. But here, they seem to have found a way to mix both versions of the character well. Even from just one episode, it's clear that John has the discipline that comes from being a Marine, but he also isn't going to blindly follow authority figures, even as he respects the chain of command. And, it seems more than likely that his anti-authoritarian streak will play into the story. After all, it's clear that he and Hal have a somewhat tense partnership — though that seems to mostly come from Hal — and that the tensions will continue to grow throughout the 2016 timeline in the show. It could also lead to explaining why, even though they chose John to be a Green Lantern, they want someone like Guy Gardner, who loves authority figures (especially being one) as a secondary Lantern in Sector 2814. Aaron Pierre's John Stewart may not be as confrontational as the John Stewart Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams created, but he also isn't someone who will back down. And this new take (well, newish — as mentioned, the comics have been working to create this version for some time) could be the best way to bring the character into the 21st Century. Release Date August 16, 2026 Network HBO Showrunner Chris Mundy Cast Aaron Pierre John Stewart Directors James Hawes Writers Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof Franchise(s) DC Universe Creator(s) Tom King, Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof