It looks like Lanterns has sparked a new feud between its creator and a famous comic book name that’s getting hotter!
The first trailer for HBO’s Lanterns had a divisive reaction from fans. This take on the Green Lantern mythos follows Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) as he mentors John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) in being Green Lanterns, space cops with power rings allowing them flight, force fields, and crafting constructs of anything they can imagine.
The teaser was criticized for the lack of uniforms, taking this cosmic journey, and putting it on rural Earth. It does have a good pedigree, with Chris Mundy and Tom King co-writing and overseen by Damon Lindelof, who produced Lost and Watchmen. Lindelof himself didn't help matters when fans rediscovered an old comment of his: "It's called Lanterns because we all agreed that the 'Green' was stupid."
One person who took umbrage at that was Grant Morrison. The famed comic writer (and borderline certifiable lunatic) has experience writing the character in an acclaimed series. On his Substack, Morrison opened fire at Lindelof, and to the surprise of no one, he wasted no words.
"TV writer/producer Damon Lindelof’s comments notwithstanding, the 'Green' in 'Green Lantern(s)' green is not 'stupid'. Why does a writer attach himself to this kind of narrative if he thinks it’s fundamentally 'stupid'? You don’t hand CSI scripts to patronizing writers who condemn forensics experts and their haircuts as 'stupid', so why hire people who are ashamed and in denial about the comic book material they’ve been assigned to develop? Why don’t they turn down jobs they’re not suited for?
"It’s not like he needs the money, and Lindelof has proven that he can come up with his own ideas. What is this jockish dismissal of superhero conventions intended to prove anyway? Does Lindelof imagine it makes him seem less nerdy? It’s a bit too late for that, so what’s it all about? The only people who give a [frick] about the Lanterns TV series are Green Lantern fans. Why alienate them at the start? That feels more like 'stupid.'"
Morrison went on to say the Green is needed as “much more evocative and dramatic title” (citing a couple of famous color-themed titles like Raise the Red Lantern) and “anyone who can’t grasp why this is shouldn’t be anywhere near superhero stories. The show might even be good, but how much better could this stuff be if studios were willing to hire the right people for the job instead of phoning their embarrassed friends to water the source material down?”
Lindelof soon replied on his Instagram page, clarifying that the "green was stupid" line was a joke people misinterpreted and offered a good explanation.
“The very first time I appeared on a Comic-Con panel was for the Lost Pilot, back in the summer of 2004. I wore my favorite T-shirt, as I had long grown out of my favorite underoos, those being the uniform of Hal Jordan, Green Lantern of Sector 2814. For a quiet, uncoordinated kid, there was nothing cooler than a hero whose superpower was his imagination. And green is not stupid; it is my lifelong favorite color, and I have a questionnaire that I filled out in third grade to prove it. Green is f—ng awesome.”
After admitting how he was upset at getting Morrison riled up, Lindelof continued.
"More importantly, it would be a betrayal to everyone I worked for and alongside to say anything other than I was absolutely honored to be a part of the team that manifested the incredible construct that is Lanterns… because it was. I was sloppy and careless with my words, ironic considering I care so much about Hal, John and the entire Corps. I can and will do better to be worthy of the oath… until then, I’ll let the show speak for itself and I can’t wait for you all to hear what it has to say.”
It’s unsure how Morrison will respond to this, as Lindelof's words are mollifying the upset GL fanbase. Hopefully, it works out into a fun series, yet Morrison’s words show just how passionate Green Lantern fans are taking this new show and the long road it has to be accepted.
Lanterns premieres this summer on HBO Max.