Comic fans said Lanterns was not made for them — James Gunn told them exactly what he thinks of that
Gunn replied directly to a fan who said the show was not made for comic readers. Two episodes are still to come.
Let's be honest, whenever there's a new DC show — especially one like Lanterns — the online comment sections basically ignite. This time, it's DC Studios boss James Gunn stepping in himself, swatting back at naysayers who reckon the show isn't aimed at proper comic readers, and questioning if Hal Jordan has been shafted after years of waiting.
Gunn Takes To Threads
The kerfuffle kicked off when a user on Threads tried to knock the new take on Hal, the fan-favourite Green Lantern. The gist was that Lanterns might work for newcomers, but bona fide comic geeks would apparently find it all a bit off. James Gunn didn't let that sort of dig go unanswered.
Here's how Gunn phrased it in his direct reply on Threads:
Whether it's the DCU or Earth 0 or the Absolute Universe, they all pay homage to these iconic characters, retelling their stories in different ways.
He basically pointed out, as only someone who's actually making these things can, that comics have been doing alternate universes and reinterpretations since forever. If you can handle Marvel smooshing together a dozen different Spider-Men, honestly, DC's approach isn't that wild.
The Easter Eggs and Complaints
Some of these so-called criticisms are odd when you look closer. Hardcore Green Lantern fans have actually been spotting various deep-cut callbacks — like references to Hal Jordan's history with the black smoke entity, a very specific bit of comics lore. It's hardly ignoring the source material.
But one complaint kept popping up: that Gunn "aged up" Hal, and after more than a decade waiting for the character's return, seemed to kill him off far too quickly. Gunn, again, answered it by pointing out that Hal is far from absent in the show — if anything, he's getting more screen time than ever.
His direct response:
We more than respect him. We love him, despite his imperfections.
And if you reckon Hal's been written out for good, Gunn hinted viewers might want to hold their horses. According to him, just knowing about Hal's death (if it even is a death — the door's clearly left open) is not the same thing as knocking him off and being done. He strongly suggested Hal's story is far from wrapped up, and his presence is what makes the series work for both diehards and newbs.
Lanterns still has its final two episodes to come, which could throw up a last-minute twist for Hal and — if we're being cynical — cool off some of the fan fury.