So how do people feel about Simon Baz?

[SilverZeal]

We/SZ really REALLY like Baz & if he did replace Hal d GL buk wud b betta 4 it....nvr did like Hal anyways.

[SilverZeal]

I'm of the opinion that he would be a bit more respectable if he loses the ski-mask.
Nothing agianst wearing one of course, but I don't think GLs should go around with their faces covered up.

Hmmm...lets c u still dnt get d whole identity revels luvd 1's & puts dem in danger part & its even alot worse 4 an Arab family in d US so he's betta off with d mask on 2 remain ambiguous & besides it luks kool.

[SilverZeal]

The character, I already quite like, which surprised me. Like his supporting cast too. What I don't like is that he's caught up in a plot line so contrived it borders on farcical, and that he's given a Green ring when there's already 4 other human males from the USA using them, when he could have easily gotten another colour or even an entirely different power set.

Damn gd point u hv der.

[Roldan]

I'm of the opinion that he would be a bit more respectable if he loses the ski-mask.
Nothing agianst wearing one of course, but I don't think GLs should go around with their faces covered up.

And that's why the three most iconic Green Lanterns use masks.

[C. Earl]

I'm of the opinion that he would be a bit more respectable if he loses the ski-mask.

I totally hate that ski-mask, never did like it. I think only, well, skiers should wear them.

That being said, I wish the fifth Earth GL had been female, so I never really warmed up to Baz at all.

[SilverZeal]

Uhm...is any1 else here worried abt d 'life' of Stewart(higher possibility of being killd off) given d intro of Baz given d whole token minority rule dat DC comix has?

[Ood Omega]

Hmmm...lets c u still dnt get d whole identity revels luvd 1's & puts dem in danger part & its even alot worse 4 an Arab family in d US so he's betta off with d mask on 2 remain ambiguous & besides it luks kool.

Depends on the artist but ya this looks cool, not sure why a GL would need a gun though.



When I first saw him it looked like he had hairy arms and the ski mask looked weird in the pic ( I'll tryto find the image I'm talking about). The costume still seems weird with the exposed arms but over all not the worst looking GL.

I wish the fifth Earth GL had been female, so I never really warmed up to Baz at all.

Their roster definitely needs a female Earth GL.

Uhm...is any1 else here worried abt d 'life' of Stewart(higher possibility of being killd off) given d intro of Baz given d whole token minority rule dat DC comix has?

I truly hope they don't get rid of John he is one of the more interesting Earth GLs

[MadEdric]

Does Earth really need another GL?
Frankly, since I don't follow any GL titles I don't care but I really think DC should utilize the GLs they have before creating a new one.
Hal Jordan and John Stewart are pretty much all they need.

[LoneNecromancer]

Put it to you this way; As a Hal fan, I don't want him in the GL title with any permanence. I think Hal is a more interesting character at base, I think he has a lot of unexplored potential, and I'd like to see a writer take a shot at it.

That said, as long as Johns is writing the book? I'm pretty indifferent to the change. Simon Baz written by Geoff Johns is about as interesting as Hal Jordan written by Geoff Johns -- which is to say, not very interesting at all.

But if Baz is who Johns is passionate about, I'm all for it. He tends to do better when a character is completely unexplored, as he's not very good at coming up with regular, compelling character progressions. His characters tend to have one character trait that defines them and one issue that they need to overcome. Once he's had them show the one (usually a few times) and overcome the other, he's pretty much exhausted himself.

I'll agree with most of that. If Johns is burnt out on Hal I'd rather see him get a new writer and direction.

[Fate's Faith]

I don't care for the ski mask either and hopes it shrinks. I do like masks though. Still want Hal back to the main book though.

[Zeeguy91]

I like him. He's an interesting new addition to the GL Universe in my opinion. I still want Hal and Sinestro to come back, though, which we all know is going to happen real soon. I mean, why are Hal and Sinestro still appearing in the comic if they're not going to be making a comeback soon? Anyway, when Baz is eventually booted off the main book so Hal can regain the spotlight, I will gladly read JLA to see the continued adventures of Simon Baz.

[Zeeguy91]

Simon Baz written by Geoff Johns is about as interesting as Hal Jordan written by Geoff Johns -- which is to say, not very interesting at all.

Um....I think Hal written by Geoff Johns is interesting.

His characters tend to have one character trait that defines them and one issue that they need to overcome. Once he's had them show the one (usually a few times) and overcome the other, he's pretty much exhausted himself.

Yeah, cuz in eight years, Hal's only ever had one problem he's needed to overcome...

No disrespect, but I really don't agree. I've read Geoff's Green Lantern from the very beginning and I think it shows the opposite of what you're saying. Hal's had multiple demons to deal with under Johns' direction: his dysfunctional family life, dealing with his betraying the Corps in ET, his relationship with Carol, etc. Not to mention all the crap that's gone on with the Corps. After all, it wouldn't be such a popular series if it was as uninteresting as you claim.

[Desaad]

Um....I think Hal written by Geoff Johns is interesting.

Um...I never said you didn't.

You know by now that I'm just speaking for myself, and that my opinion very likely hasn't changed.

Yeah, cuz in eight years, Hal's only ever had one problem he's needed to overcome...

Internally, yeah, there hasn't really been much.

From the very beginning the point was made that he wasn't grounded enough in his life -- remember he was not taking care of his duties as an uncle, way back in Sinestro Corps War? And then at the start of this new volume, that was the central point -- Hal had let his life go to pot because he was too involved in being a GL. And we got reminders of that throughout the run. In 8 years he hadn't solved that problem, hadn't even begun addressing it.

Other than that, it can be argued we had a brief bit of angst over his time as Parallax, and a worry that Fear was more powerful than Will in the universe. But all of that was wrapped up 25 issues into the series. From there it's really just been the one thing.

No disrespect, but I really don't agree.

No disrespect taken, and I know you don't. And that's cool. I should have phrased it more carefully, but we've done this dance enough times that I hope you know I'm not making the statement for everyone, just for myself.

I've read Geoff's Green Lantern from the very beginning and I think it shows the opposite of what you're saying. Hal's had multiple demons to deal with under Johns' direction: his dysfunctional family life, dealing with his betraying the Corps in ET, his relationship with Carol, etc. Not to mention all the crap that's gone on with the Corps. After all, it wouldn't be such a popular series if it was as uninteresting as you claim.

For what it's worth, I think the popularity of the series comes from a number of elements, but none of them are centered around strong character work.

For one, it's got gorgeous artwork. Johns has come to a place that he's given the best of the best.

For another, Johns has a really strong grasp of pacing and action, which is important to man. He also has a knack for simplifying characters so that they're easily understandable. He uses the very primal fear of loss as an entryway for the character, over and over and over again, which engages a large swathe of readership.

Obviously there is something there, but whatever is there is not really for me. I'm sticking it out because I really, really love the character and the mythology, but for me the entire line is astonishingly unengaging right now. I'm excited to see some shake ups.

Glad you, and many others like you, are enjoying it -- more success means greater chance of something I like being put out there.

[finfangfool]

Too soon to tell what he'll be, but in my personal opinion so far he's pretty bland. Making him a criminal and painting him in the public eye as a potential (heck, likely) terrorist while also being one of the few prominent muslims in comics seems like a mistake right off the bat, but so far that seems to be the extent of his character.

However he's a creation of the most prominent GL writer in recent history, who's pushing him hard and has the job for as long as he wants it so I'm sure he'll get his chance to shine if he's going to. It'll be hard to distinguish himself from Hal, Guy, John, and Kyle, and there's no guarantee if he doesn't make a big distinction (while also endearing himself to a sizeable fanbase) he won't be just another footnote in GL lore 10 years from now.

All that said, was really enjoying the Sinestro/Hal buddy cop book and I'm sad it had to end. We'll still get a taste of it, but if they decide to publish another GL book starring the two while they push Baz in the main title I'll be happy to add it to my pull list.

[ascended]

I dont mind him, so far.

I agree that a non American would have been nice, and a woman would have been better. But hey, whatever.

Anyway, I didnt really feel the need for a new Lantern when Baz was announced. I mean, we have plenty of them already. And aside from being Muslim, I didnt see anything on the surface that Baz would bring to the table. And I still feel that way.

But so far, its been a fun ride for what it is.

And I have to say, I actually like that he's been painted as a terrorist by the government and circumstance. Granted, DC could have avoided the idea and the stereotypes completely and made Baz a perfect, flawless character just so they can say "Hey, we're open minded! Look at this!" But that seems somehow....disingenuous.

No, Johns took a sensitive topic and is looking right at it. And for that, for having the stones to talk about the subject, even in these cliches, I hand him credit. Obviously, Baz isnt a terrorist, and if he had been I would have been complaining. But he's not. He's the victim of stereotypes and circumstance, something that many American Muslims have been for the last decade.

And I am equally glad that Baz isnt a perfect cipher, made in an attempt to show that Muslim Americans arent the terrible people some have made them out to be. Baz, in the end, is a regular guy. He's obviously got some baggage, made some mistakes, done some good. He's alot like the rest of us, which I think is far better than being a pure archetype like Hal or Clark Kent or whatever.