The DCU Lanterns Controversy Doesn’t Make Sense for Fans Paying Attention to James Gunn’s DCU

Lanterns is building hype with every new piece of marketing that gets released, but with that comes the usual amount of backlash. While the full Lanterns trailer revealed more of how the Green Lantern ring powers will look in a TV format, as well as revealing a first look at the costume that will be worn by Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan (at least one of them). The look of the suit seems to be based on adaptations like Injustice, which was based on more of an astronaut’s spacesuit rather than colorful green spandex or alien exoskeletal armor.

The DC fandom instantly erupted with reactions to the look of Hal’s suit. There was a lot of criticism about the coloring and aesthetic of the suit, but if you’ve been paying attention to the way the DC Universe franchise is unfolding, those concerns shouldn’t even be there.

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Complaining that Lanterns has a scene of Hal Jordan in a baggy, faded costume is shortsighted – much like concerns that there wasn’t enough green or colorfulness overall, in the teaser trailer. Now the official trailer has provided plenty of Power Ring visuals that look impressive, and as for costumes? Well, the DCU has already given us plenty of reason to expect colorful, comic-inspired (if not accurate) Green Lantern costumes for both Hal Jordan and his new trainee, John Stewart (Aaron Pierre).

At this point, it’s a little strange that fans can’t connect certain dots themselves: DC Studios head James Gunn made a point to include one of the most colorful, bombastic, and comic book-ish Green Lantern characters, Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), in his Superman movie. Guy set a very comic book-accurate tone for the DCU Green Lanterns, down to his ridiculous bowl-cut hair, and the obnoxious manifestations he created with his Power Ring. With Lanterns, Gunn and show creators Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof (HBO’s Watchmen, Lost), and comic writer Tom King (Wonder Woman, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow) are clearly going for a Neo-Noir Western, wherein an aging sheriff is reluctantly training a younger deputy to be his replacement. That’s a completely different tone and style for a Green Lanterns story, but that doesn’t make the DCU some kind of erratic, disjointed mess.

The DCU Is Already Making Different Styles Fit In One Universe

If anything, Gunn and Co. have quietly yet boldly asserted the cohesiveness of the DCU by always bridging the stylistic gaps between projects. For instance, Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. has been the straight man throughline between a zany, animated show like Creature Commandos, a more family-friendly blockbuster film like Superman, and the irreverent and violent Peacemaker live-action TV series. Flag is consistently himself in all three projects, solidifying the DCU as one big sandbox with many different stylistic corners to play in. Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner is right behind Grillo’s Rick Flag, with Guy having appeared in Superman and Peacemaker Season 2.

Now it’s confirmed that Guy Gardner is also appearing in Lanterns, which be a very different space for him to occupy. If Guy fits into the show, then all debate about Lanterns becomes irrelevant: we know the colorful, comic accurate versions of Hal, John, and the larger Corps are in the mix. This particular show may just not tap into that side of things, as much (at least initially).

Lanterns will premiere on HBO and HBO Max on August 16th. Will you be watching? Discuss your trailer reaction on the ComicBook Forum page!