Things We Saw Today: ‘Green Lantern: Beware My Power’ Teases a John Stewart Origin Story

Last week, Warner Bros. Animation dropped a trailer for their next DC Comics animated movie, and it’s none other than John Stewart in Green Lantern: Beware My Power. Similar to his origin story, Stewart (voiced by Aldis Hodge) faces military complications and is a discharged Marine sniper. Now back at home, the iconic green ring presents itself to him, and with that comes the baggage of an extraterrestrial villain hunting down all who wear the symbol.

When DC duo Dennis O’Neil and Neal Adam created Green Lantern John Stewart, they modeled him after famous Bahamian American actor Sir Sidney Poitier. His introduction into comics in Green Lantern #87, in January 1972, made John Stewart one of the first Black superheroes ever in DC Comics. Decades later, young-me watching Warner Bros.’ Saturday morning cartoons would grow up only knowing John Stewart as Green Lantern. In all my SFF media as a child, Stewart was one of the only Black men who had a recurring presence, even if he wasn’t my favorite character on the particular show. (Hawkgirl’s mace and wings looked too cool for younger-me not to love Hawkgirl the most.)

Because I’d watched Stewart on Static Shock, and Justice League, but never Justice League Unlimited, it never quite clicked there was a whole corps until a decade later (with Far Sector). I was a sophomore when the now-infamous Ryan Reynolds Green Lantern movie came out and didn’t know what a Hal Jordan was. DC’s newest animated movie trailer makes me super excited to see not only an adapted origin story, but to give a younger generation of Black and brown kids an introduction to my favorite Green Lantern.

Green Lantern: Beware My Power comes out on DVD/4K/BlueRay and digital (probably HBO Max) on July 26.

(featured image: screencap via IGN)

Here are some other bits of news we saw today:

• SCOTUS’ neighbors were offering snacks to those protesting on their street. (via Jezebel)
• Academy Award-winning actors Riz Ahmed and Aneil Karia team up for a contemporary version of Hamlet with a British Indian family—yes please! (via Variety)
• Tucker Carlson sees another Black person succeed, so, like clockwork, he calls her qualifications into question. (via HuffPost)
• Buckle in folks, A Simple Favor 2 will reunite Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, and Paul Feig. (via Variety)

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