@avenging_x_bolt: and you calling me an asshole and homophobic isn't a personal attack? Considering you know nothing about me (or homophobia for that matter). let me tell you it most certainly is. I shouldn't have to justify it to someone who throws around such accusations, yet here I am having to defend myself. Also, my remark wasn't indicative of homophobia. It was indicative of your absolute fanboyism for the character. I guess my joke has offended your sexuality, and if so I am sorry. I, myself, am actually a very accepting person so it never would cross my mind someone could be silly enough to confuse my remark for homophobia. But you like to throw around and label me with such offensive ignorance when you know nothing about me? Bad form.

It seriously gets under your skin that I don't agree with you does it? Get over it, seriously. All I tried to point out was that Hal is not a relatable character. It's my opinion. Now, please, eff off.

Oddly enough this thread made me like Hal a bit more.

@extremis: Was that your primitive attempt at communicating something? You'll need to speak in coherent sentences if you expect people understand you. Although I doubt you have any original opinion to share other than that you hate that Hal gets more respect than your avatar, the boring lantern. Yeah, yeah, we all heard John Stewart is more interesting in the cartoon. Who cares, he is boring in the comic. Get over it.

@avenging_x_bolt: I actually wouldn't be surprised if Hal was a homophobe. He's certainly a womanizer. Not a very progressive guy *cough*Silver-Age*cough*. So it's ironic you brought it up to begin with.

Lol where did you come from little pest? But a shoot and a miss dear friend.

I'm not even a John fanboy. I just like the cover art for GLC #22 which comes out in July. Nice try though.

yup. that Pieface bit was a real trip.

@avenging_x_bolt: yeah its so ridiculous looking back on those now

Also, at first I thought your avatar was from JLA #1 but I realize it's not. This is the one I was thinking:

@extremis said:

@avenging_x_bolt: yeah its so ridiculous looking back on those now

Also, at first I thought your avatar was from JLA #1 but I realize it's not. This is the one I was thinking:

nope, its from issue 2 in the Martian Manhunter backup. anyway, i'm sorry for freaking out and calling you an a**hole. it was unacceptable.

@avenging_x_bolt said:

@extremis said:

@avenging_x_bolt: yeah its so ridiculous looking back on those now

Also, at first I thought your avatar was from JLA #1 but I realize it's not. This is the one I was thinking:

nope, its from issue 2 in the Martian Manhunter backup. anyway, i'm sorry for freaking out and calling you an a**hole. it was unacceptable.

No worries. All is forgiven here. But yeah, I'm sorry as well. I definitely made myself look like a royal a** there. I was trying to make a point and somehow misguided my passion for the topic into negative remarks towards you. Definitely uncalled for from my end.

Hal is as bad at life as I am, so he's awesome.

@extremis said:

@avenging_x_bolt said:

@extremis said:

@avenging_x_bolt: yeah its so ridiculous looking back on those now

Also, at first I thought your avatar was from JLA #1 but I realize it's not. This is the one I was thinking:

nope, its from issue 2 in the Martian Manhunter backup. anyway, i'm sorry for freaking out and calling you an a**hole. it was unacceptable.

No worries. All is forgiven here. But yeah, I'm sorry as well. I definitely made myself look like a royal a** there. I was trying to make a point and somehow misguided my passion for the topic into negative remarks towards you. Definitely uncalled for from my end.

we've all been there. we're a passionate bunch, us comic fans. glad we can just put this behind us and learn from it.

@liberty: Sorry dude, that's like saying Bruce Wayne isn't the best Batman, or Nick Fury the best S.H.I.E.L.D. Director.

There are far more positive traits of him than negatives. He's the only one that has fun while he's out there. He`s the only one who can beat Sinestro. He has the biggest balls. He THINKS, unlike all others, who just take orders. He sacrificed himself to save the earth. You blame him for Coast City? Why not blame Superman(men)?

I'm not even going to compare him to the others, they are way below Hal. Especially Alan Scott, he's NOT EVEN a Green Lantern.

Remember this?:

He's a modern hero, he has issues like normal people, not a 60's truth, justice and the american way hero. Remember, he is a (space) cop, not a caped crusader.

No1: Hal

No2: Kyle

No3: Guy

No4: Simon

No5: John

Batman probably is top 3 in DC.

Gallery

Two examples I could think of...gotta step out and maybe will start a thread about it haha

That is ironic. =)

Seriously? Hal wasn't even the first GL. Alan Scott was. Are we only going back to what you accept as the first or the actual first character?

This thread and its legendary storm of rage.

Delicious.

Amen. When I wrote it I had no idea. Now I just want to see how long it garners interest.

Not sure where I was whining about my favorite lantern or selling books. I'm laying up at night wringing my hands over Hal's popularity. It is funny how just posting a question like "Why is Hal so great" in a constructive argument gets such hostile responses. I'll paraphrase Spock in the film that is out now. (Awesome BTW. I just couldn't resit referencing it) The hostility in the opposing views makes me think that you realize on some level that I am correct in my argument. If your comment was directed toward me than please disregard mine with my apologies.

@avenging_x_bolt:

I know you hate this blog but the constant posting has ironically kept it fresh. If you would not be so tenacious this blog wouldn't stay fresh for days at a time. Every time someone posts you seemingly attack until you beat the last word out of them or brow beat them into submission. I'm not sure but I think you have posted on this blog more than me. =)

well i cant speak for most others. i initially reacted in hostile manner because i felt that a lot of your arguments were horribly biased and flawed. Obviously i've changed my thoughts on CERTAIN points and we both agree to disagree, as for Rich well, he seems to be an extremely hostile borderline trollish person who picks fights with someone no matter what board i see him on.

i dont hate it so much as disagree with it but i see your point. i can get a bit over the top to put it lightly. I promise to work on that.

@avenging_x_bolt: You're cool with me. Just thought it was a little funny.

Hal isn't so bad...i mean i like his relationship with sinestro and his friendship with GA and Flash in nu52...he always leads from the front with will.....it is a personal thing but prefer him over all other lanterns...

Having said that...i consider Kyle to be the more relatable one....John to be more level-headed and planner and guy to be the SOB we all love to hate....

After all this, the one thing that confuses me most about the original post and most of the Hal hate is that you're not placing any blame on the writers characterizing him poorly. Instead everyone is taking all his worst portrayals at face value. The destruction of coast city and becoming parallax was just to shoehorn Kyle in because DC needed a youthful Spider-Man type character. The whole pieface ordeal or his naivety towards racism during the Neal Adams run was a product of the time, and the second example being Denny O'Neil's way of developing Green Arrow into the bad ass warrior of social justice he is, which unfortunately was completely at Hal's expense because it did make him look like an idiot. The Arisia relationship was just Steve Englehart being a creep and trying to justify Hal and her relationship for whatever reason. You could make the argument that Guy spiking their drinks, resulting in drunken pseudo-pedophilia makes him a terrible person, when all it means is Englehart made some terrible decisions during his time on that book and DC is just as responsible for letting it get published. You love blaming the writers for the reboot, but refuse to blame them for the tasteless schlock that lead to the retconning in the first place?

I admit I'm not the biggest fan of even the decently characterized stuff in Hal's life, I've always hated how boring the test pilot occupation is and how it limits Hal's supporting cast on earth to just Thomas and Carroll for the most part. Interacting with other lanterns has always been his strong point. As much as I love the mythos, the Earth GL's have surprisingly little to do when they're here and not in space.

However, when Hal can interact with a decent supporting cast he really shines. His dynamic with the justice league and the corps is done very well. I love that he takes too many risks and stands up to authority, even if it's Batman. I like his confidence and his dry sense of humor. Pre reboot I see where you're coming from, but I think his character has come a long way since then.

This

Prologue Pal

Hal Jordan gave us some great classic Green Lantern imagery, so we can use his creative coloring to talk about various naturalism fantasia philosophies (i.e., firefly mysticism) and amateur comic book beginner kiddie doodle art to conceptualize what kinds of oddballs Hal Jordan can surprisingly tackle.

Hal is my favorite dc character and he is by far the best lanterns!

No other lantern has done what he has or has the same amount of good/epic stories that he has!!

Honestly don't have a problem with him, Kyle is my favorite of the earth lanterns though But Hal's a fun character, I think he's more relatable than Batman or Superman. My only real problem with him extends to all the other GL's too they are highly overrated on the battle forum.

At this point I think Hal, Kyle, Guy, and John are all fairly interesting characters, with decent stories under their belts. While I do find it frustrating that DC hasn't shown as much love to the other as Hal over the past few years (They really do need to start re-releasing Kyle's run as the main GL in new trades or in the omnibus format that Geoff John's run is receiving) I don't blame Hal for it personally.

Hal is my favourite dc character. He has the best personality and stories imo. So much hate for poor Hal these days...

@liberty: How is Superman "screwed up" in any way?

Hal is one of my favorite DC characters. I like him for his bravery, determination and refusal to give up, even in the harshest of times. He is one of those characters that makes the impossible possible. He is not perfect, he makes mistakes, but he can rise above them and prove that people are better than their worst mistakes.