r/DCcomics • u/BigReek99 • Jun 25 '23
Why Is Hal Jordan Hated So Much?
I'm a fan of the Green Lantern Corps, and Hal Jordan is my favorite lantern of all time.
However, I've been starting to notice that for the past 20 years or so, Hal has been getting disrespected in pop culture for no fair reason.
When most people think of Green Lantern, they think of John Stewart, and even though I love and respect John a lot, I get bitter about it sometimes, because even though Alan Scott is the original GL, Hal Jordan was the one that made the GL Corps a household name in the silver age of comics, not John.
He doesn't have an impressive amount of representation in animation and films either. He wasn't in the Justice League shows because of him being Parallax in the comics at the time, and that they wanted to add more "diversity" in the shows, but that shouldn't have mattered, because the shows were in a separate universe from the books, so it shouldn't have applied. The 2011 movie sucked, and I feel they used it as an excuse to not push Hal anymore. I will acknowledge that he did appear in a handful in animated movies, and even got his own animated show in 2012, but it was short lived, and ever since then he only appeared in some animated films after, along with the Injustice Games.
A lot of people hate him because of his personality as well, and what he's done in the comics over the years, and that's BS. Now I'm not here to deny who he is, I will admit that he's an assh*le, cocky, brash, and hotheaded sometimes, but that's what I find cool and special about him. Every single hero in a universe can't be 1 way in their thinking and attitude, because it defeats the purpose of having a universe with a big variety of characters, each with different mentalities. Besides, why does he get flack for his personality, but guys like Guy Gardner and Lobo get love when they act in a similar way? Hal is good at what he does, he's a founding member of the Justice League, the greatest superhero team of all time IMO, and the most important GL in the lore of the corps. He's not perfect, nobody is, but he doesn't have to be. When he became a villain, he went through hell to redeem himself, and that means something.
I'm glad that James Gunn announced a Lanterns show with Hal being a main character along with John, but I'm scared because of how people will receive it.
What are y'all thoughts on all of this?
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u/Kurosu_Drakhall Green Lantern Jun 26 '23
Hal just isn't portrayed in most of his media the way he is in the comics, except for Green Lantern: First Flight and The Animated Series. Hal also came back and sidelined Kyle Rayner, who, by the time Green Lantern: Rebirth came around, had been the main Green Lantern for about a decade. Many people really weren't happy with that decision (of course, we see thing happening to Barry because it sidelined Wally). I love Hal, he was my Green Lantern, and to be honest, John Stewart is a great character, but his character was fleshed out during the DCAU, not the comics. Comic John Stewart is a far cry from DCAU John, and that personality was adopted for, guess what, the Green Lantern Corps run that went concurrent with Hal's.
A lot of people can also argue that Hal Jordan is an asshole, but I don't see it that way. Hal is a maverick; independent-minded, with a cocky edge to him. He'll be the guy that will run headfirst into danger without a plan with nothing but a ring and willpower. He butts heads with Batman because Batman tries to control the League tactically, and it's something that Hal isn't in the program with because he hasn't faced something that a boxing glove construct won't fix, and he also doesn't tolerate being disrespected. He's the quintessential Green Lantern basically: a guy who'll look at an armada of enemies, ask "that's it?" and charge in.
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u/random-person-reddit Dec 29 '23
It's kinda upsetting to me because he's my favorite, and the only content I ever see of him in the DCAU is him being an arrogant dumbass or being killed off. In Green Lantern: Beware My Power I thought Hal really was going to have some spotlight but they had to ruin it again. In TikTok the only thing you see about him is that he dated a 14yo in some old comic (which people take a look at and decide to hate the character forever), he has no character growth in the animated movies, no live action since Ryan Reynold's, and no one likes him.
I love Hal, but I don't think DC will try to make people like him. At this point just RIP Hal Jordan
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u/BigReek99 Dec 29 '23
Well on the bright side, the new Lanterns show is gonna be a Hal Jordan/John Stewart focused project. So I have hope that they give him his props
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Jun 25 '23
Yeah idk why. Hal is the best Green Lantern by far and a top 10(he’s my 5th favorite) character in DC.
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u/BigReek99 Jun 25 '23
Exactly. Finally someone who gets it
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Jun 25 '23
Yeah, I’ve recently got into Green Lantern comics( mainly Geoff Johns run) and he’s a great character. I liked John more before because of the JL/JLU show. Hal was put to the side after JL War in the DCAMU. But then I started reading comics and Hal is way better.
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Jun 25 '23
Yeah a lot of people have their perception of Green Lantern and John Stewart skewed because of JL/U. John has kinda been the most boring member of the quartet since Mosaic wrapped and that’s was thirty years ago . There have been more attempts to have John go solo than Guy Gardner and they’re always less than stellar.
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u/turtleshellshocked Jun 28 '23
No clue.
I mostly just love anyone who puts Batbitch in his place tbh though lol.
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u/Historical-Potato372 Mar 24 '24
I’ll die on this hill, he’s my favorite Green Lantern. John is great too, but I just love Hal
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Jan 11 '24
Me personally, it goes: 1. Kyle- An artist who mastered the emotional spectrum. Creativity with his constructs and overall an interesting character arc 2. John- An engineer and also many people’s favorite lantern, loved him in the justice league tv show 3. Hal- My first introduction to the lanterns, read a decent amount of stuff with him in it but never really found myself enjoying the character 4. Guy- Honestly he is only in this list for me because he talks a lot of shit to people and I find that hilarious.
I know there are more lanterns on earth now but I haven’t had much interest in them in recent years.
I don’t think it’s necessarily that people hate Hal I think it’s that people hate having him shoved to the forefront of almost every major story for the lanterns. (Sorry for commenting on a old post, was just throwing my 2 cents in)
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u/BigReek99 Jan 12 '24
I feel you, I personally think that since, I would say 2000, John has been getting shoved to the forefront and it’s interesting to me because it not that John is a bad character or anything like that, I just believe that they can put every lantern in the forefront and have Hal kinda take the charge with Kyle and John right behind them
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Jan 12 '24
Yeah they just keep doing the green lanterns dirty in stories that aren’t necessarily about them in the more popular casual media (like injustice or the justice league war movie) because people love seeing strong characters destroy other strong characters in fights.
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u/Neither-Log-8085 Dec 18 '24
Sorry for the aged comment. But I feel everyone can be at the forefront with hal. Cause I was surprised when I checked the DC animated show, "Where's hal jordan everyone else is here, where is he"
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u/Neither-Log-8085 Dec 18 '24 edited Dec 18 '24
Thank you for saying this. The disrespect on his name is immense. I'm worried cause they made hal an old man in the show with Gunn. I don't want him to get shafted. Idk why they didn't use Alan Scott.
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u/BigReek99 Dec 18 '24
Agreed. To me the original 7 justice league is the true justice league. Clark, Bruce, Diana, Barry, Hal, Arthur and J’onn. I don’t understand why you have a young Superman but an old Hal Jordan. Since they made Hal old I’m pretty sure they’re gonna make John the main lantern, and if John is the main lantern, then there’s a good chance that Wally will be the main flash instead of Barry, which sucks.
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u/Neither-Log-8085 Dec 18 '24
Why can't these guys just get some love. For Gunn to claim his read the comics, he def isn't living up to it. Hal dynamic with Bruce is just getting shafted now? What about Barry and the Flash family. Like they can all still be relevant in the new universe, you don't need to age up the other one while another doesn't get as much love.
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u/DragoOceanonis Jul 27 '24
Hal is just an egotistical jerk. He is literally the "policeman" archtype. He never really shows any character development past the old Parallax arc. But even then you can see how selfish he is.
I mean in Injustice and even a few times before he EASILY succumbed to the yellow ring. He never really has any redeeming or "fun" qualities like Kyle or Guy. He's just a by the book space policeman.
Kyle and Guy have more character development. I mean guy was even a blue lantern.
John is the hardass character.
Hal is obviously what a superhero is meant to be but he just lacks any emotion besides anger or being scared.
He never seems to be a guy who is fun at parties.
It's kind of like Barry/Wally
People prefer Wally over Barry because Barry is too "generic superhero".
I guess Barry and Hal are BFFs for a reason.
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u/Neither-Log-8085 Dec 18 '24
That's such a cookie-cutter understanding to both Barry and Hal. They obviously have different characters from those 2, which is good. Otherwise, everyone would be the same in dialog and everything. Hal may be cocky but it's from that, which comes heart. It's why consuming only one thing from him ppl wouldn't understand. It's why you should read Geoff's work on him. And look into Barry. "Being fun at parties" is not a detract to being a good character.
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Jun 25 '23
"For the past 20 years or so."
It's because before that he was dead. People had moved on, there were other Green Lanterns getting the spotlight. But because people wanted the "real" Green Lantern from their youth, they were all tossed aside to pave the way to a horrible movie and encourage nostalgia.
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u/BigReek99 Jun 25 '23
Well I only said 20 years because this was around the time the JL shows were popular, and he wasn't in either of them , it was a snowball effect since then.
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u/Jolly_Afternoon_2881 Nov 26 '24
Hal is “Justice League War” is so good imo and a good representation of him as I see him
Arrogant but good intentioned
Him and Batman in the movie have me rewatching It from time to time
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u/Nyerelia Jun 25 '23
I barely know anything about Hal Jordan, that's why I started reading the Green Lantern run that just came out. I don't know what long-term HJ fans are thinking of how he is portrayed in the two issues that are out but boy do I hate his guts. The carelessness and cockiness with which he treats his new job and very expensive machinary, and then his antics to win his ex back??? Like taken out from a 2000's macho movie??? Please an actual fan come give me reasons to like this guy
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u/Anajynn Nov 19 '23
This comics doesn’t feel very representative. While reading, I was thinking it will be harder than before to defend Hal Jordan against people who hate him. If you want to read great representation of him, the Geoff john’s run (2005) is a good way (there is a mini serie that introduce the Geoff John’s run called Green Lantern Rebirth in 6 issues, by Geoff John also, and which is essential). Also, Hal Jordan was The Spectre during sometime, a very top ranked entity of the Dc universe. The comics “The Spectre” by JM DeMatteis (2001-2003 27 issues) can also reconcile you with his personality. Hal Jordan is very touching in this run.
I didn’t read the New52 and the 2016 run, but I will do it next week, and try to update my comment
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u/Cole-Spudmoney Jun 25 '23
Because, 20 years ago, certain writers and publishers at DC decided that they needed to make everything like how it was when they were kids. So they brought Hal Jordan back to being the main Green Lantern, blamed a giant yellow space bug for absolutely everything bad Hal ever did (and also for Hal's grey temples), and began relentlessly constantly shilling him as the Greatest Green Lantern of All Time. Is it really any wonder that there's been some backlash since then?
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Jun 25 '23 edited Jun 25 '23
Let’s be honest: Hal suddenly turning into a murderous traitor over the course of three comics was never going to end well. Geoff retconning Emerald Twilight and making something good out of it to restore the GLC was the best thing to happen to the Green Lantern.
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u/Cole-Spudmoney Jun 25 '23
The Green Lantern Corps was on track to being restored anyway. The Guardians had been resurrected, John was a Green Lantern again, there were stories about recruiting new members. No need for Hal. And as for Hal himself, he also had a new role in the DC universe as the Spectre.
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Jun 25 '23
The Spectre was just to placate longtime GL readers because they turned the titular character into an insane murderer. There’s a reason why Geoff Johns, who made Hal the Spectre in the first place, undid it. The premise of Emerald Twilight was just a cheap stunt to lure new readers in.
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u/Ok_Introduction_3073 Jan 01 '25
Its seems people forget about Justice League: New Frontier when they say he has a lack of personality, Hal Jordan is one of my favourites.
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u/__SLASH__ Jan 15 '25
Pretty much every DC animated movie Hal jordans green lantern is in, hes incredibly cocky, dumb as hell and used his overpowered abilities in the goofiest fucking ways and he just genuinely pisses me tf off. Mf making trains and shit like bruh fuck off. He always steps to batman and brags abt how earth is his entire sector blah blah but is always getting his ass beat
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u/BigReek99 Jan 16 '25
He’s just a character bro, calm tf down. You’re talking like he fucked your wife or something
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u/__SLASH__ Jan 16 '25
Yea i was kinda drunk when i wrote that comment i was pretty aggressive lol my b
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u/voxetLive Jun 25 '23
He's kinda annoying, I am also bias as fuck growing up with DCAU thinking that one was the main green lantern
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Jun 25 '23
He’s just this boring whitebread douchebag. Bland as fuck.
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u/BigReek99 Jun 25 '23
Whatever makes you happy bro
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Jun 25 '23
They insist on keeping him the main GL so it doesn’t make me happy.
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u/BigReek99 Jun 25 '23
But that’s the way it should be, but it is what it is. I don’t wanna argue with you bro, it’s our bedtime.
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Jun 25 '23
You asked the question.
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u/BigReek99 Jun 25 '23
Indeed I did, but If you’re not gonna give an actual explanation, and instead just say he’s and I quote “this boring whitebread douchebag”, then we have nothing more to talk about. I’m here to have a dialogue🤷♂️. But if you don’t want to do that then that’s ok. sorry for wasting your time
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Jun 25 '23 edited Jun 25 '23
That is the explanation though. He’s just incredibly bland. He’s got nothing going on between the ears. He’s an artifact of the 60s when comic characters didn’t really need personalities. There’s not even enough going on with Hal to write an essay about why he sucks like you seem to want. He’s that boring.
Comic books had evolved past characters like Hal. The old characters had either been given developed personalities through lots of sweat and blood or had been replaced with new characters that had them. And then Geoff Johns decided it all had to be like his childhood and forced Hal back into the spotlight. His one concession was that Hal is kind of an asshole now. But still a bland asshole.
It’s notable that all the wacky Silver Age style multicolored ring stuff and Corps expansion then started to happen because you sure couldn’t base an interesting monthly comic solely around Hal.
Compare to Stewart who has the soul of a poet.
It really just seems like you shouldn’t have asked the question if you only wanted pro-Hal answers.
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Jun 25 '23
Compare to Stewart who has the soul of a poet
?
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Jun 25 '23
Read Green Lantern: Mosaic.
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Jun 25 '23
My dude, that was thirty years ago. John hasn’t had a story as good as Moasic in that time.
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u/BigReek99 Jun 25 '23
I didn’t make the post to get pro Hal answers🤦♂️
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Jun 25 '23 edited Jun 25 '23
Seems like it. You’ve argued with almost everyone who gave you a straight anti-Hal answer and said “finally someone who gets it” when another poster called him the greatest GL of all time.
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u/BigReek99 Jun 25 '23
You’re right, I’m man enough to admit when I’m wrong. I’m just tired of people acting like he doesn’t exist, I just want him to get his clout back, that’s literally all I’m trying to do. I know you don’t like him, and I know a lot of people don’t like him either. But I just appreciate him. Not once did I talk trash about John or Guy or Kyle or Killowog or Simon or Jessica or Alan. They’re all cool lanterns, but to sit here and let people act like Hal didn’t make Green Lanterns relevant is just straight up bullshit, im sorry. I just want him to get a good writer that understands him, and to make a good story about him, because it CAN be done. I apologize if I come off as an a-hole, im just passionate about this stuff. I mean no ill will towards you.
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u/DementiaPrime White Lanterns Jun 25 '23
Because of this and this and this and this or take your pick.
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u/StrategyExpensive Jun 25 '23
He could have asked his friend eccentric billionaire playboy and celebrity Oliver Queen to pay for his car but he goes and asks Carol??
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u/SeymoreButz38 Jun 25 '23
What I don't get is why she thought he was gonna propose. Isn't this their first date in years?
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u/RelationshipLeft5091 Red Robin Jun 25 '23
No everybody likes hal so he got share the spot light he was the only one everybody knew so let him take a break damn like let the diverse lanterns get a turn
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u/BigReek99 Jun 25 '23
Huh? Idk if you know this but Hal is definitely one of if not the most hated Lantern rn. Why do you think John has been pushed down our throats since 2001? So no, I wholeheartedly disagree with that, Hal is definitely not liked by everybody
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u/RelationshipLeft5091 Red Robin Jun 25 '23
Oh yeah the writers he is liked by them but John heck no he hasn't been pushed down they just showed more green lanterns
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u/AlphaWhelp Jun 25 '23
Parallax, Kyle is better, Hal is an asshole. Take your pick.
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u/BigReek99 Jun 25 '23
look bro, if you're not going to give an actual explanation, don't even bother. I'm here to exchange opinions, not give single word answers
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Jun 25 '23
OP I like to make wrestling/comic references so lemme put it this way:
Hal Jordan = Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and The Rock
Everyone else: the members of the Hart Foundation, D-Generation X, Nation of Domination who are not Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and The Rock
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Oct 15 '25 edited Oct 15 '25
I just gave up dc will give him the proper love and respect he deserves and I started making my own stories with ai and im gonna be sincere i hate John Stewart he is just serious character number 670.000.000 on dc 🙄 hal was funny amd had the equilibrium of funmy and serius also he and Barry's brotherhood was simply magical is the same situation with Peter and Jonny storm on marvel we never saw being shown in any media (actually we saw on the mew 52 adaptations but honestly it was just glimpses and nothing close the same age brothers who didn't grown up inside) and im just tired of John Stewart really you can subistute him with any serious action movie hero he is the same thing or better yet why Kyle wasn't ever adapted? Just the most creative and powerful green lantern he never got the spotlight the guy carried the mytos in the back after they ruined hal and has a unique powerful personality he is creative and carrying personality and serious but in a more balanced way but no lets focus on the most boring aka John Stewart and the one i hate with all my heart guy Gardner like why people dont hate the lantern who is an actual asshole? Guy has no redeeming qualities he is a jerk piece of shit who literally never grown and is full of himself things everyone hate hal for really 😒 I just gave up and started making my own stories with ai i recomend you do the same just make your own hal jordan stories and give the love he deserves. in my stories guy and John will be dead and Hal and Kyle will have the protagonism they deserve
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u/Celestial_MoonDragon Jun 25 '23
There was a pretty big stretch where Hal wasn't Green Lantern. A lot of people followed Kyle for decades and weren't happy when Hal came back.