The upcoming DCU, or DC Cinematic Universe, has been on an up-and-down train right now. They had a great start with the film Superman (2025), which introduced what we will be exploring in our new DC Universe. Some might say, “Well, Blue Beetle, Creature Commandos, or Peacemaker are technically the introduction to the DCU.” While that is true, Superman was considered the actual first step towards the DCU. Then this year, we had two projects: Supergirl in June and now, Lanterns. Lanterns is the new DC show that has been talked about by comic book fans and non-comic book fans alike.
The story revolves around Green Lantern veteran Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler, and new recruit John Stewart, played by Aaron Pierre, as they investigate a dark murder in rural Nebraska. Audiences, including myself, have been very interested in how the show would turn out. So far, we’ve only gotten seven episodes of Lanterns, with the last one to drop next Sunday. While we did get Supergirl in June, audiences didn’t really enjoy the movie as much. From that, people wondered whether the same response to Supergirl would apply to Lanterns. I’m happy to say that Lanterns has piqued my interest and has probably become my favorite comic book show this year. The story from the first seven episodes already has me intrigued about the world-building throughout the DCU. I believe this show really expands the world we will be jumping into as we watch different projects. We’ve gotten mentions from the show of Metropolis, where Superman resides, and Gotham City, where Batman resides. However, in this show, we’re in a rural town in Nebraska. While it doesn’t seem like much compared to other cities, I personally believe it feels more grounded with the characters set in a small town.
Besides that, there are so many aspects about this show that I’ve really enjoyed. First, the acting from Pierre and Chandler. Both performances really hooked me on the characters. Honestly, I could see the two of them being nominated for acting performances at next year’s Emmy Awards. I especially like the chemistry between the two. While it’s mostly meant to be seen as a veteran training a new Lantern, it seems that Hal Jordan and John Stewart really respect each other and understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses, despite all that they’ve discovered. Another aspect I really enjoyed is the storytelling, especially from episode three, “OutKast.” I really loved how the story isn’t just jumping straight into the investigation, as throughout the episodes, we get to connect with Hal and John. We’ve so far gotten John’s backstory about how he was chosen as a Lantern and his relationship with his family. From that, we get a better sense of the relationship with John and why he is so stoic. The last aspect I’ve really been a fan of was the cinematography. Thanks to the cinematographers Florian Hoffmeister, Gregory Middleton, and Armando Salas, the cinematography across the seven episodes has been on a different level. Each of these cinematographers has been rewarded with an Emmy or an Oscar for their past work. So, naturally, the cinematography would be not only insane, but also incredibly beautiful even in moments that don’t involve action and are just conversations between characters.
While I did praise many aspects, there are a few other aspects of the show that make me a bit upset. This may be a me-thing, but I don’t really like how little of the galaxy we’ve been getting in this show. For those who are unaware, the Green Lantern Corps are known as the protectors, not only of Earth, but of the galaxy as well. They were created by the Guardians of the Universe in DC to help protect the galaxy. While we have gotten a tease of what the Guardian looks like, I’m still a tad upset that we’ve mostly been on Earth and haven’t gotten anything in space yet. Hopefully, we’ll get a tease of the galaxy towards the last few minutes of the last episode, but it might not be the case. Still, I’m hoping to see John Stewert or even Hal Jordan for a flashback scene in space. Another little specific aspect I’m not really liking is the costumes. Now, I understand that we’re mainly going to be seeing the characters in normal clothing since they are on Earth. However, I’m mostly upset because I really want to see either Hal or John in the original Green Lantern suit. Now you may be thinking, “Well, technically, we’ve already seen Hal Jordan in the suit.” While that may be true, personally, I’m not a big fan of the suit they’ve given him. The color seems too brownish-dark from my perspective and that’s not what the suit truly looks like. Normally, the suit is bright green, with a green face mask. Hopefully, for the next DC project, Man of Tomorrow, they’ll give Pierre the comic-accurate suit for Green Lantern.
Overall, I’m happy to say that this being the third DCU project is a really amazing choice. Especially since Green Lantern hasn’t gotten the best reputation for a minute (aka Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern). So, this show shaping and giving Green Lanterns a new light for new comic book fans is something I’m very satisfied to see. Hopefully, the series can get renewed for a second season because I would love to get more action with the Lanterns and maybe actually see them protecting the galaxy.