Lanterns came under fire from the start for trailers that featured little space-set action, no superhero costumes, and a distinct lack of the colour green (Green Lantern constructs, meanwhile, were also largely absent). HBO Max's social accounts mocked unhappy fans, while Damon Lindelof later said the series was called Lanterns because "we all agreed that the 'Green' was stupid."
Acclaimed All-Star Superman, Batman, and Green Lantern comic book writer Grant Morrison issued a blistering response and publicly criticised Lindelof's "jockish dismayal of superhero conventions." Ultimately, they both apologised to each other for their remarks, and Lanterns has become a critical hit for DC Studios.
Despite that, many fans have remained critical of how Lanterns has handled its comic book elements; the second episode, for example, only features a single construct: a small bird imagined into existence by John Stewart.
Taking to his Xanaduum Substack, Morrison shared his review of the Lanterns premiere and appears largely unimpressed. Admitting he felt "obliged" to watch after criticising "the glib dismissal of the colour green by writer and producer Damon Lindelof," the writer said he "liked Aaron Pierre’s quiet and uptight performance as John Stewart."
However, "[I] thought Kyle Chandler anchored the show with a great turn as Doctor McCoy, but he wasn’t any Hal Jordan I recognised. Willpower and booze don’t mix for a start." Despite that, Morrison intends to "stick with it for the engaging Chandler."
"Otherwise, on this outing, way too much tell, not enough show, and those comparisons to True Detective, invoking season 1 of that show, only worked against Lanterns," he continued. "The lack of costumes and ring effects was glaring but easily explained by budgetary constraints and a desire to create some distance between this and the unsuccessful Ryan Reynolds Green Lantern film."
"[It] only begs the question of why try to make a Green Lantern show on a budget at all? DC has a ton of 'ground level' heroes, or characters with low-level gimmick powers to choose from, so why take this low-fi route with a franchise that should be competing with Star Trek or Star Wars?" Morrison mused, acknowledging that "mainstream reviews of the show are pretty positive."
The prolific writer's comments echo those of fans. However, most have been able to look beyond that thanks to Lanterns' compelling mystery and two standout performances from its leads.
While the DCU's Hal doesn't seem to have much in common with the comics, there are definite similarities, and Chandler has captured the spirit of an older take on the character than the one seen on the page. As for the lack of costumes and Green Lantern constructs, there's still time for the next six episodes to deliver on the "cosmic" front.
The first two episodes of Lanterns are now streaming on HBO Max.