Things didn’t work out with Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern movie in 2011, but the DC Comics property is finally getting another shot at live-action glory. HBO’s Lanterns is among the many upcoming DC TV shows on the horizon, with Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre respectively starring as Hal Jordan and John Stewart. It was also announced at the end of March that Nathan Fillion will reprise Guy Gardner in Lanterns following his debut as the character in James Gunn’s Superman.
Well, with today marking the final day of Arab-American Heritage Month, I want to talk about why Simon Baz, the Green Lantern Corps’ first Arab-American member, should be included in Lanterns at some point. Beyond his inclusion simply adding more diversity to the DC Universe space, there are other reasons he requires some time in this franchise’s green spotlight.
Simon Baz Needs To Be Highlighted In Other Media
Here’s the thing: other than two video game appearances, Simon Baz has never been adapted outside of the comics, which I find astounding. All the other primary human members of the Green Lantern Corps have had their chance to shine in film and TV. That includes Jessica Cruz, who debuted not long after Simon did in the comics, was partnered with him for a while, and, after being one of the main characters in DC Super Hero Girls, will be leading My Adventures with Green Lantern, the spinoff to My Adventures with Superman.
I’m not saying Simon needed to be prioritized over Jessica or any of the other Green Lanterns from Sector 2814, but I also don’t want him to solely be confined to the pages of comic books. He deserves to be adapted in other media, and Lanterns is as good a place for him to show up. There certainly wouldn’t be any trouble getting eyes on him since, as mentioned earlier, Lanterns will air on HBO first, and then episodes will be streamable with a Max subscription.
He Doesn’t Start Out Being Trusting Of His Ring
The first look comic book readers got of Simon Baz was the above cover to Green Lantern #0, showing the character holding a gun. Now you might be wondering, why would a Green Lantern need a gun when they have a ring allowing them to make physical constructs of anything they can imagine? Was this just an ill-guided attempt to make Simon look like a badass?
No, there was actually a narrative reason for it. When Simon got his Green Lantern ring and learned about its capabilities, he was worried there would come a time that he wouldn’t be able to charge the ring. So for a while, he also carried a gun with him as a precaution, although he eventually gave it up during a team-up with Batman. It’d be great to see this more deeply explored in Lanterns. Give us a new recruit who’s not immediately trusting of this powerful tool, but eventually learns to place their full faith into it.
He Pulled Off An Amazing Feat No Other Green Lantern Has
Don’t worry, it’s not just the gun that made Simon Baz stand out during his earliest appearances in the Green Lantern comics. Years earlier, he was a street racer, but one of these races ended with his brother-in-law Nazir being horribly injured and place in a coma. He was still non-responsive when Simon got the Green Lantern ring, which B’dg, his mentor at the time, said is capable of many great things, but awakening someone from a coma was not one of them.
And yet, as a testament to his strong willpower, the rookie Simon was able to use this emerald energy to bring Nazir back to consciousness. What was once thought impossible became a new ability for the ring, and the Corps had someone who’d only been a Green Lantern for a few hours to thank for that. If Simon is included in Lanterns, this moment would need to be included. The circumstances behind Nazir’s accident could be adjusted if necessary, but this would serve as a stellar example of what someone deemed worthy of one of these rings can accomplish even without training.
I’d Like To The Concept Of A Green Lantern With A Secret Identity Explored
Now before anyone says anything, yes, I realize that Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner also have secret identities, but I especially like the reason for why Simon Baz wears a mask. When he received his Green Lantern ring, he’d been arrested for terrorism because a car he’d stolen happened to contain a ticking time bomb, and he drove the car into the empty car factory where he once worked so it wouldn’t hurt anybody. Simon was being interrogated when the ring, which Hal Jordan and Sinestro’s combined into one (long story) selected him as its new wearer. Simon made the mask for himself so he could maintain a low profile while trying to prove his innocence, and it just stuck around.
Although no Lanterns footage has been released yet, judging by the first official image, I’m guessing that Hal Jordan and John Stewart won’t be maintaining secret identities, which isn’t surprising for John since he usually doesn’t wear a mask in the comics. But secret identities are also inherently tied to the superhero genre, so I’d like to see this handled with a Green Lantern. The DCU’s Hal and John may be fine showing their faces wherever they go around Earth, but let’s see how Simon maintaining distance between his civilian and superhero lives, even when the United States government isn't on his tail.
Admittedly, Simon Baz’s inclusion will only become possible if Lanterns returns for Season 2, and it’s way too early for any indication about if that’s in the cards. However, assuming we do get another batch of episode, showrunner Chris Mundy should seriously consider putting Simon into the series. I certainly welcome more comic book appearances from him, but the time has come for him to be put to good use on film and/or TV, and Lanterns is the best place to make that happen.
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