"In brightest day, in blackest night,
No evil shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship evil's might
Beware my power--Green Lantern's light!"
INTRODUCTION:
John Stewart made his comic book debut in Green Lantern vol. 2 #87 (December 1971) when artist Neal Adams came up with the idea of a substitute Green Lantern. The decision to make the character black stemmed from a conversation between Adams and editor Julius Schwartz, in which Adams recounts saying that given the racial makeup of the world's population, "we ought to have a black Green Lantern, not because we’re liberals, but because it just makes sense."
Stewart was DC's first mainstream black superhero.
I personally prefer Stewart over Hal Jordan as a Green Lantern simply because I really liked how the character was depicted during the Justice League Animated's classic run on Cartoon Network. But more than that, its the entire vibe that Stewart exudes- military background, discipline, blood and glory makes for a way more compelling character than Jordan.
And its the very fact that he has a military background that kind of makes him really function well as a Green Lantern, in my opinion. After all, aren't the Green Lantern Corps an intergalactic peace-keeping army of soldiers?
One more thing that sets Stewart apart from the many other Green Lanterns is the fact that he doesn't wear a mask to hide his face. He can go go toe-to-toe with DC's finest, and has done so on many occasions.
PACKAGING- 7/10
DC Icons' John Stewart comes in a basic window box package, which once removed reveals the figure and its accessories. No frills, so collectors who are particular with the packaging may be left slightly dissatisfied.
ACCESSORIES-8/10
John Stewart comes with:
- One pair of gloved hands
- One gloved hand which can be connected to "green lantern constructs"
- One lantern
- One pair of normal hands
FIGURE- 7/10
I really feel that DC Collectibles doesn't get enough credit for the good work they've doing with their lines like DC Icons and DC Films. It comes out with good quality figures with nice detailing at way more affordable prices compared to other players like Mafex and Mezco Toyz.
And in this case, the DC Icons' version of John Stewart really hits the mark. The headsculpt is detailed very well, and they did a stellar job with the paint apps for the body as well as the dark green and black colour scheme.
One drawback though is the height of the figure. John Stewart is just around 6 inches tall, which kind of puts him in a weird scale. He can pose OK with other 1:12 scale figures, but for figures that are almost 7 inches, the difference in height is quite apparent.
Side by side with Mezco Toyz's Batfleck
With DC Collectibles' New 52 Green Lantern Hal Jordan
ARTICULATION- 7/10
Overall I'm OK with Stewart's articulation. His head has some joint movement, so he can turn 360 degrees, but his ability to look up or down is limited, He's supposed to have an ab crunch, but that part is pretty stiff so I wouldn't force it too much or else you might break the figure.
Unfortunately he does not have a waist swivel, which is a shame as this limits some poses.
POSEABILITY-7.5/10
There's definitely some fun to be had posing Stewart, and once you get past the height issue, there's lots of possible pictures and effects to mess around with.
VALUE- 7/10
I recommend getting this figure if:
1. You're a John Stewart fan
2. You're into DC figures but you don't want to break the bank
3. Don't mind the slightly-shorter-than-1:12 scale height of the figure
Big Bad Toy Store still has him for US$23.99 (RM106.49).
OVERALL SCORE- 7.3/10
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