John Stewart

John Stewart, a former U.S. Marine and architect from Detroit, was chosen by the Guardians of the Universe as a backup Green Lantern for Earth when Hal Jordan needed a substitute. Armed with a power ring fueled by willpower, he became one of the Corps' most steadfast members.

Few characters in DC's long history have proven as enduring or as meaningful as John Stewart, who made his debut in Justice League of America #110 in 1974 — a landmark Bronze Age introduction by John Broome and Carmine Infantino that immediately signaled something different was happening in superhero comics. Over more than five decades of publication, he has built an extraordinary legacy across titles like Green Lantern, The Green Lantern Corps, and The Darkstars, racking up over 300 catalog appearances and five collector-recognized key issues that speak to his genuine importance in the DC universe. He runs in the highest company imaginable — sharing pages with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and their civilian counterparts Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne — which tells you everything about the tier of storytelling he inhabits. For any fan serious about the Bronze Age or the rich history of DC's cosmic mythology, John Stewart is absolutely essential reading.