Dustin Gebel
DC unveiled a new seven-and-a-half-foot-tall statue of the Green Lantern John Stewart in Burbank today at the Empire Center’s Hangar 28. The statue, which is based on a design by artist Jamal Campbell, marks the third collaboration between the city of Burbank and DC for these massive memorials to their characters. A bronze Batman can be found in downtown Burbank while Wonder Woman stands outside of the Warner Brothers studio tour.
Attendees of the unveiling included Burbank Vice Mayor Nikki Perez; DC President, Publisher, and Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee; and DC writers Jeremy Adams, Morgan Hampton and Tim Sheridan.
Lee spoke at the ceremony about the legacy of John Stewart, stating:
“John Stewart represents an important milestone in DC history as our first modern Black costumed superhero, debuting in Green Lantern #87, published in October of 1971. For writer Dennis O’Neil and artist Neal Adams to create a character like John Stewart was nothing short of visionary, as it broke a lot of the usual conventions when it came to superheroes, including his being one of the few to not wear a mask in his role as a Green Lantern to hide who he is. He’s John Stewart, period.
His adventures in comic books and animation with Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, and Green Lantern: Beware My Power have become an enduring part of DC’s storytelling legacy. And with the character’s upcoming live-action debut on DC Studios’ Lanterns TV series, John Stewart’s future couldn’t be brighter.”
Also at the ceremonial was the release of an exclusive comic one-shot, Green Lantern John Stewart, Global Guardian, written by John Ridley and Charlotte Fullerton McDuffie with art by Amancay Nahuelpan, CHRISCROSS, and Jordi Tarragona and cover art by Jamal Campbell. The comic was commissioned by Visit Burbank to commemorate the moment, along with the statue which was designed and crafted by Burbank’s American Fine Arts Foundry and Fabrication.
Pictures of the ceremony, the statue, and the cover for Global Guardian can be seen below.
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 14: (L-R) Tamala Takahashi, Daniel Ferguson, Nikki Perez, DC’s Jim Lee, Tony Garibian, and Konstantine Anthony attend DC’s Green Lantern John Stewart Statue Unveiling on November 14, 2024 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for DC)
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 14: Joel Adams, Morgan Hampton, DC’s Jim Lee and Jeremy Adams attend DC’s Green Lantern John Stewart Statue Unveiling on November 14, 2024 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for DC)
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 14: DC’s Green Lantern John Stewart Statue, unveiled on November 14, 2024 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for DC)
What a fantastic tribute to John Stewart! This new statue and one-shot comic celebrate his legacy as a groundbreaking Black superhero and his ongoing impact on the DC universe. It’s exciting to see how his story continues to evolve, especially with his upcoming live-action debut. A well-deserved honor for such an iconic character!