Although HBO Max's DCU series "Lanterns" has earned plenty of positive reviews, its portrayal of Hal Jordan has also divided some fans. Writers Vanessa Baden Kelly and Justin Britt-Gibson recently appeared on "The Ringer-Verse," where they explained why Hal was depicted as a man shaped by racial bias and generational blind spots—and revealed that real-life political figures helped inspire the character dynamic.
Baden Kelly said she was most surprised by some viewers' inability to accept that a character could embody contradictory qualities. Drawing on her own experience growing up in Florida, she explained:
"One of the things that has been very, very shocking to me is that people don't seem able to view Hal's characterization with more nuance," she said. "I grew up around a lot of white people who might use the N-word in private, but when something happens, they'll turn around and defend you."
According to Baden Kelly, Hal's prejudices stem from his age, the era in which he grew up and the environment that shaped him.
"I can see Hal committing those microaggressions and think, yes, he has some racist tendencies because he's an older man who grew up in a particular time and place. But I can also believe that he'd probably sleep with an alien somewhere else and never consider himself someone who discriminates against anyone."
She continued: "Both things can be true at the same time, but sometimes audiences can't accept that. That's really difficult for me, because they'll ask, 'Why did you make him a racist?'"
Responding to criticism that the series had turned Hal into a racist, Baden Kelly said:
"No, I just wrote him as a 60-year-old man. I think he's like certain 60-year-old white men from the South who may genuinely have these issues but don't believe they do, because they'll think, 'I golf with a Black guy.'"
In the comics, however, Hal Jordan has long been established as a resident of Coast City, California. Giving the television version the background of a white man raised in the American South therefore marks a notable departure from the source material.
Baden Kelly also revealed that she and Britt-Gibson drew inspiration from the political partnership between Democratic Party figures Joe Biden and Kamala Harris while developing the relationship between Hal and John Stewart.
"We built these characters from people we know in real life, then put those qualities into them," Baden Kelly said.
Britt-Gibson added that Hal resists John taking his place because, after holding tightly to his legacy for so long, the sudden arrival of a successor who is "young, Black, handsome, strong and confident" would naturally make him feel threatened.
Baden Kelly also said Aaron Pierre's lighter complexion influenced how the writers approached John's selection by the Guardians of the Universe. According to her, the team incorporated the idea that his appearance would be more acceptable to white people, adding another layer of social commentary to why the character was chosen.
The comments have reignited debate among fans over how far adaptations should go when reinventing established characters—and how much creators' personal experiences and political perspectives should shape comic book adaptations. Seven episodes of "Lanterns" are currently available on HBO Max.