The Justice League animated series is one of the most beloved entries in the pantheon of DC content over the years. The series saw the iconic DC superheroes including Superman, Batman, Hawkgirl, Flash, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman battling various foes and supervillains. The show ran for 2 seasons and was succeeded by Justice League Unlimited.
The series was praised for its animation style, characterization, rich narrative, and interconnectivity with other series that came before. One of the intriguing aspects of the series was John Stewart and his peculiar green eyes. The developer of the series Bruce Timm addressed the reason behind this, making the character much more interesting.
John Stewart’s Green Eyes in Justice League Has an Intriguing Origin Story
After Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series, Bruce Timm placed the Justice League animated series as the next in line in the DC animated universe. Among the roster, John Stewart/ Green Lantern was one of the standout characters, making a big impression as he saves Batman and Martian Manhunter in the sophomore episode.
Along with his complex relationship with Hawkgirl over the two seasons, another intriguing aspect of the character is his green eyes. Fans have wondered about the reason behind this and it seems producer Bruce Timm had an intriguing backstory that logically explains his unique eye color.
According to Timm, the John Stewart version of Green Lantern was the first to never wear a mask and had no hesitation to show his identity. However, as a visual gimmick, he came up with the idea that Stewart has been Green Lantern for so long that his energy has infused his whole being and has led to his signature green eyes. He said (via YouTube),
“He is the first Green Lantern to say, ‘ No forget it I’m not wearing a mask, I am not ashamed of being a Green Lantern’…but for purely visual sake, we felt we needed to give some kind of visual gimmick for his close-ups. So we came up with the idea that he’s been Green Lantern for so long that the energy of the Green Lantern has kind of infused his entire being, so it’s even in his bloodstream and it glows out of his eyes and it certainly makes it an interesting visual.”
This is an interesting origin story for the character and it also shows how Timm and his team have carefully crafted each element of the team. John Stewart had a great run in the series, with episodes like In the Blackest Night compellingly exploring his motivation and beliefs.
Bruce Timm Admits to Subpar Episodes in the First Season of Justice League
The Justice League animated show and Justice League Unlimited have been considered by fans as among the strongest entries in the DC animated universe. The two shows showcased a compelling look at the dynamic of the team and also explored each of their personal narrative arcs. However, fans at the time believed that some of the beginning episodes of Justice League were inconsistent.
When asked about this, Bruce Timm stated that while the first season was not perfect, subpar episodes like Secret Origins and War World had their moments. He claimed that most of the episodes in the first season were highly entertaining and even pointed out episodes like Legends, The Enemy Below, The Brave And The Bold, and The Savage Tim as some of their best work yet. He said (via DC Animated.com),
“I honestly don’t think the first season of JL represented any kind of radical dropping-off in quality from our previous shows. To my mind, out of the first 13 stories, only “Secret Origins” and “War World” were noticeably below par, and even they had their moments.
The other eleven stories are all solidly entertaining, and I’d rate a few of them – “Legends”, “The Enemy Below”, “The Brave And The Bold” and “The Savage Time” – as some of our best episodes ever.”
After the two shows, Timm further went on to co-develop Green Lantern: The Animated Series. He also produced several DC animated films in the late 2000s and 2010s including Wonder Woman, Batman: Under the Red Hood, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, Justice League Doom, Superman vs The Elite, The Dark Knight Returns, and Justice League: Gods and Monsters.
