Today’s the day that Green Lantern John Stewart makes his mark in Burbank, California. Representatives from DC, Warner Brothers Discovery, and Visit Burbank gathered to unveil a 7 1/2 foot tall 600 pound bronze statue of John Stewart under Hangar 28 in the sprawling shopping center known as Burbank Empire Center. Despite how appropriate it would be, they’re not changing Hangar 28 to Hanger 2814.
Based off of the work of DC artist Jamal Campbell, the statue was built by American Fine Arts Foundry and Fabrication in Burbank. This marks the third DC hero statue to become a fixture in the city, with one of Batman in downtown Burbank and one of Wonder Woman on the Warner Brothers lot.
Created by Denny O’Neill and Neal Adams, John Stewart was a milestone character for DC. The publisher’s first modern black costumed superhero, he debuted in Green Lantern #87 in 1971. Appearances were sporadic through the 1970s, but once DC truly focused on the full Green Lantern Corps, John Stewart quickly became a favorite. His being a regular on the animated Justice League and Justice League Unlimited cemented his status for an entire generation.
Originally the site of a Lockheed-Martin plant, Burbank Empire Center retains an airplane theme. Hangar 28 is near the front of the center, a section with a Game Stop, BevMo, Sharky’s, and Outback Steakhouse. If you’re going to make the pilgrimage to the statue — and I’m going to try this weekend — be aware that it’s a pretty active center overall. Bookended by Lowe’s and WalMart, it also has one of the busiest Targets around.
Choosing John Stewart as the Green Lantern commemorated in bronze points to a larger push from Warner Brothers Discovery to put Stewart front and center as the Lantern people know. Actor Aaron Pierre has been officially cast in the role for the Max series Lanterns, which will cross over into other DC Studios’ films.
Fanboy Planet is an Amazon affiliate. Purchases made through links on this and other pages may generate a commission for this site.
