HBO Max has released the first five minutes of Lanterns, and fans are worried about a major retcon regarding Earth’s history with the heroes. The upcoming DC Studios series will explore the relationship between Hal Jordan and John Stewart in the DCU. Fans have already met one of the universe’s first major Green Lanterns in Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner in 2025’s Superman.
In the newly released footage, a news reporter says Hal Jordan is “Earth’s first Green Lantern,” which Hal Jordan says is true. This is where the series takes creative liberties with the canon of DC Comics, in which Alan Scott is Earth’s first Green Lantern.
Watch the first 5 minutes of Lanterns below.
Fans have now responded to the clip on social media, surprised at the lack of a mention of Scott. Several users are now concerned about Scott’s history and legacy being erased by the show’s new revelation.
The Green Lantern legacy on Earth stretches back further than expected
In DC Comics, most sectors in the galaxy have only one Green Lantern assigned to protect them. However, Earth is somewhat unique in having multiple Lanterns watching over it in the past. The first Green Lantern was Alan Scott, introduced in the 1940s Golden Age of comics, who was a co-founder of the Justice Society of America.
Scott was followed by Hal Jordan, then Guy Gardner, and then others. Following the 2016 DC Rebirth event, Scott comes out as a gay man, retroactively making him the first LGBTQ+ superhero.
The history of Green Lantern on Earth is complicated. There have been at least eight Lanterns who have operated on Earth in the comics in a major capacity. It remains to be seen whether the series will acknowledge Scott’s existence in any way.
Lanterns premieres on HBO and HBO Max on August 16, 2026.
