HBO's new series "Lanterns" has drawn criticism from some viewers who accuse the show of rewriting the classic Green Lantern origin story to foreground themes of racial privilege rather than the character's traditional trait of fearlessness. The controversy centres on the show's depiction of John Stewart, DC's first Black Green Lantern, whose selection is reframed as the product of childhood conditioning by his parents rather than an adult's innate ability to overcome fear, prompting accusations that the series has prioritised social commentary over established comic lore.

The dispute focuses on episode three, in which Stewart's mother challenges an alien Guardian over the fairness of expecting a Black man in America to be fearless, and on comments from writer Vanessa Baden Kelly and actor J. Alphonse Nicholson defending the approach as consistent with Stewart's history as a civil rights-minded character since his 1971 debut. Reaction online has been mixed, with some, including comic writer Steven DeKnight, defending the changes as true to Green Lantern's socially conscious roots, while critics argue the show has departed from Stewart's traditional characterisation. Co-creator Damon Lindelof previously faced similar criticism for HBO's "Watchmen", which also tackled American racial politics.