DCU overseer James Gunn has defended the cinematic universe from complaints about tonal whiplash, especially in the wake of Lanterns' gritty murder mystery premiere.
A fan on Threads raised a common concern for those who have been on the ground floor since DCU: Chapter One launched with Creature Commandos.
They wrote, "As an 'Elseworlds' story, this first episode of Lanterns is way better than the conceit of 'True Detective meets DCU'. That said—and along with Supergirl, Creature Commandos, and the upcoming Clayface movie—I can’t comprehend this slate toward building a shared narrative universe."
Gunn, not one to keep his social media six-shooter in its holster, disagreed. He replied: "In the same way DC comics have. Certainly the DC works of Alan Moore, Darwyn Cooke, Grant Morrison, Jack Kirby, Paul Dini & Tom King can't be considered "of one tone". For me & others raised on DC comics, a huge part of the fun was enjoying a variety of stories in various genres & seeing inventive ways these tones interacted & interwove. For some of the authors - notably Moore & Morrison (& Tom King in Strange Adventures and more) that tonal interweaving became a part of the stories themselves."
While it certainly hasn't mirrored the MCU in terms of building out a universe using a tried-and-tested formula of superhero movies, there can be no doubt that the DCU has been ambitious – and attempting to appeal to a large cross-section of genre fans.
We've already had weird and wonderful animation (Creature Commandos), an anarchic season of television filled with parallel dimensions (Peacemaker season 2), a big-budget blockbuster (Superman), a flawed hero navigating the cosmos (Supergirl) and, now, Lanterns, a more intimate, grounded crime drama featuring characters who normally go big and bold with their superpowers. Body horror is also on the menu, too, with Clayface later this year.
Whatever your take, it appears that Lanterns is a hit with fans. It's currently sitting at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. Our own Lanterns review was effusive in its praise, stating, "The DCU is back on track. Lanterns is a captivating murder mystery that prides itself on relentless pacing and masterful character work from Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre's John Stewart to ensure DC's superhero rivals will turn green with envy."
Lanterns, starring Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler, sees rookie John Stewart team with Green Lantern veteran Hal Jordan to investigate a murder with possibly extraterrestrial culprits. The first episode also includes a shock cliffhanger and a fresh whodunnit. We have a list of suspects here but, be warned, spoilers are within.
For more, here's how to watch the DC movies in order. If you're still not on board with the Green Lantern series, here's what to watch before Lanterns.
