Did DC’s New Lantern Swipe Creator JS Earls’ The Sorrow? The Similarities are Striking

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In the constantly changing world of comic book history, originality is key to creating compelling stories and iconic characters. Yet, certain occurrences in the DC Comics universe have ignited a passionate argument about where the line lies between creative inspiration and possible copyright violations. At the heart of this dispute is independent comic creator J.S. Earls and his character, The Sorrow, whose appearance bears a striking resemblance to a new character from the publishing powerhouse.

In 2003, J.S. Earls unveiled his creation, The Sorrow, to the public. It was in 2005 when The Sorrow made its first appearance in print. This character is a joint effort between Earls and artist Darous (DF) Cole, representing a deeply moving spiritual entity that emerges following tragic incidents, materializing from the tears of those affected. The visual representation of this character, characterized by a white hood and cloak contrasting against a black figure, with a single tear trickling down from the left eye, has come to symbolize sorrow and grief.

The journey of the story “The Sorrow” started when it was featured in collections focusing on child abuse prevention, first released by Lulu.com in April 2005. Later, it moved into comic book anthologies under the Shooting Star Comics label. The intriguing tale of this character continued to evolve in Star Cross United #2 and eventually became a regular feature in numerous publications from StarCross Comics.

By the year 2024, DC Comics introduces a fresh character in their renowned Green Lantern series: the Sorrow Lantern. This newcomer, unveiled as Nathan Broome in the 13th issue of the rebooted series, has already sparked significant similarities to Earls’ original figure, thanks to striking parallels in name and idea. In the latest issue #1 of Green Lantern: Shattered Rainbow, the Sorrow Lantern dons its full costume (see screenshot for reference). This superhero draws power from a deep reservoir of sorrow and despair, echoing the fundamental spirit of Earls’ The Sorrow.

The parallels between the two characters are indeed difficult to overlook:

1. Theme Connection: Both characters share a common theme of sorrow, as reflected in their names.

2. Symbolic Empowerment: Both entities draw strength from the feelings of sadness and despair.

3. Design Similarity: The mask of Sorrow and the design on the chest of the Sorrow Lantern both symbolize a tear.

4. Narrative Parallelism: Both characters are deeply entrenched in tragic narratives, exploring the emotional aftermath.

It’s worth noting that the coincidental resemblance between DC Comics’ Sorrow character and Earls’ The Sorrow, which has been around for nearly two decades, might raise some eyebrows. Since Earls’ creation precedes DC’s, it’s hard to ignore questions about the authenticity of the new character’s origin. While the comic book world often creates characters based on existing ones from within their own universe, this case seems to blur the line between inspiration and plagiarism. It highlights the importance of protecting the intellectual property rights of independent creators in an industry largely controlled by major publishers.

Intrigue abounds within the comic book world as people anxiously await to uncover the truth behind the supposed links between The Sorrow and the Sorrow Lantern. This scenario underscores the significance of copyright law in an industry where creative boundaries often blur. With Earls poised to face off against DC Comics, attention turns to the possible legal consequences and whether this standoff might lead to a discussion between J.S. Earls and DC Comics about the actual origins of these tragic superheroes.

Another comics artist, Nicholas Greer from Star Cross Comics, noticed some remarkable resemblances between his work (The Relentless Tin Soldier) and something else, and he drew attention to it by tweeting about it, which eventually garnered the attention of DC Comics’ legal team this week.

Jay Kogan, holding the position of Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs at DC, got in touch with Greer personally, expressing as follows:

Jay Kogan, who is the Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs at DC, contacted Greer personally, making this statement:

In a simpler form:

Jay Kogan (DC’s Senior VP of Legal Affairs) reached out to Greer with the following message:

I’ve passed along your message about the Green Lantern Sorrow character, penned by Jeremy Adams, to my attention.

I want to make it clear that neither Jeremy Adams nor anyone else associated with creating, writing, or illustrating DC’s GL Sorrow character or any DC comics featuring this character has ever been exposed to Star Cross Comics’ The Sorrow comic book or character. Therefore, any resemblance between the DC character and the one from Star Cross Comics is purely coincidental.

Hey there! As a fan and advocate for collaboration within the comic book community, I believe it’s crucial for publishers like us to steer clear of characters that could potentially confuse readers due to similarities. While searching online, I’ve had limited success in finding details about the Star Cross Comics character beyond their appearance in Star Cross United #2 and their apparent ethnicity. However, I couldn’t find any information on their background, powers, real name, or other specifics. If you have more info, perhaps a PDF or link to an issue featuring the character, we’d be thrilled to take a look! This could help us identify any coincidental similarities that might need our attention in the future, all without affecting DC’s rights, which we continue to reserve.

Thank you for reaching out.

Best regards, Jay

Jay Kogan, Senior Vice President Legal Affairs DC – a Warner Bros. Discovery Company

Greer sent the email response he received over to Earl’s legal team, who are now supplying the required links and PDF documents.

In the midst of this developing story, there’s no doubt about one aspect: it might reveal the fine line between fostering innovation and preserving authenticity in the realm of popular comics. For decades, these comics have striven to maintain their originality, yet this endeavor has proven challenging.

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2025-01-11 19:00