Weekly Poll Analysis: Justice League Edition (5/1/14)

For this week's poll questions I asked "Besides the Holy Trinity Which Hero Is Essential For a Justice League Movie?". The winner with 40% of the vote was everyone's favorite scarlet speedster The Flash.

The results were:

The Flash: 40%

Martian Manhunter: 28%

Green Lantern (Stewart): 14%

Aquaman: 9%

Green Lantern: (Jordan): 4%

Cyborg: 2%

Hawkgirl: 0%

Analysis: The inspiration for this week's poll was Zack Snyder casting Ray Fisher as Cyborg. The casting made me wonder who is most important member of the Justice League besides Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. If our poll is any indication of public opinion on the matter, it feels like fans would have rather heard about a Flash casting last week instead of Cyborg. Vic Stone only managed to grab 2% of the vote. He is a relatively new member of the Justice League, being mostly associated with Teen Titians before the launch of the New 52 in 2011, so it is quite interesting Cyborg would be cast before other lifetime members of the team. Which brings me to the question "Which member/members get/s left out because of Cyborg's inclusion?"

          I'm sorry to say that I think the answer to that question is our second place finisher the Martian  Manhunter. J'onn has been a member of the Justice League since it's conception in 1960. Since then he has mostly appeared in JL stories with only the occasionally comic of his own. Children of the 90's will remember the Manhunter being apart of the cartoon Justice League. The character only had his ties with the team split recently in 2011, when the New 52 launched. J'onn was replaced as a founder member by Cyborg for a new JL origin story. This is a clear sign that WB wants to use the New 52 version of the team rather than the original roster. 

           For the New 52, Cyborg replaced J'onn in 2011 to add diversity to the League's ranks. This was similar to how the cartoon Justice League replaced Aquaman with Hawkgirl to have a second woman on the squad. I'm all onboard for diversity, but Cyborg is not my first choice to represent it. I would rather John Stewart in the League. John is the African American Green Lantern. He adds diversity to the team while bringing his popularity from his association with the JL cartoon. No one, not even Ryan Reynolds, wants to see Ryan Reynolds back in his terrible CGI suit as Hal Jordan Green Lantern. Choosing John as the Lantern distances this JL film from that 2011 flop while adding diversity to the roster. It's a win-win. Cyborg's casting does not bring nearly as much advantage or excitement.

          There have been many different incarnations of the Justice League over the years. I agree with the poll that there are many other characters associated with the JL that are more important than Cyborg. So WB, if you want to excite us tell us DC's TV shows are connected to the movies or cast a Flash, Green Lantern and Aquaman. Only then will you get some real excitement stirred for your Justice League.

          

Thanks for reading. What do you think of Cyborg? Whose on your JL roster? Sound off in the comments and make your voice heard by voting in our next poll.