HBO Max surprised everyone by screening the Lanterns trailer at the HBO Max Upfront presentation in São Paulo. This trailer hasn't been released online, and therefore, all we have for now is the description published by the Brazilian online publication, Omelete. One scene that has fans buzzing is the mention of a squirrel Green Lantern, probably a shot out to the obscure character Ch'p.This mere mention of a Green Lantern Corps member who looks like a squirrel has hardcore comic book fans hyped because, until now, the HBO series was marketed as a True Detective-inspired series. This gave fans the impression that the long-awaited series would be serious. But the dropping of Ch'p's name has some believe that Lanterns will retain the cosmic nature of the comics.Lanterns: Who is Ch'p?In the comics, Ch'p is an obscure character who is a bearer of the Green Lantern Ring. Despite looking like a squirrel, it should be noted that he is not a squirrel. Instead, this Green Lantern is from H'lven and belongs to the species called H'lvenite.The H'lvenite Green Lantern has been compared to Rocket Raccoon: View this post on Instagram Instagram PostOn the surface level, he may remind fans of Marvel's Rocket Raccoon. Here's the thing, though: Rocket Raccoon's first appearance was in July 1976, and Ch'p first appeared in 1982. Some may find Ch'p's inclusion as James Gunn trying to copy what worked for Marvel. However, it should be noted that Gunn is just honoring the rich and vibrant source material.This similarity was even acknowledged in the latest Marvel/DC comic crossover as Hal joins the Guardians of the Galaxy and Rocket Raccoon joins the Green Lantern Corps through Jordan's ring.Does Ch'p appear in the Lanterns trailer? View this post on Instagram Instagram PostNo, Ch'p does not appear in the trailer. Instead, John Stewart name-drops Ch'p, probably referring to the weirdness of the situation. The trailer confirms that Hal Jordan is on the verge of retiring from the Green Lantern Corps. Stewart, on the other hand, is a fresh recruit, and he is supposed to be trained by a different Green Lantern, but Hal Jordan is tasked with temporarily training Stewart for an unknown reason.However, in the typical James Gunn fashion, it seems that Jordan and Stewart have a rocky relationship at the beginning of Lanterns. At one point in the trailer, Stewart proclaims to Jordan that he can save lives better than the latter.If Lanterns follows the source material closely, John Stewart would be a Marine before being recruited by the Green Lantern Corps. Thus, his character arc may see John undergo a journey to be more humble. Aaron Pierre spoke about the humanity of the characters in the HBO show in an October Esquire interview:“One of the things that I love the most about the Lantern Corps is that, yes, they are heroes. Yes, they are celebrated and championed as such, but they embrace their flaws in a way that is beautiful. That makes them extremely relatable. We would often have this conversation on set. I feel like, knowing what I know and what we’ve done with this season, even if I wasn’t part of it, I would watch it and say, ‘I know those guys. In real life, I know those guys.’The airing date for the show has not been confirmed yet, as it has been delayed for the second half of 2026.