The only reason I'm not playing it is because of the broken netplay /deadhorse.
Unlike apparently most people on these forums, I don't have the pleasure of having any kind of local scene or community for any of my FGs. So online is my only method of playing. I keep checking this thread every other day for news about the +R patch in the hopes that I'll finally be able to take Johnny online.
As for the issue of "who should I play?" I think the answer is always, as stated above, a character who you find enjoyable. Just because a character might have hard execution doesn't prevent them from being fun for the people who enjoy playing them. When I first started playing GG I couldn't find much appealing about the cast at first until I picked Johnny, and knew I immediately had found my main. It's not because he has some incredibly amazing playstyle, or because his metagame is so technical and amazing, it's just because his moves look cool. The appeal of performing and watching his movelist encouraged me to learn his combos/playstyle and I knew I had found my main. I personally feel this method of choosing a main is totally okay, especially in a game with good balance. The most powerful motivator for learning a character is that you actually enjoy playing them.