The Green Lantern Corps is one of the greatest teams in comic book history. Their rings are looked at as the most powerful weapon in the universe, but no two wearers use them the same way. That’s why seeing members like Hal Jordan, Kyle Rayner, and Sojourner “Jo” Mullein wield their Power Rings differently has always captivated comic book fans.
If you’re new to DC Comics and want to learn about the Green Lantern Corps, you have a couple of options. First, you can go back to the beginning and read hundreds of comic books involving tons of different Green Lanterns. Or, you can try out these five newer series and go from there.
The Rebirth
- Comic book: Green Lantern Rebirth
- Writer: Geoff Johns
- Artists: Marlo Alquiza, Mick Gray, Ethan Van Sciver, and Prentis Rollins
- Colors: Ethan Van Sciver
This was the story where Hal Jordan returns to being the hero everyone loved. I know people had issues with the Parallax and Hal Jordan story being changed, but this made sense. There was no way DC Comics was going to keep Hal as the Spectre or leave him hated by readers and the Justice League. More importantly, the reason behind his madness made sense and kept him looking strong in the end. Plus, Hal one-punches Batman in front of Guy Gardner.
Maybe the most important part of this series is seeing the differences in Earth’s Green Lanterns. Each of them uses their specific personalities and skill sets to make constructs that look different. For example, John Stewart’s background as a construction worker and Kyle Rayner being an artist are both shown, so readers get what makes them great. This story may be about the return of Hal Jordan, but Geoff Johns doesn't neglect the others.
New Blood
- Comic book: Green Lanterns
- Writers: Geoff Johns and Sam Humphries
- Artist: Ethan Van Sciver and Ed Benes
- Colors: Jason Wright
If you’re looking for something that doesn’t involve the classic Green Lanterns (Hal Jordan, Kyle Rayner, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner), this is the series you’re looking for. Join Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz during their rookie year as heroes. There will be a lot of mistakes made, but that’s part of what makes this series fun. Watching them fall, but get right back up. Not just as Green Lanterns; they evolve as people, too.
The Detective
- Comic book: Far Sector
- Writer: N.K. Jemisin
- Artist: Jamal Campbell
- Colors: Jamal Campbell
Far Sector will always have a special place in my heart. Jamal Campbell’s art perfectly complements N.K. Jemisin’s writing. Together, they create a universe of wonder with weird, yet beautiful aliens and amazing landscapes. Meanwhile, readers will see our lead character, Green Lantern Sojourner “Jo” Mullein, use creative constructs to protect herself and the others.
Far Sector is more than an action-packed 12-issue series. There’s a mystery, too. And, despite it having a Green Lantern, it's nothing like the stories you've seen from the Corps. There’s a ton of deep storylines involving sexual orientation, racism, classism, and more. In short, it’s a flawless series.
The Adams era
- Comic book: Green Lantern: Back in Action
- Writers: Jeremy Adams
- Artists: Xermanico
- Colors: Romulo Fajardo
This was the series that made me a fan of Hal Jordan. Jeremy Adams kept the arrogant part of the character there, but justified it more than ever. That’s not to say that it wasn’t before. It just seemed like he learned new tricks and became more powerful. Among them was making a construct of a friend that looked lifelike.
Another thing I loved was that the stories were on Earth instead of intergalactic. That changes after this volume, but Back in Action is a perfect starting point before things get cosmic.
Not the brightest days
- Comic book: Blackest Night
- Writer: Geoff Johns
- Artist: Ivan Reis
- Colors: Alex Sinclair
While this isn’t a strictly Green Lantern series, it is a good starting point. Maybe one of the best because readers get a chance to see all of the Lanterns across the galaxy at their best and how their powers work. Readers will see how powerful each Lantern on the Emotional Spectrum is, how it's used, and what powers it has. This will leave new readers wondering which ring would recruit them.
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