A Guide to Starting Your Journey in Green Lantern Comics
A Guide to Starting Your Journey in Green Lantern Comics
Are you diving into the fascinating world of Green Lantern for the first time and wondering where to start? This guide is designed to help you navigate through the rich history of this beloved superhero, starting with the classic tales and culminating with the groundbreaking work of modern-day scribes like Geoff Johns.
Reprints of the Golden Age Green Lantern Comics
To begin your journey, it's essential to start with the foundational stories of the Golden Age. These reprints are collected in various editions, including the DC Archive books, which offer a treasure trove of early adventures. This period includes the first Green Lantern, Alan Scott, who was a member of the Justice Society of America, and the iconic Hal Jordan, who later joined the Justice League of America. These tales are not only a great introduction to the character but also showcase the evolution of the Green Lantern mythos.
Geoff Johns’ Signature on the Green Lantern Series
While reading reprints is a valuable starting point, diving into modern narratives will allow you to experience the superhero’s evolution. Geoff Johns is a key figure in Green Lantern comics, and you shouldn't miss out on his works. Here's a suggested reading order:
Green Lantern: Secret Origins DC Universe from the acclaimed writer Alan Moore Follow the reading order 'Geoff Johns Green Lantern' on Google, which includes titles from Green Lantern: Rebirth 2008 to War of the Green Lanterns Aftermath Read the Flashpoint storyline and then the New 52 Green Lantern storiesThe current run of Green Lantern is highly recommended for new readers, while completists can explore the Showcase anthologies of the Silver Age. These collections showcase Hal Jordan’s earliest stories and provide a solid foundation for the overall mythology.
Pre-Crisis Silver Age Green Lantern Adventures
Pre-Crisis Green Lantern, primarily from the 1960s, is characterized by a blend of dated and modern elements. Notable among these is the Complete Neal Adams-Denny O’Neill Hard Travelin’ Heroes collection, which tells the story of Green Lantern and Green Arrow's famous road trip. This series reflects the attempts by DC to emulate Marvel by dealing with real-life issues in the comics.
For the budget-conscious reader, the Green Lantern vol. One Showcase TPB (Trade Paperback) is a great option. These reprints are rich with early adventures but suffer from Silver Age cheesiness, many of which got retconned before COIE (Crisis on Infinite Earths). While the stories are in black and white, they are a good starting point for those wanting to explore the Green Lantern mythos without breaking the bank.
Mainstream Adventures of Green Lantern
Once you've familiarized yourself with the early tales, you can move onto the mainstream adventures of Green Lantern. Issues 122-127, following the Green Lantern-Green Arrow team-up, showcase a compelling arc with Sinestro. Issues 150-172 feature a sci-fi bent as Jordan operates off-planet, while issues 180-200 see Jordan quit and John Stewart taking over as the Green Lantern. These issues often incorporate COIE tie-ins and Guy Gardner, but they are not collected in TPBs.
The post-200 era saw the title change to the Green Lantern Corps, featuring various adventures from other Guardians of the Universe. Issues 222-224 mark the conclusion of Sinestro’s story but are generally considered skippable. The second Hal Jordan Green Lantern series continued this trend, with issues 230-244 being the most noteworthy, marking the advent of Kyle Rayner as a new hero.
The Kyle Rayner Era
Kyle Rayner’s journey as the Green Lantern is marked by a mix of notable and average stories. Directed by writers like Ron Marz and Judd Winick, this era saw a few high points but mostly average outcomes. Notable issues include issue 54, which names the "Women in Refrigerators" trope. Issues 71-73, "Hero Quest," explore Kyle’s training with Batman, Captain Marvel, and Wonder Woman, while "Emerald Knights" 98-106 feature a team-up between Rayner and a time-displaced pre-Parallax Hal Jordan.
After the Kyle Rayner era, the debut of the Emerald Twilight storyline saw Jordan replaced by Kyle Rayner, signaling a new chapter in the Green Lantern legends. The Geoff Johns Era, which followed, brought a renaissance to the character, evolving the story and setting new baselines for the Green Lantern series.
Conclusion
By following this guide, you can start your journey into the world of Green Lantern, from its origins to its most recent incarnations. Whether you're a new reader or an old fan, these recommendations will provide a comprehensive introduction to the rich and diverse narrative landscape of Green Lantern comics.