Green Lantern by Geoff Johns (Review)

Citizen's Grade: Awesome.

I was never really interested in Green Lantern until Hal Jordan returned in Rebirth. Since then I am a huge GL fan, often left mindboggled by the jaw-dropping storylines and awesome artwork. Geoff Johns is a master storyteller, and his work often builds into mega-events (The Sinestro Corps War, Blackest Night, & Brightest day to name just the Green Lantern events). He has taken the Green Lantern character into never before seen directions (hard to do with Comic Book "Icon" Characters), and I wait with great anticipation for every volume as it becomes available.

Johns has worked with some of the best artists in the industry, my favorite being Ethan Van Sciver who implemented the idea that each Green Lantern's ring energy would manifest itself differently based on their personalities. Other Artists include Carlos Pacheco, Ivan Reis, Daniel Acuna, Patrick Gleason, & Philip Tan.


Rebirth & The Sinestro Corps War volumes receive "Awesome" grades individually, but overall the entire run to date deserves the grade.....

The collected Volumes of Geoff John's current Green Lantern Run:

1. GL: Rebirth. This is in my "Top 5 Graphic Novels" to read. A masterpiece of story & art.... Hal Jordan was considered the greatest Green Lantern of them all. But Jordan lost control, allowed himself to be corrupted and transformed into the villainous Parallax. Later, Jordan reappeared and made the ultimate sacrifice — a sacrifice that allowed him to become the Spectre, the Wrath of God.

After several years of activity on Earth, The Spectre became restless and sought a way to prove himself worthy of that noble reputation. See how a man born without fear and seeking to rebuild his life, puts cosmic forces into motion that will have repercussions not only on Earth but across the universe.

2. GL: No Fear. Hal Jordan is back from the dead — now watch as he re-establishes his life as a pilot, and his relationship with Carol Ferris. Standing in his way, though, is one of the deadly Manhunter androids followed by the Shark.

This is the slowest moving of the Green Lantern volumes, but is still good.

3. GL: Revenge of The Green Lanterns. In this hard-hitting volume, Green Lantern discovers that Lanterns who were left for dead are alive — and it's up to Hal to set them free, but how will they react to the "new" Jordan?

4. GL Wanted: Hal Jordan. Hal Jordan has been framed for murder. Now, Hal is on the run from a legion of intergalactic bounty hunters and the new Global Guardians. Can he clear his name and discover who put a price on his head?

5. GL: The Sinestro Corps War (3 Volumes, co-written by Dave Gibbons). The story centers around the Green Lanterns of Earth...Hal Jordan, Kyle Rayner, John Stewart and Guy Gardner...and the rest of the Green Lantern Corps as they fight an interstellar war against the Sinestro Corps, an army led by the former Green Lantern Sinestro who are armed with yellow power rings and seek a universe ruled through fear. A 1986 Alan Moore (V for Vendetta, From Hell, Watchmen)"Tales of the Green Lantern Corps" story was the thematic basis of the storyline.

6. GL: Secret Origin. Witness the beginning of the career of the greatest Green Lantern of all as the secret origin of Hal Jordan is revealed in this volume. Discover how and why Hal received the power ring that changed his life forever. Uncover the mystery of the death of his predecessor, Abin Sur, and find out why Jordan's mentor, Sinestro, became obsessed with the prophecy of the apocalyptic end of the universe known as "The Blackest Night."

7. GL: Rage of The Red Lanterns. The War of Light begins! First, the ruthless Alpha Lanterns are born, creating tension within the Green Lantern Corps. Then, Hal Jordan battles for his life when the Red Lanterns attack!

8. GL: Agent Orange. A war of light explodes across the Vega System — and the Green Lantern Corps, led by Hal Jordan, must battle the bizarre Orange Lantern Corps and its leader, Agent Orange, possibly the most vile being in the universe. Plus, the Guardians' pact with the criminals of the universe is revealed. (See: Green Lantern: Agent Orange Review)

This is my favorite on-going series, and as long as Geoff Johns continues writing Green Lantern it will continue to be.