(This article excludes “Alan Scott,” another character of the same superhero name but of a different background, story, etc.)

  “In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night, No Evil Shall Escape My Sight, Let Those Who Worship Evil’s Might, Beware My Power, Green Lantern’s Light!” This is the oath of the Green Lantern’s, a group of over 7200 characters that span over the DC Comics universe. Yes, there are 7200 individual Lantern’s, but only four of them are the ones we may be familiar with.

            In 1959, comic creator Julious Schwartz created one of the most enduring characters and concepts that have ever come out of DC Comics- Hal Jordanand the Green Lantern Corps. Created to profit from the rising consumer interest in the sci-fi genre, DC wrote a story starring a young airplane pilot who inherited a power ring from a dying alien, allowing him to channel his abundant amount of willpower into the ring to create constructs out of solid light, and the ability to fly, a concept so widely recieved that the character endures to this day.

            Throughout Hal’s lifetime in comics, a multitude of other Lantern’s have joined the ranks to protect space sector 2814, the galaxy system Earth resides in, from otherworldly threats- think of them as intergalactic cops. Together, literally through force of will, they save the universe.

           

Hal Jordan

            The original Green Lantern from Earth, Hal was chosen, as all Lantern’s are, for his ability to “overcome great fear.” Orphaned as a small child; his father died in a plane crash, one that Hal witnessed, and from then on he no longer feared anything, seeing his greatest fear realized so young. Through this, Hal was chosen to be given a Lantern Power Ring.

            Over the years, Hal learned to hone his skills and quickly rose the ranks to what would equate to a “commanding officer” in the Corps, selected by the Guardians of Oa,leaders and councel to all of the Green Lantern Corps.

            Hal is a man who questioned authority, something no other Lantern before him had done, and in doing so had saved the Corps numorous times from poorly planned tasks from the Gaurdians, who believe their judgments perfect, even when they aren’t. For Hal’s saving graces, he was awarded the title of “The Greatest of the Green Lantern’s,” a title the Guardians dislike but accept. And as greatest Lantern, Hal has not only saved the world numorous times, but has cheated death more than once, fought against the living enbodyment of dead, and even became the sole leader of the Green Lantern Corps.

 

Guy Gardner

            The seconed human to become a Lantern, and Hal’s replacement when he was at once indesposed, Guy is a rough-n-tumble jock who uses his ring almost as an extention of himself- arrogantly and with blinding power. His cocky attitude has gotten him both into and out of more situations than any Lantern to date, even once having to fight The Batman himself.

            Gardner has taken on many different forms of light in the Emotional Spectrum of Light– the seven different Corps all centered around the color specrum (ROYGBIV), each utilizing different abundant emotions in order to create light constructs- including Red Rage, and the evil force of Yellow Fear.

            Through his actions, Gardner has been kicked off and re-accepted into the GL Corps multiple times, but, at the end of the day, is always by Hal’s side when the goings get tough.

 

John Stewert

            Perhaps the second most recognized Lantern for his role in the Justice League animated show, John Stewert is the third Lantern from Earth, and the first Lantern to not be another Caucasian man. Stewert, born in raised in Detroit, was a military soldier who was chosen by the Corps when both Hal and Guy were kicked out by the Guardians, and for his great tacticle abilities.

            Stewert is known as the stratagist of the Corps, leading many battalions of Lantern’s against high-scale universal threats. He is even so intelligent that Batman had chosen him to be the lead GL in the Justice League, as Stewert was not only a great listener and leader, but a powerful follower, helping Batman plan counter measures for wider scale contingency plans.

            John has a tremendous sense of compassion alongside his will, fighting for the future and his great dream- to one day raise a family in a safe world.

 

Kyle Rayner

            The third Lantern on the list, Kyle Rayner was chosen to be a Green Lantern after a falling out of the entire Corps, and was given the distinction of being the only Green Lantern left in the universe. As a direct result, Kyle had to become the most powerful being he could be in order to protect around 3600 different space sectors- the entire universe- on his own.

            Kyle is an artist by trade, so he uses complex light structures to defeat his enemies, often confusing foreign foes when they witness his constructs.

            He recently was tasked with combining all of the different lights of the emotional spectrum, in order to acheive the light of Life, the most powerful spectrum in the universe, in order to defeat living death oce and for all.

 

Simon Baz

            The final and most recent Lantern from Earth, Simon was chosen to become a Lantern out of necessity- Hal Jordan was lost in the spirit world- I know, but it isn’t as lame in the books- and a new Lantern was needed to take his place. Simon was chosen due to his will to never give up on anything.

            Simon, a Middle-Eastern man from Michigan (Guy, John, and Simon are all from Michigan!) is consistently harassed by law enforcement and local citizens due to his race. So, when a local bombing is blamed on Simon, he goes on the run, wishing to see his dying brother one last time before he has to go on the run for a crime he never committed.

            A Power Ring finds Baz and, will pure force of will, he uses the ring to rid his brother of his terminal cancer, as well as escape his oppressors and give Hal his salvation from the brink of death.

            Simon is now a part of the Justice League of America, and is recognized by the world for his heroics.

  In short, The Green Latern’s and their Corps take up a very large chunk of the DC universe, and is quite a place to explore, full of courage, space battles, and plenty of willpower.

 

Readings 

 -Green Lantern Rebirth

-Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps War

-Green Latern: Secret Origin

-Blackest Night

-Green Lantern: Blackest Night

-Green Lantern: Brightest Day

-Green Lanter: War of the Green Lantern’s

-Green Lantern: Sinestro

-Green Lantern: Return of the Black Hand

-Green Lantern: The End

Bonus Reading- Green Lantern: Dark Days

*Remember to get your comics at your local comic shop, the best place to get your comics and in their best conditions

**Comic City Pontiac