I think it’s time we have a little chat about my favorite mainstream superhero: Green Lantern.
Before we delve into the realm of Hal Jordan, I have to say a few words about a pervasive comic book method as of late. In more officious circles, the term is known as “retcon.” For all you laymen out there, the term is short for “retroactive continuity.”
In essence, it is a process by which a comic book writer changes the past about a superhero, from something small, like when they were born, to something huge, such as their motivation for becoming a superhero.
In theory, retcons could be a good thing. They could modernize an already established character, thereby offering new and better stories to be written. And they give nerds like me a multitude of opportunities to read awesome comic books.
However, the process is not always as smooth as this. There are countless examples, but I’d say that DC is especially guilty of really awful retcons. Just look at “Infinite Crisis,” so bad.
Anyway, back to Green Lantern. Hal Jordan, the original Green Lantern, has been my favorite superhero since I was a little kid. Back then, I’m sure I thought he was awesome solely for the fact that he wore green, and made green things appear with his ring because yes, green is my favorite color.
As I grew up, I started to realize that this guy was much cooler than the fact that he wears green. Hal Jordan is part of a universe galactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps. Each of the many corps members polices a section of the universe, usually encompassing their own home world.
Their powers all come from a very special technology, their power rings. Powered by their own willpower and their ability to overcome fear, each Green Lantern Corps member can create “constructs” with their ring. Basically, with their willpower, each member can create any thing they want with their ring, from a sword or shield around their body, to more elaborate devices like a gun. The only limit is their own cleverness.
You would understand that, to my dismay, Hal Jordan was eventually killed off in the early ’90s. Basically, Hal Jordan went AWOL and killed pretty much all of the Green Lantern Corps, and eventually was brought down himself. The DC powers that be brought in a new Green Lantern, Kyle Rayner, who was a bit more hip for the times, but was never as cool as his predecessor.
Originally, each Green Lantern had a laughably terrible weakness: the color yellow. In the 1960s, many superheroes had some awful weaknesses, so for the times it wasn’t too awful. However, as time progressed, writers have retconed this pretty lame weakness as being an impurity in the central power battery where all members recharge their rings. But I don’t want to bore you with the details.
More recently with the series “Green Lantern: Rebirth,” Hal Jordan has finally come back from the dead. Now I am not usually one to buy into these kinds of stories, where it almost seems like writers are dying for comic book sales, but it was actually pretty awesome. Not to mention they have brought back my favorite superhero ever.
So here we are, in 2009, and the Green Lantern series is really getting awesome. It is written by Geoff Johns who is in my opinion the best mainstream comic book writer in the business.
In the summer of 2007, Johns started the “Sinestro Corps War” series, which was pretty epic, and set the stage for this summer’s event, “In Blackest Night.” Oh man, my nerd senses are tingling.
I really think you should check out this series because it is frickin’ sweet. I’d say start with “Green Lantern: Rebirth,” but if you are too impatient, the “Sinestro Corps War” trades are a good start as well.