10 Best Green Lantern Stories in DC Comics History

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Many of DC Comics’ best heroes are humans who are recruited into the Green Lantern Corps, including Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, Jessica Cruz, Simon Baz, and Jo Mullien. Each of these heroes bring their own unique personalities and storylines that further enrich Green Lantern lore and make it one of the most complex and diverse that the DC Universe has to offer. These are the greatest stories centered on Green Lantern and the many characters who have taken up the mantle.

10) “War of the Green Lanterns”

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When the villain Krona brainwashes the Guardians of the Universe and most of the Green Lantern Corps, it’s up to Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, and Kyle Rayner to save the universe and their corrupted friends. “War of the Green Lanterns” is an action-packed adventure with the Emerald Guardians of Earth pushed to their physical, mental, and moral limits as they battle thousands of brainwashed Green Lanterns. The event gets even crazier when each of the four heroes takes on the Power Rings of different Corps to give themselves a power boost. “War of the Green Lanterns” is a fun story with plenty of great moments of action and character interactions.

9) “Mogo Doesn’t Socialize”

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Despite only being a short story, “Mogo Doesn’t Socialize” is one of the most creative Green Lantern stories. When the rookie Green Lantern Arisia asks Tomar-Re about the mysterious Mogo, Tomar offers a grand tale. Long ago, an alien barbarian named Bolphunga the Unrelenting landed on a planet to confront Mogo, who’s believed to be the strongest warrior in the universe. After weeks of searching the planet, Bolphunga couldn’t find Mogo. Bolphunga tried to draw Mogo out by setting off explosives across the planet. However, when all the explosions are immediately extinguished, the incredible twist is revealed. Mogo isn’t on the planet; he is the planet. “Mogo Doesn’t Socialize” is a humorous tale that expanded the Green Lantern mythos to new heights with its largest member.

8) “Emerald Twilight”

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One of DC Comics’ most controversial storylines, “Emerald Twilight,” has Hal Jordan succumb to madness and become the greatest threat to the universe. After the destruction of his home, Coast City, Hal does everything he can to restore what he had lost. When the Guardians of the Universe refuse to help Hal and even take his ring, the once-revered Green Lantern snaps. As his grief and lust for power warp his mind, Hal wages a one-man war on Oa. Hal slaughters the Green Lantern Corps and takes their rings for himself, before eventually absorbing the Central Power Battery to become the fearsome and unstoppable villain Parallax. “Emerald Twilight” is a brilliant and tragic tale of a fall from grace that forever changed Green Lantern lore.

7) Far Sector

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At their core, the Green Lanterns are space cops, and Far Sector is one of the best stories that embraces this fact. The story introduces an all-new, fan-favorite Green Lantern, Sojourn “Jo” Mullein, assigned to the space colony called the City Enduring, which is home to over 20 billion people. The citizens of this colony are peaceful because they have been stripped of their emotions. However, everything changes when a person is found brutally murdered in City Enduring. Jo must use her detective skills to uncover the truth behind this murder mystery and bring the killer to justice. Jo is an incredible character, and Far Sector serves as her perfect introduction while offering a gripping mystery that keeps the reader guessing.

6) “Hard-Traveling Heroes”

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During the 1970s, DC Comics’ two emerald heroes united to face some of the worst injustices facing America. In this story, Green Arrow forced Green Lantern Hal Jordan to understand many of the underlying issues that most Americans must suffer through every day, including racism, drugs, and poverty. Together, the two superheroes travel the country to right various social and economic injustices. Hal and Green Arrow have a great buddy-cop-like dynamic, as their personalities and abilities complement each other very well. Not only did this story help revitalize both Green Lantern and Green Arrow, but it also showed how comics could tackle serious issues respectfully and with nuance.

5) Earth One

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A dark reimagining of Green Lantern lore, Earth One is part of a series of books peering into an alternate universe with very different versions of DC heroes. In this universe, Hal Jordan is a space miner whose dreams of adventure are beaten down by his dystopian society. Upon finding a destroyed spaceship, Hal takes the Green Lantern ring from the body of Abin Sur and becomes the hero the universe needs. The Green Lantern Corps is all but extinct, having been wiped out by the ruthless androids known as the Manhunters. In a dark and uncaring universe, Hal Jordan becomes the last light of hope as he tries to reform the remnants of the once great Green Lantern Corps to fight for freedom again.

4) “Secret Origin”

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When DC Comics underwent the New Earth reboot, Hal Jordan’s origin story was masterfully retold and expanded upon in the storyline “Secret Origin.” The story goes more into Hal’s childhood, showing how he lost his dad in an air force accident. This tragedy did much to humanize Hal and explain why he became a reckless pilot. And after obtaining the Green Lantern ring from a dying Abin Sur, Hal is shown the ropes by Sinestro, who had yet to turn evil. While learning to control his newfound power, Hal must face terrifying villains such as Hector Hammond and Atrocitus. “Secret Origin” does a great job reintroducing readers to Hal Jordan and establishes the new status quo of Green Lantern lore.

3) Rebirth

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Years after Hal Jordan was corrupted, slaughtered the Green Lantern Corps, and died, Rebirth saw him, and the rest of the Corps restored to their former glory. Upon being freed from his connection to the Spectre, Hal is properly resurrected and must pick up the pieces of the life he lost. Rebirth isn’t only a Hal Jordan story, as John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, and Guy Gardner each get their own stories that intertwine with the greater narrative. The story also introduces the true Parallax, who is the embodiment of fear that corrupted Hal during “Emerald Twilight.” Rebirth is an amazing and introspective story that has Hal and the rest of the Corps rebuilding so that they can once again become the universe’s primary defenders.

2) Blackest Night

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In one of the most important events in DC Comics history, Blackest Night is about the great prophecy of the Black Lantern Corps coming to pass. Nekron, the Lord of the Unliving, alongside his loyal follower Black Hand, resurrects an army of undead superheroes and villains across the universe. This Black Lantern Corps horde of superpowered zombies won’t rest until every life across all of creation is extinguished. Many iconic DC characters who had been dead for years make their return as vicious Black Lanterns. With this unspeakable evil unleashed, the other warring Lantern Corps must band together to defend the living and push back against the darkness. Blackest Night is an incredibly ambitious storyline full of horror and heart.

1) “Sinestro Corps War”

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The disgraced former Green Lantern Sinestro has always been the Corps’ archnemesis. In “Sinestro Corps War,” he finally has the means to destroy the Green Lantern Corps once and for all. In this epic tale, Sinestro creates his own Corps consisting of thousands of the most feared beings in existence. The ultimate antithesis of the Green Lantern Corps, the Sinestro Corps wages war with it for the fate of the universe. The “Sinestro Corps War” is a heart-pounding tale as every Green Lantern fights for their survival. The lore of Green Lantern comics is also forever changed with the introduction of the Emotional Spectrum of Light. All four Earth Green Lanterns are vital to this blockbuster event that cements Sinestro as one of DC Comics’ greatest villains.

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