The New 52 Green Lantern Volume 5 Test of Wills trade paperback ends with Hal and the Lanterns victorious on Mogo, drinking space beers, and on the final page Highfather from New Genesis arrives via boom-tube with the intention of finding the Life Equation. Things look ominous and I'm looking forward to finding out how it all goes down.

Volume 6 begins with a prologue that explains that Highfather has now stolen one ring from each corps, the New Gods Orion and Metron have attacked the Green Lantern corps and stolen Mogo's ring and the last blue ring of hope from Saint Walker. Mogo is left dying. Highfather has now taken the seven rings and is using them on the planet Aydin in some kind of attempt to prepare an army to fight Darkseid, which we are told, has failed.

And Volume 6 starts at that point.

There is no information about where all these events were published. Can someone please explain to me where all this action took place and why it wasn't covered in the Green Lantern book? I hate going from one volume to the next only to discover that a whole heap of stuff has gone down off panel (in some other book presumably), and that I'm coming in halfway through events.

I feel like it's Monday and everyone's talking about a party that happened on the weekend that I wasn't invited to. Sure, I can kind of pick up the threads and figure out what happened, but I really wanted to be there.

I'm not sure why, but ever since the start of the New 52 Green Lantern has had constant mini events, crossing over with every one of their titles. Unfortunately, I feel like the Vol 6 crossover is one of the worst. The best way to read this is probably the Green Lantern: Godhead trade. It collects the whole event from every title, but that does mean it leaves off the last 2 or 3 issues from every title found in each of their vol 6 trades.

Thanks for the info. I thought as much. That's one of the problems with reading a finite number of titles - things like this happen and unless you're a Green Lantern obsessive it's hard to get across it. It's a pity because it really breaks the sense of following a group of characters closely in an ongoing capacity.

And now, friends!!!

I'm finally reading the rest of Volume 6 - The Life Equation because I got over my issues with the huge plot jump, only to discover that between Dark Alliance (issue 36?) and Walls (issue 37?) within Volume 6 there is ANOTHER huge plot jump. It's just after Hal heads to earth and enlists Black Hand in order to fight Highfather and the New Gods. I'm getting into it, feeling good about the lead-up. What a great set-up! This is going to be cool, right? WRONG!!!

Another little note at the end of Dark Alliance tells us that the Indigo Tribe betrays their allies and hands the Sapphires, the Green Lantern Corps and the Sinestro Corps to Highfather!! They're all captured!

But wait, there's more!

Guy Gardner and Simon Baz attack New Genesis and are captured as well! Then Kyle Rayner (who was recently thought destroyed as the White Lantern) and Carol Ferris (who has come out of nowhere) lose the White Ring to Highfather who now has the Life Equation!!! I just read six months worth of issues about him planning to get it, organising his troops, his son, etc, only for him to get it off panel!!!!

So all this has happened off panel in some crazy cross-over. I might as well have skipped Volume 6 - The Life Equation and just read a goddamn summary or something. All that cool stuff has happened and I don't get to see it play out.

Green Lantern Volume 6 - The Life Equation = worst DC trade paperback ever.

Thank you and goodnight.

@rainshadow777: Well that's why I suggested the compendium, since reading just one title of this crossover will not make anyone understand this, you either have to get vol 6 of GLC to fill in the gaps, or get the whole thing in one. Still haven't gone and read the other issues, but you're not missing much if you just skip vol 6 altogether.

@ultimatepower6: I've calmed down since last night, but I still think they should at least explain exactly where these stories can be found. You have explained it clearly, but there's no mention of that in GL vol 6. It's just a really bizarre way to publish a book that by its very nature is supposed to be a cohesive 'collection'

@rainshadow777: That is true. Honestly though I think DC is listening, because in their trade solicits they have the first volume of Batman (King's new run) having issues 1-6 and the second volume 9-15. In between was the mini batman title event Night of the Monstermen which is being treated as it's own trade without double dipping into the other trades of each title. Hopefully this is what DC ha learned, because it just makes more sense when trade reading everything.

I have to say, though, the story that is here in Vol 6 is just magical by Robert Venditti.

This guy is serious quality, and I've decided to prioritise Hal Jordan and the GLC over Green Lanterns once the Rebirth trades come out (although I'll likely read both titles), purely on the basis that Venditti is writing it. The guy is a champion.

@rainshadow777: Then you should check out GLC Oblivion and Edge of something because that fills in the space between the N52 title and the Rebirth series Hal Jordan and the GLC