Starting Points: Secret Origin - Green Lanterns by Sam Humphries
Greatest Hits: The Silver Age - Far Sector
Exploring the Corps: Sinestro - Larfleeze
Further Reading: Green Lantern/Green Arrow - Green Lanterns by Tim Seeley
"This is the modern origin and foundation for all of contemporary Green Lantern. It's Lantern 101. It's the start of all things. It's Hal Jordan's origin story, retelling the beginnings of the property from the 60's for a 21st Century audience. Penned by Geoff Johns, the pioneer of the modern Green Lantern mythology, it's well-suited both as an introduction to Hal for new readers, and as a companion to Johns's saga (see below)."
(2005-2011) #29-35
"A much more, relatively, hard-sci-fi reimagining of Green Lantern. Taking on Hal Jordan as an Astronaut, rather than a Test Pilot, it's a modern spin on the 60's property that channels Alien and Interstellar, going for a more grounded and realistic angle, playing up the horror, while keeping enough of the classic to have something fun. It's a neat twist on the franchise that stars a much more 'everyman' Hal Jordan and big, cool robots, in a world of cosmic intrigue."
2 graphic novels
"Meet Earth's newest Green Lanterns. Jessica Cruz is a quirky introvert battling PTSD-induced anxiety, and Simon Baz is a headstrong mechanic with a rap sheet for the right reasons. Together, they have to get along and protect Earth from whatever cosmic threats may arise."
#1-32
Collected in:
- Volume 1: Rage Planet
- Volume 2: Phantom Lantern
- Volume 3: Polarity Amazon
- Volume 4: The First Rings
- Volume 5: Out of Time
(1960-1986) #1-48
Collected in four volumes.
"In 2004, Geoff Johns took helm of the Green Lantern franchise, and a restored a number of classic elements, including the return of Hal Jordan as the main Green Lantern. Also returning was the Green Lantern Corps, the intergalactic police force. Under Johns's direction, Green Lantern became one of DC's bestselling books, spawning a number of companion books (starring characters such as John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, and Kilowog) that would cross over for major events.
To this day, it is considered the definitive Green Lantern saga, and a must-read for anyone interested in the franchise. It is to be noted that the introductory series Green Lantern Rebirth may be a bit confusing for new readers, as it directly addresses (or retcons) several points from past events. However, once the Green Lantern Corps has been rebuilt, the saga becomes much more accessible. The entire series is currently available in omnibus format, and is in the process of being reprinted in paperback trades. As of now, consult this reading order, but do note that not all paperback trades may be in print."
- Rebirth (Return of Hal Jordan. Recommended for readers familiar with Green Lantern lore.)
- No Fear (Accessible starting point. Focuses on Hal Jordan)
- Corps: Recharge (Focuses on the Green Lantern Corps - most notably Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, and Kilowog. Introduces Soranik Natu, Isamot Kol, Vath Sarn, and others - many of which play a big part in the run as a whole.)
- Revenge of the Green Lanterns
- Corps: To Be a Lantern (Optional - Not part of Geoff Johns' Green Lantern arc (but still worth reading!))
- Wanted - Hal Jordan
- Corps: The Dark Side of Green (Optional - Not part of Geoff Johns' Green Lantern arc (but still worth reading!))
- The Sinestro Corps War (Large crossover between Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps.)
- Tales of the Sinestro Corps (Some extra optional (and not so optional) content related to the Sinestro Corps War.)
- Corps: Ring Quest (Optional - Not part of Geoff Johns' Green Lantern arc (but still worth reading!))
- Corps: Sins of the Star Sapphire (Optional - Not part of Geoff Johns' Green Lantern arc (but still worth reading!))
- Rage of the Red Lanterns (Introduces the Red Lanterns. This volume is a prelude to the event Blackest Night)
- Agent Orange (Introducing the Blue Lanterns and the Orange Lantern, Larfleeze! This volume is a prelude to the event Blackest Night)
- Corps: Emerald Eclipse (Optional - Not part of Geoff Johns' Green Lantern arc (but still worth reading!))
- Blackest Night (One of DC's biggest events in recent years - the dead of the DCU return and a massive threat surfaces with the Black Lanterns.)
- Blackest Night: Green Lantern (Companion book to Blackest Night. They should be read together for a complete reading of the event as the storylines intertwine)
- Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps (Somewhat optional--not crucial to the main story but worth reading to see what Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner are doing during Blackest Night)
- Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps (Somewhat optional--not crucial to the main story although Geoff Johns did work on some of the material (and it is all worth reading). Here, you learn more information and backgrounds about various Corps members, including Arisia, Kilowog, Saint Walker, and others.)
- Corps: Revolt of the Alpha Lanterns (Optional - Not part of Geoff Johns' Green Lantern arc (but still worth reading!))
- Brightest Day (In the aftermath of Blackest Night, all the Lantern Corps must form an alliance and work together.)
- Emerald Warriors (Optional - Not part of Geoff Johns' Green Lantern arc (but still worth reading!). Guy Gardner stars.)
- Corps: The Weaponer (Optional - Not part of Geoff Johns' Green Lantern arc (but still worth reading!))
- War of the Green Lanterns (The entire GLC is being controlled and the four human GLs must trade colors and team up to stop them.)
- War of the Green Lanterns: Aftermath (Optional - Not part of Geoff Johns' Green Lantern arc (but still worth reading!). The aftermath of the War of the Green Lanterns arc. Guy Gardner teams up with Batman!)
- Volume 1: Sinestro (The start of New 52 Green Lantern, although it still continues off previous plot threads. Hal Jordan is ringless and his replacement is none other than Sinestro!)
- Red Lanterns Volume 1: Blood and Rage
- Corps Volume 1: Fearsome
- New Guardians Volume 1: The Ring Bearer
- Volume 2: Revenge of the Black Hand
- Red Lanterns Volume 2: Death of the Red Lanterns
- Corps Volume 2: Alpha War
- New Guardians Volume 2: Beyond Hope
- Rise of the Third Army
- Wrath of the First Lantern
"One of the greatest comics ever written, The New Frontier takes a look the political climate of 1950s America, and examines how these larger-than-life superheroes would react. Hal Jordan is front and center as a key star of this and the book is central and essential to his modern revitalization. The book were Hal earns his title 'Highball' and is redefined for a whole new generation."
(Already read.)
"The Omega Men is a hard space opera that that looks at a never-ending war between imperialists and terrorists through the eyes of Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, who is forced to spectate the conflict up close without his powers."
Collected in The End Is Here & The Deluxe Edition
"What is the everyday ordeal of policing a grand, wild and weird cosmic universe like? Legendary writer Grant Morrison, teaming with Liam Sharp, weaves a fantastic web of space police procedural plots, which all stand alone, tapping into different genres, sensibilities and eras, while telling a greater macro-story. Pulling back from earth-shattering events, this is the accessible cop story on an epic cosmic canvas. A key milestone for Hal Jordan and Green Lantern, this is a definitive take. It's the Doctor Who to Johns' Star Wars, tackling Jordan as a seasoned hero of the stars, a space sheriff."
Collected in"
- Volume 1: Intergalactic Lawman
- Volume 2: The Day The Stars Fell
- Season 2 Volume 1: Untitled
- Season 2 Volume 2: Ultrawar
(Already read.)
"Introducing a brand new Lantern, one that is different from all the others, operating as a 'Frontier Lantern', beyond the regular 3600 Sectors of the known Guardian Space, this is a perfect entry point into Green Lantern. It's rooted in the mythology while being off in a corner building all new stuff, tackling the idea of emotional and law enforcement and colonialism on a cosmic level."
By Cullen Bunn, collected in:
- Volume 1: The Demon Within
- Volume 2: Sacrifice
- Volume 3: Rising
- Volume 4: The Fall of Sinestro
By Charles Soule, collected in:
- Volume 4: Blood Brothers
- Volume 5: Atrocities
- Volume 6: Forged in Blood
Collected in:
- Volume 1: Revolt of the Orange Lanterns
- Volume 2: The Face of Greed
"O'Neil and Adams tackled politics by teaming two ideological opposed heroes together. Green Lantern/Green Arrow is well known as one of the most notable comics to directly address contemporary sociopolitical issues."
(1960-1986) #76-87 and 89
(1960-1986) #172-200
Collected in three volumes.
Collected in three volumes.
(1986-1988) #207-215
(1990-2004) #48-65
Collected in two volumes.
(2011-2015) #21-40
By Van Jensen and Bernard Chang, collected in:
- Volume 4: Rebuild
- Volume 5: Uprising
- Volume 6: Reckoning
"John Stewart, Kilowog, and a handful of Lanterns are lost on an unknown world and beset by strange beings that want nothing more than to erase them from existence. Stewart will have to bring these desperate Lanterns together despite the odds and rely on a few questionable allies in order make their way home. The problem is, they have no idea where home is."
Collected in:
- Volume 1: Sinestro's Law
- Volume 2: Bottled Light
- Volume 3: Quest for Hope
- Volume 4: Fracture
- Volume 5: Twilight of the Guardians
- Volume 6: Zod’s Will
- Volume 7: Darkstars Rising
#33-43
By Tim Seeley, collected in:
- Volume 6: A World of Our Own
- Volume 7: Superhuman Trafficking
- Volume 8: Ghosts of the Past
Green Lantern #23.2
Green Lantern #23.4
Justice League: The Darkseid War - Green Lantern #1
Collected in Power of the Gods
