Green Lantern has been an unstoppable force in the DC Universe over the past few years, and it’s all thanks to one man, Geoff Johns. Although Batman would likely win in a popularity contest, it’s undeniable that Green Lantern has progressed leaps and bounds to become one of the most recognizable super heroes in comics today. The War of the Green Lanterns arc began as somewhat of a disappointment to GL fans, failing to live up to the standards of Blackest Night (which I will get to shortly) and Brightest Day. However, last month’s issue ended with such a twist, even M. Night Shyamalan would be proud. This issue not only concludes the arc, but also marks the final chapters of Green Lantern before the big reboot. Geoff Johns will undoubtedly be pulling out all the stops for this one, and at such a milestone for Hal Jordan, how could you pass this up? Read on for the skinny…

WRITTEN BY: Geoff Johns
ILLUSTRATIONS BY: Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy

“”War of the Green Lanterns”. The blockbuster “War of the Green Lanterns” comes to a universe-shattering conclusion! How will Krona’s rampage ultimately affect the Green Lantern Corps? All we can say is it will change EVERYTHING!”

After everything that’s happened to Hal Jordan, you’d think that he’s seen it all. He saved the world fro Parallax, fought of the living dead, wore every color of ring in the spectrum, and watched many of his friends die. But Hall can’t rest easy just yet; in fact he’s probably facing the toughest, if not the weirdest, challenge of his life. Last month, Geoff Johns picked up his socks and gave readers an issue they won’t soon forget. Although I’m not totally sure what’s going to happen, I do know it involves Guy and Hal becoming leaders of the universe…that’s right, Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner may just be the next Guardians of the Universe. It’s about time those blue Halflings got the boot!

This week we find out exactly what Krona has planned for the two Lanterns as the creepy little bugger has them chained up and set for disposal at his will. This arc truly showcases John’s abilities as a storytelling genius, allowing the plot to build slowly and exploding right at the end. With so many questions left, this issue will be packed to the brim with answers and action.

The writing itself as absolutely brilliant, but what else would you expect from Geoff Johns, who’s already a legend at DC. While I have respect for a lot of writers these days, I honestly believe that Geoff Johns is the best of the best. Nobody else has created such memorable characters and brought our attention back to the fact that superheroes are modern day mythology. The world Johns has created is unbelievably vast, deep, and showcases what comics are all about. If you have a friend who berates comic books as kids’ stuff, throw a Geoff Johns book their way and they’ll shut up.

With a scribe like Johns behind this, it’s hard to think of an artist that would match his grace and skill, but Mahnke’s art is jaw-droppingly good. There are so many damn colors in Green Lantern that it would be hard to manage for a lot of artists. Mahkne’s use of color is incredible, each page is so vibrant and really lets you feel the immensity of the universe as stars permeate every panel.

This is a landmark issue, however, it’s not the only important Lantern book coming out this week. I was very tempted to choose the Blackest Night trade paperback as my staff pick this week because of how amazing the event was. For those of you who don’t know what Blackest Night is, where have you been hiding? For those of you who have been eagerly awaiting the softcovers, your wait is over. Blackest Night is undeniably one of the best events of the past decade. It’s also a great book to get into Green Lantern if you’re not already. If you buy nothing else this week, buy Blackest Night; you’ll thank me for it.

As I’m sure you all know by now this Green Lantern saga will be coming to an end once the DC reboot happens in the fall, and it’s going to be a sad day for GL fans everywhere. Although Johns will be continuing to pen the new Green Lantern series, I have a feeling things won’t quite be the same. So when you hit your local shop this week, pick up issue #67 or the Blackest Night trades before “everything changes” and Green Lantern becomes a legend of the past.

“Green Lantern” issue #67 Drops Wednesday, July 13th From DC Comics! (MSRP – $2.99)


“Blackest Night” Trade Paperback Drops Wednesday, July 13th From DC Comics! (MSRP – $19.99)