What would a good starting point be for someone new to the GL character? Readers are spoiled for choice when it comes to Batman; Year one, Dark knight returns, Long halloween… Is there similar, seminal Green Lantern titles?
Hard to say, mostly because there have been multiple characters over the years who served as Green Lantern, and fans are very polarized as to which is better. Alan Scott was the Golden Age Green Lantern, who is still active with the Justice Society, a group of older superheroes and their proteges. The big GL that everyone remembers is Hal Jordan, a solid, upstanding sort who inexplicably became a villain in the '90s, then died in an act of heroic redemption, then came back as the Spectre, and is now a GL again. When he went bad, he was replaced by Kyle Rayner, a young rookie GL, and there have also been John Stewart (the African-American GL used in the Justice League cartoon) and Guy Gardner (usually an obnoxious jerk best-known for his stint in the comical Justice League of the '80s). Plus there are hundreds of alien GLs in the Green Lantern Corps, an organization of intergalactic peacekeepers similar to the Jedi Knights. Needless to say, the multiple Green Lanters make it a bit daunting for a new fan to just “jump on” somewhere.
However, Geoff Johns, a solid superhero writer (not a personal favorite, but definitely a fan favorite), is currently writing a brand-new Green Lantern series that is only on #3 so far, that supposedly ties together all the previous Green Lantern characters and mythology, so you might want to start there. Actually, an even better starting point would be Johns’ recent Green Lantern: Rebirth miniseries, which launched the current series. This was a huge hit for DC, so if you’re patient, I’m sure they will release a trade paperback soon enough. Johns is the kind of writer who is very respectful of past continuity, who will write for longtime fans but also try to catch up new readers on anything significant they ought to know.
I just wanted to mention that if you want to start at the very beginning of the silver age (that’s Hal Jordan back in the 50’s) then a trade paperback of about the first thirty issues called Showcase Presents… Green Lantern will be released in a few weeks for $10. It’s really for fans of the older comics but if you like that kind of thing then why not go back to the beginning of the silver age?
I haven’t read either Rebirth or the new series, but I’d bet that the new series is the best place to start. Didn’t Rebirth get into GL mythology that the new reader doesn’t need to know?
Anyway, bubastis, really all you need to know is that the Green Lantern ring is “the most powerful weapon in the Universe.” It’s powered by the user’s will and, if he has enough willpower, he can do anything with it. Hal Jordan, the GL we all knew and loved was gotten rid of about 10 years ago and replaced by Kyle Rayner. Just recently, Hal has come back, so there really isn’t anything like the classic Year One or DKR or The Killing Joke for GL – all the recent stuff (except for the very recent Rebirth) is about a different guy, and most of the stuff about this guy are about the period where DC radically reworked his character as part of the story that get rid of him in the '90’s.
One other thing you might be interested in – in the next month or two, DC is coming out with a 500-some page collection of the earliest Hal Jordan stories from the '60’s called DC Showcase Presents Green Lantern. A steal at $10. So if you’re curious about Hal’s beginnings, his supporting cast, his villains, etc., they’ll all be in that book. (Although the decades in between will have changed folks somewhat.)
–Cliffy
Nope, nope. Didn’t happen. I deny it.
I’ll just warn the OP that even though the Showcase reprint volume will be an amazing deal (especially compared to the cost of rare and valuable back issues from the '50s and '60s), a lot of those Silver Age comics will come off as simple, quaint, childlike, and even laughable by today’s standards, and may be enough to put off older and more discriminating fans who came of age with modern comic storytelling. Back then, kids and teenagers WERE the target audience, and stories were not as multilayered and complex. That said, the Silver Age Green Lantern artist, Gil Kane, is one of the best from that era, and his work has always looked ahead of its time.
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou]
Hard to say, mostly because there have been multiple characters over the years who served as Green Lantern, and fans are very polarized as to which is better. Alan Scott was the Golden Age Green Lantern, who is still active with the Justice Society, a group of older superheroes and their proteges. The big GL that everyone remembers is Hal Jordan, a solid, upstanding sort who inexplicably became a villain in the '90s, then died in an act of heroic redemption, then came back as the Spectre, and is now a GL again.
/QUOTE]
FWIW, I’ve had this recurring vague “dream” of a GL movie that would move back and forth between the Golden Age GL and the Silver Age, focusing on the origins of each.
The Silver Age story line would be set in the 60’s, with all the nostalgic touches one would expect.
And of course the Golden Age would be just that – the early Golden Age – which would be a special treat for older fans especially – and me as well, although I’m not quite THAT old.
True Blue Jack
Oh boy! A topic close to my own heart. As I’ve said a bunch of times Green Lantern got me into comics. I’ve only been reading for about 9 months now, so the advice of the longer time readers as seen above may be better. This was my route:
-The animated Justice League. Unfortunately the animated League’s GL (John Stewart) mostly uses is ring as a shield and force beam, but you can see the potential that the ring has. Plus the series is pretty darn good.
-Emerald Dawn: My older brother had the actual comics, but you can find the trade papeback (TPB) for like 10-15 dollars. Think of it as Hal Jordan: Year One. Down on his luck Hal Jordan is given a green ring by a dying alien and soon thereafter is set upon by a giant yellow creature. A nice introduction to the ring, its powers, the Corps, and Hal Jordan.
-Rebirth: Fortunately for me, just as I was getting into GL, this series came out. Great story. Great art. And there’s a great description of how different GLs use their powers.
-The TPBs. Most of the ones you’ll find are the Kyle Rayner stories. I’d suggest Emerald Twilight so you understand why some people don’t trust Hal and where Kyle comes into play. Without turning this into a Kyle v. Hal argument I’ll just say that the Kyle stories have some value to them. Plus a few feature Alan Scott (Golden Age GL) and his daughter Jade (a GL, kinda) so you can check out those characters. My personal fav is The Power of Ion, in which Kyle discovers l33t powers and has to learn to live with them. It also features a great John Stewart story.
My advice is to start with the new GL series, then work your way though some of the suggestions in this thread. Issue #1 hasn’t been out that long (check the back issue boxes) and I’ve definately seen issues 2 and 3 still on the rack.
They’re reprinting the Silver Age GL in a TPB for only $10? [Homer Simpson]: drool : [/HS]
http://www.dccomics.com/comics/?cm=4177
It’s going to be in black and white on what should be cheap newsprint paper (like Marvel’s “Essentials” series of trade paperbacks), but damn, you can’t beat a bargain like 528 pages for $10. A similar Superman volume is also going to be released:
A second for Emerald Dawn. Not only is it the best GL story ever, it is one of the best comic TPBs of all time.
It should be the basis for ANY GL film!
My Pick: Last year’s excellent DC: NEW FRONTIER mini-series by Darwyn Cooke. A terrific, slightly retconned look at the Hal Jordan character in context of the “old” DC comics family of heroes. I’d start here and THEN read EMERALD DAWN and REBIRTH.
I have both a soft spot and and a hard one for both Hal Jordan AND Barry Allen
I’ve recommended it before and will do so again: Emerald Twilight TPB. Find out why Hal wents nuts. If I were that situation, I’d likely go just as nuts.
What can I say? I’m a big Golden Age fan. 
That’s cool, and I like Alan Scott too, but I’m always wary of recommending Golden and even Silver Age comics to new readers, as the “simplicity” may turn them off and keep them from seeking out more.
The Golden Age is an acquired taste. The Silver Age, too (esp. DC’s), although not as much, but I’d never recommend any Golden Age stuff to someone new to comics.
–Cliffy
Speaking of Hal and Barry and ages past there’s a Brave and the Bold TPB collection of some of their adventures. A fun glimpse at the friendship between those to totally different characters. Plus there’s a story that involves Jay Garrick (Golden Age Flash) and Alan Scott.
Askia, New Frontier, eh? I gotta keep my eyes open for that one.
Wolfian. Warning: Hal’s cast back to the very beginning of his career here, and is part of an ensemble of heroes that features The Losers, Barry Allen, The Martian Manhunter, Task Force X and The Challengers Of The Unknown, among others. But it’s not spoilering too much to say that Cooke nails Hal’s characterization, and that Hal Jordan absolutely shines in his role and even manages to upstage Superman in the plot. I’m sure you’ll like it. I might just love it.
It’s available in 2-part trade paperbacks now.
This is exactly my problem; GL seems to be a really cool character, but its hard to know where to dive in. My only knowledge of the character comes from silver age series Crisis on Multiple Earths , and i must say i didnt really enjoy the old-school style. I’m hoping for something ballsy, dramatic; again, I use DKR as my example. Emerald Dawn or Emerald Twilight sound like they could do the job. So does Rebirth, although that doesnt show up in tpb form until christmas…
Seconded. New Frontier is one of the best things I’ve read in years. Darwyn Cooke is a master storyteller, perfect at writing AND art, and he nails the characters perfectly, especially Hal Jordan. I’m not the biggest Silver Age mark in the world, but Cooke artfully captured a bygone era and made it accessible and palatable for modern readers. I’d have to rank it alongside James Robinson and Paul Smith’s The Golden Age miniseries for its epic scope, depth of characterization, and examination of a time past, and The Golden Age is one of the greatest DC stories of all time.