10 Best Green Lantern Comics To Binge After Watching The Lanterns Finale

Published Oct 4, 2026, 9:34 PM EDT Since 2019, Kevin Erdmann has been one of Screen Rant's Senior Staff Writers, covering all kinds of Superhero and Star Wars media with Easter egg breakdowns, theory pieces, breaking news, and more. A huge Star Wars & MCU fan, Kevin also loves Batman (because he's Batman), but could talk for hours about why Nightwing is DC's greatest hero. With 8 years of total experience covering entertainment and pop culture, Kevin has gotten the chance to interview top creatives and talent, and has also attended major media events like Disney's D23 convention. Majoring in Cinema Studies with a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife, adorable dog, and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise. Sign in to your ScreenRant account HBO's Lanterns has brought the Green Lantern mythos into the DCU in earnest, giving audiences a very unique look at both Hal Jordan and John Stewart in a more grounded series than anyone likely expected. Additionally, the show has been absolutely fascinating with all the ways it's both honored and reworked the established lore originally seen on the page. Now that this first season has reached its end, the comics themselves are worth revisiting, especially by those looking for even more epic Green Lantern content. Although DC Comics has current ongoing GL series worth reading, there are also some key pre-existing stories that are well worth re-reading or picking up for the very first time in light of the new Lanterns show. Whether it's iterations of John Stewart's origins and history, Hal Jordan's complicated legacy, or the rise of other corps beyond the Green Lanterns, here are our 10 picks for the best Green Lantern comics stories to binge following Lanterns' season finale. Green Lantern Vol 2 #87 Whether Lanterns made John Stewart your favorite Green Lantern or he already was, there's no better place to start than with his first-ever comic book appearance in 1971's Green Lantern Vol. 2 #87, written by Dennis O'Neil with art by Neal Adams. In his original origin story, John Stewart was chosen as a new reserve Green Lantern after Guy Gardner was incapacitated, though Hal initially wasn't sure about his new backup. Although John's origins have since been expanded on and feature some key changes in the DCU, his historic first appearance is still essential reading, having debuted as DC's first black superhero. DC Secret Origins Vol 3 #9 Secret Origins Vol. 3 #9 and its back-up story "The Architect" was published in 2014 by Van Jensen & Pat Broderick, featuring more modern origins with even more parallels to what was shown in the DCU's Lanterns. Exploring John's time in the Marines before his honorable discharge and journey to becoming an architect, the Guardians are shown observing Stewart for much of his life before secretly sending a Manhunter to test his resolve and willpower. As such, it's a pretty solid companion piece to Lanterns considering how John's origins were reworked for the DCU. Green Lantern: Secret Origin Green Lantern: Secret Origin from Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis is a solid comic to read for those wanting more from Hal Jordan. A retelling of Hal's origin with new context and mythology building toward one of the biggest Green Lantern stories of all time, Secret Origin is simply a great starting point for new GL readers as well. Sector 2814 · Ring Active How Well Do You Know Lanterns? “In brightest day, in blackest night...” 💍The RingPowered by will 🔦The Corps3,600 sectors 🌌OaThe Guardians 👮Earth BeatSector 2814 ⚠YellowPerilThe fear entity ACTIVATE RING → 01 Lanterns is one of the tentpole TV series launching James Gunn and Peter Safran’s rebooted DC Universe. On which streaming platform does it air? ANetflix BHBO Max CDisney+ DApple TV+ ✓ Correct! HBO Max — Warner Bros. Discovery’s flagship streamer and the natural home for DCU prestige TV alongside Peacemaker and The Penguin. Lanterns is positioned as the DCU’s high-end serialised drama counterpart to Gunn’s theatrical Superman relaunch, sharing canon with the films. Disney+ runs Marvel; Netflix and Apple are rival streamers. ✗ Ring malfunction! The answer is HBO Max. Netflix has had various superhero shows but not DCU. Disney+ is Marvel’s home. Apple TV+ doesn’t house DC. HBO Max is Warner Bros. Discovery’s streamer and the TV home of the Gunn/Safran DCU — Lanterns joins Peacemaker and upcoming DCU series there. NEXT → 02 Unlike most Green Lantern adaptations, Lanterns pairs two Earth-based ring-bearers in a buddy-cop framework — a weathered veteran and a newer recruit partnered together on Sector 2814 duty. Which two Lanterns lead the show? AHal Jordan & Guy Gardner BHal Jordan & John Stewart CJohn Stewart & Kyle Rayner DHal Jordan & Kyle Rayner ✓ Correct! Hal Jordan and John Stewart — two of the most beloved Earth-assigned Lanterns — are paired as the show’s central duo. Hal is the hot-shot test-pilot veteran, John the disciplined ex-Marine architect with a sharper sense of justice. The pairing draws heavily from the Geoff Johns comics era and lets the show explore two very different philosophies of what a Green Lantern should be. ✗ Ring malfunction! The answer is Hal Jordan and John Stewart. Guy Gardner (played by Nathan Fillion) is a separate DCU character who appears in the 2025 Superman film. Kyle Rayner is a beloved Lantern but not part of this show. The Lanterns duo is the Hal/John pairing — a pointedly contrasting veteran and recruit on Sector 2814 duty together. NEXT → 03 The role of Hal Jordan — the weathered, test-pilot-turned-space-cop original Earth Lantern — went to a veteran actor best known as Coach Eric Taylor on Friday Night Lights and for leading Bloodline. Who plays Hal? ARyan Reynolds (reprising) BKyle Chandler CNathan Fillion DChris Pine ✓ Correct! Kyle Chandler — Emmy winner for Friday Night Lights, star of Bloodline, and part of the Monsterverse (Godzilla: King of the Monsters) — plays an older, weathered Hal Jordan. James Gunn wanted a seasoned, grounded presence rather than a rookie. Ryan Reynolds played Hal in 2011’s widely-mocked Green Lantern film (a different continuity); Nathan Fillion plays Guy Gardner in the 2025 Superman film. ✗ Ring malfunction! The answer is Kyle Chandler. Ryan Reynolds’ Hal was the 2011 film (a separate, mostly-disowned continuity). Nathan Fillion plays Guy Gardner in the 2025 Superman film — not Hal. Chris Pine isn’t in the DCU. Chandler’s weathered, Friday-Night-Lights gravitas is exactly the mature Hal energy Gunn wanted for the show. NEXT → 04 John Stewart — ex-Marine sniper, architect, and one of DC’s most iconic Black heroes — is played by a British actor who broke out in Barry Jenkins’ The Underground Railroad and Jeremy Saulnier’s Rebel Ridge. Who is he? AAaron Pierre BWinston Duke CSterling K. Brown DJohn Boyega ✓ Correct! Aaron Pierre — the British actor who earned raves as Caesar in The Underground Railroad (2021) and carried Netflix’s Rebel Ridge (2024) with a performance frequently compared to early Denzel Washington. Gunn called his casting “a no-brainer.” Winston Duke, Sterling K. Brown and John Boyega are all great actors but not in the role. ✗ Ring malfunction! The answer is Aaron Pierre. Winston Duke is M’Baku in the Marvel universe. Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us, American Fiction) is Marvel-adjacent too. John Boyega famously played Finn in Star Wars. Pierre’s Rebel Ridge performance — playing a disciplined ex-Marine — is essentially his audition for John Stewart, and Gunn’s team cast him off it. NEXT → 05 James Gunn has repeatedly pitched Lanterns as a grounded, small-town murder-mystery thriller — where the space-cop rings are secondary to a detective case on Earth. Which acclaimed HBO series is his go-to tonal comparison? ATrue Detective BThe Wire CWestworld DWatchmen ✓ Correct! Gunn has explicitly called Lanterns his “True Detective in the DCU” — a slow-burn, atmospheric, character-driven case with superhero elements layered over a grounded murder mystery. Showrunner Chris Mundy actually did True Detective: Night Country duties, bringing that DNA directly. Watchmen (Damon Lindelof) was also cited, and Lindelof has consulting writer credits, but True Detective is the primary comp. ✗ Ring malfunction! The answer is True Detective. Gunn has named it as the explicit tonal blueprint — a slow-burn, character-driven murder mystery with superhero elements layered over it. Chris Mundy, the show’s runner, worked on True Detective: Night Country, bringing the DNA directly. Watchmen was a secondary comp (Damon Lindelof consults), but True Detective is the primary pitch. NEXT → 06 When James Gunn and Peter Safran took over as DC Studios co-CEOs in 2022, they announced a rebooted slate of interconnected films and TV shows — with Lanterns among the launch titles. What is this first DCU phase officially called? AChapter 1: Gods and Monsters BCrisis on Infinite Earths CThe Flashpoint Initiative DDark Knights Rising ✓ Correct! Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters — announced in January 2023 as the Gunn/Safran DCU’s opening slate. It includes Superman (2025), The Authority, Supergirl, The Brave and the Bold, Paradise Lost, Waller, Creature Commandos, and of course Lanterns. Crisis on Infinite Earths is a comics event; Flashpoint and Dark Knights are other DC storylines, not the chapter branding. ✗ Ring malfunction! The answer is Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters. Crisis on Infinite Earths is a famous DC comics crossover event (and Arrowverse crossover) but not a DCU chapter label. Flashpoint was referenced in The Flash (2023) from the now-defunct DCEU. The Gunn/Safran era officially named its launch phase Gods and Monsters — Superman 2025, Lanterns, and related titles. NEXT → 07 Green Lanterns serve the Guardians of the Universe, an ancient race who created the Corps’ 3,600-sector peacekeeping force and charge the Lantern rings from a central Power Battery on their home planet. What is the Guardians’ homeworld called? AKrypton BOa CThemyscira DApokolips ✓ Correct! Oa — the small blue-skinned Guardians’ home at the centre of the universe. It houses the Central Power Battery from which all Green Lantern rings draw their energy, and serves as the Corps’ academy and operational base. Krypton is Superman’s destroyed homeworld; Themyscira is Wonder Woman’s hidden Amazon island; Apokolips is Darkseid’s hellscape. ✗ Ring malfunction! The answer is Oa. Krypton is Superman’s homeworld. Themyscira is Paradise Island where Wonder Woman was raised. Apokolips is Darkseid’s grim world in the Fourth World mythos. Oa is specifically the Guardians of the Universe’s planet — home to the Central Power Battery that fuels every Green Lantern ring in all 3,600 sectors. NEXT → 08 Every Green Lantern recites the same oath when charging their ring — a four-line rhyming incantation that’s become one of the most famous pieces of verse in comic-book history. How does it famously begin? A“In the darkest hour, a light shall rise...” B“In brightest day, in blackest night...” C“By the power of Oa, I serve...” D“Ring of willpower, heed my call...” ✓ Correct! “In brightest day, in blackest night / No evil shall escape my sight / Let those who worship evil’s might / Beware my power — Green Lantern’s light!” The oath dates back to 1940’s All-American Comics #16, was refined through the Silver Age, and is considered one of DC’s most sacred bits of verse. Every canonical adaptation includes some version of it. ✗ Ring malfunction! The answer is “In brightest day, in blackest night...” The full oath: “No evil shall escape my sight / Let those who worship evil’s might / Beware my power — Green Lantern’s light!” It’s been canon since 1940 and remains one of comics’ most instantly recognisable pieces of verse — recited in every major Green Lantern adaptation. REVEAL MY SCORE → Ring Depowered · Report to Oa Your Corps Rank 💍 / 8 Honor Guard veteran — or still in Corps training? ⤴ RECHARGE RING Not only is Abin Sur's final mission explored, but the relationship between Sinestro and Hal Jordan is also explored, back when Sinestro was still a Green Lantern himself and Hal's mentor. Combined with appearances from Atrocitus and connections to the Black Night event, as well as new lore for Hector Hammond and Black Hand's villain origins, Secret Origin is a must-read across the board. Green Lantern: Rebirth Green Lantern: Rebirth is another essential story from Geoff Johns, a major soft-reboot narrative that revitalized the mythology and brought Hal back to the forefront after years of absence following his controversial corruption as Parallax. It's also the foundational starting point for those looking to read Johns' entire GL run front to back. Green Lantern: No Fear After Rebirth, Johns' No Fear is all about Hal Jordan trying to rebuild his life and returning to his role as a Green Lantern. Presented as a flawed human being seeking to find a new normal as a hero he's not sure whether he even deserves, it's not hard to see the parallels to Jordan's characterization in Lanterns, particularly following the Rushville massacre. Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps War Following Lanterns, Geoff Johns' Sinestro Corps War more than deserves a place on this list. This collection features the dawn of Sinestro creating his very own corps wielding the yellow light of fear, as the classic DC villain wages war on the Green Lantern Corps like never before. However, despite fear being a peak opposing force to willpower, the epic clashing of yellow and green is only the precursor to Johns' biggest Green Lantern story, one that expands the entire Emotional Spectrum in the DC Universe: Blackest Night. Green Lantern: Blackest Night Ultimately, Johns' culminating Blackest Night event probably deserves to be read the most, as it's arguably the ideal pinnacle of where the DCU could one day go with the Green Lantern mythos. After revealing all the other corps on the Emotional Spectrum, Blackest Night kicks off with Black Hand serving as the catalyst for the dark dawn of the Black Lanterns, resurrecting the dead as a massive army that forces all the various corps and colors to unite with so many more DC heroes and villains (many of whom get temporarily deputized as Lanterns themselves). As such, anyone hoping that Lanterns will grow into something much bigger/more cosmic will hopefully find previews of its potential in Blackest Night. Green Lantern: Earth One For something completely different (yet not unlike the unique storytelling seen in Lanterns), Green Lantern: Earth One by Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko is a solid option, reinventing the mythology in its own continuity, beginning with Hal Jordan receiving his ring only to discover that the Manhunters wiped out the Green Lantern Corps centuries prior. Likewise, the second volume brings Hal and John Stewart together, while also taking on a unique depiction of the Yellow Lanterns created by a rogue Guardian. Green Lantern/Green Arrow: Hard-Traveling Heroes Green Lantern stories have always been used to explore serious real-world issues, well before Lanterns began streaming on HBO Max. One of the most popular examples is in the 1970s with O'Neil and Adams' Green Lantern/Green Arrow: Hard-Traveling Heroes, pairing conservative Hal Jordan with anti-establishment liberal Oliver Queen as the duo travels across the country discussing and encountering various issues like racism, social inequality, drugs, poverty, and more. The Other History of the DC Universe #1 Written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter John Ridley (12 Years A Slave), The Other History of the DC Universe #1 is a text-heavy memoir written from the perspective of Jefferson Pierce's Black Lightning, recounting his experiences as a black man and superhero between 1972-1995 (future issues continue the timeline to the present from the perspectives of other heroes). Pierce's thoughts and encounters with John Stewart are included in this first issue. As DC's first black superhero, Stewart naturally appears within a much larger examination of race in the DC Universe with an intensely real-world lens. Likewise, Pierce initially views Stewart’s position as a backup Lantern as a form of institutional tokenism, wishing that he'd have demanded more at the time. The same goes for Lantern's eventual role on the Justice League. However, Pierce's view of John changes once he gets a chance to actually talk and connect, discovering that it was never about Stewart being complacent but that he was constantly struggling to keep his head above water and avoid being overwhelmed by the responsibility of his role and overall systemic pressures. After Pierce realizes that there's no one way to be a black superhero, Jefferson and John eventually became good friends. Overall, it's a very impressive examination of racial and superhero identities within the DC Universe, just like we've been seeing on-screen in the DCU with Lanterns. All episodes of Lanterns season 1 are now streaming on HBO Max from DC Studios. Release Date August 16, 2026 Network HBO Showrunner Chris Mundy Cast Aaron Pierre John Stewart Directors Alik Sakharov, James Hawes, Stephen Williams, Geeta Patel Writers Damon Lindelof, Chris Mundy, Tom King, Vanessa Baden Kelly, Justin Britt-Gibson, Breannah Gibson Franchise(s) DC Universe Creator(s) Tom King, Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof