If I ask you to name a Green Lantern Corps member, who would you name? Who would you consider to be the most important members? Hal Jordan? Abin Sur? Kyle Rayner? Kilowog? There are over 7,200 members, and some are more important than others when it comes to the mythos.
Green Lantern Corps
The Green Lantern Corps is an intergalactic police force. Think of them like a police force in space with power rings that create willpower and courage-based constructs instead of guns. Some members of the corps are more important than others due to mythos, canon, and major story arcs.
There are over 7,200 Green Lanterns throughout the known universe. Over 99.99% of Green Lanterns are alien entities and creatures. There is a sentient alien squirrel known as Ch’p and a sentient planet, Mogo, who are members. Only 0.0972% of Green Lanterns, or about eight in total, are human beings from Earth.
The seven Lanterns on this list were chosen for their popularity, historical importance, and potential for greater exposure to fans in the future. Here are the seven most important Green Lanterns in modern comics
1. John Stewart
One of the most important Green Lantern Corps members of the Modern Age of comics is John Stewart. Stewart made his debut during the Bronze Age in Green Lantern # 87 in 1971. Stewart was canonically an architect at first, but was retconned into a military veteran. He became a fan-favorite in the 2000s and 2010s animated series Justice League and Justice League Unlimited.
The character is popular in the comics and video games as well. Stewart is now one of the most important characters in the Green Lantern canon. Aaron Pierre will portray Stewart in the upcoming DCU and HBO show Lanterns.
2. Alan Scott
There would be no Green Lantern Corps in the Modern Age without the Silver Age Green Lantern, Alan Scott. Scott is also the first Green Lantern character ever. Scott made his debut in
All-American Comics #16 in 1940. While Scott had a power ring, a lantern, and could make constructs, there was no clear origin for his powers.
Scott’s ring was an ancient artifact, and his powers were useless against wood. Scott’s popularity would wane in the years to come; Hal Jordan would replace him in the Silver Age. Still, there would be no Green Lanterns without Scott.
3. Guy Gardner
Guy Gardner is the Lantern that fans have loved to hate for decades. He is known for his courage, arrogance, and stubbornness. Gardner made his debut in Green Lantern #59 in 1968. However, he did not become a popular member of the Green Lantern Corps until the 1980s. During the 1980s, DC Comics writers made Gardner into an action movie archetype of the era.
Gardner was made into an ultra-patriotic and macho tough guy who is not afraid to get into your face. Nathan Filion was the first actor to portray Gardner in Superman, Peacemaker, and the upcoming HBO Lanterns show.
4. Hal Jordan
While Hal Jordan is the most well-known Green Lantern Corps member, he is canonically the second character to use the name. Jordan made his debut in Showcase #22 in 1959 during the Silver Age of comics. He was a legacy character who took the Green Lantern mantle from the first one, Alan Scott.
Jordan was a fighter pilot who found the mortally wounded alien Abin Sur. Sur’s ring autonomously chose Jordan as his successor as Sur died. Jordan became the main Green Lantern Corps member until 1993. DC Comics made him a supervillain and then killed him off. Jordan would come back to comics in 2004.
Ryan Reynolds would play Jordan in the critical and box office flop, 2011’s Green Lantern. Actor Kyle Chandler will portray an older version of Hal Jordan in the upcoming HBO series Lanterns.
Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War Compendium is a 1,440-page hardcover. It collects the entire 2005 Sinestro Corps Saga, where Sinestro and the Yellow Lanterns declare war on the Green Lanterns. Get it for only $15.45 on Amazon now.
5. Jessica Cruz
Jessica Cruz made her first full character appearance in Justice League #31 in 2014. While some fans may not even know she exists, she is one of the most important members of the Green Lantern Corps. Cruz is the first human female and Latina Green Lantern ever. Hal Jordan would mentor Cruz after a traumatic event and help her learn to control her ring. Cruz has yet to break through to fans, but may get more exposure in the future.
6. Abin Sur
Abin Sur is one of the most important members of this intergalactic police force because his death would expand the mythos. In Showcase #22 in 1959, Sur is mortally wounded by an enemy. Sur’s ship crash-lands on Earth. As he lies dying, Sur’s ring begins autonomously scanning for a successor.
The ring almost chose a young Clark Kent. Sensing that Kent was an alien and not native to Earth, the ring dismissed him. The ring then selects Jordan and Guy Gardner as finalists and finally chooses Jordan.
7. Sojouner Mullein
Mullein is the newest member of the Green Lantern Corps and is very important as a character. She is the first human Black female member. She made her debut in Far Sector #1 in 2020. This new Green Lantern is the creation of sci-fi author N.K. Jemisin and artist Jamal Campbell.
Mullein is a Lantern on the other side of the universe in a Dyson Swarm enclave known as the City Enduring. Over 20 billion aliens from three distinct species live in the cities comprising the City Enduring, a quasi-utopia. It is up to Mullein to investigate the first homicide in 500 years on the Dyson Swarm.
Far Sector: The Deluxe Edition is a 376-page hardcover. It collects all 12 issues of Far Sector and several tie-in issues. Far Sector won the Hugo Award in 2022 for Best Graphic Story or Comic. Buy it now at Amazon for $29.47.
Who Is Your Favorite Lantern?
Simon Baz, the first Muslim Green Lantern, is still growing as a character and does not have a breakout story. Kyle Rayner made his debut in 1994 after DC killed off Hal Jordan. However, while Rayner has a niche fanbase, he was a divisive character among most DC fans for decades after the removal of Jordan.
Who is your favorite Green Lantern character? Are there too many human Green Lanterns? Should DC have only one Green Lantern at a time? Leave a comment and include who you would have included on this list.
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