The 3 essential Green Lantern crossovers:Blackest Night(the full emotional spectrum event),Crisis on Infinite Earths(destruction of the Body) andWar of the Green Lanterns(betrayal of Krona and dismissal of Hal Jordan).
Green Lantern is one of the few DC characters whose mythology has been deeply enriched by crossovers rather than simply impacted. Geoff Johns transformed the concept of Lantern into a universe of cosmic war, and the events he orchestrated between 2004 and 2013 form a continuous story arc that rivals the best Marvel sagas in terms of ambition and collectability.
For a collector, Johns' Green Lantern cycle represents a unique opportunity: interconnected events withidentifiable key issues and first appearances of charactersbecome iconic (Atrocitus, Larfleeze, the different Corps). This guide lists the essential crossovers to build a coherent GL collection.
Blackest Night (2009-2010) — The GL Masterpiece
Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis deliver an 8-issue event that represents the culmination of five years of preparation. The Black Lanterns (resurrected dead) are invading the DC Universe, and only the alliance of the seven Emotional Specter Corps can stop them.Blackest Night #1is the main key issue, regularly quoted between 40 and 100 € in 9.8 CGC.
The event introduces the White Lantern Entity and gives Hal Jordan a central cosmic role. Green Lantern #43-52 and Green Lantern Corps #39-47 tie-ins are essential for the complete collection. For theGreen Lantern key numbers, Blackest Night is the highlight.
Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985-1986) — The Fall of the Corps
In Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Green Lantern Corps suffers massive losses. Entire worlds are destroyed, and the Guardians are powerless against the Anti-Monitor. Hal Jordan is no longer the main GL at this time (John Stewart takes the role in the Justice League), but the event redefines the Corps for a decade.
Key issues
Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 (death of Supergirl, presence of GL), issues 1-12 form an essential set for any DC collection.
Brightest Day (2010–2011) — The Aftermath of Blackest Night
A direct sequel to Blackest Night, Brightest Day is a 24-issue bi-monthly series that explores the return to life of 12 characters. For Green Lantern, the event focuses on the hunt for emotional entities and prepares for War of the Green Lanterns. The number #0 and #24 are the main issues of this often underrated series.
War of the Green Lanterns (2011) — Betrayal within the Corps
Krona takes control of the Guardians and corrupts the Central Power Battery. Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart and Kyle Rayner must use rings from other Corps to save the universe. The event culminates with Hal Jordan's dismissal from the Corps, a pivotal moment. Green Lantern #67 is the concluding key issue of this arc.
Dark Nights: Metal (2017-2018) — The cosmic dimension GL
Scott Snyder integrates Green Lantern mythology into his exploration of the Dark Multiverse. Hal Jordan plays a crucial role in the resistance against the Dark Knights, and the connection between the emotional spectrum and cosmic metals enriches GL lore. Dark Nights: Metal #1 remains a major key issue of the modern DC era, between €25 and €70 in 9.8.
Summary for the GL collector
Blackest Night #1: €40-100 (9.8 CGC). Green Lantern #43 (Blackest Night prologue): €20-50. Brightest Day #0: €10-25. War of the Green Lanterns is easily found in TPB. Dark Nights: Metal #1: €25-70. The Johns cycle remains the best GL investment.
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