Blackest Night: Everyone Quits Green Lantern

NO COMMENTS YET

DC’s been releasing their May solicits over the past few days… with one exception: they’ve been holding back their Green Lantern solicitations. Which has led to a certain amount of anticipation, at least here at the Crisis On Infinite Midlives Home Office, because some of the best crossovers and events in DC Comics over the past several years have come from Green Lantern writer Geoff Johns in those books.

So we’ve been waiting for what Johns had planned starting in May with bated breath, with images and memories of classics like The Sinestro Corps War, Blackest Night and Brightest Day dancing in our heads. What would it be? Another big crossover? Rainbow Lanterns? A new Lantern oath involving the prominent use of the word “sack”?

Turns out, not so much. It seems that Geoff John’s next big plan for Green Lantern is to, well, quit the book.

And apparently it was such a good idea that every other writer on the Green Lantern books has made the same plan. That’s right: everyone is leaving the Green Lantern books.

Um… what the hell, Geoff?

So here’s the sad news: Doug Mahnke and I are closing the GREEN LANTERN SAGA that began with GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH #1 with this May’s 64-page GREEN LANTERN #20. As every storyline is coming to a head, it feels like the right time. The book is still doing great. The characters are as vibrant as ever. Let’s go out how we started – on a high note….

So what will GREEN LANTERN #20 bring? The bizarre return of Hal Jordan, the final fate of Sinestro, the revelation of the First Lantern and an ending that I hope pays off everything we’ve ever done and ever created with GREEN LANTERN. It has art by Doug Mahnke, Ethan Van Sciver, Ivan Reis and Joe Prado and I’ve poured everything I can into the script.

I’m off to focus my energy on the JUSTICE LEAGUE universe as we head into what I hope is an exciting plan – Simon Baz and B’dg will be along for the ride in JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA – and you’ll no doubt see Hal Jordan and some of the other Lanterns in the world of the Justice League before too long. And Sinestro…? You’ll have to read GREEN LANTERN #20 for that…

This news is pretty damn big. Johns has been the main writer on Green Lantern as a whole for damn near ten years. He was the one who brought back Hal Jordan, made Blackest Night such a compelling DCU-wide event, and honestly made the character popular enough to warrant a tentpole summer event movie – sure, a tentpole summer movie that was only okay and which tanked, but still: Johns made the character popular enough to get one.

It’s also somewhat ominous news, because, just thinking back to books Johns started that other people then took over – I’m looking at you Teen Titans and Booster Gold – none of them were ever quite as good as they were when they debuted under his hand. Johns is hell on wheels at starting books, but when it comes to others then picking up the baton? Yeah, not so much, most of the time. So whoever winds up taking over these books is probably in for an uphill climb.

But the weirdest thing about this to me is how everybody is leaving the Green Lantern books all at one time. Peter Tomasi’s been working with Johns on the Green Lantern books pretty much since they started, and he’s got Batman And Robin he’s still working on, but Tony Bedard’s doesn’t seem to have anything else listed in upcoming DC solicitations, nor does Peter Milligan (Jim Starlin’s taking over Stormwatch, and Hellblazer is going away), so I have trouble believing that everyone writing a character with a ring suddenly decided they had better things to do. And with all the churn that’s been going on at the creator level at DC, well, I just wonder what the plan is. Considering the Green Lantern books were one of the few franchises to experience minimal changes in the wake of the New 52 reboot, it seems like a hell of a thing to suddenly blow up the entirety of the creative vision all at once, less than two years in. So, not for the first time in the past few months, I’m asking: what the fuck is going on at DC Editorial?

Ah well. Here’s the full list of solicitations to you’ll know what you’re spending your money on in May.

GREEN LANTERN #20
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art by DOUG MAHNKE and CHRISTIAN ALAMY
Wraparound cover by DOUG MAHNKE
1:25 B&W Variant wraparound cover by DOUG MAHNKE
On sale MAY 1 • 64 pg, FC, $7.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $8.99 US
It’s the final battle against the First Lantern and the Guardians in this, the extra-sized finale of Geoff Johns’ historic run on the title! Plus, don’t miss a special retrospective on Geoff’s run on GL!
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #20
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by FERNANDO PASARIN and SCOTT HANNA
Cover by ANDY KUBERT
1:25 B&W Variant cover by ANDY KUBERT
On sale MAY 8 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
“WRATH OF THE FIRST LANTERN” epilogue! In the aftermath of their battle against the First Lantern and the Guardians, it’s up to Guy Gardner, John Stewart and the other survivors to try to put the Corps back together, or decide if there should even BE a Corps anymore. Join Peter Tomasi and Fernando Pasarin for the epic conclusion of their run!
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.

GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS #20
Written by TONY BEDARD
Art by ANDRES GUINALDO
Cover by AARON KUDER
1:25 B&W Variant cover by AARON KUDER
On sale MAY 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
“WRATH OF THE FIRST LANTERN” epilogue! As a White Lantern, Kyle played a crucial role in the battle against the First Lantern and the Guardians. But a loss they suffered in the battle has left Kyle devastated, throwing off the control he had over the entire emotional spectrum. Has his time as a White Lantern ended before it’s truly begun? Find out in the conclusion of Tony Bedard’s run!
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.

RED LANTERNS #20
Written by PETER MILLIGAN
Art by WILL CONRAD
Cover by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA
1:25 B&W Variant cover by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA
On sale MAY 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
“WRATH OF THE FIRST LANTERN” epilogue! Following the battle against the First Lantern and the Guardians, for the first time in centuries Atrocitus feels peace. What could possibly calm his legendary rage? And more importantly, what does that mean for the Red Lanterns? A surprising turning point for Atrocitus and the Red Lanterns in this, the conclusion of Peter Milligan’s run!
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.