Green Lantern Enters New Era With Support from DC’s Top Villains in Years

Warning: potential spoilers for Green Lantern: Fractured Spectrum #1 ahead!

New Challenges Loom for the Green Lantern Corps

The Green Lantern franchise is embarking on a significant new chapter, spotlighting some of the most intriguing villains to emerge in the DC Universe in recent times. Over the past year, the Corps has faced a tumultuous period marked by internal strife that nearly led to its total annihilation. As highlighted in a preview for Green Lantern: Fractured Spectrum #1, a formidable new threat is now emerging against the Corps.

Writer Jeremy Adams, known for his innovative storytelling in the Green Lantern series, will soon apply his talents to Aquaman. The freshly released preview sets the stage at the enigmatic Library of Forever, where a new figure—the Sorrow Lantern, who symbolizes sadness—makes an entrance. This character seeks a “round, fractured”glass with the intention of reading the Book of Oa. He expresses to the librarian that the “sadness of the universe is too much to be held” and indicates he has plans to address this sorrow. Meanwhile, Hal Jordan finds himself enjoying a rare moment of peace until he receives an urgent call from John Stewart, prompting him to spring into action.

The Fragile State of the Green Lantern Corps

Triumph Over Thaaros Came with Heavy Sacrifices

The timeline of the Green Lantern Corps spans millions of years, filled with trials that have tested its resilience. However, recent events have pushed the Corps to its limits. Following the Infinite Frontier storyline, the Guardians transferred significant authority over to the newly formed United Planets. This monumental shift culminated in an assault on the Central Power Battery stationed on Oa, igniting chaos within the ranks as numerous Lanterns faced death and others lost their power rings. Despite their recovery, the repercussions of these events have left deep scars.

The takeover by the United Planets marked the beginning of corruption within the Corps. The governing body quickly instituted stringent regulations for the Lanterns, eliminating any dissent. Eventually, a Durlan named Thaaros ascended to leadership, manipulating the Corps into a repressive force. He orchestrated aggressive actions against fellow Lantern Corps, seizing their power sources to augment his control. In a bid to consolidate power, Thaaros expelled both Hal Jordan and John Stewart from the Corps, surrounded himself with sycophants, and fostered an environment devoid of independent thought.

Introducing DC’s Unsettling New “Sorrow Lantern”

An Enigmatic Figure with Unprecedented Power

Nathan Broome, now Sorrow Lantern, appears in front of Star Sapphire and a crying Dove

Meanwhile, on Earth, a more sinister development unfolded with the fracturing of the Emotional Spectrum. This essential force within the DC Universe began to generate new colors and Lantern Corps that were previously thought nonexistent. The first of these is the “Sorrow Lantern,” introduced in Green Lantern #15. This character, Nathan—previously Carol Ferris’s fiancé—transformed his deep sorrow into a conduit for the Emotional Spectrum after Carol left him. The chaotic influence from Thaaros’s actions weakened the Spectrum, leading to the birth of new components within it.

To this point, Nathan remains the sole Sorrow Lantern. As more of Nathan’s narrative unfolds, it is likely that he will not be alone for long as he spreads this newfound sadness. Although DC has strategically kept the specifics of the Sorrow Lantern’s abilities somewhat enigmatic, Nathan’s ability to establish a new Lantern Corps signifies his formidable potential. In Green Lantern #15, we see the Sorrow Lantern’s impact when he envelops Dove with overwhelming despair.

The Potential for Further Lantern Corps Expansion

Could the Sorrow Lanterns Signal More to Come?

Hal Jordan with the new Sorrow Lantern in the background

The emergence of the Sorrow Lantern suggests a possible expansion of “spin-off” Lantern Corps in the future. Thaaros has meddled with one of the universe’s strongest forces, one that has baffled scholars and spiritual leaders throughout time. The latest Green Lantern narratives hint there is more depth to the Emotional Spectrum than previously imagined, and the rise of new Corps illustrates this fact. The sustainability of these new groups remains uncertain, but for the moment, the Sorrow Lantern stands out as DC’s most captivating new villain, setting a compelling tone for the upcoming era of Green Lantern.

Don’t miss the release of Green Lantern: Fractured Spectrum #1 on January 8 from DC Comics!

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