Green Lantern Spotlight

  It was one of the most shocking moments of 2009. When the Black Lantern versions of Sue and Ralph Dibney murdered Hawkman and Hawkgirl and they in turn were also transformed into Black Lanterns. Leading to the amazing Hawkman and the Atom tie in one-shot about the relationship between Ray and Carter. Hawkman and Hawkgirl have been very directionalist the last few years. After Jimmy Palimonti and Justin Grey left the title. The book flunder while Walt Simonson tried to make the book completely about Hawkgirl something new. That didn't work either. Then Geoff Johns put Hawkman back in Justice Society and Brad Meltzer put Hawkgirl over in Justice League and tried to have the two characters move on from each other. That worked for a brief time, then you add in the mess with Trinity and Final Crisis and... well what else can I say.
  I'm hoping with the revelations about Carter and Kendra being the original source for the Star Sapphire and the fact that Ray is going to bring them back to the land of the living at the conclusion of Blackest Night. That the Hawks will get put back on the right track again. Personally, they were doing fine until all of a sudden. Most editors and writers felt that even with the streamline history that was done 10 years ago. The characters still weren't "even" enough. I thought they were fine, it's like when writers don't know what to do with Red Tornado or hate the character, so they blow him up again. Because we all know that works out so well the last 50 times. I'm hoping that we can get Hawkman and Hawkgirl in a more team role back on the Justice Society since Justice League still needs a little bit more help before it's a great title again.
  I would love to see a Hawk title relaunched with a team that will respect the Hawks and stop trying to back track or obliterate everything they just don't like, like other writers have done in the pass. Personally, I would be fine with a new Atom and the Hawkman title with Hawkgirl as part of the cast and go from there. The book has worked very well in the past and if they are willing to respect the characters history without trying to retcon or forget about the "good" things about the characters. Then the title should florish.

It’s that time again, gang — where we take a sneak peek at the books heading to your local comic shop in June. First up we have BRIGHTEST DAY and the event’s related titles, including JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, TITANS, FLASH and a new launch. Click below for more info. And swing back later for a first look at the BATMAN titles for June as well.


BRIGHTEST DAY #3-4
Issue #3 on sale JUNE 2 • Issue #4 on sale JUNE 16 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
Written by GEOFF JOHNS & PETER J. TOMASI • Art by IVAN REIS, PAT GLEASON, ARDIAN SYAF, SCOTT CLARK & JOE PRADO • Covers by DAVID FINCH
1:25 variant covers by IVAN REIS & OCLAIR ALBERT
If this is the BRIGHTEST DAY then what is Black Lantern Firestorm doing on our cover?!
Retailers please note: These issues will ship with two covers each. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.

GREEN LANTERN #55
On sale JUNE 30 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
Written by GEOFF JOHNS • Art and cover by DOUG MAHNKE & CHRISTIAN ALAMY
BRIGHTEST DAY marches on as the Main Man, Lobo, goes head-to-head with Red Lantern Atrocitus – with Hal Jordan caught in the middle! It doesn’t get more brutal than this! Plus, Hector Hammond returns . . . to join the new Guardians?

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #49
On sale JUNE 23 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
Written by TONY BEDARD • Art and cover by ARDIAN SYAF & VICENTE CIFUENTES
BRIGHTEST DAY continues scorching with “The Revolt of the Alpha Lanterns” as the Alphas seek to recruit John Stewart, Kyle Rayner and even former Guardian Ganthet into their ranks! What is their ultimate goal – and who is the mastermind behind it all?

GREEN ARROW #1
On sale JUNE 23 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US
Written by J.T. KRUL • Art by DIOGENES NEVES • Cover by MAURO CASCIOLI
1:25 Variant cover by ETHAN VAN SCIVER
BRIGHTEST DAY shines its light on Star City in this oversized first issue from up-and-coming writer J.T. Krul (BLACKEST NIGHT: TITANS, GREEN ARROW #30) and future superstar artist Diogenes Neves (New Mutants)! “The Fall of Green Arrow” has ended. Now who carries the heavy bow of the Emerald Archer? Coming out of the devastation, what miraculous event has occurred in Star City and what mysteries await inside that bring the forces of good and evil in search of its lone protector? Aim for a whole new era starring Green Arrow in this exciting ongoing series!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.

JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #3-4
Issue #3 on sale JUNE 9 • Issue #4 on sale JUNE 23 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
Written by KEITH GIFFEN & JUDD WINICK • Issue #3 art by FERNANDO DAGNINO • Issue #4 art by
AARON LOPRESTI • Covers by TONY HARRIS & J.D. METTLER • 1:25 variant covers by KEVIN MAGUIRE
DC’s biweekly JUSTICE LEAGUE event continues here! The heroes of the once-great Justice League International – Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Fire and Ice – have reteamed in order to stop a threat to all mankind. But will the heroes of the DCU take this group of misfits seriously? And what happens when Blue Beetle – a new hero with an old legacy – joins the team? And whose side is he really on? Be here to find out!
Retailers please note: These issues will ship with two covers each. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #46
On sale JUNE 30 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US
Written by JAMES ROBINSON • Art by MARK BAGLEY & ROB HUNTER • cover by MARK BAGLEY & JESUS MERINO
BRIGHTEST DAY continues with the start of an all-new, 5-part JLA/JSA crossover! The return of one hero heralds the release of the powerful Starheart that empowers Green Lantern Alan Scott. Now this chaotic force is unleashed on Earth, causing magic to go wild – and new metahumans to emerge! It’s more than one super-team can handle, but can even the combined efforts of the Justice League and the Justice Society contain the light and dark power wielded by one of their own? Witness the transformation of the moon and a journey into the Shadow Lands that will corrupt a hero!
Continued in next month’s JSA #41, this epic event features a 5-part connected cover spotlighting both teams in glorious action illustrated by Mark Bagley with inks by Jesus Merino!

BIRDS OF PREY #2
On sale JUNE 16 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
Written by GAIL SIMONE • Art by ED BENES, ADRIAN MELO & MARIAH BENES • Cover by ED BENES
Flying out of BRIGHTEST DAY, the Birds of Prey are forced to ally themselves with the worst of Gotham City’s mega-criminals while they struggle to save his life from the unspeakable horror that hunts them all! Fan-favorite writer Gail Simone (WONDER WOMAN, SECRET SIX) and superstar artist Ed Benes (JUSTICE LEAGUE, GREEN LANTERN) continue their return to the title that first brought them together!

THE FLASH #3
On sale JUNE 9 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
Written by GEOFF JOHNS • Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL • 1:10 variant cover by GREG HORN
It may be BRIGHTEST DAY, but when a mysterious group of so-called heroes turns up, another Rogue ends up dead. Plus, the mystery deepends as The Flash witness another murder — his own!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.

TITANS #24
On sale JUNE 9 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
Written by ERIC WALLACE • Art and cover by FABRIZIO FIORENTINO
The TITANS ongoing series returns with a new direction that ties into BRIGHTEST DAY! We saw what Deathstroke and his team of mercenaries did in the TITANS: VILLAINS FOR HIRE SPECIAL #1, and it was a dark day for the Justice League of America. Hopefully their next target fares better. Good luck, Lex Luthor!

 You know I was coming to this since writer JT Krul is relaunching the Green Arrow title after Blackest Night wraps up and the Rise of Arsenal mini series concludes. In the special "Rise and Fall," Ollie is still hunting down those who worked with Prometheus, keeping secret his murder of the man as the rest of the JLA tries to track him down. The Shade shows Barry Allen and Hal Jordan the villain's body as Ollie confronts the Electrocutioner, who set off the device that devestated Star City. He's close to killing the man when Black Canary stops him and in their argument, Canary realizes what Oliver did. The Flash and Green Lantern confirm it by arriving with Prometheus' body, accusing Ollie of crossing the line. Grabbing the cosmic key from the corpse, Oliver says he's sorry but he's not finished yet. He teleports away as the other realize they have to bring him down.
  We got on the line with writer J.T. Krul for some hints, but there wasn’t a lot to say, which just made us all the more curious. Take it away, J.T.:
“This is it!  We’ve been saying for awhile now that 2010 was going to be big for Green Arrow, and you can’t get much bigger than this.  As we put together the story for the Fall of Green Arrow and developed where he was going to end up and what Ollie’s life was going to be like, we knew it was truly a new beginning.  A BRIGHTEST DAY beginning at that!
In the wake of the turmoil in Star City, the people need someone in their corner more now than ever.  Most of those in power, be it business or government, are looking for ways to exploit the situation to their advantage. The city is rife with crime and corruption of epic proportions and it’s only getting worse.  But all is not lost.  Oliver Queen’s got his quiver. Now, it’s time for Green Arrow to move into the role he was always meant to be - outlaw for the people.
For this relaunch, Eddie and Adam and the guys at DC have put together the best team possible to make Ollie shine like never before. Diogenes Neves and Vicente Cifuentes killed on the Black Lantern Green Arrow special and we knew they were the guys to relaunch the Emerald Archer.  And don’t even get me started on the cover work by Mauro Casciolli.  I’m so happy to finally share it with the rest of the world - because it’s been my screen saver ever since I saw it.  Now THAT’S Green Arrow!!!”

  I have to say I'm looking forward to see what JT has in store for Green Arrow. However, like many others I don't like the fact hat we lost Lian in the process. I find that really a cheap shot and since we have Chesire dealing with her other baby issues with Catman right now in Secret Six and with Prometheus now dead. The only thing we can do is move on and trust in JT. Wow, I should make a sure like that.

   Join the Green Lantern Spotlight Podcast as they talk everything Green Lantern related outside of comics. From "Smallville" to cartoon cameos and to recent dvd releases and everything in between. 

  Confirmed this weekend at hte Emerald City Comic Con by Geoff Johns himself. Firestorm will be a main character during the Brightest Day series. Since Brightest Day is about second chances and those who will live up to them and those who will fall. I am very happy and hoping to hear that this is Ronnie Raymon returning. As much as Jason Rausche has grown on me in the last 5 years. I would rather have the two being the duo that makes up Firestorm. Having the experience one teaching the new one how to be a hero. Having conflicting emotions since the Black Lantern Ronnie killed Jason's girlfriend during Blackest Night. There is plenty of conflict here. Killing Ronnie off to make room for Jason wasn't one of the best moves by DC. Especially considering how much of a fan base that Firestorm had. Everyone gave Jason a chance and even grew to like him. However, he wasn't Ronnie. Nows the chance, let's hope Ronnie lives up to his second chance in spades.