Initially released last year with three titles — Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman — DC Comics expanded its Absolute Universe line this April with Absolute Green Lantern. The new imprint, referred to as Earth-Alpha, was first introduced in October 2024, emerging from the wreckage of DC’s previous crossover event All In. In that story, not all heroes made it through (seriously, where is Powerhouse?). After being defeated by Superman and his assembled allies, Darkseid harnessed the Spectre’s power to create a new universe built on despair — the Absolute Universe.
For readers who haven’t followed every annual DC crossover and just want to stick with the mainline titles, the ones set in Earth-616, or DC’s core continuity, don’t worry. Those are still there. But the Absolute Universe rewrites the familiar. It asks, Who would Kal-El be if he wasn’t raised by the Kents? Who would Bruce Wayne become if he didn’t come from money? Who would Diana be without Paradise Island? The same reimagining applies to the Green Lantern Corps — a mythology that’s taken decades to build.
Despite the title, Absolute Green Lantern explores the full emotional spectrum of the Lantern Corps. The greens still embody willpower, the yellows fear, the indigos compassion, the violets love, the reds rage, the oranges greed, the whites life, and the blacks death. In this new universe, those colors aren’t just symbols but they’re actually factions vying for dominance in a cosmic struggle for survival, meaning, and control.
Seven issues in, the pacing remains a major challenge. Reading the early chapters feels like the first week of geometry class and there’s a lot on the board, and you’re not quite sure how it all fits together. It’s a problem DC’s limited series often face: sprawling plots that promise a big “a-ha” moment of revelation but rarely deliver a satisfying payoff.
The story, written by Immortal Hulk mastermind Al Ewing, certainly has ambition. It opens with Green Lanterns Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, and Sojourner “Jo” Mullein all living normal lives in the small Oregon town of Evergreen — lives they might have led if they’d never been chosen. When Abin Sur crashes into town, chaos follows. Guy serves as the local sheriff, John works as an architect trying to keep the community calm, and soon, a mysterious force field traps everyone inside.
As Abin Sur’s purpose unfolds, Hal Jordan is overtaken by a dark force consuming his arm, a corruption that hungers for the light that now resides within Jo Mullein. For longtime fans, Hal and Guy are familiar names, especially with Guy’s resurgence in pop culture thanks to this year’s Superman movie. But Jo may be new to some readers. Introduced in N.K. Jemisin’s Far Sector, Jo patrols a distant outpost of the universe, her ring uniquely designed to recharge over time rather than via a lantern. She’s one of DC’s most compelling modern creations which are confident, grounded, and emotionally complex.
This setup creates an intriguing dynamic: Hal Jordan, once the greatest of the Green Lanterns, is now positioned as the story’s villain, while Jo represents the Corps’ future. The last time Hal’s moral compass faltered was Green Lantern #48 (Vol. 3), when Coast City’s destruction drove him to become Parallax and wipe out the Corps. With Evergreen now in ruins and Hal slipping once again into darkness, the question looms can Jo save him, or will she have to destroy him?
That’s where the hope lies. Maybe Ewing will allow a Black female hero to save the day. Historically, DC hasn’t quite figured out what to do with its Black women superheroes. Naomi (a.k.a. Powerhouse) is missing in action, Vixen is somewhere in the wilderness, and Bumblebee is probably tinkering away in a S.T.A.R. Labs subplot. But perhaps — just perhaps — in this alternate universe, Jo Mullein will finally get the heroic spotlight she deserves.
The first seven issues of Absolute Green Lantern are available now at comic shops, with Issue #8 set to release November 5, 2025. A collected edition compiling the first six issues drops in December. And if you want to see where Jo’s story began, Far Sector is a must-read and is available wherever you get your comics.
E.Angel is an engineer and holds a BS in electrical engineering from North Carolina A&T State University. In her spare time she works at her comic book store – Brainstorm Comics and Gaming – when she is not reading comic books. She’s a real nerd who loves all things Star Wars and Star Trek, and is an avid gamer. E.Angel can be reached at e9of10@gmail.com or on either game platform as Bunnehs Sister.
