Geoff Johns’ Green Lantern: The Definitive Reading Order
Geoff Johns' 9-year comic book run on Green Lantern spans over 200 issues, focusing primarily on the character Hal Jordan. A structured reading order organizes this extensive saga into chronological phases, ranging from early origin stories and major crossover events to the New 52 relaunch.
Geoff Johns’ nine-year comic book run on Green Lantern spans over 200 issues, focusing primarily on the character Hal Jordan. A structured reading order organizes this extensive saga into chronological phases, ranging from early origin stories and major crossover events to the New 52 relaunch.
The guide details both single-issue and trade paperback reading sequences. While Johns penned the core storyline, companion series by other writers expand upon the broader Green Lantern universe. Readers can choose to follow only Johns’ main titles or include supplemental tie-ins for full context.
A Guide To Reading Geoff Johns’ Green Lantern Run
With Green Lanterns getting a lot of press coming off the DC Show on HBO, people have been asking me what to read. Geoff Johns has one of the definite runs of Hal Jordan that spans 9 years and touches over 200 issues (half of it written by Johns).
Below is everything you need to read that ties into Johns’ run, including Rebirth, The Sinestro Corps Wars, Blackest Night, and New 52. I have this list broken into individual issues and trades, plus some notes about who wrote what.
Phase 0: Secret Origin
- Green Lantern #29–35: Secret Origin — This was technically part of The Prelude to Blackest Night, but since it’s a flashback to Hal’s origin, it’s worth reading first. Johns placed it in the middle of the Volume 4 because it has some set up to Blackest Night.
Phase 1: Rebirth & Rebuilding
- Green Lantern: Rebirth #1–6
- Green Lantern #1–3 (This is Volume 4 if you are reading on DC Infinite Universe)
- Green Lantern Corps: Recharge #1–5
- Green Lantern #4–6
- Green Lantern Corps #1–3 (This is Volume 2 if you are reading on DC Infinite Universe)
- Green Lantern #7–9
- Green Lantern Corps #4–6
- Green Lantern #10–13
- Green Lantern Corps #7–9
- Green Lantern #14–17
- Green Lantern Corps #10–13
- Green Lantern #18–20
- Green Lantern Corps #14–15
Phase 2: The Sinestro Corps War
- Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1
- Green Lantern #21
- Green Lantern Corps #16
- Green Lantern #22
- Green Lantern Corps #17
- Green Lantern #23
- Green Lantern Corps #18
- Green Lantern #24
- Green Lantern Corps #19
- Green Lantern #25
- Green Lantern Corps #20
Phase 3: The Prelude to Blackest Night
- Green Lantern Corps #21–22
- Green Lantern #26–28
- Green Lantern Corps #23–26
- Green Lantern Corps #27–32
- Green Lantern #36–38
- Green Lantern Corps #33–38
- Green Lantern #39–42
Phase 4: Blackest Night
- Blackest Night #0
- Blackest Night #1
- Green Lantern #43
- Green Lantern Corps #39
- Blackest Night #2
- Green Lantern #44
- Green Lantern Corps #40
- Blackest Night #3
- Green Lantern #45
- Green Lantern Corps #41
- Blackest Night #4
- Green Lantern #46
- Green Lantern Corps #42
- Blackest Night #5
- Green Lantern #47
- Green Lantern Corps #43
- Blackest Night #6
- Green Lantern #48
- Green Lantern Corps #44
- Blackest Night #7
- Green Lantern #49
- Green Lantern Corps #45
- Blackest Night #8
- Green Lantern #50–52
- Green Lantern Corps #46
Phase 5: Brightest Day to New 52 Finale
- Green Lantern #53
- Green Lantern Corps #47–52
- Green Lantern #54–62
- Green Lantern Corps #53–57
- Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #1–6
- War of the Green Lanterns Crossover:
- Green Lantern #63
- Green Lantern Corps #58
- Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #7
- Green Lantern #64
- Green Lantern Corps #59
- Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #8
- Green Lantern #65
- Green Lantern Corps #60
- Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #9
- Green Lantern #66
- Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #10
- War of the Green Lanterns: Aftermath #1–2
- The New 52 Relaunch:
- Green Lantern #1–12
- Rise of the Third Army Crossover:
- Green Lantern #13 (Prologue)
- Green Lantern Corps #13 (Prologue)
- Green Lantern: New Guardians #13 (Prologue)
- Red Lanterns #13 (Prologue)
- Green Lantern #14
- Green Lantern Corps #14
- Green Lantern: New Guardians #14
- Red Lanterns #14
- Green Lantern #15
- Green Lantern Corps #15
- Green Lantern: New Guardians #15
- Red Lanterns #15
- Green Lantern #16
- Green Lantern Corps #16
- Green Lantern: New Guardians #16
- Red Lanterns #16
- Wrath of the First Lantern Crossover:
- Green Lantern #17
- Green Lantern Corps #17
- Green Lantern: New Guardians #17
- Red Lanterns #17
- Green Lantern #18
- Green Lantern Corps #18
- Green Lantern: New Guardians #18
- Red Lanterns #18
- Green Lantern #19
- Green Lantern Corps #19
- Green Lantern: New Guardians #19
- Red Lanterns #19
- Green Lantern #20
- Green Lantern Corps #20
- Green Lantern: New Guardians #20
- Red Lanterns #20
The run officially ends with the landmark milestone Green Lantern #20.
If you are interested in reading them in the trades, I’d use this order:
| Order | Trade Paperback Title | Included Issues |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green Lantern: Secret Origin | Green Lantern #29–35 |
| 2 | Green Lantern: Rebirth | Green Lantern: Rebirth #1–6 |
| 3 | Green Lantern: No Fear | Green Lantern #1–6 |
| 4 | Green Lantern Corps: Recharge | Green Lantern Corps: Recharge #1–5 |
| 5 | Green Lantern: Revenge of the Green Lanterns | Green Lantern #7–13 |
| 6 | Green Lantern Corps: To Serve and Protect | Green Lantern Corps #1–6 |
| 7 | Green Lantern: Wanted – Hal Jordan | Green Lantern #14–20 |
| 8 | Green Lantern Corps: The Dark Side of Green | Green Lantern Corps #7–13 |
| 9 | Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War (Vol. 1 & 2) | Green Lantern #21–25, Green Lantern Corps #14–19, Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1 |
| 10 | Green Lantern: Rage of the Red Lanterns | Green Lantern #26–28, #36–38 |
| 11 | Green Lantern Corps: Sins of the Star Sapphire | Green Lantern Corps #27–32 |
| 12 | Green Lantern: Agent Orange | Green Lantern #39–42 |
| 13 | Green Lantern Corps: Emerald Eclipse | Green Lantern Corps #33–38 |
| 14 | Blackest Night (Core Event) | Blackest Night #0–8 |
| 15 | Green Lantern: Blackest Night | Green Lantern #43–52 |
| 16 | Green Lantern Corps: Blackest Night | Green Lantern Corps #39–46 |
| 17 | Brightest Day: Green Lantern | Green Lantern #53–62 |
| 18 | Green Lantern: War of the Green Lanterns | Green Lantern #63–66, Green Lantern Corps #58–60, Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #7–9 |
| 19 | Green Lantern Vol. 1: Sinestro (New 52) | Green Lantern (Vol. 5) #1–6 |
| 20 | Green Lantern Vol. 2: The Revenge of Black Hand | Green Lantern (Vol. 5) #7–12 |
| 21 | Green Lantern: Rise of the Third Army | Green Lantern #13–16 + crossover issues |
| 22 | Green Lantern Vol. 3: The End | Green Lantern (Vol. 5) #13–20 |
DC also released Green Lantern: Wraith of the First Lantern, which includes the full story and replaces Vol 3: The End.
Now all of these issues are not written by Johns; he handled the core Green Lantern book, while also writing Rebirth and Blackest Night. His books followed the main narrative of Hal Jordan.
Peter Tomasi and Dave Gibbons wrote the Green Lantern Corps books; this followed Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner, and the rest of the GL Corps. Tony Bedard wrote Green Lantern: New Guardians; this dealt with Rayner mastering the spectrum during the Third Army and First Lantern eras. Peter Milligan wrote Red Lanterns; this deal with Atrocitus and Gardner during the New 52 crossovers.
It’s entirely possible to read just the Johns books and get the meat of the saga. The rest of the books just give context to the rest of the GL universe and sets up the crossovers.
Have a question about a reading order? What to know what else to read? Throw it in the comments and we can work on it.