Green Lantern: Rebirth
Encyclopedia
Green Lantern: Rebirth was a six-issue monthly American comic book
limited series
written by Geoff Johns
and illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver
. Published by DC Comics
between October 2004
and May 2005
, the series featured characters from throughout the sixty year history of Green Lantern comics.
The storyline follows the "rebirth" of the Silver Age
Green Lantern Hal Jordan
as he overcomes fear itself in the form of the cosmic entity Parallax
. The series starred various members of the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps
, Kyle Rayner
, John Stewart
and Guy Gardner
. It revived elements of the Green Lantern mythos including the Guardians of the Universe
, Kilowog
and the villain Sinestro
, while introducing new concepts such as the emotional spectrum
.
, who had been the primary Green Lantern
of Earth
since his first DC Comics appearance in 1959, and replace him with a new character to carry on the Green Lantern legacy, Kyle Rayner
. The storyline, ”Emerald Twilight”
, which began in Green Lantern (vol. 3) #48 (January 1994), involved Hal Jordan descending into madness following the complete destruction of his home town, Coast City
, by the villain Cyborg Superman
and becoming the villain Parallax
. Jordan went on a rampage on the planet Oa, the planetary citadel of the Guardians of the Universe
, who oversee and administer the Corps. He killed some fellow Green Lanterns who opposed him and all the Guardians save for one, Ganthet
. He also destroyed the Central Power Battery, with which all Green Lanterns recharge their power rings, and even killed the renegade former GL, Sinestro
, whom Jordan himself had exposed as a criminal who used his power ring to enslave his planet and whom the Guardians apparently freed from his imprisonment in their Central Power Battery in a failed attempt to stop Jordan. Jordan then attempted to destroy all of existence so that he could recreate it to his liking in the 1994 miniseries
and crossover
storyline, "Zero Hour
."
Emerald Twilight, as scripted by Ron Marz
, provoked severe outrage amongst many Green Lantern fans. While retaining Kyle Rayner as the sole remaining Green Lantern, DC responded with more than one attempt to redeem Jordan’s image and hopefully placate the irate fans, first in the 1996 Final Night
miniseries
and crossover
storyline, in which Jordan sacrificed his life in order to re-ignite Earth’s sun
, and then in the 1999 Day of Judgment
miniseries, in which his soul, languishing in purgatory
, was chosen as the newest host for God
’s “Spirit of Vengeance”, known as The Spectre
.
These attempts, however, failed to placate the fans. In 2004, following the cancellation of the Hal Jordan as The Spectre comic, and a dropoff in sales of the Green Lantern comic as well as the character's prominent appearance in the popular DC: The New Frontier
, DC decided return Hal Jordan as a Green Lantern. First, the Green Lantern monthly series was canceled with issue #181, and Geoff Johns was assigned to write Green Lantern: Rebirth, which would pave the way for Jordan's return as a Green Lantern. The series would also answer lingering questions about Jordan's character, as well as reveal the decades-long mystery of why the Green Lantern power rings, the powerful weapons assigned to each Lantern that allow them to conjure virtually any form of matter or energy, were unable to affect anything yellow in color.
Geoff Johns first announced his plans to resurrect Hal Jordan
in an April 2004 issue of Wizard, noting that he had been working on the five-issue miniseries for a year and that it was due for an October release. As research for the story, Johns spent time with the test pilot department at Edwards Air Force Base
and cleared his facts with a major
.
suddenly falls out of the sky, crashing near 2 hikers, and inside they find the Green Lantern of Earth, Kyle Rayner, injured and weak, who mumbles “It has a name”, and then collapses near a long green object that appears to be a coffin.
A series of strange and disturbing incidents then begins to occur. Jordan, pronouncing judgment on the villain Black Hand
, becomes unable to focus clearly, and senses that something is wrong, telling his friend Oliver Queen (aka Green Arrow
), “None of this should have happened. This isn’t me. This isn’t who I am.” The shape-shifting Vuldarian physiology
of former GL Guy Gardner begins going haywire. Coast City, long destroyed, suddenly reappears to two pilots flying over it, though the only building that is restored is Hal Jordan’s old home.
Back in Highway Hill, Rayner, semi-conscious, tells the hikers that he has “to show them”. As he passes out, his power ring begins speaking, “Parallax is coming…”
When Batman
, Superman
, Wonder Woman
, Aquaman
, Zatanna
, The Flash, and John Stewart confront Jordan at Ferris Airfield, where Jordan is reminiscing with his former paramour, Carol Ferris, Jordan insists that he is not responsible for the restored Coast City. Stewart, however, suddenly goes berserk, attacking the other heroes, his ring now intoning, “Parallax is coming.” Meanwhile, at the JLA
Watchtower on the Moon
, the emergency power ring that Jordan once gave Green Arrow
duplicates itself, and places itself on Guy Gardner’s finger, restoring him as a Green Lantern.
Back at Highway Hill, the extraterrestrial
Green Lantern Kilowog
appears, and inexplicably attacks Kyle Rayner. However, Ganthet
, one of the Guardians of the Universe
, appears to stop Kilowog, attempting to protect the coffin, which it is revealed holds the corpse of Hal Jordan. He and Kilowog engage in a fierce battle, and Rayner himself feels something within his ring attempting to take over his will, much as with Stewart and Kilowog. Ganthet teleports
Rayner and Jordan’s corpse to the Justice League Watchtower
on the Moon. Meanwhile, Jordan investigates the appearance of his old apartment building, where he is confronted by the Parallax
version of himself, who engages in a battle of wills with the Spirit of Vengeance bonded to Jordan’s soul.
It is then that the Spectre explains to Jordan the truth about Parallax, while simultaneously on the Moon, Rayner does so to Queen. Rayner explains that he journeyed to the edge of the universe within Sector 3599, and on the tenth planet from the star Pagallus, the inhabitants told him that Parallax was actually a yellow demonic parasitic entity that was born at the beginning of sentience, feeding on fear, creating terror in anything it came into contact with, and causing entire civilizations to destroy themselves out of paranoia. It was this creature that the Guardians of the Universe imprisoned within the Central Power Battery on Oa, using fear's opposite energy, willpower. Rayner explains that there is an emotional electromagnetic spectrum
into which the collective willpower of the universe is collected by the Central Power Battery, and that green willpower is the most pure. Parallax had lain dormant for billions of years, his true nature covered up by the Guardians to prevent anyone from trying to free it, and thus, it had eventually come to be referred to as simply “the yellow impurity.” This was the reason why the rings were useless against the color yellow: Parallax weakened its power over the corresponding spectrum, and hence only someone capable of overcoming great fear could master the power ring. The Guardians, therefore, selected only such persons to become Green Lanterns.
But at some point in recent history, Parallax was awakened, weak and hungry. It reached out to Jordan through Jordan's own ring when Jordan was at his weakest, spending years influencing him, causing him increasing self-doubt and fear, even causing his hair to turn white at the temples. Parallax's control over Jordan exploded with Jordan's grief over the destruction of Coast City, and it was Parallax's influence that was responsible for Jordan's subsequent murderous activity. When Jordan destroyed the Central Power Battery, he unknowingly freed Parallax, which grafted itself onto Jordan’s soul, and suppressed Ganthet’s memories of the parasite. It was because Parallax was now free that Kyle Rayner’s own ring did not have any weakness against yellow, and following Jordan’s sacrifice of his own life during Final Night (a momentary glimpse of Jordan’s true heroic soul shining through Parallax’s influence), the Spirit of Vengeance drew in Jordan's soul, as it explains to Jordan, in order to eradicate the parasitic Parallax from it.
Green Arrow and Rayner are then attacked by Sinestro, apparently very much alive, who explains that it was he who used his Qwardian yellow power ring to tap into Parallax’s power and awakened it, and that the Sinestro whom Jordan killed was an illusory construct of Parallax’s, created so that his murder would serve as the final stage of Jordan's susceptibility to the impurity in order to break his will.
The Justice League of America, Justice Society of America
, and the Teen Titans arrive in Coast City to attack Parallax, but the entity inhibits their efforts by causing them to feel fear. The Spirit of Vengeance, however, manages to overpower Parallax, and finally removes the parasite from Jordan’s soul. Needing a soul to inhabit, Parallax attacks Ganthet, while Jordan’s soul is pulled toward the light of the afterlife
. Ganthet manages to guide Jordan’s soul back to his corporeal body on the Moon. His soul and thoughts clear for the first time in a long time, Jordan emerges from the coffin resurrected as a mortal human again, once again taking his place as a Green Lantern, the white portions of his hair even restored to their original brown. He and Sinestro engage in a fierce battle on the Moon, and across entire star systems. Eventually, Jordan forces the renegade back into the antimatter
universe to which he was first banished. Jordan and Rayner then journey to Coast City, where they, along with John Stewart, Guy Gardner and Kilowog, free Ganthet from Parallax’s possession, and imprison the parasite back in the Central Power Battery on Oa. The Guardians then announce that "it is time," referring to rebuild the Green Lantern Corps.
After the battle, Batman isn't entirely convinced that all this time Hal wasn't responsible for his actions as Parallax, but nevertheless decided that the universe "needs a a little more light anyway" thus acknowledges that Jordan is back. Hal reestablishes his relationships with Carol Ferris, who decide to reopen the Ferris Airfield, and Oliver Queen, who offers to let him stay in his home until he's back on his feet. With this new beginning, Hal, for the first time since the Coast City's destruction, finally found the courage and the peace of mind to move on and rebuild his life.
Elsewhere, on Belle Reve
prison, Hector Hammond
senses Jordan's resurrection, and is delighted and awaiting the opportunity to engage with his foe once more.
tie-in miniseries Day of Vengeance
. The Green Lantern Corps and the Guardians of the Universe, absent from the Green Lantern comics since Emerald Twilight, were also reintroduced by the writers. Additionally, the source of the Yellow Impurity was caused by Parallax's connection to the central battery. The Corps, for the first time in history, could overcome the Yellow Weakness by feeling fear and overcoming it.
Geoff Johns and Dave Gibbons
subsequently co-wrote a 2005 five-issue miniseries
, Green Lantern Corps: Recharge
, which depicted Rayner, Gardner and Kilowog as they helped the Guardians begin the task of recruiting 7,200 new recruits to repopulate the ranks of the Green Lantern Corps, while dealing with a mysterious series of black hole
formations that threaten the planet Oa itself.
DC Comics subsequently began a new, fourth volume Green Lantern monthly series starting with issue #1 (July 2005), starring Hal Jordan as he attempts to rebuild his life, moving to the almost deserted Coast City, which is slowly being rebuilt.
Tony Isabella
, reviewing the series in Comics Buyer's Guide
#1616 (May 2006), gave it five out of five “Tonys”, praising the story’s characterization, the book’s art, and opining that the explanation of the Parallax Fear Anomaly was “one of the single most brilliant concepts” he had ever seen in a Green Lantern comic book. ShakingThrough.net complimented the story’s “many rewarding moments”, also naming the Parallax Fear Anomaly. Those who did not care for the series’ approach include Stephen Rauch of PopMatters.com, who thought the series was formulaic, and that the story was “The kind an eight-year-old writes, and is later ashamed of.” Long time Green Lantern
fan and author Jim Smith
reviewed several issues in the Shiny Shelf web magazine and opined that the series "demonstrates, in every panel, the futility of endless Silver Age retro [and] is, in a quite meaningful sense, the very epicenter of all that is wrong with contemporary comic books." Sean Ferrell of numbmonkey.com called the story “strong”, though opining that it had some flaws, including Van Sciver’s art.
The success of Green Lantern: Rebirth led to popular acclaim for the team of Geoff Johns
and Ethan Van Sciver
, and allowed them to revisit the concept for another classic DC character in 2009's The Flash: Rebirth
.
(ISBN 1401207103) and as a trade paperback in April 2006 (ISBN 1401204651). A new printing of the trade paperback was published in April 2010 with different cover art and previously uncollected material (ISBN 1401227554).
DC also released it as part of their Absolute Edition series in spring 2010.
American comic book
An American comic book is a small magazine originating in the United States and containing a narrative in the form of comics. Since 1975 the dimensions have standardized at 6 5/8" x 10 ¼" , down from 6 ¾" x 10 ¼" in the Silver Age, although larger formats appeared in the past...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
written by Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
and illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver
Ethan Van Sciver
Ethan Daniel Van Sciver is an American comic book artist, best known for illustrating a number of titles including Green Lantern, Superman/Batman, New X-Men, and The Flash: Rebirth...
. Published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
between October 2004
2004 in comics
-February:*February 6: Marvel Enterprises and Electronic Arts announce a multi-year agreement in which EA will develop a new generation of fighting video games pitting Marvel superheroes against a new, original set of EA heroes....
and May 2005
2005 in comics
- January :* January 3: Will Eisner, creator of The Spirit, dies at age 87.-April:*April 13:**DC Comics announces the discontinuation of its Humanoids and 2000 A.D. titles....
, the series featured characters from throughout the sixty year history of Green Lantern comics.
The storyline follows the "rebirth" of the Silver Age
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
Green Lantern Hal Jordan
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker...
as he overcomes fear itself in the form of the cosmic entity Parallax
Parallax (comics)
Parallax is a fictional comic book supervillain in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks for Green Lantern vol...
. The series starred various members of the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps
The Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic military/police force appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residing on the planet Oa...
, Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually in those starring the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of which Rayner is a member. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks, Rayner first appeared in Green Lantern vol...
, John Stewart
John Stewart (comics)
John Stewart is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 2, #87 , and was created by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams.-Publication history:...
and Guy Gardner
Guy Gardner (comics)
Guy Gardner is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He is a core member of the Green Lantern family of characters, and for a time was also a significant member of the Justice League family of characters.He was created by John Broome and Gil Kane in Green Lantern...
. It revived elements of the Green Lantern mythos including the Guardians of the Universe
Guardians of the Universe
The Guardians of the Universe, alternatively known as the Guardians or Oans are a fictional extraterrestrial race in the DC Comics universe. They first appeared in Green Lantern Vol. 2 #1 , and were created by John Broome and Gil Kane. Here they do not reveal their existence to Hal, bringing his...
, Kilowog
Kilowog
Kilowog is a fictional superhero from DC Comics, and a member of the Green Lantern Corps.-Origins:A towering alien with a brutish and porcine appearance, Kilowog is renowned throughout the Green Lantern Corps as the primary trainer of the Corps' newest recruits...
and the villain Sinestro
Sinestro
Thaal Sinestro is a fictional character, an alien supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. Created by John Broome and Gil Kane, Sinestro is the former mentor of Hal Jordan and the arch-nemesis of the entire Green Lantern Corps. Sinestro first appears in Green Lantern #7 . In 2009, Sinestro was...
, while introducing new concepts such as the emotional spectrum
Emotional Manifestations (DC Comics)
The Emotional Spectrum is a fictional concept within the DC Universe, primarily portrayed in Green Lantern titles. Most notably, the colors of the Emotional Spectrum are harnessed as power sources by various fictional organizations wielding power rings....
.
Background
In 1994, DC Comics decided to do away with Hal JordanHal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker...
, who had been the primary Green Lantern
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
of Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
since his first DC Comics appearance in 1959, and replace him with a new character to carry on the Green Lantern legacy, Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually in those starring the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of which Rayner is a member. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks, Rayner first appeared in Green Lantern vol...
. The storyline, ”Emerald Twilight”
Emerald Twilight
"Emerald Twilight" is a 1994 comic book story told in Green Lantern #48-50, written by Ron Marz, and published by DC Comics. The story introduced a new Green Lantern, Kyle Rayner, who gained a significant fan following....
, which began in Green Lantern (vol. 3) #48 (January 1994), involved Hal Jordan descending into madness following the complete destruction of his home town, Coast City
Coast City
Coast City is a fictional city created by John Broome and Gil Kane that appears in stories published by DC Comics. It is depicted most often as the home of the Silver Age version of the superhero Green Lantern, Hal Jordan.-Fictional history:...
, by the villain Cyborg Superman
Hank Henshaw
Hank Henshaw is a fictional supervillain featured in the DC Comics universe. While originally featured primarily as an enemy of Superman, recent years have repositioned him as one of the main enemies of the Green Lantern Corps...
and becoming the villain Parallax
Parallax (comics)
Parallax is a fictional comic book supervillain in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks for Green Lantern vol...
. Jordan went on a rampage on the planet Oa, the planetary citadel of the Guardians of the Universe
Guardians of the Universe
The Guardians of the Universe, alternatively known as the Guardians or Oans are a fictional extraterrestrial race in the DC Comics universe. They first appeared in Green Lantern Vol. 2 #1 , and were created by John Broome and Gil Kane. Here they do not reveal their existence to Hal, bringing his...
, who oversee and administer the Corps. He killed some fellow Green Lanterns who opposed him and all the Guardians save for one, Ganthet
Ganthet
Ganthet is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in the 1992 graphic novel Green Lantern: Ganthet's Tale , by Larry Niven and John Byrne.- Background :Ganthet is one of the Guardians of the Universe...
. He also destroyed the Central Power Battery, with which all Green Lanterns recharge their power rings, and even killed the renegade former GL, Sinestro
Sinestro
Thaal Sinestro is a fictional character, an alien supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. Created by John Broome and Gil Kane, Sinestro is the former mentor of Hal Jordan and the arch-nemesis of the entire Green Lantern Corps. Sinestro first appears in Green Lantern #7 . In 2009, Sinestro was...
, whom Jordan himself had exposed as a criminal who used his power ring to enslave his planet and whom the Guardians apparently freed from his imprisonment in their Central Power Battery in a failed attempt to stop Jordan. Jordan then attempted to destroy all of existence so that he could recreate it to his liking in the 1994 miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
and crossover
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
storyline, "Zero Hour
Zero Hour (comics)
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time is a five-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by DC Comics in 1994. In it, the former hero Hal Jordan, who had until then been a member of the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps, mad with grief after the destruction of...
."
Emerald Twilight, as scripted by Ron Marz
Ron Marz
Ron Marz is an American comic book writer, known for his work on titles such as Silver Surfer, Green Lantern, Marvel vs DC, Batman/Aliens and Witchblade.-Career:...
, provoked severe outrage amongst many Green Lantern fans. While retaining Kyle Rayner as the sole remaining Green Lantern, DC responded with more than one attempt to redeem Jordan’s image and hopefully placate the irate fans, first in the 1996 Final Night
Final Night
"The Final Night" was a 1996 comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self titled limited series and most of the comics published by DC Comics with a cover date of November 1996. It featured the main heroes of the DC Universe. At the end of each issue is an in-story text piece written by...
miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
and crossover
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
storyline, in which Jordan sacrificed his life in order to re-ignite Earth’s sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
, and then in the 1999 Day of Judgment
Day of Judgment (comics)
Day of Judgment was a DC Comics limited series and crossover storyline during the autumn of 1999. The limited series was written by Geoff Johns, with art by Matthew Dow Smith....
miniseries, in which his soul, languishing in purgatory
Purgatory
Purgatory is the condition or process of purification or temporary punishment in which, it is believed, the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for Heaven...
, was chosen as the newest host for God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
’s “Spirit of Vengeance”, known as The Spectre
Spectre (comics)
The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
.
These attempts, however, failed to placate the fans. In 2004, following the cancellation of the Hal Jordan as The Spectre comic, and a dropoff in sales of the Green Lantern comic as well as the character's prominent appearance in the popular DC: The New Frontier
DC: The New Frontier
DC: The New Frontier is an Eisner, Harvey, and Shuster Award-winning six-issue comic book limited series written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke, published by DC Comics in 2003-2004. It was then collected into two trade paperback volumes from 2004–2005 and then an Absolute Edition in 2006...
, DC decided return Hal Jordan as a Green Lantern. First, the Green Lantern monthly series was canceled with issue #181, and Geoff Johns was assigned to write Green Lantern: Rebirth, which would pave the way for Jordan's return as a Green Lantern. The series would also answer lingering questions about Jordan's character, as well as reveal the decades-long mystery of why the Green Lantern power rings, the powerful weapons assigned to each Lantern that allow them to conjure virtually any form of matter or energy, were unable to affect anything yellow in color.
Geoff Johns first announced his plans to resurrect Hal Jordan
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker...
in an April 2004 issue of Wizard, noting that he had been working on the five-issue miniseries for a year and that it was due for an October release. As research for the story, Johns spent time with the test pilot department at Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...
and cleared his facts with a major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
.
Plot
A spacecraftSpacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
suddenly falls out of the sky, crashing near 2 hikers, and inside they find the Green Lantern of Earth, Kyle Rayner, injured and weak, who mumbles “It has a name”, and then collapses near a long green object that appears to be a coffin.
A series of strange and disturbing incidents then begins to occur. Jordan, pronouncing judgment on the villain Black Hand
Black Hand (comics)
Black Hand is a DC Comics supervillain and a recurring foe to Green Lantern. He first appeared in Green Lantern #29 and was created by John Broome and Gil Kane...
, becomes unable to focus clearly, and senses that something is wrong, telling his friend Oliver Queen (aka Green Arrow
Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City...
), “None of this should have happened. This isn’t me. This isn’t who I am.” The shape-shifting Vuldarian physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
of former GL Guy Gardner begins going haywire. Coast City, long destroyed, suddenly reappears to two pilots flying over it, though the only building that is restored is Hal Jordan’s old home.
Back in Highway Hill, Rayner, semi-conscious, tells the hikers that he has “to show them”. As he passes out, his power ring begins speaking, “Parallax is coming…”
When Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
, Aquaman
Aquaman
Aquaman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in More Fun Comics #73 . Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles, Aquaman later starred in several volumes of a solo title...
, Zatanna
Zatanna
Zatanna Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Murphy Anderson, Zatanna first appeared in Hawkman vol. 1 #4...
, The Flash, and John Stewart confront Jordan at Ferris Airfield, where Jordan is reminiscing with his former paramour, Carol Ferris, Jordan insists that he is not responsible for the restored Coast City. Stewart, however, suddenly goes berserk, attacking the other heroes, his ring now intoning, “Parallax is coming.” Meanwhile, at the JLA
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
Watchtower on the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
, the emergency power ring that Jordan once gave Green Arrow
Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City...
duplicates itself, and places itself on Guy Gardner’s finger, restoring him as a Green Lantern.
Back at Highway Hill, the extraterrestrial
Extraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
Green Lantern Kilowog
Kilowog
Kilowog is a fictional superhero from DC Comics, and a member of the Green Lantern Corps.-Origins:A towering alien with a brutish and porcine appearance, Kilowog is renowned throughout the Green Lantern Corps as the primary trainer of the Corps' newest recruits...
appears, and inexplicably attacks Kyle Rayner. However, Ganthet
Ganthet
Ganthet is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in the 1992 graphic novel Green Lantern: Ganthet's Tale , by Larry Niven and John Byrne.- Background :Ganthet is one of the Guardians of the Universe...
, one of the Guardians of the Universe
Guardians of the Universe
The Guardians of the Universe, alternatively known as the Guardians or Oans are a fictional extraterrestrial race in the DC Comics universe. They first appeared in Green Lantern Vol. 2 #1 , and were created by John Broome and Gil Kane. Here they do not reveal their existence to Hal, bringing his...
, appears to stop Kilowog, attempting to protect the coffin, which it is revealed holds the corpse of Hal Jordan. He and Kilowog engage in a fierce battle, and Rayner himself feels something within his ring attempting to take over his will, much as with Stewart and Kilowog. Ganthet teleports
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
Rayner and Jordan’s corpse to the Justice League Watchtower
Justice League Watchtower
The Watchtower is the name of various bases used by the Justice League of America in DC Comics and various other media. It has been portrayed in DC comics as a building on Earth's moon, and as a space-station in orbit in the Justice League Unlimited cartoon.The Watchtower debuted in JLA #4 during...
on the Moon. Meanwhile, Jordan investigates the appearance of his old apartment building, where he is confronted by the Parallax
Parallax (comics)
Parallax is a fictional comic book supervillain in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks for Green Lantern vol...
version of himself, who engages in a battle of wills with the Spirit of Vengeance bonded to Jordan’s soul.
It is then that the Spectre explains to Jordan the truth about Parallax, while simultaneously on the Moon, Rayner does so to Queen. Rayner explains that he journeyed to the edge of the universe within Sector 3599, and on the tenth planet from the star Pagallus, the inhabitants told him that Parallax was actually a yellow demonic parasitic entity that was born at the beginning of sentience, feeding on fear, creating terror in anything it came into contact with, and causing entire civilizations to destroy themselves out of paranoia. It was this creature that the Guardians of the Universe imprisoned within the Central Power Battery on Oa, using fear's opposite energy, willpower. Rayner explains that there is an emotional electromagnetic spectrum
Electromagnetic spectrum
The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiation. The "electromagnetic spectrum" of an object is the characteristic distribution of electromagnetic radiation emitted or absorbed by that particular object....
into which the collective willpower of the universe is collected by the Central Power Battery, and that green willpower is the most pure. Parallax had lain dormant for billions of years, his true nature covered up by the Guardians to prevent anyone from trying to free it, and thus, it had eventually come to be referred to as simply “the yellow impurity.” This was the reason why the rings were useless against the color yellow: Parallax weakened its power over the corresponding spectrum, and hence only someone capable of overcoming great fear could master the power ring. The Guardians, therefore, selected only such persons to become Green Lanterns.
But at some point in recent history, Parallax was awakened, weak and hungry. It reached out to Jordan through Jordan's own ring when Jordan was at his weakest, spending years influencing him, causing him increasing self-doubt and fear, even causing his hair to turn white at the temples. Parallax's control over Jordan exploded with Jordan's grief over the destruction of Coast City, and it was Parallax's influence that was responsible for Jordan's subsequent murderous activity. When Jordan destroyed the Central Power Battery, he unknowingly freed Parallax, which grafted itself onto Jordan’s soul, and suppressed Ganthet’s memories of the parasite. It was because Parallax was now free that Kyle Rayner’s own ring did not have any weakness against yellow, and following Jordan’s sacrifice of his own life during Final Night (a momentary glimpse of Jordan’s true heroic soul shining through Parallax’s influence), the Spirit of Vengeance drew in Jordan's soul, as it explains to Jordan, in order to eradicate the parasitic Parallax from it.
Green Arrow and Rayner are then attacked by Sinestro, apparently very much alive, who explains that it was he who used his Qwardian yellow power ring to tap into Parallax’s power and awakened it, and that the Sinestro whom Jordan killed was an illusory construct of Parallax’s, created so that his murder would serve as the final stage of Jordan's susceptibility to the impurity in order to break his will.
The Justice League of America, Justice Society of America
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
, and the Teen Titans arrive in Coast City to attack Parallax, but the entity inhibits their efforts by causing them to feel fear. The Spirit of Vengeance, however, manages to overpower Parallax, and finally removes the parasite from Jordan’s soul. Needing a soul to inhabit, Parallax attacks Ganthet, while Jordan’s soul is pulled toward the light of the afterlife
Afterlife
The afterlife is the belief that a part of, or essence of, or soul of an individual, which carries with it and confers personal identity, survives the death of the body of this world and this lifetime, by natural or supernatural means, in contrast to the belief in eternal...
. Ganthet manages to guide Jordan’s soul back to his corporeal body on the Moon. His soul and thoughts clear for the first time in a long time, Jordan emerges from the coffin resurrected as a mortal human again, once again taking his place as a Green Lantern, the white portions of his hair even restored to their original brown. He and Sinestro engage in a fierce battle on the Moon, and across entire star systems. Eventually, Jordan forces the renegade back into the antimatter
Antimatter
In particle physics, antimatter is the extension of the concept of the antiparticle to matter, where antimatter is composed of antiparticles in the same way that normal matter is composed of particles...
universe to which he was first banished. Jordan and Rayner then journey to Coast City, where they, along with John Stewart, Guy Gardner and Kilowog, free Ganthet from Parallax’s possession, and imprison the parasite back in the Central Power Battery on Oa. The Guardians then announce that "it is time," referring to rebuild the Green Lantern Corps.
After the battle, Batman isn't entirely convinced that all this time Hal wasn't responsible for his actions as Parallax, but nevertheless decided that the universe "needs a a little more light anyway" thus acknowledges that Jordan is back. Hal reestablishes his relationships with Carol Ferris, who decide to reopen the Ferris Airfield, and Oliver Queen, who offers to let him stay in his home until he's back on his feet. With this new beginning, Hal, for the first time since the Coast City's destruction, finally found the courage and the peace of mind to move on and rebuild his life.
Elsewhere, on Belle Reve
Belle Reve
Belle Reve Penitentiary is a fictional prison and sanitorium in the DC Universe, first appearing in Suicide Squad #1 by John Ostrander and Luke McDonnell.-Fictional background:...
prison, Hector Hammond
Hector Hammond
Hector Hammond is a DC Universe supervillain who is primarily an enemy of Green Lantern. The character was created by John Broome and Gil Kane, and originally appeared in Green Lantern # 5...
senses Jordan's resurrection, and is delighted and awaiting the opportunity to engage with his foe once more.
Aftermath
Rebirth fully resurrected Hal Jordan by separating him from both Parallax and the Spectre, to whom he had been bonded since Emerald Twilight. The Spectre, now without a host, was later depicted as unleashing havoc on the world of magic in the Infinite CrisisInfinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
tie-in miniseries Day of Vengeance
Day of Vengeance
Day of Vengeance is a six-issue comic book limited series written by Bill Willingham, with art by Justiniano and Walden Wong, published in 2005 by DC Comics.-Publication history:...
. The Green Lantern Corps and the Guardians of the Universe, absent from the Green Lantern comics since Emerald Twilight, were also reintroduced by the writers. Additionally, the source of the Yellow Impurity was caused by Parallax's connection to the central battery. The Corps, for the first time in history, could overcome the Yellow Weakness by feeling fear and overcoming it.
Geoff Johns and Dave Gibbons
Dave Gibbons
Dave Gibbons is an English comic book artist, writer and sometime letterer. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries Watchmen and the Superman story "For the Man Who Has Everything"...
subsequently co-wrote a 2005 five-issue miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
, Green Lantern Corps: Recharge
Green Lantern Corps: Recharge
Green Lantern Corps: Recharge was a five-issue, monthly comic book limited series that was published by DC Comics from November 2005 to March 2006. The series was written by Geoff Johns and Dave Gibbons and illustrated by Patrick Gleason...
, which depicted Rayner, Gardner and Kilowog as they helped the Guardians begin the task of recruiting 7,200 new recruits to repopulate the ranks of the Green Lantern Corps, while dealing with a mysterious series of black hole
Black hole
A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
formations that threaten the planet Oa itself.
DC Comics subsequently began a new, fourth volume Green Lantern monthly series starting with issue #1 (July 2005), starring Hal Jordan as he attempts to rebuild his life, moving to the almost deserted Coast City, which is slowly being rebuilt.
Reaction
The miniseries was a sales success, with the first issue going through four printings, and selling a total of 156,975 copies. The second issue went through two printings, and sold 122,221 copies. The subsequent issues sold 106,523, 108,077, 115,006, and 114,354 copies, respectively. The final issue was ranked #8 in sales, and the #4 selling DC book for that month.Tony Isabella
Tony Isabella
Tony Isabella is an American comic book writer, editor, artist and critic, known as the creator and writer of Marvel Comics' Black Goliath, DC Comics' first major African American superhero, Black Lightning, and as a columnist and critic for the Comics Buyer's Guide.-Marvel Comics:Before he joined...
, reviewing the series in Comics Buyer's Guide
Comics Buyer's Guide
Comics Buyer's Guide , established in 1971, is the longest-running English-language periodical reporting on the American comic book industry...
#1616 (May 2006), gave it five out of five “Tonys”, praising the story’s characterization, the book’s art, and opining that the explanation of the Parallax Fear Anomaly was “one of the single most brilliant concepts” he had ever seen in a Green Lantern comic book. ShakingThrough.net complimented the story’s “many rewarding moments”, also naming the Parallax Fear Anomaly. Those who did not care for the series’ approach include Stephen Rauch of PopMatters.com, who thought the series was formulaic, and that the story was “The kind an eight-year-old writes, and is later ashamed of.” Long time Green Lantern
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
fan and author Jim Smith
Jim Smith (Writer)
James Edward Smith is a writer and critic best known for writing film and television criticism and directorial critical biographies - including studies of George Lucas, Tim Burton and Quentin Tarantino...
reviewed several issues in the Shiny Shelf web magazine and opined that the series "demonstrates, in every panel, the futility of endless Silver Age retro [and] is, in a quite meaningful sense, the very epicenter of all that is wrong with contemporary comic books." Sean Ferrell of numbmonkey.com called the story “strong”, though opining that it had some flaws, including Van Sciver’s art.
The success of Green Lantern: Rebirth led to popular acclaim for the team of Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
and Ethan Van Sciver
Ethan Van Sciver
Ethan Daniel Van Sciver is an American comic book artist, best known for illustrating a number of titles including Green Lantern, Superman/Batman, New X-Men, and The Flash: Rebirth...
, and allowed them to revisit the concept for another classic DC character in 2009's The Flash: Rebirth
The Flash: Rebirth
The Flash: Rebirth is a six issue monthly American comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver. Published by DC Comics, the series features characters from throughout the nearly seventy year history of Flash comics. This is the creative team's second...
.
Collected editions
The miniseries was collected into a single volume in November 2005 as a hardcoverHardcover
A hardcover, hardback or hardbound is a book bound with rigid protective covers...
(ISBN 1401207103) and as a trade paperback in April 2006 (ISBN 1401204651). A new printing of the trade paperback was published in April 2010 with different cover art and previously uncollected material (ISBN 1401227554).
DC also released it as part of their Absolute Edition series in spring 2010.