Green Lantern has a long history in comics. Starting with Golden Age green gladiator Alan Scott, DC has been publishing Green Lantern comics in one form or another for over eighty years. Unlike characters like Batman and Superman, who each have a book that has been running non-stop since their debut, Green Lantern hasn't had one long-running series, but multiple books over the decades.
This has led to a lot of first issues. Green Lantern comics have starred the many different Lanterns who have wielded the ring, each of them expanding the mythos and legacy of their storied mantle. Of course, some of these first issues are better than others, hooking readers into superhero sci-fi at its finest.
10 Green Lantern (Vol. 1) #1
By Writer Bill Finger, Artists Martin Nodell, Irwing Hasen, And Sheldon Mayer
Alan Scott was the first Green Lantern, and he proved to be quite popular right off bat. This would ensure that he got a solo series, and in 1941, Scott starred in Green Lantern (Vol. 1) #1. Like most books of the time, it had multiple short stories. Four of them were stories starring Scott, and one was a Hop Harigan short.
Bill Finger was a master of superheroes and this book does a great job of showing why. The art is of its time, but there's a lot to love about it. This was the first Green Lantern solo book, and the first issue did the job admirably.
9 Far Sector #1
By Writer N.K. Jemisin, Artist Jamal Campbell, And Letterer Deron Bennet
Far Sector #1 doesn't have Green Lantern in the title, but it's no less a GL book. The last major release from the Gerard Way curated Young Animal line, Far Sector introduced readers to Green Lantern Jo Mullein. A top ranking Lantern, she's sent out to the lawless Far Sector to insure order.
Mullein was a hit right from the start, but with a book this stacked with talent, it's easy to see why. Jemisin is a titan in the world of sci-fi/fantasy fiction, and shows that she can write comics with the best of them. First issues aren't easy, especially for a writer with less experience with comics, but she nails it. Jamal Campbell's art is breathtaking. He's quickly risen to the top of the industry, and Far Sector is another example of why he's great.
8 Green Lantern Vol. 2 #1
By Writer John Broome, Artist Gil Kane, And Inkers Murphy Anderson And Joe Giella
Hal Jordan's first appearance in Showcase #22 brought Green Lantern into a whole new age. Jordan proved to be very popular with readers, and it wasn't long before DC gave the fans a solo book starring the newest ring-slinging hero. Green Lantern #1 showcases Jordan in two different stories, each one a sizzling Silver Age story.
There's so much imagination and magic to this book that it's impossible to deny how good it is. Broome and Kane are titans of the comic art form, and even if a book with a jack on the box clown doesn't seem like the best comic in the world, every fan needs to take a look at this one.
7 Green Lanterns #1
By Writer Sam Humphries, Artist Robson Rocha, Inker Jay Leisten, Colorist Blond, And Letterer Dave Sharpe
DC Rebirth was a return to form for many books after years of the New 52. However, not every book went for a classic vibe. Green Lanterns went in a very different direction. It starred two Green Lanterns - Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz - as they stepped up and became the protectors of Sector 2814. It was a huge change of pace for readers.
Since his return in 2004, Hal Jordan had been the star of Green Lantern line, but getting shunted out of the headlining book to join the ensemble Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps was a big change. Putting Baz and Cruz together in their own book was a show of trust in the characters, and it paid off. This first issue does a tremendous job of hooking readers with its new direction.
6 Ion #1
By Writer Ron Marz, Artist Greg Tocchini, Inker Jay Leisten, Colorist Jeremy Cox, And Letterer Rob Leigh
Kyle Rayner's place in the Green Lantern mythos is an interesting one for many fans. Created to replace Hal Jordan, whose book had been bleeding readers for ages, Rayner became the preferred Green Lantern of an entire generation. However, the comic industry of the '90s was a very different place, so he didn't really get a big number one issue to trumpet his status to the world.
His first solo number one comic was Ion #1. Rayner gained the power of Ion, the willpower entity of the universe. It was a great pivot for the character, showing that he was still important to the overall story of the Corps. Rayner's star would start to fell in the years after this book, but it's a reminder of all the things great about the character.
5 Green Lantern (Vol. 5) #1
By Writer Geoff Johns, Artist Doug Mahnke, Inkers Christian Alamy And Tom Nguyen, Colorist David Baron, And Letterer Sal Cipriano
Sinestro took center stage again during the latter half of writer Geoff Johns' Green Lantern run, surprising New 52 readers. The issue's cover showed the longtime villain as a Green Lantern again, replacing Hal Jordan as the protector of Earth.
Unlike many other New 52 books, Green Lantern (Vol. 5)basically continued the pre-Flashpoint story. Green Lantern's popularity was waning a bit at this point, but this issue renewed interest in it. Johns and Mahnke were always a great team, and this issue is another example of why they're so good together.
4 The Green Lantern: Season Two #1
By Writer Grant Morrison, Artist Liam Sharp, Colorist Steve Oliff, And Letterer Tom Orzechowski
Grant Morrison's time at DC saw them writing every major DC hero, and they finally got to tick the last one off the list with The Green Lantern. The book's sales were so good that DC gave Morrison and artist Liam Sharp another twelve issues to wow readers with, and Green Lantern: Season Two #1 does not disappoint.
Picking up in the aftermath of Blackstars #2, this book sees a triumphant Hal Jordan being given a new mission: looking for the new Guardians of the Universe. Morrison and Sharp are brilliant on their own, but putting them together was a revelation. This issue grabs readers right from the start and never lets go, creating a unique Green Lantern comic.
3 Green Lantern (Vol. 7) #1
By Writers Jeremy Adams And Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Artists Xermanico And Montos, Colorists Romulo Fajardo Jr. And Adriano Lucas, And Letterer Dave Sharpe
Dawn of DC has been making readers remember what it is they love about the publisher. Filling out the publishing line with new favorites and bringing back long missing standout books, Dawn of DC has given Green Lantern fans a massive gift in the form of Green Lantern (Vol. 7) #1. Hal Jordan, having quit the Corps when the United Planets took over, finds himself back on Earth and trying to recreate his life.
However, when he spontaneously generates a power ring after coming into contact with Oan technology, he gets another chance at being Green Lantern. The first issue does everything it can to set up this new status quo, with Adams and Xermanico knocking it out of the park with every page. Add to that a great John Stewart back-up story, and this issue is a bouquet of Green Lantern goodness.
2 Green Lantern (Vol. 4) #1
By Writer Geoff Johns, Artists Carlos Pacheco And Ethan Van Sciver, Inker Jesus Merino, Colorist Moose Baumann, And Letterer Rob Leigh
After successful stints writing The Flash, JSA, and Teen Titans, Geoff Johns brought Hal Jordan back into Green Lantern relevance. Green Lantern: Rebirth was a huge hit with fans, so they were more than ready when Green Lantern (Vol. 4) #1 dropped. Pitting Hal against a Manhunter android, it grabbed readers by the throat immediately.
Green Lantern (Vol. 4)would become a huge book, joining the ranks of the biggest selling DC books. Johns proved to have the magic touch with Green Lantern, and this first issue was a huge part of the book's future success.
1 The Green Lantern #1
By Writer Grant Morrison, Artist Liam Sharp, Colorist Steve Oliff, And Letterer Tom Orzechowski
Fans and DC didn't give The Green Lantern a chance, which is extremely unfair. Morrison finally getting to write Hal Jordan was a huge deal, and fans who picked up the first issue knew that something special was going to happen on the book. The Green Lantern #1 showed off exactly what Morrison and Sharp were going to give readers, and it was brilliant.
DC never really knew how to push The Green Lantern, which is a tragedy. Morrison and Sharp tried to capture a Silver Age feel with this book while keeping it thoroughly modern. They struck a delicate balancing that was apparent from the beginning.