I've only been collecting comics for a year or so, and I've fallen in love with Green Lantern. I've looked into GL's history so I have a better understanding of what it's all about, I know about the 7 corps and the various human GLs, Hal getting infected by Parallax and his eventual return in Rebirth etc. so despite having not read much, I'd say I have a pretty good understanding of the GL mythos.

I'm reading the New 52 Green Lantern, and Red Lanterns. I was considering Green Lantern Corps and New Guardians, but since I'm already reading several other titles I was wondering if it was worth picking either of those up? What do you think?

I'd also like to read some of the pre-new 52 Green Lantern. I bought and read Blackest Night a few months ago, and I've just ordered Rebirth and Sinestro Corps War, what other Geoff Johns stories would you recommend? I was considering No Fear, would that be worth buying?

Thanks in advance

I'll tell you what I know, because I am relatively new too. I thought New Guardians was a good title in the past, but as of late its been kinda meh in my opinion, so I wouldn't recommend the recent issues. I haven't read and GL Corp.

No Fear was an okay story. If you are conservative about your cash, then its not really necessary and wasn't that great. Unfortunately, I am slowly getting through John's run like you, so I don't know much past the Sinestro Corp War. I am reading every trade in order though, since all of it is really good apparently.

Read all of Geoff John's run in order. It's great.

@rulerofthisuniverse: That would be great if my funds were unlimited, but unfortunately, I just don't have the cash to buy ten years worth of comics, what would you say were the highlights?

Rage of the Red Lanterns, Agent Orange and War of the Green Lanterns is a must. They're good highlights.

Rage of the Red Lanterns story takes place not too long after the events of the Sinestro Corps War. It's good if you're willing to learn more about the emotional spectrum and it's appearances of Ganthet and Sayd with their new blue lantern corps being formed.

Agent Orange is also a good story that provides Larfleez's challenge against the green lantern corps that takes place in the Vega System where no green lantern corps were previously allowed to trespass, due to a treaty agreement with the guardians and the controllers. It also gives a good history with Larfleez's origin on how he discovered an orange lantern eon's ago.

Tales of the Corps has three issues, that explains history with other characters notable such as Saint Walker and Kilowog. There's some interesting battles that takes place in that book between the blue lanterns corps and orange lanterns, which continues after reading Agent Orange. This is when the Blackest Night event takes place.

War of the Green Lanterns should be the most important, due to the story itself is referenced in Johns New 52 Green Lantern. It's a crossover event. This story is probably the best one and the most important. After reading the story, it will give you a reason why the guardians turned their backs on the corps, which they believe they had made a mistake on forming the green lantern corps of having free will.

If you're interested in Green Lantern Corps, you should start from Van Jensen's run at issue #21. It's one of the best lantern books right now. Currently, Sodam Yat finally returned since the new 52 launch as I previously predicted in Van Jensen's hint months ago. Yat is currently in that book. It's my favorite book right now. John Stewart's is the leading character, he has much better characterization than his pre 52 counterpart. I haven't read Red Lanterns, due to the concept, but others say it's the best title.

If you're willing to go backwards to read the green lantern corps pre-flashpoint, you should pick up Green Lantern Corps: Recharge, which is a good book. It also discovers how Guy Gardner got promoted as the first human honor guard. The issue itself is very similar to Van Jensen's green lantern corps issue #21. After reading the story, you should be more comfortable on current existing characters such as Natu, Vath and Isamot. They have different backgrounds and learned how to be part of the corps. You can go from there and read other corps trades if you decide to go that route.

New Guardians is good if you're interested in a story that sets itself apart from the other lantern titles. I believe the story arcs are short I believe. I missed some issues so far, so I can't really make a full judgement yet.

I wouldn't advise you to read No Fear. Some of Hal Jordan's rogue gallery that consists of Tattoo Man, Shark and Hector Hammond, they aren't really interesting. This is just my opinion of course. Johns other books are much better when it deals Hal's cosmic adventures and his strong relationship with Sinestro.

These are just my personal recommendations on how most of these stories such as Rage of the Red Lanterns, Agent Orange and War of the Green Lanterns (Geoff Johns in particular) made an impact of the Corps mythos. And they're actually one of my personal favorites.

At a minimum you'll need Rebirth, Sinestro Corps War, Blackest Night and War of the Green Lanterns :)

@minisaladfresh: Emerald Dawn I and II. Emerald Twilight. All of Green Lantern Vol.3 (seriously, pick an arc). Zero Hour.

I really liked New Guardians when Bedard wrote it. But Justin Jordan's run has not reached that level for me at all so far.

And No Fear I believe collects the first nine issues of the 2005-2011 Green Lantern series. #10 is the first One Year Later issue and is where the story really starts. So all in all, No Fear is probably the least essential to the plot. I hadn't read it until recently.

They just made an omnibus out of Geoff johns' Green Lantern series (Everything from Rebirth to Sinestro corps war) and they will make a sequel (which is everything from rage of the red lanterns to the blackest night tie-ins), it'll probably be way cheaper than buying each volume individually, so definitely buy those. Read Peter Tomasi's green lantern corps and emerald warriors, if you like Guy Gardner and want to see him team-up with other lanterns (and even if you don't, it's still very entertaining). Tony Bedard's green lantern corps and new guardians is also pretty good. If you want to leave the other green lanterns and others, learning more about the dc outer-space universe, definitely read Justin Jordan's new guardians. I haven't read the new green lantern corps stuff, but they look pretty good. With more recent stuff, such as the comics you are reading now, buy volumes instead of issues, because it may be more entertaining and rhythmic to read the issues together, instead of waiting a month each time and they all include some pretty cool variant covers and designs.

@m12: Already own the first omnibus, thanks. Oh, and yeah, it's totally amazing.

@minisaladfresh: Here is the Geoff Johns reading order including tie-ins, prequels and sequels if your are still wondering:

http://comicvine.gamespot.com/profile/jb681131/blog/geoff-johns-presents-green-lantern/129541/

You can also read the Absolute Green Arrow/Green Lantern.

The only bad story was when Oliversity got killed. I know I have to be really paying attention and reading closely to understand some of the stories. What I hate is when Hal Jordan will return to Earth for a few issues and then go off into space again. I like aliens and alien worlds, but I'd rather see the Green Lanterns deal with threats to their cities and families.

Take care and God bless