There currently is a new Green Lantern in the pages of the comic. Simon Baz is providing a great and fun ride as we watch this unlikely candidate attempt to understand and use the power of a Green Lantern ring. What many may not have really thought about is what this means for Hal Jordan. We know Baz will go on to become a member of Steve Trevor and Amanda Waller's JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA team when the new title launches in February. While Baz figures out how to use his power ring, Hal is missing.

Hal and Sinestro have been taken off the board and have found themselves in a strange in between place. Their power rings reported that they were dead. It could be because Hal's ring was created by Sinestro's but there appeared to be a glitch when it reported them as being deceased. Why would this be reason to believe Hal will become a Black Lantern?

The Book of the Black.

We have seen many prophecies from the book, especially during this run in the New 52. The book doesn't lie. It has shown Sinestro as a member of the Indigo Tribe as well as both Sinestro and Hal dying. The most recent message in the book appeared when Black Hand was reading it.

"Hal Jordan will become the greatest Black Lantern."

As Hal and Sinestro were pulled away, a giant hand with a Black Lantern ring was seen.

When the proclamation about Hal first appeared in issue #12, not much was made about it. Hal Jordan can't be a Black Lantern. He's a Green Lantern. You also have to be dead to be a Black Lantern. Since Hal no longer has a green power ring, technically he isn't a Green Lantern anymore. And it also appears that he is dead.

Because of the prophecy, Hal has to become a Black Lantern (again). The question will be, what will that mean for him? Without Nekron to guide the Black Lanterns and with Black Hand locked away by the Guardians, Hal won't be the typical zombified Lantern we saw during Blackest Night. He's also not really fully dead so it may be possible for him to still have a trace of his humanity locked away somewhere.

Blackest Night may have dragged on a tiny bit. It was more so all the various tie-in titles that made the entire event feel a little overwhelming. The idea of the Black Lanterns is an interesting one. For Hal Jordan to become the "greatest" Black Lantern…it's almost unbelievable. We know it likely won't last. Hal can't remain a Black Lantern. Then again, look at how long he was possessed by Parallax or even the time he spent as the Spectre.

With Baz in place as a new Green Lantern for Earth, we'll need to see his character develop. If Hal returns to being a Green Lantern too soon, that could leave Baz with less time to fully develop.

Do we want Hal Jordan to remain a Black Lantern? Of course not. This could make a great plot device. When Hal was last on Earth, he was ready to make a commitment to Carol Ferris. He was whisked away with Sinestro by the Indigo Tribe and it's been one thing after another until the moment he supposedly died.

Sometimes shaking things up can be good. Seeing Hal forced to be a Black Lantern allows us to see Hal in a different situation as well as the chance to explore the nature of the Black Lanterns further. If this does happen, it can't just be with Hal being a Black Lantern for an issue or two. He is destined to be the "greatest Black Lantern." That means he needs to do something worthy of that prophecy. It's possible he could do something amazing that would be result in that notion but chances are, he'll have to work at it for a bit. Or does being the greatest Black Lantern mean he'll have to do really horrible things?

You can hear the Hal Jordan fans screaming in outrage already. Let it be said that Hal is my favorite Green Lantern. Yet I welcome the possibility of seeing Hal explore the facets of being a Black Lantern. An opportunity like this may not happen often, nor should it. Geoff Johns has set this up and it's not something that should be ignored. Could this be the way he returns to the land of the living, even if it means he has to be a dead Black Lantern?

Let's see him eat some brains. First comment :D

Eh, I was close. My money was on Sinestro turning into the Black Lantern. Hadn't seen the Book of the Black.

@OmgOmgWtfWtf said:

Let's see him eat some brains.

The BL zombies don't eat brains, they eat hearts ; )

@JonSmith said:

Eh, I was close. My money was on Sinestro turning into the Black Lantern. Hadn't seen the Book of the Black.

He was a White Lantern in Brightest Day.

@GunGunW said:

....He died again?

I thought the reboot erase Hal's first death?

....He died again?

It shouldn't be long til he's back to life, right? i'll just wait

I really like the Sinestro-Hal team-up recently

Maybe he will single handily destroy the third army singlehanded as a black lantern.

For some strange and inexplicable reason, I can see Hal as the greatest Black Lantern, but he has to bring some changes to the Black Lantern Corps(e).

@JonSmith said:

Eh, I was close. My money was on Sinestro turning into the Black Lantern. Hadn't seen the Book of the Black.

This would be cool. I like Sinestro being the villain.

Of course I want Hal back on the book and as GL. But I am enjoying the story and am excited to keep reading.

In what comic will this be taking place? Baz seems permanently seated in the current Green Lantern. My home subscription is going to expire and im not renewing it. I figure I will pick up whatever title hal is launched in so long as johns isnt writing it. Baz, what a slap in the face. You know what, screw it, im not picking up any green lantern. Im going to replace it with Phantom Stranger. Also im going to drop Earth 2 and replace it JSA: liberty files. Now those are true warriors and not fairies like earth 2 green lantern. Just wish we could get a powerwoman into the Liberty files. Another title im dropping is Action Comics and replacing it with Man of Steel. Grant Morrison just burned me out on AC. I only understood about 15 percent of what he was writing. AC is an institution and hate not giving the new creative team a chancewithout not having read one issue but screw it, im replaci g it with another superman so it will be aight. What I am very happy with is my Superman and Worlds Finest. what I feel marginal about is my Batman beyond and Justice League Dark. Janin is an awesome artist on JLD but I dont like that Lamire fellow. They should have kept macmullun az the writer and kept Shade as a character. But I need to make room for Threshold and Red Lanterns. Im ready to give the gang from space sector 666 another chance.

I want to see what the first zombies he creates will be. I would also like to see Kyle with the rings mastered versus Black Lantern Hal. I think I'm more interested in the fate of Sinestro when it comes down to it. He still holds a grudge against the Guardians now he has the perfect excuse to annihilate them.

@Mezmero: I agree, I cant wait to see Sinestro unleash on those little blue murderous dwarfs.

I've thought about this as well and think it would be an interesting story arc. Perhaps Jordan (or maybe sinestro) becomes a black lantern and it will be Baz's first mission as a legit GL.

I havent been following since the new 52 came out, so I dont know who this Baz is. Can he kick some @$$? But what about Sinestro? What are the chances of him going Black Lantern?

I hope Johns manages to bring Hal's story to a reasonable head as well as develop Baz's personality and have him grow as a character either in Green Lantern or Justice League. I quite like Baz and don't want him to get shunted when Hal gets back but I want Hal back too. Hopefully the 2 can be reconciled.

It'll eventually be Black Lantern Hal against White Lantern Kyle. Can't wait!

Bring Hal back to his regular self !

Hal is the best. He will save the GLC with black lanten powers, then go back to being the greatest gree lantern. i can wait for him to wear green again!

he probably wont need to actually be dead to wear a Black Lantern ring, SuperBoy-Prime did it and he ended up being able to channel the entire emotional spectrum, maybe Hal will be able to do something similar.
 
I doubt he'll be going back to Green Lantern Corps after the Guardians basically betrayed the entire universe, so he'll use a Black Lantern ring instead.

Sinestro now has his hatred of the Guardians and the perfect excuse to start up the Yellow Lanterns. I can see Hal and Sinestro coming back as Black Lanterns, restoring the Green Lanterns to the way they were designed but while Hal surrenders his ring to be a Green Lantern again, Sinestro remains, corrupts the purpose and goes on to be a Yellow Lantern. I guess the biggest question would then be, if they both surrendered their rings, who would get them next?

So...that's a thing I guess.

More Hal fan wank yet again. First he's the "greatest" Green Lantern and now he's going to become the "greatest" Black Lantern. Like seriously can John or Guy not get any kind of love what so ever. I'm tired of Hal and I don't mind Baz as a character but I want more development and stories with John or Guy. It's always Hal this or Hal that and to a lesser extent(and though I don't hate him like I hate Hal) Kyle. Just let these two take a backseat and bring John and Guy to the fore front for a while. Honestly John needs it more than Guy but whatever

I only get to read reviews of story lines with Hal and Sinestro. I really love the development of Sinestro's character. They have really pushed to evelop with him... awesome... To me it seems as though they are stripping the color spectrum from each Hal and Sinestro and investing more time on the type of men they are. Digging deaper into their so called humanity.

let him stay dead this time

mmmm i say let him be a BL, explore the concept for a year or two. we all know he'll be a GL again at some point, why not let the dude do something else for awhile. Hal's had what? 3 jobs his entire comic-life, let him pad the resume a bit

Seems cool to me!

yay a post about green lantern!! can we have a return of the things we earned about GL?? that series of posts were cool!

It would be pretty awesome if he had to become an expert in using the Black Lantern in order to get back home (or anywhere remotely close). It would also be kinda neat to see him reform the Black Lanterns' stereotype (either by being "good" himself or making the Black Lanterns into another legitimate Lantern group).

@OmgOmgWtfWtf said:

Let's see him eat some brains. First comment :D

Brains, Brains, BRAINS!!!

@bennyq said:

It'll eventually be Black Lantern Hal against White Lantern Kyle. Can't wait!

@FlyingGrayson22 said:

@bennyq said:

It'll eventually be Black Lantern Hal against White Lantern Kyle. Can't wait!

hate to dissapoint you boys but

GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS #19

Written by TONY BEDARD

Art and fold-out cover by AARON KUDER

1:25 B&W Variant cover by AARON KUDER

On sale APRIL 17 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. The variant cover will feature the fold-out cover in a wraparound format.

• If that’s Kyle, then who is the new White Lantern?

@The Average Bear said:

I really like the Sinestro-Hal team-up recently

QFT

actually if he had back from death again... i think this will be the 2nd time he cheat or maybe "defeat" death... by that time alone, he already deserve the greatest black lantern as he overcome death/life, i think.

not the mention that he was spectre before.

I wondered why we didn't get as violent a reaction to this as we did Superior Spider-Man, which has so far been great.

I for one hope Hal stays a Black lantern. Having the red lanterns with there own comic is great i love the idea of another corps other then green having 3 would be better. The black lantern corps driven by death and seeking justice for brutal murders would be an awesome idea.

I forgot about this. The greatest Black Lantern prophecy. I'm just interested because I like Black Hand as a Black Lantern. As for Baz losing some spotlight, I don't see that happening. I see Hal flying around space with the rest of the lanterns while Baz is grounded on Earth. Hope so anyway.

I remember reading the issue that says Hal will be the Greatest Black Lantern. It made me think, what are you planning Geoff Johns? Because whatever it is, I like it. I'm looking forward to the wrath of the First Lantern story. Should be awesome.

There are too many Green Lanterns. I hope they thin the ranks during the third army arc. Maybe have Hal become an unsanctioned GL on earth with Sinestros ring, kyle becomes the new guardian wielding the entire spectrum, and either removing the rings or sending the other human lanterns on a deep space mission for a few years.

There are too many Green Lanterns. I hope they thin the ranks during the third army arc. Maybe have Hal become an unsanctioned GL on earth with Sinestros ring, kyle becomes the new guardian wielding the entire spectrum, and either removing the rings or sending the other human lanterns on a deep space mission for a few years.

Awesome to see Baz will be the main Green Lantern now!!! I can fianlly like a Lantern!!!

I would love for Hal to become a Black Lantern if only to take him out of the Green Corps for a while longer. I'm really liking Simon Baz, and I want him to get his chance to shine. Hal's original resurrection was well done, but honestly I would have been happier had he never returned to comics. I would have much preferred they had kept up with Kyle Rayner or given John Stewart a bigger role in the comics.

@Sammo21 said:

I wondered why we didn't get as violent a reaction to this as we did Superior Spider-Man, which has so far been great.

Because Sinestro isn't taking over Hal Jordan's body and trying to date Carol Ferris.

im ok with Hal rocking the black lantern for a while. we have a pile of green lanterns, this is a nice way to keep Hal around and not give us another green lantern

How can people like this? Hal Jordan has died more times than any other comic hero in history. I'd say keep him dead because it feels like such a cop out for him to come back AGAIN how many times has Hal died and come back from the dead? I mean sheesh death has no hold over Hal Jordan he just gets better like a minor cut on his hand.

Same as the unneeded GL Baz he is unneeded, why couldn't John Stewart just take over for him? Or Guy Gardner? I actually have to say I hate Baz he shouldn't have been created at all he is unneeded and completely useless considering how many Earth GLs there are anyway. And if DC needed a new GL so badly I would have preferred a woman rather than another man taking the role of a GL.

a black lantern? :O

I guess there are no other Lanterns besides Hal and Kyle.

Writer's thought process: Let's make the greatest Green Lantern Hal Jordan a super villain instead because he hasn't done that before ...... parallax who?... And let's replace him with a shoddy excuse for a character. What is happening to comic stories these days? Where's the ingenuity dammit?!

@Immortal777 said:

I guess there are no other cool earth Lanterns besides Hal and Kyle.

fixed

Hal has wielded every power ring, so why not give this a go?

@mikeclark1982 said:

Hal has wielded every power ring, so why not give this a go?

He's never gone Indigo or been a Star Sapphire.