Green Lantern Gets Most Drastic Redesign to Happen in ANY Continuity

Oct 17, 2024

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for BATMAN: GOTHAM BY GASLIGHT - THE KRYPTONIAN AGE #5!The Green Lantern Corps is renowned for its members hailing from across the universe, creating an exceptionally visually diverse group. However, some of the most unique Emerald Knights go beyond simply being unusual alien species, falling into a subcategory that's hard to define but best described as 'other.' Recently, DC introduced the latest Green Lantern to fit this 'other' category, showcasing the most drastic design change in any continuity.

It’s no surprise that DC’s latest Green Lantern redesign makes its debut within the publisher’s Elseworlds imprint, where the rules of comic creativity are even more flexible. This creative freedom is fully realized in Andy Diggle, Leandro Fernández, and Matt Hollingsworth’s Batman: Gotham by Gaslight - The Kryptonian Age #5, where they finally reveal the previously teased Green Lantern.

While fans will undoubtedly recognize the name Alan Scott, they may be surprised to learn that he’s not the Green Lantern of focus in this issue. Instead, it’s Scott’s bright emerald green hot air balloon, aptly named the Green Lantern, that delivers one of the wildest GL redesigns in comic history.

Fans who have been following the Gotham by Gaslight series will remember Scott’s air balloon being first teased in issue #3. During a conversation with a Pinkerton, Scott introduces himself as an “aerial spiritualist,” who uses his hot air balloon—the Green Lantern—to “rise up to the very edge of heaven” and commune with the spirits of the dearly departed. This 19th-century reimagining of Alan Scott paints him as a hot air balloon-flying con artist. However, despite the mention of Scott’s Green Lantern, the flying apparatus doesn’t make its full appearance until issue #5.

Following the deadly train crash orchestrated by the League of Shadows, where Scott was the only survivor thanks to his newfound possession of the Ring of Jong Li, the spiritualist arrives in Smallville, Kansas in his hot air balloon. With great enthusiasm, he loudly recounts his narrow escape from the disaster. This panel gives fans their first look at Scott’s beloved hot air balloon, and it truly lives up to its name with its vibrant emerald green color. Alhough not a true Emerald Knight in ability, it is in name, making it one of the wildest Green Lantern redesigns in any continuity.

Scott's hot air balloon is far from the only unusual Green Lantern in comics. There are several equally peculiar iterations of the Emerald Knight. Among the wildest is Dkrtzy RRR, who first appeared in Green Lantern/Sinestro Corps Secret Files #1. RRR is a bio-sentient mathematical equation discovered by the mad mathematician Timph Rye, who sought to prove that willpower could be formulaically derived. His discovery of RRR confirmed his theory. Though RRR can only be seen by the Guardians—since he exists as an abstract mathematical progression—he is visually depicted as an inorganic green shape.

Other notable and bizarre Green Lanterns include Leezle Pon, a microscopic, sentient smallpox virus often sent on biological missions that are impossible for other Corps members to handle. Flodo Span is another unusual Green Lantern, being a sentient gas with no physical form. Krkkzz Zappl, made entirely of radio waves, deals with threats on frequencies beyond human perception. Lastly, there's the Collective, a group of puffballs, each with a fraction of sentience and willpower, that together can wield the ring. Clearly, there is no shortage of odd and extraordinary Green Lanterns.

The Green Lantern Corps has been home to a number of curious looking heroes, but who are some of the strangest members to wield a Power Ring?

As mentioned earlier, Scott Alan's hot air balloon is currently a Green Lantern only in name and appearance–lacking the sentience, willpower, and abilities that typically define a member of the Corps. However, this could change now that Alan has come into possession of the Ring of Jong Li. Although he doesn’t yet know how to wield its power, the combination of the ring and his hot air balloon could transform the balloon into an honorary corps member. With this new dynamic, it would officially join the ranks of the Green Lanterns as one of its most unusual members.

Hal Jordan has just pulled off the most impressive feat of his career—one so remarkable, it might be impossible for the Emerald Knight to ever top it.

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight - The Kryptonian Age #5 is available now from DC Comics!

BATMAN: GOTHAM BY GASLIGHT - THE KRYPTONIAN AGE #5 (2024)

Green Lantern is the name given to multiple enforcers of intergalactic justice in the DC Universe. Green Lanterns can harness the cosmic energy of willpower, and create unique spectral objects to face off against their enemies. Though some Green Lanterns have assisted with the Justice League, they primarily belong to the Green Lantern Corps.

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.

Your comment has not been saved

This thread is open for discussion.

Be the first to post your thoughts.

With Green Lantern’s Emotional Spectrum in flux, a new Lantern debuts, this one fueled not by willpower, but by unfathomable sadness and heartbreak.

Writer Joshua Williamson spills the details on how the Baroness came to join the Joe team ahead of the launch of G.I. Joe #1 in November.

A Mistborn movie may need to reduce some subplots, but these story elements and character arcs are too important to be removed altogether.

Nicola Coughlan previews how Penelope and Colin's marriage will be faring in Bridgerton season 4 after the obstacles they faced in season 3.

Supernatural season 16 needs to drop The Winchesters' Akrida because they were underwhelming and propose a stakes problem after the battle with God.

Venom: The Last Dance's Knull introduction proves that Sony's Spider-Man Universe and the MCU killed off two big Marvel villains far too early.

Agatha All Along episode 6 builds on episode 5’s massive cliffhanger, revealing the MCU origins of Billy Maximoff and teasing what is to come.