Absolute Green Lantern (2025-) #1

Absolute Green Lantern (2025) (Single Issues)

by Al Ewing, Jahnoy Lindsay (Artist)

Without the Corps…without the ring…without the willpower, what’s left is the Absolute Green Lantern!

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics, Science Fiction

Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2025

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure what's happening, but it's cool.



It opens with Hal wandering the road like the Incredible Hulk, muttering to himself and chanting about being without fear.
When a cop pulls over to question him, things get a bit dire.



Back it up.
Now we're thrown into what may have been days or even hours before.
I haven't kept up with the Lantern Corps, so I didn't recognize Jo Mullein, but Hal Jordan and John Stewart are both in this, as well.
They're all sitting around eating at a diner when Ka-Blooey! Something happens.
It's Green.



Now we're back with Hal at an entirely different diner, and things are getting hairier and weirder by the minute.



Where's the Green Lantern, you ask?
Well, that's a spoiler.
Recommended.

[James DeSantis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute Green Lantern #1 is an absolute knockout. Al Ewing delivers incredible writing, and the art by Jahnoy Lindsay is breathtaking, it's a visual feast. Hal Jordan is portrayed as a living weapon, with a city destroyed, people vanishing, and chaos unfolding at every turn. It's action-packed and intense, with so much happening that I can't put it down. This is easily the best first issue I've read in a while. A fucking MUST Buy!

[Zoey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hal Jordan really got the shit end of the stick. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but no one is listening to him. He tries to explain, but they’re quicker to grab him or shoot him before actually hearing him out. No wonder this man is starting to lose it.

“I wanted to be the hero.”

I have to wonder if in this absolute universe, he’s destined to be the villain.

[whoknowswhynot · Rating 1 out of 5]

Like the other Absolute books, this leans into the grim, gritty and dark. And it's just so tiring reading it. This isn't Hal. And it's laughable that seemingly all the GLs from Earth end up in Evergreen Nevada. Hard pass.

[Luca Mendes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun first read for green lantern.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you think you know about Green Lantern; think again.

No spoilers.

This is definitely not the Green Lantern storyline you were expecting

[Hedrigall · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Up to issue 3*

Finally a Green Lantern run that has me excited! Will definitely read more, first time I’ll be following a run issue by issue.

[Haris Kozo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid

[Carrietta · Rating 5 out of 5]

promissor! um excelente começo e é TERROR. Amei isso. Muito interessante e sinceramente estou muito ansiosa para as próximas edições

[Daunte Gaiter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The black spot?

[James B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this one not expecting much, as I feel that Absolute Batman has set such a high bar that all the other absolute comics come across pretty mid. But lo and behold, this one was amazing! I can't wait for the next issue.

[Logan · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the weakest first issues of the Absolute series so far. The art style is strange. Very anime like for Hal’s character yet everyone else seems to look normal. Besides that, his character looks weak and misplaced. I know that’s how he’s meant to look due to his current predicament, but there is nothing memorable about how he looks. Very bland.
I’m interested in the ‘black hand’ and the large green lantern battery crash landing on Earth…but that’s about it.

[Cybernex007 · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an incredibly shocking first issue, I really enjoyed it. Did a great job at setting all of the green lantern lore and characters and places up on a tee…only to take bat and crack it into the stands, shattering everything we know. I am very excited for more. This issue opens immediately with Hal Jordan, walking along a road in the middle of nowhere …with voices talking to him, telling him that he is in he absence of light and that he must be without fear. What I especially love about this issue is the facial expressions, especially how freaked out Hal looks when a cop rolls up on him to check on him. But with Hal’s hand constantly in his pocket, the cop immediately gets suspicious. Hal doesn’t know what to say, but the cop is demanding he show what’s in his pocket. It doesn’t help that Hal starts to cry, but as the cop pulls out a gun Hal starts talking…keeping his hand in his pocket. He tries to explain that he is from Evergreen and that something happened…something with Abin Sur. Suddenly the cop threatens him again to show his hand…and everything goes black…absent of light. The next page we see the cop is gone…completely gone:

We then see that Hal has made his way to a road side diner. Regular place but it’s immediately obvious the locals are skeptical of him and his demeanor. As he gets a water the basketball game suddenly cuts out on the TV and an emergency broadcast cuts over to evergreen…only to temporarily show a giant lantern logo that has destroyed half the town…right before the feed cuts out because they can’t show anymore.

As everyone is wondering what happened we go back 5 days ago as Hal, John, and Jo all enjoyed food together. This is a great section for the natural exposition dump, apparently Hal is a “collectibles dealer,” which means he resells toys, and Jo and John are both architects. As they are talking the roar of a few motorcycles passing by overtake their conversation…and they wonder if they should call Guy on them. It’s revealed that Jo left coast city and came back after her engagement was called off, but as they are talking another motorcycle comes by…only to face plant at over 100 mph into a giant green construct that suddenly appeared. Hal is the first one to rush over as John calls 911, but there’s nothing left. Hal notices that the structure is solid but it gives way a bit, and it almost seems like they are inside of it now. Suddenly the other bikers show up and turn around like nothing strange is happening, but then they look up…and they see him…they see Abin Sur in the middle of the giant lantern logo we saw crashed on the ground on the tv…but for now it’s in the air. And wow does Abin have an alien design compared to his usually humanoid self, added a few arms and a Gorr the God butcher (comics) type head appendage.

We jump back to the present in that cafe, as the locals overheard Hal mumbling. They immediately become suspicious and don’t understand what he means when he says “he called it the green lantern.” Hal explains he was given a weapon, and as he does everyone tenses up. The waitress goes for a fun under the counter and a patron asks to see what’s in his pocket. Hal explains a cop asked him that same question and tries to leave. But they need to see what’s in his pocket, the man grabs his arm and rips his hand out…only to reveal his hand as completely black. In response to the attack it begins to overtake the man who grabbed him…until nothing was left. Once he settled down he tried to explain that he can’t control it and that it responds to danger…which prompts the waitress to shoot him…causing the black hand to unleash on everyone in the diner. When the dust settled Hal hoped he would die from the wounds…only to have the black hand heal him. But as the issue comes to a close the door swings open and a green light fills the room…it’s Jo! And she has the power of the green lantern!! It’s so good to see her, and I can’t wait for the next issue!!

[Wm · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars is a bit high for what we get. But with these visual and textual scene transitions, we're being promised an Alan Mooresque ride. Perhaps that's merely homage on Ewing's part – comics geek that he is (I cringe to admit that he's actually making thought balloons 'work' in The Immortal Thor (2023-) #1, damn him) – but, after his epic worldbuilding in Immortals Hulk and Thor, my hopes are high.

Or is this a technique contributed by his visual collaber, Lindsay, whom Ewing gushes about in promo material? ("He's really fantastic... big, sudden, fast action... rising tension and emotion... He's very good. ... You can feel the terror.") Perhaps I should put more of his bibliography in front of my eyes.

[Arch Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great start to a promising series in the “Absolute” series. Starting off by showing all 3 of the Green Lanterns of Earth we’ve come accustomed to, prior to them donning the rings, is amazing.

Although, this issue seems to be centered around Hal, after the devastation he just witnessed a few days ago on the outskirts of the California state line, he is experiencing “changes” that he can’t explain and is doing his best to hide from townfolks. More so doing this to protect them from the dangers lurking in him.

For an intro, this is easily a 4.8/5 stars for me. Very action packed, and love the high detailed sketch work style of art this series seems to be embracing. Can’t wait to dive into this a bit more as they roll out.

[Meg · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not for me AT ALL. No interesting characterization, weird world building, hard to follow plot. I have never read a Green Lantern story and I feel like the writer really relied on the audience having a level of familiarity with these characters so fair enough if I don't get it but still. These characters had no personality. AND from the cover I really thought Jo would be our protagonist but she's barely in it!!! Not cool!!! DO NOT care about Hal Jordan, we spent almost all our time in his POV, so he should have been the cover boy, instead, I went in excited for a black female lead protagonist and was sorely let down!!!!! So lame. No. And I didn't like the art.

[Carlos Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good set-up for the rest of the series, giving you questions that'll make you want to stick around for the next issue, while giving you a taste on how this incident has affected Jo and Hal. It feels akin to Absolute Flash on that regard.

I don't think it will be entirely fair to judge the rest of the series based on this first issue. And from solicits, it seems like issue two will be delving into what happened with Evergreen, and issue three will be in the present with Hal and Jo fighting.

[Michael Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Al Ewing reconfigured the Green Lantern mythos as a sci-fi horror concept and I am absolutely here for it. This first episode puts a unique spin on Hal Jordan and his relationship with the ring and Abin Sur, with Ewing borrowing a smidge from Stephen King’s Under the Dome. My only complaint is that 30 pages, give or take, simply isn’t enough and the book ends just as it really gets going. I wanted more, damnit! Good thing there’s another issue next month.

[Eboni’s Tiny Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this first read! Everything was shrouded in mystery and a lot was happening. You have no idea how or why but I’m locked in! I was little bummed bc this was more centered around Hal and not Jo but this is only the first issue so we’ll see what happens.

Superhero horror?! I’m here for it! I wish there was more of it in media. This has beautiful art and cool transitions. Can’t wait for the next issue!

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Se agradece una gran recontextualización del Universo Linterna Verde en el panorama Absolute. Ya a priori, Al Ewing deja en el aire si este predestinado encuentro entre Hal Jordan y Abin Sur puede originar realmente un héroe. No sé hasta qué punto el autor podría insuflar una narrativa de horror (cósmico) como lo que encumbró su etapa con Hulk en Marvel. Pero ha estado muy bien un número que deja más incertidumbre que otra cosa.

[Siegfried · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK. That was weird. And dark.
So... We got a lot of GL there: Hal, John, Guy (I REALLY wanna see him. AND him getting punched by the Absolute Batman) and Jo.
So far, here, Jo is the ring bearer and I dont have any clue to WTF Hal got.
Loved the nod to all the Green Lantern history, but I really wanna se Kyle here.
So far, great.
Just gonna miss my beloved Green Arrow.
Hoping he's in here somewhere...

[Cazadora De Mundos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy corto, apenas le agarras la onda y termina.Es mi primera vez leyendo a las linternas pero ya me tope con Hal en otros comics y verlo lleno de terror y un poquito patetico es genial, mas cuando tiene tanto poder y no sabemos de donde viene.
Le veo un potencial tremendo, te deja con muchas dudas y sin duda me decepciona un poco lo rapido que se lee, quiero más, necesito respuestas.

[F. W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

I’ve never, EVER picked up a DC comic. This was my first ever DC comic and I quite liked it. Hal and Jo are really interesting characters and I think I’ll probably continue the series. Also, I feel pretty sad for Hal. I have no idea what his power is but I guess that’ll become more clear throughout this run. I wonder how long this run will be, anyways 🤔🤔🤔

[Micah Greenzweig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh this is pretty sweet. So glad to have my hands on new Green Lantern content. I'm excited to see what DC does with this run. Setup for the storyline already feels powerful. First issue ends on a tense note, what a perfect cliff-hanger. This is another series that I will be going back to the comic shop to keep buying.

[Madison Weir · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a 3.5 rounded up. The writing was a little hokey at points in this one, as we're the illustrations, HOWEVER I think as I keep reading this one could turn out to be a really good series, especially if we're getting space and other aliens involved. It wasn't the strongest start if the Absolute universe, but I'm really optimistic about where this story goes!

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a spontaneous pick-up because I liked the art style. I have no proor experience with Green Lantern but this alternate version seemed like a good potential in for me.
First issue was solid, establishing the set-up pretty well and giving the characters a fair share of breathing room without rushing through it.

[Marcus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite what I was expecting but not bad either. I like how throughout the issue you are wondering what the heck is going on, it sets up a good mystery with a very different Hal Jordan at its center. It’s tense and more violent than I was expecting, and it helps that the writing here feels and flows naturally.

I’m curious where things will go from here.

[Alexis Moreno · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this issue. I am liking the drama and the pain that comes from not knowing what’s happening but knowing enough that you can really feel the confusion and stakes. Like it embodies what it means for something to be a mystery an the costs that are associated with being the one who has to solve the mystery.

[Daniel Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely devoured this. Very quick pacing and engaging intrigue. The whole setup and explanation of the light spectrum - as with all Absolute Universe stuff - was really different and cool.

In these 6 issues we get an exciting taste of what is to come, but don't really move any further than the first act of the storyline.

Great - 8/10

[Cory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the art, love the vibes, love how tortured Hal is here…such an about face from his current main universe personality. This is my first Absolute universe issue, but I’ve been wanting to read all of the others. This was a great start!