Absolute Green Lantern, Vol. 2: Sojourner

Absolute Green Lantern (2025)

by Al Ewing, Jahnoy Lindsay (Illustrator)

In Absolute Green Lantern Vol. 2, the cosmic mystery deepens as Al Ewing and Jahnoy Lindsay continue their visionary reimagining of the Green Lantern mythos. As the enigmatic Blackstars turn their gaze toward Earth, only Tomar-Re stands between them and planetary catastrophe. With philosophical depth, political intrigue, and stunning visuals, this series pushes the boundaries of space opera and superhero storytelling—available in both hardcover and softcover editions.

Collects issues #7–12

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

176 pages, Hardcover

First published June 9, 2026

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!



I'm really digging Absolute Green Lantern, and all the changes Al Ewing has made to the mythos here. Same characters, same colors, but this universe has a whole new set of rules.
And if you're not familiar with Sojourner (Jo) Mullein, then check out her amazing debut in Far Sector. Actually, I'm not sure she's in anything else.
At any rate, she's a great character. But not to worry, all of your other favorite Lanterns are in this, as well.



So this second volume does a deeper dive into Jo's past, while also expanding the worldbuilding for this version of the universe's Lantern Corps and introducing us to quite a few of the remastered villains. I truly think it was an inspired idea to use a Lantern that had very little canon behind her to lead this cast, as it just gives the reader fresh eyes to see it all.



Beyond that, I'm just enjoying the new look and feel of everything here.
Recommended.

issue #7
issue #8
issue #9
issue #10
issue #11
issue #12

[Khurram · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really did not enjoy this book. It was one of these books I read to finish, rather than I enjoyed it. This book is full of back stories and the actual stories is in small glimpses and is rushed.

Jo Mullein is hiding out with her with her ex-wife. What can she do when it comes to Jo and Hal's intergalactic powers/problems? However they will need to deal with threats from Earth and beyond. Will they be up to the task?

I finished this book and was even more confused then when I started it. I really don't know where they are going with this story especially in like with the other Absolute DC books. This book finishes with a varient cover gallery.

[Person Michaels · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been caught up on all six (now eight, with the recent additions of Green Arrow and Catwoman) series in the Absolute DC line for a while now. The entire concept of this universe (radical and bizarre reinterpretations of classic DC Comics characters, in a brand new continuity where anything can happen) has hooked me from the beginning and reinvigorated my childhood love for DC. An all-star lineup of some of the acclaimed writers in modern comics have been doing a superb job of injecting these series with maturity and complexity, far beyond what most mainline superhero comics are willing to engage with. Although I read new issues monthly, I’ll be writing reviews for physical volumes of each series as they’re released.

Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Martian Manhunter have been the consistently excellent series in this line, each already making a unique case for ranking amongst my all-time favorite superhero comics. Flash is in clear last place, having started out interesting but rapidly descended into repetitive and dull territory. And Green Lantern, whose second volume I’ll be getting to momentarily, has been…interesting.

It’s worth noting that I was a pretty massive Green Lantern kid. Its galactic scale has always been up my alley, so to hear that Absolute GL was taking a cosmic horror approach practically forced me to go in with high expectations. These were not exactly met in the issues that comprise Volume 1, but I still loved and appreciated the swings it was taking. There are a a whirlwind of imaginative concepts in play from Issue 1. This becomes a problem in itself. It’s too much at once amidst the simultaneous attempts to lay down character groundwork, adding up to a story that wasn’t exactly boring but just leaving me rather cold. I also hate the art style. Hate it, hate it, hate it. Not for me whatsoever.

Vol. 2 confirms this series has plenty of gas in the tank. I do think it’s going to remain a messy ride throughout, but a major problem has been addressed—Jo’s characterization. Her backstory issue was an overdue step in centering her as a protagonist I can feel emotionally invested in. There’s oftentimes ludicrous but still fascinating lore expansions, bringing the overall narrative closer to the space opera storytelling that Geoff Johns era GL comics excelled at. The pacing does remain stop and go from issue to issue, perhaps not as severely as Vol 1.

The issues released so far of what will make up Vol. 3 have been even better! One can only hope the streak continues. 3/5 for Vol. 2, and the series overall.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!



I'm really digging Absolute Green Lantern, and all the changes Al Ewing has made to the mythos here. Same characters, same colors, but this universe has a whole new set of rules.
And if you're not familiar with Sojourner (Jo) Mullein, then check out her amazing debut in Far Sector. Actually, I'm not sure she's in anything else.
At any rate, she's a great character. But not to worry, all of your other favorite Lanterns are in this, as well.



So this second volume does a deeper dive into Jo's past, while also expanding the worldbuilding for this version of the universe's Lantern Corps and introducing us to quite a few of the remastered villains. I truly think it was an inspired idea to use a Lantern that had very little canon behind her to lead this cast, as it just gives the reader fresh eyes to see it all.



Beyond that, I'm just enjoying the new look and feel of everything here.
Recommended.

issue #7
issue #8
issue #9
issue #10
issue #11
issue #12

[Siona Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just such a cool reimagining of the green lantern mythos. So pulp-y I love it. Tomar Re is really cool too

[Aidan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy 4.5, this is the character work i was hoping for in vol 1. Jo is a beautifully written character with flaws that are believable and i love her more for them. Hals arc is laid out and i am blown away by its subversion of where he started. This climbed the ranks of Abs series FAST.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a completist when it comes to DC but I don't think I can do this anymore. This series is SO bad.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this series just feels very low stakes. I know the point of the Absolute line is for underdog stories but we spend a lot of time in an apartment building here. I enjoy Jahnoy Lindsay's art and Tomar-Re's manga design is on point. While I wasn't over the moon with this volume, I am looking forward to the next since it seems to be building to some big things.

[Matt Sautman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic continuation of Jo’s story that develops more of her backstory from before she obtained the Green Lantern ring while continuing to reveal more of the nuanced alterations present in the Absolute Universe. As of the second volume, this run is my second favorite, just behind Absolute Wonderful Woman.

[Rory Wilding · Rating 4 out of 5]

As part of DC’s Absolute Universe, which has been about stripping away the essentials that has defined the publisher’s most iconic superheroes in order to find a radical new angle for them, Absolute Green Lantern allows writer Al Ewing to present a horror spin to the well-established mythos, similar to what he did with Immortal Hulk at Marvel. Stepping away from the initial setting of a small town being trapped within a dome, which lean towards Lovecraftian horror with ordinary people coming in terms with the cosmic terror going on, Ewing aims to go bigger with his cast of characters.

The opening issue entirely takes place in the cosmos, featuring all the different Lantern lights and the cosmic warfare going on, with the Blackstars being a key threat. While it is interesting seeing new spins on familiar characters from the Green Lantern mythos, this issue also establishes Ewing as a writer of big ideas, which will go through the casual reader’s head, especially with the heavy use of space jargon.

However, the standout issue is the flashback-driven #8, which starts with Jo’s childhood, all the way through her adult life before the Green Lantern arrived at Evergreen. From growing up with a conservative parent to rejecting law enforcement after learning of the small-town corruption and then discovering her bisexuality which led to a complicated marriage that sadly fell apart, this is a masterful character study for Jo.

One of the best aspects of this series is how it reimagines the mythos, such as the power ring which is represented here as Jo’s wedding ring, which is not only the source of her power, but a reminder of her past mistakes. Considering the coloured Lanterns are powered by different emotions, Ewing is all about exploring the emotional spectrum, with characters learning from their own mistakes in order to control their newly found powers, while villains like Hector Hammond want to abuse the power for his own scientific needs.

No doubt Ewing is juggling a lot with the amount of characters, including obscure ones like Goldface, and that can also be said about the multiple artists involved. While the main artist Jahnoy Lindsay does a couple of issues, which are the most striking in how it uses the coloured lights, you have artists like Jason Howard, Riley Rossmo and Sid Kotian doing serviceable work, even if transitioning from one style to the next can be jarring.

Balancing the cosmic horror with the human drama can be all over the place, but when it’s on point with its big ideas and characterisation, Absolute Green Lantern remains an enjoyable and twisted spin on the GL mythos.

[Carter White · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like a 3.5/5. Feels like a lot of the strength of this run so far rests on the mystery and the trajectory of all this peril (that's comics I guess) and any larger thematic experimentation with Jo & Co comes across a bit shallow, but both the mystery and the characters are compelling enough to keep me engaged. The issues between arcs that go far away from the action on Earth and rev into full-tilt space opera may be when I'm the most locked in haha. Excited to see what happens when it all merges!

[Parker Berg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I say this one is better than the first volume but to me it’s missing a few details. There were a few parts that made some of the issues felt more like a manga because of the details they were missing. I had a bit of hard time following what was going on in the 2nd half of the volume. I did like that they put a backstory about the Blackstars and Sojourner’s ex-wife at the start. Also Ewing does seem to like killing a lot of characters.

[Mocassin · Rating 4 out of 5]

On ne comprend pas tout. Et c'est ok. Quel plaisir de circuler dans un univers si riche et dont on ne nous donne pas toutes les clés d'entrée de jeu. On nous engage intellectuellement dans le récit et ça fonctionne parce qu'au-delà de tous ses mystères, Absolute Green Lantern se concentre toujours avant tout sur l'humain et ne se freine pas sur ses envies d'humour. Personnellement je prends un grand plaisir, la réinvention de cet univers est top et inspirée.

[Maddi :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely didnt hooked me as much as vol. 1, but still cool! Had some really pretty panels

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I get why people don’t like it but I fawkin love it sorry alien monks are cool

[Evan Horad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume is really good. The first volume started slow and got better. This book did the same and I am here for it.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.6 I really enjoyed issue 12. I am excited to get caught up!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

YESSSSSSSS GET HER CHEATING ASS!!!!! Everyone was fire and I loved it

[Sarospice · Rating 3 out of 5]

The more I learn about Jo and her surroundings characters the more I like. The first volume didn't deliver like this one. Ewing is definitely doing "whatever" they want with regular DCU info, some of it good some of it a yawn, but the efforts are still interesting. Will give volume 3 a shot which is the highest compliment I can give.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The truth is out there?

Twelve issues in and there’s still a lot of mystery surrounding what happened and what is going on. The character development of Jo is interesting and the art work is solid.

[Sesana · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is where things get complicated for Absolute Green Lantern, by introducing the emotional spectrum. Is it the emotional spectrum, or is it something else that just looks similar? There's a lot that isn't clear in this volume, I think because Ewing is trying to speed through the kind of world building that took Geoff Johns dozens of issues to do clearly.

[Alex Sarll]

It could still stand to pick up the pace a bit – so seldom a criticism one could level at Al – but after the small-town horror of the opening arc this broadens the canvas nicely, bringing in Absolute versions of various alien Lanterns, a DC deep cut as Jo's ex, and even a version of Simon Baz who's Mortisonesque instead of just deeply annoying.

[Litter Bug · Rating 3 out of 5]

This picked up a lot from the first 6 issues but unfortunately on a personal level I don't care about space!

[Bree Hatfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I didn’t want closure. The weight of it, heavy as lead. I wanted that with me. Part of me. All my sins, all my mistakes. All the pain — what I felt, what I caused. I wanted to feel it, Cam. I can feel it now. And it hurts. But it’s mine. It’s my pain. It’s my life. The bad, the good, everything I am is in this ring. And nobody takes that away.”

We get a lot of worldbuilding and character backstory here, some of which is good and some of which just slows down the story. The whole first issue of this volume felt like a very long-winded way of introducing Tomar Re and teasing Sinestro; we didn’t need a full issue to do that, it could have been five pages. I loved seeing Jo’s backstory, but again, we could have utilized the timing a little better. Al Ewing, the writer, could have split the first issue in two and introduced Tomar Re, then done Jo’s backstory. Instead, the pace of the story thus far slows way down as we spend two issues before getting into the cliffhanger of the last volume.

And when we do finally get to the story, it’s still slow. I don’t care about Hector Hammond at all. He’s a greedy rich guy who’s really interested in alien tech… How original. Green Lantern is supposed to be a bombastic spacefaring adventure. I get that Jo is a much more grounded character than Hal typically is (and I love that), but that’s why it was so interesting seeing her react to all the insanity of Abin Sur in the first volume. In this volume, we’re subjected to a kill-the-billionaire plot. I hate evil billionaires as much as the next girl, but it felt out of place here.

The one consistently great thing about this series, though, is Jo. She’s complex, and seeing her troubled past made me all the more invested in her. Time and time again she proves herself to be a true green lantern, and by far my favorite.

I’m excited to see her team up with Tomar Re to destroy the evil black light, as the cliffhanger for this volume implies. That’s the kind of thing I want to see in this series.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What this book does really well is bring you up to speed with the character of Sojourner Mullein. For a new line of continuity designed to be a jumping on point for new readers, Green Lantern has the paradoxical issue of simultaneously being the perfect character to introduce a new character for the reader to the mantle whilst also dealing with the complex history and litany of characters to have wielded the ring. Not that Jo Mullein is *new* but it’s fair to say that perhaps the average reader is more familiar with Hal Jordan, John Stewart and even Guy Gardner. And for a comic series that keeps hold of all of those characters, it is even more important to understand who the one actual Green Lantern in this series is. So I liked the slower pace of this volume compared to the previous, which introduced us to all that is different in this world. We got time given to exploring Jo’s life, what she’s been through and had to deal with - what made her who she is. For a character who has powers given on the strength of her willpower, it is a fascinating turn to learn how her relationship ended after she cheated. It makes her interesting and complex, and the dynamics of her and the people around her are interesting and complex. I grew to love the team of Cam, Simon Baz and Kari in the short span of time they were a team but you instantly bought into their comradery and history. They were unique individual characters, not just there to fill space on a page. Which made the big set piece of the volume all that more impactful. I’m really excited for the future direction of this series, how all these huge changes to the Green Lantern lore are gonna play out and what will we see when the entire emotional spectrum are brought together? Another hit in the brilliant Absolute universe.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series started off fairly intriguing but typically obtuse, Ewing’s trademark.

This volume is where it just gets messy.

Ewing is a very similar writer to Si Spurrier. They can’t get out their own way to just write a coherent, well structured narrative, that flows in a way that makes a compelling read.
What we end up with is a writer who has been pulled down a rabbit hole overthinking a concept so much, out of a desire to be seen as clever and play up to his existing fan base, that it becomes the main reason for the work existing, taking priority over what he is paid to do; entertain.

It’s a stuttering series that never fully gets going. That theres layers here and some smart ideas doesn’t ever make up for the fact that it’s just one big decompressed thought experiment dumped into a run of comics.

When you add Ewing’s desperation to excuse the behaviour of a very unlikeable and self obsessed Jo Mullien character, along with the abundantly clear self insert elements, you get this James Tynion IV thing of wondering where the line of Al Ewing the person ends and where the character of Jo Mullien begins.

This is made even more irritating when Ewing effectively takes a pause in the broadcast of the plot of this comic, to provide a whole issue dedicated to his intersectional politics.

It’s just so self indulgent and sadly dragging the Absolute line into the same issues that have plagued DC and Marvel in previous years. We badly need writers who are going to put these characters first over their own narcissism.

[Neil Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this was still an enjoyable read, I was surprised how quickly the title changed/dropped in quality from the excellent opening arc.
I think part of the problem for me was how it shifted from a first contact mystery into an X-files soap opera. That and it already seems like more "emotional" colours are sneaking into the book already and I initially praised it being pared down to four.
I also feel like there are leaps in the plot that aren't really explained such as Tomar Re, Hal Jordan's switch, and the black ooze entity.
The positives are the main cast (although I wish we had more of non brainwashed/enlightened Jon and Guy). I really like this version of Simon Baz and the reason for the silly mask, and Chase feels like a homage to Warren Ellis' Jenny Sparks and Pete Wisdom - who I imagine would be swearing if the comic allowed. Jo Mullein is a bit trickier, I appreciate that she's such a complicated (and self destructive) character but this volume made her hard to like and I was definitely on Chase's side of the argument. Granted, this is all good soap opera from Ewing and it's clear he's aiming to illicit these responses/side-taking. It's maybe just a bit busy for a monthly comic and as I mentioned some of the lore aspects are confusing in comparison.

I'm in two minds how to continue following the series. There's 4 issues to catch up with current continuity or I wait until December for the next volume. I think in light of the pacing, and the fact it appears quite isolated from the other Absolute books, I'll stick to the trade collections.

[Shivesh · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an extremely fast read, and unfortunately that speed highlights how uneven the experience is. The biggest issue is the art, which takes a noticeable dip in quality compared to the previous volume. It looks much sloppier, less refined, and far less confident in its visual storytelling. For a series that relies heavily on atmosphere, cosmic scale, and emotional nuance, the art really does it no favors. It’s distracting enough that it pulls you out of the story rather than drawing you deeper into Jo’s world.

I’m not a Green Lantern purist by any stretch, but I did appreciate the more personal slant this volume takes. There’s an intimacy to Jo’s perspective that works well, and her voice remains one of the strongest elements of the Absolute Universe. She’s a genuinely compelling protagonist—grounded, thoughtful, and easy to follow even when the plot around her feels thin. Those character moments are the highlights here.

Still, the volume struggles to leave a lasting impression. The narrative feels like it’s stalling, waiting for something bigger to happen. I’m assuming Al Ewing will eventually synthesize Jo’s storyline with the rest of the Absolute Universe, and that hope is honestly what’s keeping me reading at this point. There’s potential in the broader direction, but this installment doesn’t capitalize on it.

Two stars: one for Jo as a protagonist, and one for the few personal beats that land. The rest is held back by art that simply doesn’t rise to the occasion.

[Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

The new take on the green lanterns is interesting, if a bit obtuse at the moment. I think the story is more interested in the characters, or specifically the main character. Jo feels like a more fleshed out and real character in this volume, with clear ideals and failings (such as a lack of accountability for her actions at times) and it's clear that she's at least partially responsible for her circumstances before the story started. The trouble is that all the other characters feel a bit flat and developments sometimes just happen. There was, for example, no indication that Hal would be able to do what he does during the climax before he did it. I also think the idea of making most the recognisable lanterns from the main universe into one-note blackstars was a bit cheap.

The artwork is fantasic and the visual of how lanterns work in this world is impressive and I hope more of it is brought forward in future issues because right now it seems a bit obligatory, rather than a part of the story, at times.

[Renato · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normally, I would start a review of a volume from the Absolute Universe with a check in on the basic building blocks of this reimagined world, but after completing this volume, I am not even sure what those blocks would be.

This second volume begins to introduce the 'cosmic' aspect of any Green Lantern story - we are no longer bound to Earth and the exposition driven world building (so limited by human understanding).

After this volume, I better understand some character motivations, but I have NO idea what is going on in the cosmic sense - this was a messy volume, and I feel that I will have to revisit Vol 1 try and make sense of it.

Also, I was a huge fan of the Sojourner Mullein character from the esteemed Far Sector limited series - I feel she is wasted here.