War of the Green Lanterns Reading Guide

Overview:

The War of the Green Lanterns is a Green Lantern arc in DC Comics, published in 2011. Written by Geoff Johns, Tony Bedard, and Peter Tomasi, the storyline runs through several Green Lantern titles, including Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, and Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors. Artists like Doug Mahnke and Tyler Kirkham contributed to the event’s detailed, action-packed visuals.

The story centers on Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, and Kyle Rayner, who are the main protagonists. They find themselves in conflict not just with their usual enemies but with the Green Lantern Corps itself, which is under the influence of an external power. The arc’s villian is Krona, a rogue Guardian of the Universe, whose manipulation of the emotional spectrum drives much of the conflict.

Critically, the event received mixed to positive reviews. Fans generally praised the art and large-scale action but some felt the plot was overly complex or dragged in places. The arc plays a crucial role in reshaping the Green Lantern mythos leading up to the New 52 reboot that happened shortly after, maintaining its significance for both casual readers and diehard fans.

Best Way To Read:

Main Story

• Green Lantern: War of the Green Lanterns
  • Collects: Green Lantern vol. 4 #63-67, Green Lantern Corps Vol. 2 #58-60 and Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #8-10

Tie-Ins

• Green Lantern: War of the Green Lanterns Aftermath
  • Collects: War of the Green Lanterns: Aftermath #1-2

For crossover and significant events, I typically only read the main story the first time I encounter it. Trying to read all of the tie-ins with the story tends to make them increasingly convoluted and are not crucial to the main narrative. However, I think they are important to read, as many series-shifting plotlines can happen.

For the tie-in issues, I only read them as they come up in the reading guide that I am working through. This can become problematic because the tie-in issues are not always included in collected editions of the event. So you may need to hunt for them.

Reading Order:

References:

• Wikipedia
• Comic Book Herald
• Comic Book Reading Orders

Feature Image from Green Lantern Corps #58 cover art by Nei Ruffino, Tyler Kirkham, and Matt Banning