Comics / Comics News

Geoff Johns Stepping Down as Green Lantern Writer

By News Editor
February 11, 2013 - 14:22

Green Lantern: Rebirth #1 launched Johns' association with the Green Lantern Corps

After nine years, Geoff Johns is leaving the Green Lantern series in May with issue No. 20 to focus on the Justice League and its related titles.

Johns’ run began in 2005 with a six-issue miniseries drawn by Ethan Van Sciver. Entitled Green Lantern: Rebirth, the series resurrected Hal Jordan as the principal Green Lantern, the Earth-based member of an interstellar police force.

"I'm really proud of all the stuff we've built with Green Lantern — from Larfleeze to the different corps," Johns told the Associated Press about his decision. "The universe has expanded and will live well past my run. It was more than just telling another story, but really giving back to the character by expanding and adding to their mythology."

Johns said he'd reached a point in the current story to step away and let someone else take over the writing.

"I was getting to an end point and a story line that made sense for me. I felt like it was time to close my run and focus all my energies on the Justice League corner of the DC Universe," he said.

Johns, who is DC's chief creative officer, was guarded in discussing his plans for the publisher's Justice League books, but said the time was right for him to make them his primary focus. He'll be working with writer Jeff Lemire and continue to write Aquaman, as well.

The Green Lantern titles will continue, too, and Johns promised a "monster of an issue" for his finale, Green Lantern #20, illustrated by artist Doug Mahnke.

"It really, for me, ties everything else and ends the Green Lantern saga," Johns said of the 64-page issue. "This story, the way the story evolves, I think people will get a sense of finality from it."

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12