Artist Xermanico makes his welcome return to Green Lantern this month, and it’s like he never left. But he isn’t the only familiar face coming back — writer Jeremy Adams throws a curveball by resurrecting a Golden Age hero with a whole new power set from another DC Legacy, adding a fun wrinkle to the modern All-In. Oh, and Hector Hammond? He’s letting his psychic freak flag fly, reminding us exactly why Hal Jordan’s rogues gallery deserves a little more credit. Most titles would call it a day with those moves, but not this creative team. Adams, Xermanico, and company go even bigger, sending Hal Jordan on a descent into literal Hell, and packing the issue with guest stars. Green Lantern by Adams is one of those books that has its finger squarely on the pulse of the wider DC Universe. It feels like the Green Lantern franchise is thriving again.
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Both Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner are active in this issue – one battling mental forces while searching for mystical items on Earth, and the other leading a group into Reach territory to get some Nth metal. With Kyle’s mission, we see one of the standout moves here, which is taking a classic Golden Age hero and blending them with another long-forgotten power set, creating a stronger connection for characters within the Blue Beetle mythos. It’s a clever play that deepens lore while staying accessible and adds to the legacies. I won’t spoil who it is, but it’s a deep-cut fan pleaser that works nicely within the madness Adams is building.
Hal’s confrontation with the D.E.O. is another highlight – classic Jordan attitude is in full effect as he reminds Director Bones that the Green Lantern Corps doesn’t answer to him. It’s a small moment, but one that feels important, grounding Hal as both a cosmic cop and someone who isn’t afraid to break a few Earth-bound rules when it counts.
The mystical side of this issue is where things get wonderfully weird. Guest stars like Zauriel and the Phantom Stranger show up to help Hal navigate the supernatural, and Adams makes excellent use of them. It’s always fun when DC’s magical and cosmic realms overlap, and it feels like this creative team is leaning into that synergy. (That was something I enjoyed when Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo were on Nightwing – so many guest stars!) Xermanico, as expected, crushes it with the visuals — his depiction of Hell is dark, lonely, and eerie, but the characters feel alive and expressive. I can’t believe who the team meets in Hell; I can’t wait for the reactions to that reveal.
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If there’s a downside here, it’s that the issue ends just as the momentum peaks. It’s one of those classic “I have to wait a month?!” situations. While Sorrow’s appearance teases connections to the ongoing Fractured Spectrum arc, I’m hoping the next issue ties things together a little tighter, since John Stewart and the Corps are dealing with Sorrow’s threats out in space. Still, this is a fantastic issue for Green Lantern fans — ambitious, packed with cameos, and proof that Jeremy Adams has a long-game plan that is entertaining and exciting. Heck of a series that shows off Green Lantern’s Light!
Green Lantern #22 is an exciting issue that journeys to the depths of space as two legacies come together: One creates a new hero to help Kyle Rayner and his team take on the Reach, while another takes you to Hell where you won’t believe who is waiting. If you’re a Blue Beetle fan, you won’t want to miss this. Xermanico has his talents tested as Lanterns are teaming up with a wide variety of heroes, while Jeremy Adams shows us how vital the Green Lanterns are to the DC Universe.
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