MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes has always been a hater of the Green Lanterns, despite being a big DC fan. However, that has changed with the new series on HBO Max.
On August 16, 2026, the DC series Lanterns premiered on HBO Max, concluding after 8 episodes on October 5. I wasn’t particularly excited about the series at first because the Green Lanterns never really interested me in the comics either. I often found them quite silly.
The power sounds good, but the whole concept of this space police always seemed quite silly to me, and Hal Jordan as the best-known Lantern was never a relatable character for me. Whenever a Green Lantern appeared in a major crossover story, I hoped he wouldn’t get too much screen time.
On the weekend after the release of the last episode, I watched all 8 episodes out of curiosity, and I was so impressed that I immediately dived into a comic.
A grounded introduction to the space police
Although the Green Lantern often deals with cosmic problems, Lanterns is grounded. Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) is supposed to train his recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), while they simultaneously investigate an alien case in Rushville, a small town in Nebraska.
The main focus is not even really the case itself, but the relationship between Hal and John. While John is determined to become a Lantern, Hal is no longer the famous hero but a broken man who has nothing left – except for his green ring and the oath of the Green Lanterns. This creates funny, but also dramatic moments between the two main characters, which are beautifully played by the actors.
Especially Kyle Chandler gives his role a beautiful depth that I never would have attributed to Hal Jordan. The oath of the Green Lanterns and the resulting sacrifices also fit into this. It is a core element that runs through every episode.
Instead of only focusing on the honorable mission, Lanterns deals with the burden and the downsides of subordinating oneself to the Green Lanterns – it also questions what happens when one breaks out of this oath.
Because of this, the series also creates a narrative arc that touched me personally and made me reflect on what personal ambitions can do to a person and what the pros and cons are of subordinating to such things.
This is a point that I miss in most Marvel series: a subtext that addresses human issues.
Villains that are hardly seen
In Lanterns, a last representative of the Manhunters is the villain that the two Lanterns must find. Manhunters were supposed to protect the universe from the Lanterns, but as supposedly emotionless creatures, they destroyed entire civilizations and planets.
Within the series, they are never shown actively in action, and while that can be criticized, I liked it. This is because Lanterns creates a dilemma: Is the last Manhunter really so dangerous if he seems to be doing nothing dangerous anymore? Because the series does not actively show them doing evil, it also makes viewers question Hal’s mission.
However, when there is action involving powers, I was rather disappointed. The effects are not outstanding, and I found a bit of creativity lacking, especially considering that the Green Lanterns can create anything with their thoughts.
For me, this was just a minor criticism because the series has a grounded premise, and the two main actors really impressed me. So much so that I needed more of the Lanterns.
From the series to the comics
The biggest success I must attribute to Lanterns is that I wanted to dive directly into the comics. Since Hal Jordan first appeared in the comic world in 1959, there is a lot of selection to start exploring the world of the Lanterns. After some research, I started with Green Lantern: Rebirth, a 6-issue comic series by writer Geoff Johns, which started in 2004.
This story takes place after the major Parallax event, where Hal became a villain, but given the context of the series, I still found this series to be a good introduction that puts Hal back in the spotlight and revives him. Here, however, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, and other Green Lanterns were also featured.
I am currently working my way through the Lantern stories that lead to the major event Blackest Night, where the entire DC universe must face a powerful villain who uses the Black Lantern ring and resurrects dead heroes as zombies.
There is currently also a reinterpretation in the Absolute Universe with Absolute Green Lantern, but I cannot personally speak to that.
Have you seen Lanterns and what do you think about the Green Lanterns? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments. Marvel is throwing a new series into the ring this week and showcasing a lesser-known villain: The new villain in the MCU has actually existed since 1977, but hardly anyone knows him
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