DC Comics' New 52 dramatically reimagined the DC Universe for new readers starting in 2011. Over the next five years, almost all of DC's most iconic characters went through some major changes, including Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps, the intergalactic police force defending the cosmos of the DCU from all manner of fantastic threats.
The New 52 era took Hal, Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner and more in interesting directions while introducing two new fan-favorite characters to the Corps. Now, we're taking a look back at this era and all of the changes that the GLC went through during the New 52.
New 52 Hal Jordan
Years after co-founding the Justice League in the New 52, Hal quits the team when his recklessness threatens the superhero ensemble during a confrontation with the new villain David Graves. Following this, the Green Lantern Corps endures several catastrophic threats, from the Guardians of the Universe's totalitarian attempt to replace the Corps with a deadly peacekeeping force known as the Third Army to an attack on the Central Power Battery and Oa itself by a old enemy named Relic, resulting in the destruction of both.
Realizing the Corps is now distrusted and feared across the universe, Hal takes responsibility for the actions to give the general public a scapegoat and quits the Corps to distance himself from the organization. This plan backfires when the Corps, unaware of Hal's altruistic intentions, believes his claims and actively pursue him throughout the cosmos. While on the run, Hal steals a prototype lantern gauntlet and fights other Green Lanterns to maintain the illusion that he is to blame for the recent incidents linked to the Corps.
The Green Lantern Corps in the New 52
The first year of the Green Lantern titles in the New 52 continued to explore the fallout of the recent crossover events like Blackest Night and subsequent Brightest Day. Dissatisfied with the Corps' performance and the influence of the Green Lanterns from Earth, the Guardians of the Universe attempted to forcibly bring all life in the cosmos under their will with the Third Army. The Green Lanterns also thwarted subjugation when the Guardians were killed by Sinestro and Parallax and replaced by less emotionless counterparts, the Templar Guardians.
Initially tasked by Hal to keep an eye on the Red Lantern Corps undercover, Guy Gardner would defeat Atrocitus to become the rage-fueled organization's newest leader. After wielding all seven power rings for a time, Kyle Rayner becomes an omnipotent White Lantern before ceding the power for being too much for him while the Templar Guardians assume their roles as the Guardians of the Universe with Ganthet on New Oa during DC Rebirth.
Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz
The longest lasting changes to the Green Lantern Corps from the New 52 era were the additions of two new Earth-based Green Lanterns in Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz. Created by Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke, Simon is recruited as the Third Army begins to subjugate life across the universe, with Simon, an Arab-American young man in Detroit, gaining Sinestro's old power ring and joining the Corps when it was under siege.
Jessica Cruz was created by Johns and Ethan Van Sciver and originally came into unwilling possession of the ring used by the villainous Power Ring from Earth-3 after the death of that villain. The ring's lethal effects for its host are quelled when Jessica faces her fears and Hal begins to train her inhow to use it. In the final months of the New 52 era, Jessica nearly sacrifices herself to save Hal from the Black Racer, only for her ring to be destroyed instead. As a result of her bravery, Jessica is given a true Green Lantern Corps ring and joined Simon in defendign the Earth.