The Earth has been protected by a plethora of Green Lanterns, from the mystically-powered Alan Scott to intergalactic Green Lantern Corps members like Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner and Simon Baz. Earth's newest Green Lantern is Jessica Cruz, who rose from particularly unorthodox origins to be come a vital member of both the Green Lantern Corps and Justice League.
Now, CBR is shining a light on the DC Comics superhero, looking at how she gained her Power Ring and how she quickly earned her place as one of Earth's greatest defenders.
JESSICA CRUZ, POWER RING
Created by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver, Jessica Cruz made a small cameo in Green Lantern #20 before making her full debut in Justice League #30. While on a camping trip with her friends, Jessica come across a group of criminals trying to cover up a murder. Jessica barely escapes with her life as her friends are similarly murdered, leaving Jessica isolated and traumatized. During the events of the DC Comics crossover event Forever Evil, Power Ring, the evil version of Green Lantern from Earth-3 and part of its villainous Crime Syndicate, is killed and his ring, the Ring of Volthoom, which feeds off of fear rather than fueled by willpower seeks Jessica out based on her lingering trauma.
After initially forming a parasitic relationship with Jessica, the ring takes control of her and causing intense physical and psychological damage due to its villainous nature. While Hal Jordan attempts to train Jessica how to use the ring as she works under the supervision of the Justice League, Volthoom's influence remains as she forms a tenuous bond with it; informed by Volthoom that the Anti-Monitor is attracted to the ring after consuming Earth-3 as he continues to devour the Multiverse.
HOW JESSICA CRUZ BECOMES A GREEN LANTERN
When Darkseid's secret, half-Amazonian daughter Grail attacks, she takes control of Jessica's ring and uses it to open a portal to Earth-3 and bring the Anti-Monitor to New Earth. Forced to enlist the Crime Syndicate in their fight against the Anti-Monitor, the proximity to other inhabitants from Earth-3 causes Volthoom through the ring to completely possess Jessica's body. Fortunately, Jessica's latent courage helps Cyborg decipher the ring's programming, which allows the Flash and Black Racer to eliminate the last traces of Volthoom and free Jessica, with the Earth-3 ring destroyed with its original master.
For the bravery and willpower she showed during the Darkseid War, a Green Lantern Corps ring arrives and bonds with Jessica, officially enlisting her in the Green Lantern Corps. Jessica and Green Lantern Simon Baz are dispatched into deep space to take on a Manhunter in a training exercise supervised by Hal. In order to get the two latest Green Lanterns from Earth to work better together, Hal combines both their power batteries into one and tasks them with defending Earth while he and the more veteran Green Lanterns patrol other threats within the sector.
JESSICA CRUZ IN GREEN LANTERNS AND JUSTICE LEAGUE ODYSSEY
Aware of her own unorthodox recruitment into the Green Lantern Corps and the villainous history behind her original power ring, Jessica's self-doubts were exposed when confronting the Phantom Ring, an out-of-control ring that can tap into every part of the emotional spectrum and reveal its users true, emotional form. Confessing her own fears, she transforms into Green Lantern when wearing the ring, assuaging her fears about herself and reaffirming her commitment to the Corps.
After the Justice League release planets imprisoned by Colu into the Ghost Sector of space during the events of Justice League: No Justice, Jessica is assigned to oversee the newly established sector. Teaming up with Cyborg, Starfire, and Azrael, the newly formed Justice League Odyssey patrol the Ghost Sector in a converted Brainiac ship after being trapped within it.
With prominent roles in DC productions like Justice League vs. the Fatal Five and DC Super Hero Girls, Jessica is well on her way to becoming a big part of DC's next generation of iconic heroes.