If you’re celebrating Free Comic Book Day today, you probably picked up a copy of the GREEN LANTERN Special Edition. As you know, the Green Lantern mythology is built on a vast and fascinating cast of characters, concepts, and alien worlds. And whether you’re a longtime fan of the characters, are relatively new to them, or are just excited to see the movie, there are lots of exciting details to be familiar with. So, the Special Edition origin story is a great place to start, but in addition, every Monday-Thursday, as we count down the days until the movie arrives in theaters June 17th, The Source will be revealing images, bios and fun facts from the comic books that every Green Lantern fan is gonna want to know. Let’s begin with the Green Lantern essentials, shall we?

Know the Oath:

In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night, No Evil Shall Escape My Sight-- Let Those Who Worship Evil's Might, Beware My Power-- Green Lantern's Light!

GREEN LANTERN CENTRAL POWER BATTERY

central-power-battery_gleason

REAL NAME: Green Lantern Central Power Battery

OCCUPATION: Empower Green Lantern Corps BASE OF OPERATIONS: Sector 0 HOMEWORLD: Oa HEIGHT: 300' WEIGHT: N/A EYES: N/A HAIR: N/A FIRST APPEARANCE: Green Lantern vol. 2 #9 (November/December, 1961)

AKA: N/A

 
Art by Patrick Gleason

BACKGROUND: Built millennia ago on the planet Oa by the Guardians of the Universe, the Central Power Battery is charged by the combined willpower of every sentient being in the galaxy. This massive structure is the reservoir of energy for the Green Lantern Corps. The force is tapped into through a Lantern's personal power battery and wielded by their power ring. On the rare occasion the entire Corps is summoned for an imperative mission, the debriefing will occur in front of the Central Power Battery. Oa is illuminated by this vital energy source, which will burn brightly as long as sentient life exists. ATTRIBUTES:

  • Stores the emotional spectrum energy of willpower.

GREEN LANTERN PERSONAL POWER BATTERY

lantern_pachecoREAL NAME: Green Lantern Personal Power Battery OCCUPATION: Provide charge for a Green Lantern Power Ring BASE OF OPERATIONS: N/A HOMEWORLD: N/A HEIGHT: 1' 2" WEIGHT: 1 lb 4 oz EYES: N/A HAIR: N/A FIRST APPEARANCE: Showcase vol. 1 #22 (September/October, 1959)

AKA: N/A

 
Art by Carlos Pacheco
BACKGROUND: A Green Lantern's Power Battery taps into the energy of the Central Power Battery on Oa and acts as a remote charging station for a Corpsman's Power Ring. Lanterns can summon their battery to them at will and must recite the sacred oath to recharge their ring. Power Batteries are created in the foundry on Oa and distributed by the tentacle clad Lantern, Shorm. A GL receives their Power Battery upon induction into the Corps. ATTRIBUTES:
  • Channels willpower directly from the Central Power Battery.
  • Can be summoned instantaneously.

GREEN LANTERN POWER RING

gl_ring_vansciver REAL NAME: Green Lantern Power Ring OCCUPATION: Empower a Green Lantern BASE OF OPERATIONS: N/A HOMEWORLD: Foundry on Oa HEIGHT: 1.2" average WEIGHT: 5 oz EYES: N/A HAIR: N/A FIRST APPEARANCE (Oan Power Ring): Showcase vol. 1 #22 (September/October, 1959) AKA: Green Lantern Ring / Power Ring
Art by Ethan Van Sciver
BACKGROUND: Forged within the foundry on Oa b by the Guardians of the Universe, Power Rings provide Lantern's their abilities. However, not anyone can wield a green ring. Corpsmen are specifically selected based on their strength of willpower. The stronger the will, the more effective the ring becomes. A Power Ring is considered by many to be the most powerful weapon in the universe because of the hard energy projections they can create. These constructs can become any given shape and are only limited by the ingenuity of the user. Each design is unique to the personality of its creator and may be as simple as an energy trap to apprehend a perpetrator or complex as a massive ship used to evacuate a city. Designed to assist and protect the Corps in policing the universe, these rings generate the standard-issue Green Lantern uniform and provide a force field for the wearer. They also impart the powers of flight, space travel, a universal translator for all alien languages and possess knowledge from the Book of Oa that may aid a Lantern on their mission. These rings of will also act as emergency homing beacons and allow communication between all other Corps members. A Power Ring's energy is limited and depletes upon each usage requiring periodic recharging from a Lantern's personal power battery. A ring's energy lasts approximately twenty-four Earth hours. ATTRIBUTES:
  • Can store an average of twenty-four Earth hours of willpower energy.
  • Allows a Lantern to fly, create a protective shield, energy constructs and a Green Lantern uniform.
  • Can be willed to appear invisible.