So here’s the sad news: Doug Mahnke and I are closing the GREEN LANTERN SAGA that began with GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH #1 with this May’s 64-page GREEN LANTERN #20. As every storyline is coming to a head, it feels like the right time. The book is still doing great. The characters are as vibrant as ever. Let’s go out how we started – on a high note.

Counting up between the GREEN LANTERN monthly series, REBIRTH, BLACKEST NIGHT and the various one-shots and specials…that makes over 100 issues of GREEN LANTERN I’ve had the absolute privilege, pleasure and fortune to write.

I’m obviously ending my run with a little sadness because I love these characters, every single one of them. But I’m walking away feeling very proud of what we’ve done and very grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with so many fellow creators. It’s that collaboration, and every reader out there, who have made this a truly special experience. It's hard to imagine a GREEN LANTERN universe without characters like Atrocitus, Larfleeze, Saint Walker, the Indigo Tribe or the rest of the gang anymore. And I can't count how many Lantern t-shirts of all colors I continue to see.

It was Dan DiDio and Peter Tomasi who I first spoke with about GREEN LANTERN. Dan was the Executive Editor of DC Comics at the time and Pete my editor on JSA. They both wanted to relaunch GREEN LANTERN. My very first proposal that I could find dates back to September 2nd, 2003 meaning I’ve been working on GREEN LANTERN for nearly ten years in some way or another. I’ll never forget Dan telling me his idea for the title, “Rebirth,” he said.

Through BLACKEST NIGHT and BRIGHTEST DAY, literally, Peter Tomasi has always been there. From the incredibly long conversations and debate on REBIRTH to later writing GREEN LANTERN CORPS beginning with the conclusion of SINESTRO CORPS and up until today, Pete has been my creative partner in crime and what GREEN LANTERN grew into would not have happened without him.

And, of course, look at the amazing artists I worked with: Ethan Van Sciver, your mad genius was key to everything we expanded the universe into – the endless energy you have for creation is unmatched. Ivan Reis and Joe Prado, you brought a scope only you two could deliver culminating with BLACKEST NIGHT – and you’re showing the world what JUSTICE LEAGUE should be. And Doug Mahnke…he’s the current superstar I work with every month on GREEN LANTERN and have for years now. Doug, you’re one of the most amazing and unique artists in the business. Your power, grit and sense of wonder can be seen at its very best in the gatefold cover for GREEN LANTERN #20.

I’m fortunate enough to continue working with Doug as we head over to a new project later this year.

We all owe a debt to Julius Schwartz, John Broome and Gil Kane for creating such an incredible foundation to build on with Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps. Without them, there would be no Green Lantern.

So what will GREEN LANTERN #20 bring? The bizarre return of Hal Jordan, the final fate of Sinestro, the revelation of the First Lantern and an ending that I hope pays off everything we’ve ever done and ever created with GREEN LANTERN. It has art by Doug Mahnke, Ethan Van Sciver, Ivan Reis and Joe Prado and I’ve poured everything I can into the script.

I’m off to focus my energy on the JUSTICE LEAGUE universe as we head into what I hope is an exciting plan – Simon Baz and B’dg will be along for the ride in JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA – and you’ll no doubt see Hal Jordan and some of the other Lanterns in the world of the Justice League before too long. And Sinestro…? You’ll have to read GREEN LANTERN #20 for that…

Thank you again for reading – whether you started with REBIRTH or started this month – I sincerely appreciate your time and imagination.

In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night –

All Will Be Well,
Geoff

This winter, it’s not safe to go in the water.

Back in September, USA TODAY announced “Throne of Atlantis,” a crossover of epic proportions that will be spanning across the pages of JUSTICE LEAGUE and AQUAMAN.

While next week's AQUAMAN #14 serves as a prelude to the event, “Throne of Atlantis” will officially kick off in JUSTICE LEAGUE #15, followed immediately by part two in AQUAMAN #15. With both issues hitting shelves on December 26, writer Geoff Johns teased what readers can expect from each series and “Throne of Atlantis” at large.

“It’s the Justice League going up against Atlantis,” Johns described to MTV GEEK. “The complexities to that, what Atlantis is, why they attack, what are their view points is really at the heart of the story. The politics and the laws of Atlantis are extremely different than ours and the reasons they attack are a set of circumstances that are a mystery at the center of the story. What triggers the war is a part of the mystery that unravels.” 

Below, take a first look at Ivan Reis and Joe Prado’s interior art for JUSTICE LEAGUE #15. For more sneak peeks at this game-changing issue and to read more of what Johns had to say about “Throne of Atlantis,” check out the interviews that he conducted with MTV GEEK, IGN, COMIC BOOK RESOURCES, NEWSARAMA, and COMIC VINE.

Yesterday, BUZZFEED announced that Ivan Reis and Joe Prado would be taking over as the ongoing artists on JUSTICE LEAGUE.

Today, JUSTICE LEAGUE fans have more big news to get excited about! Earlier this morning, USA TODAY broke the news that issues #15 of JUSTICE LEAGUE and AQUAMAN will begin a crossover event called “Throne of Atlantis.”

“There's still questions of what Atlantis is like and what they do and what they're capable of and why they exist and who sank Atlantis," writer Geoff Johns teased to USA TODAY. “There's all this mythology behind Atlantis that we're not really sure of and no one really has any answers, and we're about to get the answers.”

Click here to read USA TODAY’s full coverage of this announcement. And in case you missed it last night, check out Ivan Reis and Joe Prado’s cover for JUSTICE LEAGUE #15 below:

This October, the “Rise of the Third Army” will spawn across GREEN LANTERN, GREEN LANTERN CORPS, GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS and RED LANTERNS.

To commemorate this exciting storyline, artist Ivan Reis has created a stunning piece of artwork that will be split into 4 interconnecting covers for each of the books involved. Take an exclusive first look below!

“This was the first time in my career that I’ve illustrated 4 interconnecting covers,” Reis told THE SOURCE. “It’s also the second time I’ve done a 4-page spread (the first one was in BLACKEST NIGHT). That one had just 12 characters so I loved returning to the Green Lantern universe to work on this image. I had too much fun working on these hundreds of characters.”

So how will the “Rise of Third Army” play out in all of these books? We asked the writers of each series to tease a little bit about what to expect from their respective titles come this October.

GREEN LANTERN writer Geoff Johns:

“Absolute power corrupts absolutely--and the Guardians time is finally here. The Lantern titles spent the first year of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 re-establishing themselves, but it all comes back together with year 2 starting with GREEN LANTERN #0 and leading into October's #13's - which share an amazing cover by Ivan Reis. In October, the Guardians' Third Army rises to replace the Green Lantern Corps - but how is horrifying and why will change the Guardians and their ancient mission forever. As we discover what the Third Army actually means, our strongest Lanterns are targeted for absolute destruction. From Atrocitus to Guy Gardner to our newest Green Lantern from Earth - who may have been wrongly chosen - all their darkest secrets and failures will come to light. What is Sinestro's ultimate fate? Who is this new Green Lantern and why was he chosen? What is the Third Army? What with Atrocitus sacrifice to take on the Guardians? What will Larfleeze give up to find the one thing he wants? What happens to Guy Gardner when he's targeted after Hal Jordan? And, most importantly, who is the First Lantern?”

GREEN LANTERN CORPS writer Peter J. Tomasi:

“How sick is that cover?! C'mon, on your feet -- let's give it up to Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Albert Oclair, and Rod Reis -- they've earned their own power rings for the willpower to finish this masterpiece! The Guardians and the Third Army want to break the Green Lantern Corps -- and they've now got their sights on Guy Gardner and John Stewart! The question is not IF the Guardians can accomplish their mission, but how horribly will they shatter our ringslingers’ lives!”

GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS writer Tony Bedard:

“In GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS, Kyle Rayner has gathered a team of Lanterns from all seven colors of the spectrum. As the Third Army strikes, Kyle must combine all seven shades of power within himself.  A bigger and badder lineup of New Guardians will push Kyle to become our secret weapon against the onslaught of the Third Army.”

And last but certainly not least, RED LANTERNS writer Peter Milligan:

“The Red Lanterns are continuing their mission to bring bloody vengeance to an unjust world when they run into (or are run into) a mysterious enemy with no mouth and a curious resistance to death. One Red Lantern succumbs to this new adversary, while Atrocitus finds a way to fight back – which entails returning to a place of great pain and associating with an ancient nemesis.”

Don’t miss the “Rise of the Third Army,” beginning with GREEN LANTERN #13, in stores October 3.