Green Lantern # 1 2005 NM-

Green Lantern #1 (2005) officially kicked off Volume 4 of the series, serving as the launching pad for Geoff Johns' legendary, multi-year run that redefined the cosmic side of the DC Universe.

The Core Premise & Plot

Spinning directly out of the events of the miniseries Green Lantern: Rebirth, this issue focuses on Hal Jordan trying to rebuild his fractured life. After years of being dead, serving as the host for the cosmic entity of fear Parallax, and acting as the Spectre, Hal is finally human again and back in the cockpit.

• The Title: The debut issue kicks off a 3-part story arc appropriately titled "No Fear".
• Reclaiming His Wings: Hal seeks out his friend Shane Sellers to help him secure a spot back as a military test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base.
• A Ghost Town: Hal moves into an apartment in Coast City. The city is completely empty and being physically rebuilt from scratch following its total annihilation by the Cyborg Superman years prior.
• The Cosmic Threat: While Hal is trying to adjust to normal civilian life, fellow Green Lantern John Stewart calls him into Earth's orbit to investigate an abandoned, mysterious alien spacecraft designed for a one-way trip—setting up the emerging forces of darkness targeting Sector 2814.

Why It Matters

This issue is highly celebrated because it successfully grounded Hal Jordan as a flawed human trying to find his footing, while simultaneously planting the narrative seeds for massive future DC crossover events like the Sinestro Corps War and Blackest Night.