Green Lantern Corps # 0 2012 NM-

Green Lantern Corps #0 (2012), titled "Freshman," provides the New 52 origin story for fan-favorite Green Lantern Guy Gardner, revealing his path from a troubled former police officer to a Corps member and setting up the "Rise of the Third Army" storyline. 

Main Plot

The story is framed around Guy Gardner's time as a rookie Green Lantern, fighting an alien adversary named Xar alongside other recruits during training. The bulk of the issue is told in flashbacks, detailing Guy's life on Earth before he received his power ring. 

Unlike previous origins, this version eliminates the childhood abuse and portrays Guy as the "black sheep" of a family of Baltimore cops, including his father, older brother Gerard, and younger sister Gloria. Guy himself was a police officer but was kicked off the force after an incident led to the deaths of innocent people, creating a major rift with his family. 

During a visit to his sister's police academy graduation, Guy attempts to mend fences with his disapproving father, but they end up arguing. Their argument is interrupted by a police scanner call about his brother Gerard being an "officer down". Guy rushes to the scene on his motorcycle, crashes it into some gang members, and attempts to save his wounded brother. In this moment of intense willpower and need, a Green Lantern power ring arrives and chooses Guy, transforming him and allowing him to get his brother to the hospital in time. 

The issue concludes back in the training grounds, where Guy uses his new sense of purpose and attitude to turn the tables on Xar, successfully capturing him and earning his official Green Lantern badge from Kilowog. 

Key Details

• Main Character: The primary focus is on Guy Gardner and his revised New 52 origin story.
• Creative Team: The issue was written by Peter J. Tomasi, with art by Fernando Pasarin, Scott Hanna, and Marc Deering.
• Context: As a "#0" issue published during DC's "Zero Month" initiative, it provides an entry point for new readers and establishes background information for the ongoing series, leading directly into the "Prologue to the Third Army" arc.