The Blue Lanterns are the most important heroes in the DC Universe, and I can’t wait for the DCU films to prove that to the entire world

DC Comics’ Blue Lanterns carry an essential superhero theme that sets DC apart from other publishers: hope. Since then Green Lantern With the lore expanded to include the full range of the rainbow and the entire emotional spectrum, DC has added a piece of its own identity to a seemingly small corner of its comic universe.

While it’s often joked that DC is darker than the reader expects superhero comics to be, hope shines in the darkness, which is why Blue Lantern Corps means so much to me as a reader. Green Lanterns still take the lead in many DC comics, and while willpower is vitally important to the battles these DC heroes find themselves in, I have seen time and time again that there is no willpower without hope.

Often lost in the background, the Blue Lantern Corps is like a fighting support team and battlefield medics. Although not exactly fighting directly, Blue Lanterns like Saint Walker, and all those who have worn the blue ring, carry the torch of the DC Universe theme – a theme I’ve seen consistently represented in DC over the years as being the lifeblood of these comics.

Who are the Blue Lanterns, the most important characters in the DC Universe?

Much more important than the Green Lanterns

First appearing in a cameo in Green Lantern #25 by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Ethan Van Sciver, Oclair Albert, Júlio Ferreira, Rod Reis, Moose Baumann and Rob Leigh, the Blue Lantern Corps make their official debut at the events of Blackest night – by the same creative team – where its light was essential for the survival of the Green Lanterns. The Blue Lantern Corps is driven by hope and they function as a kind of support system for heroes like the Green Lanternsreinvigorating them to continue fighting. Seen this way, the Green Lanterns’ willpower is fueled by the hope that they can win the fight and save the day.

Unlike almost all other Lanterns, a Blue Lantern’s power is not meant to harm, but to heal. Blue Lanterns do not form traditional constructs, but instead shine with a brilliant light this reveals exactly what a person needs to continue believing in a better world. The Blue Lanterns are the doctors of the DC Universe, working to support and repair rather than punch and bleed. A former Guardian, Ganthet, said it best when describing this new body before its birth,

Elsewhere, a glimmer of hope will shine in deep space, like a beacon warning ships away from the rocks. The blue light will hold the line in spirit if not in strength.

Just like the Blue Lanterns, the main theme of the DCU is the power of hope

Blue lanterns shine in the darkness of a crisis

The DC Universe runs on hope. From the beginning, DC comics were founded on the idea of ​​a better world and Superman is still the physical embodiment of hope in this universe. Even with the recent creation of Darkseid’s desperate Absolute Universe, DC is cementing its main universe as, essentially, hopeful. The Flash is another beacon of hope, and in Blackest night, he had the chance to be the first DC hero to wear a Blue Lantern ring and say the iconic phrase: “Everything will be fine.“

DC’s greatest heroes are hopeful, and that’s more than necessary because DC is famous for having more crisis events than any other comic book publisher. From Saint Walker to Ganthet, the Blue Lantern Corps’ unearthly calm is needed in such a tumultuous universe. Recently, upon completing Absolute power by Mark Waid and Dan Mora, DC has really focused on this theme: Without superpowers, these iconic heroes had nothing left but hope. Even Green Lantern didn’t have willpower and so he relied on the hope that they would win.

In DC’s new era, Blue Lanterns need a chance to shine

I believe the DCU needs the Blue Lantern Corps

As a comic book fan, the Blue Lanterns really mean something personal to me. My first tattoo was the Blue Lantern symbol; As with any of these heroes in crisis, I achieved this during a difficult period in my life. Just like the Absolute Universe, this wicked darkness that constantly assaults comics is the very shadow by which DC’s hopeful light is framed. Hope does not exist by itself, but exists in response to something. While DC may have its dark moments, the darkness only exists to give power to hope. Seeing this ideal come to fruition with the heroes I grew up with helped me fight for hope in my own life.

It’s time for the Blue Lanterns to shine. Inherently, they work on the margins because hope is the fuel that powers all other positive emotions. But as the comics continue to show how integral this perspective is to DC and its heroes, I really hope the on-screen DCU can capture this aspect as well. Darkness is important for the light of hope to shine, and I think, just like the comics, the movies – and the upcoming Green Lantern program on HBO – can really help the Blue Lanterns shine, creating a better world for heroes and fans.

Green Lantern #25 is now available from DC Comics.