Ever looked at the Green Lantern and thought, "This is cool, but I wish it was a terrifying cosmic horror story about a small town in Nevada"? No? Well, Al Ewing did. And honestly, it’s probably the best thing to happen to the franchise in a decade.
If you’ve been keeping tabs on DC’s Absolute Universe, you know the vibe is basically "everything you love, but everything went wrong." No Fortress of Solitude for Superman. Batman has no money. And for Green Lantern? There is no Corps. There are no rings.
But you’re here for the specifics. You want to know when you can actually hold this thing.
Mark Your Calendar: Absolute Green Lantern Release Date Details
The Absolute Green Lantern release date for the first issue was April 2, 2025. I know, we’re currently living in 2026, so if you’re looking for the single issues, they’ve been hitting shelves for a while now. But the release schedule for this series is a bit of a moving target depending on how you like to read your comics.
If you’re a trade paperback or hardcover waiter, here is the breakdown of when the big collections drop:
💡 You might also like: Charlize Theron Sweet November: Why This Panned Rom-Com Became a Cult Favorite
- Absolute Green Lantern Vol. 1: Without Fear (Collecting issues #1–6) hit the shelves on December 9, 2025. It's the one you want if you missed the initial hype train.
- Absolute Green Lantern Vol. 2 (Collecting issues #7–12) is officially slated for June 9, 2026.
- The single issue finale, Absolute Green Lantern #12, is arriving March 4, 2026.
Basically, we are right in the thick of the "Absolute Oa" arc as we speak. If you go to your local shop tomorrow, you can probably snag the first volume and catch up before the big finale in March.
Why does this version even exist?
DC launched the Absolute Universe as part of their "All In" initiative. Think of it like the Ultimate Universe over at Marvel, but with more Darkseid DNA. The idea is that this universe was founded on "Absolute" despair rather than hope.
In this world, the Green Lantern isn't a space cop with a badge. It’s an unknown, biblical-scale terror. Al Ewing, the guy who made Immortal Hulk a household name for horror fans, teamed up with artist Jahnoy Lindsay to basically turn the Green Lantern mythos into Under the Dome meets H.P. Lovecraft.
The Evergreen Incident
The story starts in a town called Evergreen. A giant, green, monolithic lantern structure literally falls from the sky and crushes half the town. It creates a dome. No one gets in, no one gets out.
📖 Related: Charlie Charlie Are You Here: Why the Viral Demon Myth Still Creeps Us Out
Then Abin Sur shows up.
In the regular comics, Abin Sur is the noble alien who gives Hal Jordan his ring. In the Absolute Universe? He’s a terrifying, giant entity that "judges" people. If you’ve read the first few issues, you know his version of "judgment" is... well, it’s not great for the people of Evergreen.
Who are the Lanterns this time?
Forget the traditional recruitment process. There’s no "chosen one" speech here. Instead, we get a group of friends who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
- Jo Mullein: She’s the primary lead. She’s the one who actually tries to figure out the "rules" of the green light while everyone else is panicking.
- Hal Jordan: You won't recognize him. He’s a nervous wreck, traumatized by an encounter with the "Black Hand," which in this universe is less of a villain and more of a parasitic cosmic force living inside him. Think Hulk, but with more existential dread.
- John Stewart: He’s there too, rounding out a trio of friends who are basically just trying to survive an alien invasion that the rest of the world can't even see.
It's a weird, slow-burn mystery. It doesn't give you answers right away. Some fans found the first few issues a bit "rough" because Jahnoy Lindsay’s art is very stylized—it’s got this gritty, almost webcomic-like texture that feels miles away from the polished, shiny capes-and-tights look of the main DC line. But man, does it fit the mood.
👉 See also: Cast of Troubled Youth Television Show: Where They Are in 2026
What should you do now?
If you're just jumping in, don't try to hunt down all the back issues individually unless you have a very patient comic shop owner.
- Grab Volume 1: It’s been out since December. It covers the entire first arc and explains the "Evergreen" mystery.
- Pre-order Volume 2: Since the Absolute Green Lantern release date for the second collection is June 9, 2026, you’ll want to get your name on a list now.
- Check out the "Absolute Power" lead-in: If you want to know why the universe is so messed up, go back and look at the 2024 event that started it all.
The coolest part about this run is that it treats the power ring as something truly alien. It’s not a gadget. It’s a force of nature that humans weren't meant to touch. If you like your superheroes with a side of "what the heck is happening to my body," this is the book for you.
Get to your local comic shop. Tell them you want the Ewing/Lindsay run. You’ll thank me when you get to issue #6 and realize what’s actually happening with the "Blackstars." It’s a trip.