Sinestro Corps War
Encyclopedia
"Sinestro Corps War" is an American comic book
crossover
event published by DC Comics
in its Green Lantern
and Green Lantern Corps
titles. Written by Geoff Johns
and Dave Gibbons
and drawn by Ivan Reis
, Patrick Gleason
, and Ethan Van Sciver
, the 11-part saga was originally published between June and December 2007
. In addition to the main storyline, four supplemental "Tales of the Sinestro Corps" one-shot specials and a Blue Beetle
tie-in issue were concurrently released.
The story centers around the Green Lanterns of Earth—Hal Jordan
, Kyle Rayner
, John Stewart
and Guy Gardner
—and the rest of the Green Lantern Corps as they fight an interstellar war against the Sinestro Corps
, an army led by the former Green Lantern Sinestro
who are armed with yellow power rings and seek a universe ruled through fear. A 1986 Alan Moore
"Tales of the Green Lantern Corps" story was the thematic basis of the storyline. Many characters were changed, killed off or re-introduced as a result of the event.
Critical and fan reception to "Sinestro Corps War" was highly positive. Many reviewers ranked it among the top comic books of the year and the storyline's first issue garnered a 2008 Eisner Award
nomination for Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team. The storyline was also a financial success, and several issues underwent multiple printings. "Sinestro Corps War" is the second part of a trilogy in the Green Lantern storyline, preceded by the 2005 miniseries Green Lantern: Rebirth
. The conclusion of "Sinestro Corps War" sets up the third and final part of the trilogy, Blackest Night, which was published in 2009.
Following his defeat in Green Lantern: Rebirth
, the events of Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1 see the supervillain Sinestro
retreat to the planet Qward
in the Antimatter Universe. There he amasses an army, the Sinestro Corps, that he selects based upon their ability to "instill great fear". Each member is armed with a yellow power ring, mirroring the green ones of the Green Lantern Corps
. Amongst Sinestro's allies are Parallax
and the resurrected Anti-Monitor
. The Sinestro Corps
then launch an all-out assault against the Green Lantern Corps and the universe itself.
During the assault on Oa, the Sinestro Corps manages to inflict heavy casualties and free Superman-Prime and the Cyborg Superman
from their imprisonment. Kyle Rayner
is captured and transported to Qward, where Sinestro manages to separate Rayner from the symbiote Ion
allowing Parallax to possess him. In Green Lantern (vol. 4) #21 the heroes Hal Jordan
, John Stewart
and Guy Gardner
attempt to rescue fallen comrade Kyle Rayner, but are themselves entrapped, with Jordan transported to face Sinestro and his allies. A failed bid to rescue Jordan depicted in Green Lantern (vol. 4) #22 sees surviving members of the Green Lantern Corps forced underground and split into two groups. While one group attempts to free Jordan only to find themselves ambushed, the other successfully rescues Ion. They then re-unite with their ambushed comrades and together they escape from Qward back to the positive matter universe. Hal, John and Guy return to Earth to warn the Justice League of the Anti-Monitor’s return.
As the Sinestro Corps spreads out to ambush Green Lanterns across the universe, Green Lantern (vol. 4) #23 sees the Guardians
decide to rewrite their sacred text, the Book of Oa. They remove a section devoted to a prophecy concerning the “Blackest Night”, against the objections of two of their number, Ganthet
and Sayd
. They then add ten new laws, the first of which authorizes the use of lethal force against the Sinestro Corps, while Ganthet and Sayd are expelled from Oa. As the Green Lanterns gather on Oa in preparation for a Sinestro Corps assault, the Sinestro Corps teleport themselves and their Central Power Battery instead to a new Warworld
, their objective revealed to be Earth. Events in Green Lantern Corps (vol. 2) #16 show Hal informing the Green Lantern Corps of Sinestro's plans.
Green Lantern (vol. 4) #24 continues the story, with Green Lanterns and Sinestro Corps members battling across Earth. Hal manages to free Kyle from Parallax before the entity is imprisoned in their power batteries by Ganthet and Sayd. After John and Guy arrive, the former Guardians reveal to them the prophecy of the “Blackest Night”, seen in Green Lantern (vol. 4) #25. It foretells of five more Corps arising, each based on a different color and emotion. After the five corps are established, a "War of Light" will ensue, in which all the corps are destroyed, leading to the “Blackest Night”.
The Guardians arrive on Earth and appoint Sodam Yat to be the new Ion. After a lengthy struggle in New York
, the Sinestro Corps are defeated by the overwhelming numbers against them. One of the Guardians sacrifices himself to send Superman-Prime to an alternate universe and another
suffers a major wound at the hands of the Anti-Monitor, while Hal and Kyle subdue and arrest Sinestro in Coast City. In the aftermath of the battle, seen in Green Lantern (vol. 4) #25, the Guardians decide to bring the second of the new laws into effect. After realizing that the "Blackest Night" prophecy will come to pass, Ganthet and Sayd depart after creating a blue power ring with the intention of creating their own Corps, based on the spreading of Hope
to the rest of the universe. The Anti-Monitor, having been blown across the vacuum of space at the battle's climax, finds itself on a dark planet. Here it is transformed by an unknown force
into a Black Power Battery.
"Sinestro Corps War" was based on concepts introduced by Alan Moore
and Kevin O'Neill
in the short story "Tygers", published in Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Annual #2 (1986). Writers Geoff Johns
and Dave Gibbons
incorporated several ideas from Moore's stories into "Sinestro Corps War", including the prophecy of the Blackest Night, Sodam Yat
, Ranx the Sentient City
and the Children of the White Lobe. Leezle Pon, a minor character only mentioned once in Moore's "Mogo Doesn't Socialize" story from 25 years previous, also makes an appearance in Green Lantern #25.
Work began on "Sinestro Corps War" in September 2006. The structure was fluid, at one point becoming a few issues with two bookends to just one gigantic issue. The title was originally just "Sinestro Corps", but during development the creators added the word "War". Eventually the structure finalized into a one-shot special for release in June, after which the story would alternate between Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps until November. After the crossover's initial publishing successes, DC added four Tales of the Sinestro Corps one-shots to the publishing schedule.
Johns and Ethan Van Sciver first announced the crossover during the DC "Big Guns" panel at the 2006 Fan Expo Canada
, with Johns calling it "the next level of Rebirth
". By January 2007, Johns, Gibbons and editor Peter Tomasi
had planned out most of the storyline. Sterling Gates, whom Johns had met at a convention, was brought in to write a backup story for the Superman-Prime one-shot and co-write Green Lantern/Sinestro Corps Secret Files #1.
The creators called "Sinestro Corps War" "World War II
with the entire universe". In a September 2007 interview, Johns compared "Sinestro Corps War" to the Star Wars
trilogy, with Green Lantern: Rebirth
as A New Hope
and "Sinestro Corps War" as The Empire Strikes Back
. References to other science fiction stories were made by artist Ivan Reis, who inserted characters such as E.T.
, ALF
and a Predator
into large two-page illustrations. The writers also included the sound "EPA" in Green Lantern #25 as a direct reference to a scene in The Simpsons Movie
where Comic Book Guy
uses the sound while talking about a fight between Green Lantern
and Sinestro
.
There was much internal discussion at DC about how the storyline would be collected. Eventually DC decided to release two hardcover volumes (a February 2008 release containing the first five parts of the story and a June 2008 release containing the last six issues) and a June 2008 hardcover collecting the tie-in issues and backstories. This follows DC Comics' recent trend of releasing durable hardcover collections initially, followed later by softcovers.
in full after allusions to them throughout the post-One Year Later
Green Lantern title. Sinestro
received a major thematic overhaul as a result of his leadership of his eponymous Corps, with parallels drawn with Adolf Hitler
and Nazi Germany
. Green Lantern villains Superboy-Prime (later Superman-Prime), Cyborg Superman and the Manhunters became members of the Sinestro Corps. The Anti-Monitor also made his first reappearance since his death at the conclusion of Crisis on Infinite Earths
in 1985 as the "Guardian" of the Sinestro Corps and later the power source of the Black Lanterns. Superboy-Prime was renamed Superman-Prime during the event. Ostensibly to illustrate his coming of age in the story, Geoff Johns mentioned the ongoing legal dispute over the Superboy name as another reason for the character's new name.
Some changes were also made to the heroes during the course of the storyline. The role of Ion
passed from Kyle Rayner
to Sodam Yat
, making Yat the "strongest Green Lantern in the universe" as a result according to Johns. The Book of Oa was rewritten by the Guardians to institute 10 new laws for the Green Lantern Corps, the first of which authorized lethal force against the Sinestro Corps. The rebirth of Coast City
, the process of which had been seen throughout Geoff Johns' run on Green Lantern, as "the City Without Fear" was used to symbolically represent Hal Jordan's journey towards acceptance after his resurrection. The second volume of the story's collection revealed that the original plan was for both John Stewart and Guy Gardner to be possessed by Parallax, with artwork of them facing off against Hal Jordan. However, in the midst of the story planning, Johns realized this would make Parallax's possession of Kyle less effective and the segment was dropped and redrawn.
Green Lantern #25 expanded on the "emotional spectrum" concept and introduced five new color-based corps of similar structure to the Green Lanterns and the Sinestro Corps. These corps each draw from different emotions, corresponding with the seven colors of the rainbow
(red for hate, orange for avarice, yellow for fear, green for willpower, blue for hope, indigo for compassion and violet for love). Ganthet
and Sayd, two Guardians of the Universe
who were exiled during the course of the war, were shown as developing the corps that corresponds to the color blue and the emotion hope, while the Anti-Monitor becomes the power source for an eighth color-based corps, the "Black Lanterns", who represent death and the "absence of human drives and emotions". The issue also laid the foundations for the 2009 event Blackest Night, something the creators had been working towards since early 2007.
Critical reception to "Sinestro Corps War" was highly positive. IGN
.com called the story a "smash hit" and Newsarama
referred to it as both an "action-packed DC adventure" and "DC's blockbuster event of the year". Comic Book Resources
released an editorial in mid-October 2007 entitled "Sinestro Corps War is what World War Hulk
SHOULD be", citing the former's ability to keep up and gain momentum throughout despite being both twice as large and far less publicized than the latter. Comic Book Resources placed "Sinestro Corps War" on its "Best of 2007" list, and named Geoff Johns one of its "Best Writers of 2007". In 2008, Ethan Van Sciver earned an Eisner Award
nomination for his art in Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1.
DC Comics Executive Editor Dan DiDio
praised the storyline as "the best thing that[DC Comics] put out this year. Without a doubt", and called "Sinestro Corps War" the model for crossovers in 2008 and beyond, including "Final Crisis
". Didio has also stated that he would like to see a direct-to-video animated "Sinestro Corps War" film similar to Justice League: The New Frontier. Geoff Johns suggested elements of "Sinestro Corps War" will appear in DC Universe Online
, on which he is collaborating with artist Jim Lee
.
, but was later collected in a single volume. Miscellaneous stories were collected in an additional volume:
American comic book
An American comic book is a small magazine originating in the United States and containing a narrative in the form of comics. Since 1975 the dimensions have standardized at 6 5/8" x 10 ¼" , down from 6 ¾" x 10 ¼" in the Silver Age, although larger formats appeared in the past...
crossover
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
event published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
in its Green Lantern
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
and Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps
The Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic military/police force appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residing on the planet Oa...
titles. Written by Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
and Dave Gibbons
Dave Gibbons
Dave Gibbons is an English comic book artist, writer and sometime letterer. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries Watchmen and the Superman story "For the Man Who Has Everything"...
and drawn by Ivan Reis
Ivan Reis
Ivan Reis , born 1976 in São Paulo, is a Brazilian comic book artist. He is known for his work on books such as Marvel Comics' Captain Marvel, and DC Comics' Green Lantern books...
, Patrick Gleason
Patrick Gleason (artist)
Patrick Gleason is a comic book artist. He has worked for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Image Comics.- DC :*Green Lantern Corps: Recharge*Green Lantern Corps*Aquaman*JLA: Welcome to the Working Week*JSA*H-E-R-O*Robin...
, and Ethan Van Sciver
Ethan Van Sciver
Ethan Daniel Van Sciver is an American comic book artist, best known for illustrating a number of titles including Green Lantern, Superman/Batman, New X-Men, and The Flash: Rebirth...
, the 11-part saga was originally published between June and December 2007
2007 in comics
-January:*January 10: Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predator released.*January 24: The Boys is canceled with issue #6.-February:*February 2: Newsarama reports that The Boys has been picked up by Dynamite Entertainment....
. In addition to the main storyline, four supplemental "Tales of the Sinestro Corps" one-shot specials and a Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle is the name of three fictional superheroes that appear in American comic books published by a variety of companies since 1939.-Publication history:...
tie-in issue were concurrently released.
The story centers around the Green Lanterns of Earth—Hal Jordan
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker...
, Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually in those starring the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of which Rayner is a member. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks, Rayner first appeared in Green Lantern vol...
, John Stewart
John Stewart (comics)
John Stewart is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 2, #87 , and was created by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams.-Publication history:...
and Guy Gardner
Guy Gardner (comics)
Guy Gardner is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He is a core member of the Green Lantern family of characters, and for a time was also a significant member of the Justice League family of characters.He was created by John Broome and Gil Kane in Green Lantern...
—and the rest of the Green Lantern Corps as they fight an interstellar war against the Sinestro Corps
Sinestro Corps
The Sinestro Corps is a group of fictional characters, a villainous analogue to the Green Lantern Corps in the DC Universe. It is led by the supervillain Thaal Sinestro.-Before the Corps:...
, an army led by the former Green Lantern Sinestro
Sinestro
Thaal Sinestro is a fictional character, an alien supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. Created by John Broome and Gil Kane, Sinestro is the former mentor of Hal Jordan and the arch-nemesis of the entire Green Lantern Corps. Sinestro first appears in Green Lantern #7 . In 2009, Sinestro was...
who are armed with yellow power rings and seek a universe ruled through fear. A 1986 Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
"Tales of the Green Lantern Corps" story was the thematic basis of the storyline. Many characters were changed, killed off or re-introduced as a result of the event.
Critical and fan reception to "Sinestro Corps War" was highly positive. Many reviewers ranked it among the top comic books of the year and the storyline's first issue garnered a 2008 Eisner Award
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
nomination for Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team. The storyline was also a financial success, and several issues underwent multiple printings. "Sinestro Corps War" is the second part of a trilogy in the Green Lantern storyline, preceded by the 2005 miniseries Green Lantern: Rebirth
Green Lantern: Rebirth
Green Lantern: Rebirth was a six-issue monthly American comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver...
. The conclusion of "Sinestro Corps War" sets up the third and final part of the trilogy, Blackest Night, which was published in 2009.
Plot
Green Lantern: Rebirth
Green Lantern: Rebirth was a six-issue monthly American comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver...
, the events of Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1 see the supervillain Sinestro
Sinestro
Thaal Sinestro is a fictional character, an alien supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. Created by John Broome and Gil Kane, Sinestro is the former mentor of Hal Jordan and the arch-nemesis of the entire Green Lantern Corps. Sinestro first appears in Green Lantern #7 . In 2009, Sinestro was...
retreat to the planet Qward
Qward
Qward is a fictional world existing within an antimatter universe that is part of the . It was first mentioned in Green Lantern # 2 .-Fictional history:...
in the Antimatter Universe. There he amasses an army, the Sinestro Corps, that he selects based upon their ability to "instill great fear". Each member is armed with a yellow power ring, mirroring the green ones of the Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps
The Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic military/police force appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residing on the planet Oa...
. Amongst Sinestro's allies are Parallax
Parallax (comics)
Parallax is a fictional comic book supervillain in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks for Green Lantern vol...
and the resurrected Anti-Monitor
Anti-Monitor
The Anti-Monitor is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain and the antagonist of the 1985 DC Comics miniseries Crisis on Infinite Earths. He first appeared in Crisis on Infinite Earths #2 , and was destroyed in Crisis on Infinite Earths #12, only to return after a long absence in Green...
. The Sinestro Corps
Sinestro Corps
The Sinestro Corps is a group of fictional characters, a villainous analogue to the Green Lantern Corps in the DC Universe. It is led by the supervillain Thaal Sinestro.-Before the Corps:...
then launch an all-out assault against the Green Lantern Corps and the universe itself.
During the assault on Oa, the Sinestro Corps manages to inflict heavy casualties and free Superman-Prime and the Cyborg Superman
Hank Henshaw
Hank Henshaw is a fictional supervillain featured in the DC Comics universe. While originally featured primarily as an enemy of Superman, recent years have repositioned him as one of the main enemies of the Green Lantern Corps...
from their imprisonment. Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually in those starring the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of which Rayner is a member. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks, Rayner first appeared in Green Lantern vol...
is captured and transported to Qward, where Sinestro manages to separate Rayner from the symbiote Ion
Ion (comics)
Ion is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero. Created by writer Judd Winick and artist Dale Eaglesham for Green Lantern vol. 3 #142, Ion was devised as the new superhero identity for Green Lantern protagonist Kyle Rayner. It was later revealed to be able to form mutualism with a host,...
allowing Parallax to possess him. In Green Lantern (vol. 4) #21 the heroes Hal Jordan
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker...
, John Stewart
John Stewart (comics)
John Stewart is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 2, #87 , and was created by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams.-Publication history:...
and Guy Gardner
Guy Gardner (comics)
Guy Gardner is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He is a core member of the Green Lantern family of characters, and for a time was also a significant member of the Justice League family of characters.He was created by John Broome and Gil Kane in Green Lantern...
attempt to rescue fallen comrade Kyle Rayner, but are themselves entrapped, with Jordan transported to face Sinestro and his allies. A failed bid to rescue Jordan depicted in Green Lantern (vol. 4) #22 sees surviving members of the Green Lantern Corps forced underground and split into two groups. While one group attempts to free Jordan only to find themselves ambushed, the other successfully rescues Ion. They then re-unite with their ambushed comrades and together they escape from Qward back to the positive matter universe. Hal, John and Guy return to Earth to warn the Justice League of the Anti-Monitor’s return.
As the Sinestro Corps spreads out to ambush Green Lanterns across the universe, Green Lantern (vol. 4) #23 sees the Guardians
Guardians of the Universe
The Guardians of the Universe, alternatively known as the Guardians or Oans are a fictional extraterrestrial race in the DC Comics universe. They first appeared in Green Lantern Vol. 2 #1 , and were created by John Broome and Gil Kane. Here they do not reveal their existence to Hal, bringing his...
decide to rewrite their sacred text, the Book of Oa. They remove a section devoted to a prophecy concerning the “Blackest Night”, against the objections of two of their number, Ganthet
Ganthet
Ganthet is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in the 1992 graphic novel Green Lantern: Ganthet's Tale , by Larry Niven and John Byrne.- Background :Ganthet is one of the Guardians of the Universe...
and Sayd
Sayd
Sayd is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. She is now an exiled member of the Guardians of the Universe. Where most of the Guardians are void of emotion and rigid in their compliance to standard policy, Sayd's sensibilities are more in line with those of Ganthet, a Guardian known for...
. They then add ten new laws, the first of which authorizes the use of lethal force against the Sinestro Corps, while Ganthet and Sayd are expelled from Oa. As the Green Lanterns gather on Oa in preparation for a Sinestro Corps assault, the Sinestro Corps teleport themselves and their Central Power Battery instead to a new Warworld
Warworld
Warworld is a fictional artificial planet published in several stories by DC Comics, most of which feature Superman. It first appeared in DC Comics Presents #27 , and was created by Len Wein and Jim Starlin.-History:...
, their objective revealed to be Earth. Events in Green Lantern Corps (vol. 2) #16 show Hal informing the Green Lantern Corps of Sinestro's plans.
Green Lantern (vol. 4) #24 continues the story, with Green Lanterns and Sinestro Corps members battling across Earth. Hal manages to free Kyle from Parallax before the entity is imprisoned in their power batteries by Ganthet and Sayd. After John and Guy arrive, the former Guardians reveal to them the prophecy of the “Blackest Night”, seen in Green Lantern (vol. 4) #25. It foretells of five more Corps arising, each based on a different color and emotion. After the five corps are established, a "War of Light" will ensue, in which all the corps are destroyed, leading to the “Blackest Night”.
The Guardians arrive on Earth and appoint Sodam Yat to be the new Ion. After a lengthy struggle in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, the Sinestro Corps are defeated by the overwhelming numbers against them. One of the Guardians sacrifices himself to send Superman-Prime to an alternate universe and another
Scar (comics)
Scar is a supervillain in the . She first appeared as an unnamed Guardian of the Universe in Green Lantern #25, and was first named in the February 2009 Origins and Omens backup stories.-Background:...
suffers a major wound at the hands of the Anti-Monitor, while Hal and Kyle subdue and arrest Sinestro in Coast City. In the aftermath of the battle, seen in Green Lantern (vol. 4) #25, the Guardians decide to bring the second of the new laws into effect. After realizing that the "Blackest Night" prophecy will come to pass, Ganthet and Sayd depart after creating a blue power ring with the intention of creating their own Corps, based on the spreading of Hope
Hope
Hope is the emotional state which promotes the belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one's life. It is the "feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best" or the act of "look[ing] forward to with desire and reasonable confidence" or...
to the rest of the universe. The Anti-Monitor, having been blown across the vacuum of space at the battle's climax, finds itself on a dark planet. Here it is transformed by an unknown force
Nekron
Nekron is a comic book supervillain appearing in books published by DC Comics, specifically those related to Green Lantern. Created by Mike W. Barr, Len Wein and Joe Staton, the character, who exists as an embodiment of Death, first appeared in Tales of the Green Lantern Corps #2...
into a Black Power Battery.
Origins
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
and Kevin O'Neill
Kevin O'Neill (comics)
Kevin O'Neill is an English comic book illustrator best known as the co-creator of Nemesis the Warlock, Marshal Law , and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen .-Early career:...
in the short story "Tygers", published in Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Annual #2 (1986). Writers Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
and Dave Gibbons
Dave Gibbons
Dave Gibbons is an English comic book artist, writer and sometime letterer. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries Watchmen and the Superman story "For the Man Who Has Everything"...
incorporated several ideas from Moore's stories into "Sinestro Corps War", including the prophecy of the Blackest Night, Sodam Yat
Sodam Yat
Sodam Yat is a fictional character, an extraterrestrial superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Annual #2 , and was created by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill...
, Ranx the Sentient City
Ranx the Sentient City
Ranx the Sentient City is a fictional character, a supervillain in the DC Comics universe. It first appeared in the short story "Tygers", written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Kevin O'Neill, in Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Annual #2 ....
and the Children of the White Lobe. Leezle Pon, a minor character only mentioned once in Moore's "Mogo Doesn't Socialize" story from 25 years previous, also makes an appearance in Green Lantern #25.
Work began on "Sinestro Corps War" in September 2006. The structure was fluid, at one point becoming a few issues with two bookends to just one gigantic issue. The title was originally just "Sinestro Corps", but during development the creators added the word "War". Eventually the structure finalized into a one-shot special for release in June, after which the story would alternate between Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps until November. After the crossover's initial publishing successes, DC added four Tales of the Sinestro Corps one-shots to the publishing schedule.
Johns and Ethan Van Sciver first announced the crossover during the DC "Big Guns" panel at the 2006 Fan Expo Canada
Fan Expo Canada
Toronto, Canada's Fan Expo Canada is an annual multigenre fan convention. It was founded as the Canadian National Comic Book Expo in 1994 by Hobby Star Marketing Inc...
, with Johns calling it "the next level of Rebirth
Green Lantern: Rebirth
Green Lantern: Rebirth was a six-issue monthly American comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver...
". By January 2007, Johns, Gibbons and editor Peter Tomasi
Peter Tomasi
Peter J. Tomasi is an American comic book editor and writer, best known for his work for DC Comics. As an editor, he oversaw numerous books featuring the Justice League, including books starring various members of that team, such as Batman, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern and the Flash...
had planned out most of the storyline. Sterling Gates, whom Johns had met at a convention, was brought in to write a backup story for the Superman-Prime one-shot and co-write Green Lantern/Sinestro Corps Secret Files #1.
The creators called "Sinestro Corps War" "World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with the entire universe". In a September 2007 interview, Johns compared "Sinestro Corps War" to the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
trilogy, with Green Lantern: Rebirth
Green Lantern: Rebirth
Green Lantern: Rebirth was a six-issue monthly American comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver...
as A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released as Star Wars, is a 1977 American epic space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films complete the original trilogy, while a prequel trilogy completes the...
and "Sinestro Corps War" as The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan...
. References to other science fiction stories were made by artist Ivan Reis, who inserted characters such as E.T.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 American science fiction film co-produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Melissa Mathison and starring Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, and Peter Coyote...
, ALF
ALF (TV series)
ALF is an American science fiction sitcom that originally aired on NBC from 1986 to 1990, created by Paul Fusco. The title character was Gordon Shumway, a friendly extraterrestrial nicknamed ALF , who crash lands in the garage of the suburban middle-class Tanner family.The series starred Max...
and a Predator
Predator (alien)
The Predator is a fictional extraterrestrial species featured in the Predator science-fiction franchise, characterised by its trophy hunting of other dangerous species for sport, including humans and its fictional counterparts, Aliens....
into large two-page illustrations. The writers also included the sound "EPA" in Green Lantern #25 as a direct reference to a scene in The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
where Comic Book Guy
Comic Book Guy
Comic Book Guy is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Hank Azaria, and first appeared in the second-season episode "Three Men and a Comic Book", which originally aired on May 9, 1991. He is the proprietor of a comic book store, The...
uses the sound while talking about a fight between Green Lantern
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker...
and Sinestro
Sinestro
Thaal Sinestro is a fictional character, an alien supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. Created by John Broome and Gil Kane, Sinestro is the former mentor of Hal Jordan and the arch-nemesis of the entire Green Lantern Corps. Sinestro first appears in Green Lantern #7 . In 2009, Sinestro was...
.
Format
The main story consisted of 11 parts running through the Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps books. Expanding upon the overall story are four one-shots labeled Tales of the Sinestro Corps, as well as one tie-in with Blue Beetle #20. Part One, the one-shot Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1, was released in June 2007. Parts Two through Ten were released between August and December, alternating between Green Lantern #21–25 and Green Lantern Corps #14–18, with an epilogue in Green Lantern #26. The content of Green Lantern Corps #19 was changed to illustrate the battle between Sodam Yat and Superman-Prime in response to the fans' reaction to the story. Geoff Johns announced in October 2007 that the conclusion Green Lantern #25 would be delayed two weeks. After the storyline concluded, Green Lantern/Sinestro Corps Secret Files #1 was released in December. The issue further explored the back story of the opposing groups and listed every member of the Green Lantern Corps and Sinestro Corps.Tales of the Sinestro Corps
In addition to the main story, DC released four Tales of the Sinestro Corps one-shots in September, October and November 2007. The issues were late additions to the crossover that DC added after the initial successes of "Sinestro Corps War". A hardcover collection of the four issues was released in June 2008. The Tales of the Sinestro Corps one-shots focused on:- ParallaxParallax (comics)Parallax is a fictional comic book supervillain in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks for Green Lantern vol...
, written by Ron MarzRon MarzRon Marz is an American comic book writer, known for his work on titles such as Silver Surfer, Green Lantern, Marvel vs DC, Batman/Aliens and Witchblade.-Career:...
and illustrated by Adriana MeloAdriana MeloAdriana Melo is a Brazilian comic book artist and penciller who has worked on various Star Wars titles, mostly in the Star Wars: Empire series. She has also worked on DC Comics' Rose & Thorn and Birds of Prey as well as Top Cow's Witchblade and Marvel Comics's Ms. Marvel.-External links:...
and Marlo Alquiza. - Cyborg SupermanHank HenshawHank Henshaw is a fictional supervillain featured in the DC Comics universe. While originally featured primarily as an enemy of Superman, recent years have repositioned him as one of the main enemies of the Green Lantern Corps...
, written by Alan BurnettAlan BurnettAlan Burnett is a television writer-producer particularly associated with DC Comics and Walt Disney television animation. He has had a hand in virtually every DC animated project since the waning years of the Super Friends, and continues to do so...
and illustrated by Patrick Blaine and Jay Leisten. - Superman-Prime (previously solicited as about the Anti-MonitorAnti-MonitorThe Anti-Monitor is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain and the antagonist of the 1985 DC Comics miniseries Crisis on Infinite Earths. He first appeared in Crisis on Infinite Earths #2 , and was destroyed in Crisis on Infinite Earths #12, only to return after a long absence in Green...
), written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Pete WoodsPete WoodsPeter "Pete" Woods is a comic book artist, illustrator and penciller. He is best known for his work on titles such as Backlash, Deadpool, Robin, Catwoman, Amazons Attack and Action Comics.-Biography:...
. The issue also featured the backup story "Fear is a Baby's Cry" written by Sterling Gates and illustrated by Jerry OrdwayJerry OrdwayJeremiah "Jerry" Ordway is an American writer, penciller, inker and painter of comic books.He is known for his inking work on a wide variety of DC Comics titles, including the continuity-redefining classic Crisis on Infinite Earths , his long run working on the Superman titles from 1986–1993, and...
. - IonIon (comics)Ion is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero. Created by writer Judd Winick and artist Dale Eaglesham for Green Lantern vol. 3 #142, Ion was devised as the new superhero identity for Green Lantern protagonist Kyle Rayner. It was later revealed to be able to form mutualism with a host,...
, written by Ron Marz and illustrated by Michael Lacomb.
Story and character changes
"Sinestro Corps War" introduced the Sinestro CorpsSinestro Corps
The Sinestro Corps is a group of fictional characters, a villainous analogue to the Green Lantern Corps in the DC Universe. It is led by the supervillain Thaal Sinestro.-Before the Corps:...
in full after allusions to them throughout the post-One Year Later
One Year Later
"One Year Later" was a 2006 storyline event running through the DC Universe. As the title suggests, it involves a narrative jump exactly one year into the future of the DC Comics Universe following the events of the Infinite Crisis event, to explore major changes within the continuities of the many...
Green Lantern title. Sinestro
Sinestro
Thaal Sinestro is a fictional character, an alien supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. Created by John Broome and Gil Kane, Sinestro is the former mentor of Hal Jordan and the arch-nemesis of the entire Green Lantern Corps. Sinestro first appears in Green Lantern #7 . In 2009, Sinestro was...
received a major thematic overhaul as a result of his leadership of his eponymous Corps, with parallels drawn with Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. Green Lantern villains Superboy-Prime (later Superman-Prime), Cyborg Superman and the Manhunters became members of the Sinestro Corps. The Anti-Monitor also made his first reappearance since his death at the conclusion of Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
in 1985 as the "Guardian" of the Sinestro Corps and later the power source of the Black Lanterns. Superboy-Prime was renamed Superman-Prime during the event. Ostensibly to illustrate his coming of age in the story, Geoff Johns mentioned the ongoing legal dispute over the Superboy name as another reason for the character's new name.
Some changes were also made to the heroes during the course of the storyline. The role of Ion
Ion (comics)
Ion is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero. Created by writer Judd Winick and artist Dale Eaglesham for Green Lantern vol. 3 #142, Ion was devised as the new superhero identity for Green Lantern protagonist Kyle Rayner. It was later revealed to be able to form mutualism with a host,...
passed from Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually in those starring the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of which Rayner is a member. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks, Rayner first appeared in Green Lantern vol...
to Sodam Yat
Sodam Yat
Sodam Yat is a fictional character, an extraterrestrial superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Annual #2 , and was created by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill...
, making Yat the "strongest Green Lantern in the universe" as a result according to Johns. The Book of Oa was rewritten by the Guardians to institute 10 new laws for the Green Lantern Corps, the first of which authorized lethal force against the Sinestro Corps. The rebirth of Coast City
Coast City
Coast City is a fictional city created by John Broome and Gil Kane that appears in stories published by DC Comics. It is depicted most often as the home of the Silver Age version of the superhero Green Lantern, Hal Jordan.-Fictional history:...
, the process of which had been seen throughout Geoff Johns' run on Green Lantern, as "the City Without Fear" was used to symbolically represent Hal Jordan's journey towards acceptance after his resurrection. The second volume of the story's collection revealed that the original plan was for both John Stewart and Guy Gardner to be possessed by Parallax, with artwork of them facing off against Hal Jordan. However, in the midst of the story planning, Johns realized this would make Parallax's possession of Kyle less effective and the segment was dropped and redrawn.
Green Lantern #25 expanded on the "emotional spectrum" concept and introduced five new color-based corps of similar structure to the Green Lanterns and the Sinestro Corps. These corps each draw from different emotions, corresponding with the seven colors of the rainbow
Rainbow
A rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines on to droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere. It takes the form of a multicoloured arc...
(red for hate, orange for avarice, yellow for fear, green for willpower, blue for hope, indigo for compassion and violet for love). Ganthet
Ganthet
Ganthet is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in the 1992 graphic novel Green Lantern: Ganthet's Tale , by Larry Niven and John Byrne.- Background :Ganthet is one of the Guardians of the Universe...
and Sayd, two Guardians of the Universe
Guardians of the Universe
The Guardians of the Universe, alternatively known as the Guardians or Oans are a fictional extraterrestrial race in the DC Comics universe. They first appeared in Green Lantern Vol. 2 #1 , and were created by John Broome and Gil Kane. Here they do not reveal their existence to Hal, bringing his...
who were exiled during the course of the war, were shown as developing the corps that corresponds to the color blue and the emotion hope, while the Anti-Monitor becomes the power source for an eighth color-based corps, the "Black Lanterns", who represent death and the "absence of human drives and emotions". The issue also laid the foundations for the 2009 event Blackest Night, something the creators had been working towards since early 2007.
Critical and financial reception
Altogether, "Sinestro Corps War" turned Green Lantern into one of DC Comics' most profitable titles. Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1, first released June 2007, sold out in a single day. DC later reprinted the issue four times, each time with new variant covers by Van Sciver. By August, the issue had sold over 89,000 copies, 36% of which was the result of an unusually high number of reorders. The first four parts of the storyline, Green Lantern #21 and 22, and Green Lantern Corps #14 and 15, were released in July and August and also sold out. The issues went to a second printing, with Green Lantern Corps #14 going to a third printing. Green Lantern #23 and Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Parallax #1 later went on to second printings as well. Blue Beetle #20 saw much higher sales than usual for the title as a result of its tie-in to "Sinestro Corps War", with sales 75% higher than in the previous month.Critical reception to "Sinestro Corps War" was highly positive. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
.com called the story a "smash hit" and Newsarama
Newsarama
Newsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews and essays about the American comic book industry.-History:Newsarama began in Summer 1995 as a series of Internet forum postings on the Prodigy comic-book message boards by fan Mike Doran. In these short messages. Doran shared...
referred to it as both an "action-packed DC adventure" and "DC's blockbuster event of the year". Comic Book Resources
Comic Book Resources
Comic Book Resources, also known as CBR is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion.-History:Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1996 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland had created to discuss DC...
released an editorial in mid-October 2007 entitled "Sinestro Corps War is what World War Hulk
World War Hulk
"World War Hulk" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self titled limited series and various other titles published by Marvel Comics in 2007, featuring the Hulk....
SHOULD be", citing the former's ability to keep up and gain momentum throughout despite being both twice as large and far less publicized than the latter. Comic Book Resources placed "Sinestro Corps War" on its "Best of 2007" list, and named Geoff Johns one of its "Best Writers of 2007". In 2008, Ethan Van Sciver earned an Eisner Award
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
nomination for his art in Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1.
DC Comics Executive Editor Dan DiDio
Dan DiDio
Dan DiDio is an American writer, editor and publisher who has worked in the television and comic book industries. He is currently the Co-Publisher of DC Comics, along with Jim Lee...
praised the storyline as "the best thing that
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
". Didio has also stated that he would like to see a direct-to-video animated "Sinestro Corps War" film similar to Justice League: The New Frontier. Geoff Johns suggested elements of "Sinestro Corps War" will appear in DC Universe Online
DC Universe Online
DC Universe Online or DCUO is an MMORPG by Sony Online Entertainment – Austin. Jim Lee serves as the game's Executive Creative Director, along with Carlos D'Anda, JJ Kirby, Oliver Nome, Eddie Nuñez, Livio Ramondelli, and Michael Lopez...
, on which he is collaborating with artist Jim Lee
Jim Lee
Jim Lee is a Korean-American comic book artist, writer, editor and publisher. He first broke into the industry in 1987 as an artist for Marvel Comics, illustrating titles such as Alpha Flight and Punisher War Journal, before gaining a great deal of popularity on The Uncanny X-Men...
.
Collected editions
The main story was first collected in two volumesTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
, but was later collected in a single volume. Miscellaneous stories were collected in an additional volume:
- Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War (336 pages, paperback, September 2011, ISBN 1401233015)
- Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War Volume One (collects Green LanternGreen Lantern (comic book)Green Lantern is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics heroes of the same name. The character's first incarnation, Alan Scott, appeared in All-American Comics #16, and was later spun off into the first volume of Green Lantern in 1941. That series was canceled in 1949 after 39 issues...
vol. 4 #21–23, Green Lantern Corps vol. 2 #14–15, and a story from Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1; 176 pages, hardcover, February 2008, ISBN 1401216501; softcover, May 2009, ISBN 1401218709) - Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War Volume Two (collects Green LanternGreen Lantern (comic book)Green Lantern is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics heroes of the same name. The character's first incarnation, Alan Scott, appeared in All-American Comics #16, and was later spun off into the first volume of Green Lantern in 1941. That series was canceled in 1949 after 39 issues...
vol. 4 #24–25 and Green Lantern Corps vol. 2 #16–19, 192 pages, hardcover, July 2008, ISBN 1401218008; paperback, June 2009, ISBN 1401220363)
- Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War Volume One (collects Green Lantern
- Green Lantern: Tales of the Sinestro Corps (collects Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Parallax #1, Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Cyborg-Superman #1, Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Superman-Prime #1, Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Ion #1, Green Lantern/Sinestro Corps Secret Files #1, and stories from Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1 and Green LanternGreen Lantern (comic book)Green Lantern is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics heroes of the same name. The character's first incarnation, Alan Scott, appeared in All-American Comics #16, and was later spun off into the first volume of Green Lantern in 1941. That series was canceled in 1949 after 39 issues...
vol. 4 #18–20; 200 pages, hardcover, July 2008, ISBN 1401218016; paperback, June 2009, ISBN 1401223265)