DC’s Biggest Green Lantern Change is Perfect (Even If It Does Break With the Comics)

While there is always a spotlight on characters like Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman, there’s also renewed attention on another fantastic DC property, and that’s the cosmic ring-slingers known as the Green Lanterns. Green Lantern is easily one of my favorite parts of DC’s ever-expansive world, which is why I’m always curious when a change is made when adapting stories and characters from the comics. The latest big shakeup, however, is pretty much perfect, even if it does break with the comics canon.

In 2013, the character of Jessica Cruz made her debut in the comics (Green Lantern Vol. 5 #20 specifically), and she’s had one of the most impressive and relatable arcs in the Green Lantern franchise over the course of that time. When Cruz was first introduced, she suffered from agoraphobia and severe anxiety, and fans have watched her navigate and conquer both over the course of the comics. In My Adventures With Green Lantern, Jessica will step into the lead role, but without the agoraphobic aspect of her comics story.

While that’s a big change, the series still retains Jessica’s battle against anxiety and fear and looks to expand that and showcase an entire generation as they learn to overcome those same challenges. It takes a great internal conflict and expands on it to allow so many others to relate, and if the execution of that premise delivers, it could end up being incredibly relevant and the perfect series for the here and now.

Who Is Jessica Cruz, and What Are The Biggest Changes To Her Story In My Adventures With Green Lantern?

To understand how far the character has come, we have to go back to the traumatic event that caused Cruz to become so fearful and anxious in the first place. It’s learned that during a trip with friends, they stumble upon several mobsters who are burying a body, and to make sure that stays a secret, they kill everyone. The only person who survives is Cruz, and as you might imagine, the event is traumatizing, and Cruz has a hard time being outside in public and even locks herself in her room for years.

When Cruz eventually emerges, she doesn’t immediately become a Green Lantern at first. Instead, she was turned into the Crime Syndicate’s “hero” known as Power Ring, as the previous bearer of that mantle died, causing the ring to seek a new owner. The ring took over Cruz and caused her to attack her own hometown, but Batman was able to help Cruz break the ring’s hold and take control. Cruz would keep the ring and learn to master it, but after it was destroyed, she was recruited by the Green Lanterns and given a proper Power Ring.

Cruz has overcome parts of her traumatic history and a powerful alien ring, but that’s just the start of her journey. Cruz goes on to overcome more challenges, including how to get along with her partner Simon Baz, how to wield her Power Ring and become a powerful member of the Green Lantern Corps, and how to navigate life when not on active duty with the Corps.

Cruz even defends an abandoned Lantern Station against a force of Sinestro Corps members all on her own, and without a Power Ring, as they weren’t active due to the destruction of the Central Power Battery. She eventually becomes so adept at not only overcoming fear but causing it that she is recruited by the Sinestro Corps, though she does eventually become a Green Lantern again, and takes a high role in the Green Lantern hierarchy at the behest of her fellow Lanterns.

For My Adventures with Green Lantern, there are already several changes in the mix. We meet this world’s Jessica Cruz in My Adventures with Superman season 3 episode 2, as she is the one in the blue shirt with the S symbol on it that asks Supergirl a question. The shirt shows that she’s already a fan of superheroes and Superman and Supergirl in particular, which is already a change, but it’s also a big change in terms of how we first meet Jessica.

In the comics, she isn’t in the same circles as Superman or Supergirl, and if she is a fan of them, she doesn’t mention it at that point given everything that’s happened. This version of Jessica will be without that crippling fear from the comics; at least it seems that way, but will be dealing with other anxious elements pulled directly from her comic stories.

Given that she’s going to be the main Green Lantern of the series, she is likely going to soar right past any of the Crime Syndicate elements of her comics story, and will probably jump right to being a member of the main Green Lantern Corps. Plus, it remains to be seen if Simon Baz will be in the mix of the show, but their partnership that informed much of Cruz’s early career as a Lantern is also likely not going to be part of this story, at least in season 1.

My Adventures with Green Lantern is expected either in late 2026 or early 2027.

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All of Earth’s Green Lanterns, Ranked by Power