Green Lantern: The Animated Series

Did You Know?

• The series was cancelled after one season due to poor toy sales after the negative reception and poor box office performance of the live-action film.
• A special screening of the first episode was shown at New York Comic Con 2011 on October 15.

Plot

The story centers on Hal Jordan, a Green Lantern from Sector 2814, and his fellow Lantern Kilowog. Hal steals a spaceship operated by an artificial intelligence named Aya and heads with Kilowog to Frontier Space, a region beyond the Guardians of the Universe’s control where Red Lanterns are killing Green Lanterns. The Red Lantern leader Atrocitus wants revenge because the Guardians created the Manhunters, which destroyed his world, and then deactivated them. The group captures a Red Lantern named Razer, but later accepts him as an ally after he helps them defeat Atrocitus. Razer develops feelings for Aya, but after Atrocitus is beaten and Razer rejects her, Aya decides to wipe out all life. Hal learns that Aya is actually a living being, not just a machine, and tries to stop her. Razer is badly hurt when he attacks Aya and she fires a laser in self-defense. Hal persuades Aya that her plan is wrong, so she saves the universe and heals Razer, but in her fury she rebuilds the Manhunter army and copies her consciousness into every unit. Aya then releases a computer virus that destroys all Manhunters, including herself. Razer refuses to accept her death, believing a living being cannot be killed by a virus, and begins searching the galaxy for her. A Blue Lantern ring starts following Razer, but whether he accepts it remains unclear.

Characters

Hal Jordan (voiced by Josh Keaton) is the main protagonist, the first human Green Lantern, known for his fearlessness and skill but also for disobeying orders. His superiors see him as a loose cannon but overlook his transgressions due to his accomplishments. In the second half of Season 1, he is replaced by Guy Gardner as Earth's Green Lantern but is promoted to Honor Guard Corps after defeating the Red Lanterns. Kilowog (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson) is a veteran Green Lantern and close friend of Hal, in charge of training new recruits. He accompanies Hal to Frontier Space, is a member of the Honor Guard, and is less willing to abandon Corps rules but remains completely loyal to Hal. Razer (voiced by Jason Spisak) is a reformed Red Lantern original to the series. He was a follower of Atrocitus but turned against the Red Lanterns after they forced him to activate a bomb that destroyed a colony planet. Guilt-ridden, he sought out Hal to provoke him into killing him, but Hal took him prisoner. After proving himself and learning Kilowog saved most colonists, Razer joins the team, fueling his ring with rage toward Atrocitus. He falls in love with Aya, who based her appearance on his dead wife Ilana. He confesses his love but later takes it back, saying he only felt love because she looked like Ilana, though the truthfulness is unclear. At the end of the series, Razer refuses to believe Aya is gone and vows to search the galaxy for her. A Blue Lantern ring appears and flies after him, implying he may become a Blue Lantern.

Development

The show was initially conceived as a "Bruce Timm-does-CG-project." Phil Kent, chairman and CEO of Time Warner's Turner Networks unit, announced it as part of Cartoon Network's original programming. A preview featuring test footage, character and story descriptions, and artwork was shown at the 2010 New York Comic Con. Bruce Timm, producer of the DC Animated Universe, was attached as producer and was initially reluctant to use CGI but eventually agreed. A total of 26 episodes were ordered for the first season; by New York Comic Con, thirteen had been planned and five recorded. The series was not intended as an origin story because Warner Bros. had already released a film based on the character's origin. It is Timm's first television series and the first Green Lantern series rendered in CGI. Sinestro was originally not allowed to be used, but this restriction was overturned in 2013 and he appeared. Producers stated that if the series was a hit, other Lanterns like Guy Gardner, John Stewart, and Kyle Rayner might be introduced.

Other media

A series of 15 numbered comic issues was published between 2011 and 2013. The debut comic, Green Lantern: The Animated Series #0, was released on November 30, 2011, written by Art Baltazar with art by Dario Brizuela. It received mixed to positive reviews and had a high sales debut of approximately 13,500 copies. A story from one issue was included in the DC Nation 2012 Free Comic Book Day comic. Original characters Razer and Aya were integrated into the mainstream DC Universe, similar to characters from the DC Animated Universe. The series was released on DVD in two volumes by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment: Volume 1 on August 28, 2012, and Volume 2 on June 25, 2013. A complete Blu-ray set was released on March 14, 2014, from Warner Archive. La-La Land Records released the soundtrack on July 31, 2012, and a second volume on July 2, 2013. A variation of Aya appears in the Justice League Action episode "Barehanded," voiced again by Grey DeLisle, as Space Cabbie's navigational computer. Razer appears in the Young Justice episode "Encounter Upon the Razor's Edge!" as a hybrid Red/Blue Lantern continuing his search for Aya; Young Justice producer Greg Weisman stated the series is canon "adjacent" to Young Justice. Aya and Razer as a Blue Lantern appear in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, with Aya voiced by Jennifer Hale and Razer by Jason Spisak. DC Direct released two limited edition maquettes in spring 2012: Hal Jordan (sculpted by Paul Harding, March 7) and Atrocitus (sculpted by Dave Cortez, May 23). Mattel planned action figures for 2011 but none were produced.