When it comes to DC's Green Lantern franchise, typically, two characters automatically come to mind. Fans usually think of either the "main" Green Lantern, Hal Jordan or John Stewart, though Guy Gardner is also somewhat infamous in his own way. However, the property's comic books have focused on other heroes, with one series highlighting that even two relative rookies had what it took to be a part of the Green Lantern Corps.

Green Lanterns was one of the two Green Lantern titles released during the DC Rebirth era. It focused on newer characters, Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz. Both were introduced by legendary Green Lantern writer Geoff Johns, setting them up for a bright future. The Rebirth title took this potential and molded them into beloved heroes on the same level as the other human Green Lanterns. Though the series ended after just shy of 60 issues, it cemented that Baz and Cruz had more than earned their rings.

Who are Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz?

First Appearance (Simon Baz): The New 52 Free Comic Book Day Special Edition #1 by Geoff Johns and Doug MahnkeFirst Appearance (Jessica Cruz): Green Lantern #20 by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver

Simon Baz debuted at the beginning of DC's New 52 relaunch, which rebooted the overwhelming majority of established continuity and history for its characters. One notable exception was the Green Lantern mythology, which was left almost entirely unchanged. The Green Lantern series was still written by Geoff Johns and continued his story and continuity from before the New 52, though part of the "Rise of the Third Army" storyline saw the introduction of a new member of the Green Lantern Corps. This was Simon Baz, a Lebanese immigrant who had gone down a dark path after becoming involved with street racing. Due to an accident involving Hal Jordan and Sinestro's power rings, Baz is selected as the new wielder of their fused ring, inducting him into the Green Lantern Corps. Of course, he soon realized how faulty his new ring was, so he notably carried a gun.

Jessica Cruz was introduced in Geoff Johns' Justice League run and was a far more psychologically tortured character. Years before, she was the sole survivor of a camping trip turned homicide that saw all her friends murdered. This traumatized her and made her a vulnerable host of Volthoom, who controlled the ring of the now-dead Power Ring (Green Lantern's equivalent from Earth-3). This turned her into the new Power Ring, though she could face her fears and override Volthoom's commands. Eventually, she faced the Black Racer and tricked him into killing Volthoom instead of her, destroying the ring in the process. Afterward, a true Green Lantern ring descended to where she was, making her a Corps member.

Green Lanterns Put Baz and Cruz In the Spotlight

Green Lanterns was a launch title for the DC Rebirth initiative alongside sister series Hal Jordan & the Green Lantern Corps. DC Rebirth was an attempt to walk back some of the more controversial changes made during the New 52, with the pre-Flashpoint history of several characters restored. As before, however, the Green Lantern mythos continued as normal, with the two newest Lanterns put together in their own book. Their mutual adventures begin during an encounter with a Manhunter robot. However, this was soon revealed to have been a test devised by veteran hero Hal Jordan. Feeling they weren't quite ready, he fused their power batteries into one, forcing them to work as a team to operate as Earth's Green Lanterns.

Jessica Cruz got the most development of the two and was arguably the series' star. Green Lanterns did a lot to have her come to terms with her past trauma and move past the issues that had defined her. One notable story was "A Day In the Life," where Jessica and Simon investigated the murders of Jess's friends in Portland, which had been the inciting incident that gave her extreme anxiety and survivor's guilt. Jessica Cruz is one of the best representations of a superhero with trauma and anxiety, not to mention a great example of someone facing their fears. Boldly exclaiming her status as a Green Lantern, she defied fear and stood against the darkness that had for so long ruled her life.

Later stories in the series expanded the focus beyond Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz while still keeping them as the main characters. The duo went to outer space and had more official training among the rest of the Green Lantern Corps, which was necessary given that Jess had never received this after gaining her ring. This allowed them to bounce off more familiar Green Lanterns such as John Stewart and especially the rambunctious Guy Gardner, the latter of whom continually rubbed Jessica the wrong way. As a result, she soon socked Gardner in the face after his barrage of verbal abuse. Their continued interaction sees Cruz earn Guy's respect, showcasing the various layers of each human Green Lantern and how they're all heroes.

Needless to say, Green Lanterns is the perfect starting place for those unfamiliar with either Simon Baz or Jessica Cruz to learn more about the characters. It starts them off in a foundational space so that every reader has the same familiarity. By the end of the series, both characters were in very different places and had faced some of their biggest demons. It's also worth noting that the series kept Simon and Jessica as platonic partners and colleagues, even if there were times when they both considered the possibility of romantic feelings. This maintained the series' status as a true "buddy cop" adventure without falling into tropes. Thus, it's perhaps one of the best starting points for comic book readers who don't know these two characters and those who've yet to explore the Green Lantern mythos as a whole.

Where are Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz Now?

Green Lanterns was a chance to spotlight and focus on two Green Lantern Corps members besides the usual suspects, and it more than succeeded in that regard. It especially brought many fans over to the side of Simon Baz, as his debut during the New 52 and tendency to wield a gun was met with some skepticism by readers. Unfortunately, this was the last time the duo had a major push together, with later books not building upon their development. Likewise, it's now a rarity for fans to be able to read about Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz at all. With the scant exception of brief appearances in events such as Dark Crisis, the best heroes of DC Rebirth are missing in action.

More recently, the Green Lantern books have mostly returned to a status quo by focusing mostly on Hal Jordan and John Stewart. Sadly, this has been somewhat to the detriment of other Lanterns, including Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz. Simon Baz was featured a good bit in Geoffrey Thorne's Green Lantern run, but the main focus was on Hal and, to some extent, Jo Mullein (another recent human Green Lantern who debuted in the series Far Sector). It was established that Baz was a sort of "speaker" for dead Green Lanterns, though this hasn't helped to put him back in a place of prominence. Jessica Cruz was shown in a storyline during DC's Future State where she became a Yellow Lantern, which was definitely a far cry from her fear-stricken origins. It's unknown if these two will ever be mainstream DC heroes again, but while it lasted, Green Lanterns made Baz and Cruz into two of DC's best characters.