Warning! Contains spoilers for Green Lantern: War Journal #1!A sinister new ‘corps’ has come to the DC Universe in the form of the Green Lanterns’ new nemeses, Radiant Dead. As the undead army invades John Stewart’s universe, the army is slowly becoming the Emerald Knight’s most powerful enemy.
In Green Lantern: War Journal #1 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Montos, a space station is going through its standard routine when all of a sudden the crew of astronauts is hit by a wave of energy. The Radiant Dead have come from an alternate universe and offer up a sinister, glowing Power Ring to one of the space station’s crew. She takes it and is corrupted by the malevolent, undead forces.
Later, a Green Lantern named Shepherd follows the trail of the Radiant Dead. He tracks their energy to the space station as his ring confirms that the army is still onboard the ship. As Shepherd prepares himself for battle, the astronaut crew, now a corrupted collection of monsters, attack the Green Lantern. They vomit energies at him, turning it into dangerous and frightening constructs such as snakes. As Shepherd fights for his life, his Power Ring reminds him that only John Stewart can help destroy the Radiant Dead.
The Radiant Dead Are like Powerful, Twisted Green Lanterns
The Radiant Dead first appeared as enemies of Green Lantern John Stewart in Dark Crisis: Worlds Without a Justice League – Green Lantern #1. The evil force later appeared in an alternate universe in the backup stories of Green Lantern. The Radiant Dead is a powerful collection of undead beings that can corrupt living beings and forcefully add others to their horrifying army. The Radiant Dead escaped their universe after destroying nearly the entire Green Lantern Corps, causing Lantern Shepherd to head to the Prime DC Universe to stop them.
The Radiant Dead are essentially a zombified version of the Green Lanterns. They act like feral monsters and can spread at a rapid pace, infecting and inducting anyone into their ranks. Shepherd’s ring notes how much danger the world would be in if the Radiant Dead made contact with Earth due to the lightning speed at which they spread. The only way the Radiant Dead can be eliminated is by killing the collective’s queen, making them one of the strongest ‘Corps’ the Green Lanterns have ever faced.
Green Lantern’s Newest Foes Are His Most Dangerous Threat
Green Lantern has fought rival corps before, but the Radiant Dead are much worse, moreso than the undead Black Lanterns. The Radiant Dead exist to spread their evil to others and corrupt everything they can. It’d be bad enough if they just had the ability to vomit up constructs, but they’re also pretty much unkillable without destroying their leader. The Radiant Dead have already killed one version of the Green Lantern Corps in another universe, and if John Stewart doesn’t stop them, then his Corps may also fall to these twisted new antagonists. Green Lantern: War Journal #1 is on sale now.
