Wrath of The First Lantern Story in the New 52
During an interview, Geoff Johns commented that The First Lantern will feature in a cross-over event called “Wrath of The First Lantern” and commented on the characters role in the story:
“I don’t want to say he’s a villain or a hero,” Johns says of the First Lantern, who was introduced in DC Comics’ recent Green Lantern Annual. “He’s just a being who’s targeting our main lanterns, our guys, to see if there’s a way that maybe the universe could improve if they made different choices in their lives.
“You’ll see why he’s called the First Lantern within the story,” the writer adds, “but he’s someone who’s going to take a look at every one of our heroes and main characters and really tear their life apart and rip them open in a way we’ve never seen before on a very cosmic scale.”
“He’s a very different ancient powerful character who has a very odd and disturbing point of view on the universe and on humanity and life, and where life can go wrong or go very good,” Johns explains. “He’s really not a guy who’s motivated by revenge not completely or by power.
He has it all he’s a being who’s just very, very inquisitive about life and the choices we make.
Volthoom was a male being who held mysterious origins that was dated back to an early point in the universe. This was during the height of the Maltusians civilization when they had developed their technology to its peak. At this point, the scientist Krona began his experiments in observing the beginnings of the universe. This was considered dangerous by this brethren as legend had forbidden it. After conducting the experiment, they observed a vessel emerging and a human-like figure within a spacesuit exiting who called himself Volthoom. This being seemingly tutored the other Maltusians in the power of the Emotional Spectrum and at some point he was given the name of The First Lantern. However, he was deemed dangerous and unstable by the nascent Guardians of the Universe who were threatened by his great power. Thus, it was ultimately decided to imprison him within The Chamber of Shadows located in a black hole where he was trapped inside a lantern-shaped construct. A number of Oans remained behind to ensure that the First Lantern was kept imprisoned and became known as The Hidden Ones whilst the remaining embarked on their mission of policing the universe with the Manhunters. The First Lantern’s custodians and wardens vowed that he would never be released due to the dangers posed by him. According to Krona, the Guardians were responsible for betraying the First Lantern. His only legacy on Oa was within The Foundry in the area that stored the Power Gauntlet where an inscription made mention of the First Lantern.
The Wrath of The First Lantern storyline is to conclude on Green Lantern 20 It will be the last Geoff Johns story and the end of some great writing beginning with Green lantern: Rebirth. Geoff last words about Green Lantern are next.
“So what will GREEN LANTERN #20 bring? The bizarre return of Hal Jordan, the final fate of Sinestro, the revelation of the First Lantern and an ending that I hope pays off everything we’ve ever done and ever created with GREEN LANTERN. It has art by Doug Mahnke, Ethan Van Sciver, Ivan Reis and Joe Prado and I’ve poured everything I can into the script.” Green Lantern 20 coming in May don’t miss this one Green lantern fan’s. Stay tuned comic faithful for more. 🙂 Walt