10 Best New DC Characters Of The 21st Century

In a tale almost as old as time - in the DC Universe at least - Green Lanterns are enlisted into the Corps based on the strength of their willpower. More often than not it seems that those chosen, such as Hal Jordan and John Stewart (who both operated within the military), are already courageous or bold or determined. Eventually, the story became dull and the occupation became something that certain individuals were naturally entitled to.

Fortunately, DC Comics made a breakthrough in the 2010s with the debuts of Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz in Green Lantern and Justice League, respectively. Both characters would reinvigorate the heart of Green Lantern by overcoming their own personal conflicts.

Jessica Cruz was introduced as the new host of the Ring of Volthoom, which attached itself to Jessica believing that her personal anxiety and PTSD - brought on by the brutal murder of her friends - would make her easy to control and manipulate to cause chaos. With the help of Batman and the Flash, Jessica is able to overcome her fears and take control of the ring, becoming a Green Lantern.

Unlike Jessica, Simon Baz was selected by Hal Jordan as his direct replacement for the Earth Sector during the "Rise of the Third Army" story arc in Geoff Johns' epic-scaled Green Lantern run. Jordan reasoned that Baz's existence as a Lebanese-Arab American and a Muslim meant that he was able to overcome the cultural fear in a post-9/11 America.

It may seem like cheating to give two characters the one spot, but their joint resilience in earning the Green Lantern persona, as well as the meaningful and platonic friendship they share, make them perfect ambassadors for the modern world.