Back in 2009 DC Comics launched a new graphic novel simply titled “Superman: Earth One,” it was meant to be a simplified take on the characters origin, completely separated from the mainline continuity, and it ended up being a huge success. Later on Batman got the same treatment, as well as the Teen Titans.

Now it seems that it’s time for Hal Jordan, the first Green Lantern to take center stage in “Green Lantern: Earth One.”

Thanks to multiple cartoons and over 70 years of history, most people know Green Lantern’s origin by now, but if you don’t here’s a recap.

Hal Jordan is a fearless former airline pilot who one day during a routine test flight gets recruited into the intergalactic police force, The Green Lantern Corp. Every member of the Corp is supplied with a ring that can channel the user’s will power into anything they can imagine. The rings are picky in that they only choose those who have the ability to overcome great fear to wield them.

Right away “Green Lantern: Earth One,” co-written by Corrina Bechko and Gabriel Hardman, sets itself apart from any other Hal Jordan origin story by having him be an astronaut set in the not too distant future.

While on a mining expedition, Hal and his partner find the first signs of alien life humans have ever encountered. Their excitement is short lived because as soon Hal puts on the Green Lantern ring and the resulting energy sends him flying half way across the universe. Hal finds out that the Green Lantern Corp has been extinct for years, and it’s up to him to rebuild the Corp and save the Universe from all who would threaten it.

It’s clear that Bechko and Hardman are extremely inspired by classic Sci-Fi films such as Aliens, with all astronauts’ equipment feeling well-worn and dirty. This is complimented by Hardman’s art which is rough and sketchy. The run down space epic feeling is strong throughout the book as Hal’s journey to get back home and save everyone he can is as difficult as it is long.

Bechko and Hardman play with reader’s expectations and turn what you think you know about the Green Lanterns on its head.

Instead of the rings choosing their bearer in this new interpretation, anyone can pick it up; it’s essentially a gun with infinite power. There’s a growing concern amongst the new members that one day the Corp can turn to evil, to which Hal simply replies, “Then we stop them.”

Hal is also different in this novel then he has been in previous iterations. Normally he is a headstrong, cocky, tough guy. While in this new book he is much more analytical, the writers really bring out the fact that he is an astronaut and has all the genius that comes with that.

Although the books starts to feel extremely rushed in its third act, overall “Green Lantern: Earth One” is a fantastic, self-contained graphic novel that is a delight to read weather you are a die-hard fan of the ring slingers, or as green to the Corps as the rings they wear. If you’re a sci-fi fan, do yourself a favor and check out “Green Lantern: Earth One.”