Cosmic Odyssey

Jim Starlin and Mike Mignola deliver a seminal piece of DC continuity with Cosmic Odyssey. A pivotal tale for all involved - the truly all-star cast includes New Gods Highfather, Orion, Lightray, Forager, Metron and Darkseid; Justice Leaguers Batman, Superman and the Martian Manhunter - this epic tale of the forces of good pitted against evil is perhaps most impactful on John Stewart, the Green Lantern of Earth and all of Sector 2814.

A defining moment in Stewart's career, he makes a brash decision that costs the lives on an entire planet. Sent to Xanshi alongside the Martian Manhunter, the pair must defuse a bomb created by the Anti-Life entity that threatens all of reality. As the planet begins to erupt around the two heroes in enormous spurts of magma, Martian Manhunter is paralyzed -- the direct result of his race's fear of fire. John Stewart creates a protective construct for the Manhunter, using his power ring, and decides to leave him behind and pursue the threat on his own.

Blinded by his own confidence, John Stewart streaks towards the bomb, arriving moments before its detonation only to find his worst and perhaps never considered fears come true: the bomb is yellow, the only weakness to his power ring and Stewart is rendered completely ineffectual.

Shielding himself - as well as the Martian Manhunter - from the blast using his power ring, the population of Xanshi is not as fortunate. With Xanshi utterly decimated and billions of lives extinguished, there is only one direction to point the blame: directly at John Stewart. Ironically, the Martian Manhunter, who, following the blast informed Stewart that he would never forgive him, later dissuades him from committing suicide, and in essence, saves not only his life, but one of the most important heroes in the DCU.

This defining moment in Stewart's career is the direct cause of a marked shift in his character. Gone is the happy go lucky "ring slinger", his carefree attitude replaced by what seems like perpetual sincerity and stoicism. To this day, Stewart remains the most intense of all four of Earth's Green Lanterns and the loss of Xanshi plagues him still.