Comic book enthusiasts must have been eagerly awaiting HBO Max’s Lanterns especially after watching the official video teaser from the DC Studios.

New recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Green Lantern legend Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) are on a mission to investigate a brutal murder in small-town Rushville, Nebraska. Based on the iconic DC Comics characters, Jordan is portrayed as a cynical, weathered United States Air Force veteran. He is awaiting his retirement and was reluctant to train his successor, the disciplined U.S. Marine veteran and architect Stewart in the television series.

The fusion neo-Western crime investigation with the DC Universe storytelling leaved me wanting more. The intense, gritty, and surprisingly grounded dynamic between the leads offered a far more mature entry as compared to the Green Lantern: The Animated Series, which I grew up watching as a child.

What makes the show compelling is its human-centric scale. The extra-terrestrial threat causing chaos in the town is investigated alongside a local sheriff who actively challenged their jurisdiction and asserting their authority. This friction only pushed the intrusive Jordan to trust his instincts further as being dubbed a local celebrity in town.

Episode two peeks into the characteristics of the galactic crime fighters, slowly revealing the Green Lantern’s suit and the Power Battery which powers their special rings as they fight against evil.

So, who is the mysterious benefactor supporting key person of interest, William Macon in Rushville?

Catch new episodes of Lanterns on Mondays on HBO Max!