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Red Lantern 101 – Everything You Need To Know

Well since there is a Red Lantern monthly title about to be released, it is my pleasure to give you a feature that will explain the Red Lantern Corps! By the time you finish reading this feature, you will know who is who, what the oath is, and what drives the Red Lanterns to be... well, them! Honestly, do you really know anything about the Red Lanterns? Other than they shoot blood out of their mouths! Well now is your chance to get to know this bloody team fueled by rage.

The first thing you need to know is the back-story or creation of the Red Lantern corps. Most people think that Atrocitus formed the Red Lantern Corps, which is only half true. The Red Lantern Corps were originally started from the first murder of the universe, the death of Abel by the hands of his brother Cain. The first spec of blood that ever dropped on the Earth was the blood of Abel. He was brutally killed by his brother out of anger and hate, and thus the Butcher was created. This entity (the Butcher) is the power source for the Red Lanterns.

AtrocitusThe Butcher entity is just like any other entity in the GLU (Green Lantern Universe). The Butcher consumes a host and it wages war against anyone that stands in its way. Becoming a living Butcher, the entity fills the hosts deep dark secrets until the rage inside that person is put aside after the host seeks retribution. Throughout the millions of years the entity has been on Earth and the spirit of vengeance the Spectre, has been trying to extinguish its existence for centuries.

Lets jump to more modern times shall we? Atrocitus is the man behind everything that is Red Lantern Corps. Originally, he wasn’t a Red Lantern at all. He had a loving wife, child, and a bright future, but all that came to an abrupt stop when his entire life was taken from him by the Manhunters created by the Guardians of the Green light. The Manhunters killed every last of his species and also killed his family. Watching everything that happened, he couldn’t do anything at all.

Eventually, the Guardians revealed information to Green Lantern Abin Sur about the location of the black entity. When Atrocitus found out about Abin Sur’s new mission to travel to Earth, Atrocitus was enraged and badly wounded Abin. Falling off the ship on Earth, a wounded Abin Sur dying in front of his replacement – Hal Jordan.

Years later after the story arc about the Sinestro Corps War, Atrocitus was on the planet Ysmault plotting his revenge to escape the planet. Because he killed Abin Sur, the Guardians were going to lock him on Oa’s prison cells, however a change of heart in the Guardians thought it would be better for him to rot out his days on the planet Ysmault. Eventually finding the Red lantern power, Atrocitus decided to stay on Ysmault and create the Red Lantern Power battery on that planet.

Emerald Warriors 6Red Rings soon were dispatched from the planet Ysmault, and it soon brought back an army of Red Lantern soldiers only dedicated to one man: Atrocitus! When Atrocitus heard that Sinestro was to be executed on his home planet of Korugar, he decided to intercept Sinestro. As Green Lanterns were taking him to the planet to be killed, Atrocitus and the Red Lanterns killed both agents of the Green and Sinestro Corps members. With this, Atrocitus took Sinestro the planet Ysmault to be crucified.

When a Sinestro Corps unit and two Blue Lanterns interfered with Atrocitus’ execution, The Sinestro Corps members were the problem and the Blue Lanterns could easily be defeated. So when Hal Jordan came to defeat Sinestro, he was so angry that he became a temporary member of the Red Lanterns. Soon enough he resisted the power with the help of a Blue Lantern and eventually everyone escaped from Ysmault. In the end, the Red Lanterns awaited the order of Atrocitus and he conducted a blood ritual that would show him the home world of the Blue Lanterns.

After this, Atrocitus is seen throughout the Black Lantern story arc, which he combats Black Hand; whom he had tried to stop from raising the Black Lanterns years before. He is currently teamed with Sinestro to track down the Butcher entity, and has a mysterious deal with Guy Gardner playing out in Emerald Warriors that will more than likely lead into the new series. Now that you know what the Red Lantern Corps is, get ready for the new monthly title that will have more blood spitting than usual!

Red Lantern Oath

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