With the news that HBOmax has ordered ten episodes of a Green Lantern Corps show, I thought it a good time to take a look at some Jessica Cruz appearances and see what the potential is. Let's dig in and take a look at her early appearances.
It began in The New 52...
Jessica is one of those characters that didn't appear all at once. It started with a shot of her hand in her first cameo appearance back in Green Lantern #20. This extra-sized issue priced at an extra-sized $7.99 at release was the final wrap up to Geoff Johns run on the Green Lantern title. This issue was attainable in 9.8 for around $70 up until recently. Sales over the past month or so have pushed past the $100 mark. The issue features a great wraparound cover and I think is worth picking up.
From Green Lantern to Justice League
Jessica's next appearance is another cameo in Justice League #30, also by Geoff Johns during The New 52 era. This time her face is revealed. GoCollect has an FMV of $120 on a 9.8 of this issue. We only had to wait for one more issue though for her first full appearance, and that is The New 52 Justice League #31. The CGC census is surprisingly sparse on these two issues. Both have less than 100 graded copies at the time of this writing. I have to say this fact took me off guard and I went directly to the CGC census thinking that perhaps there was some lag in the numbers GoCollect reported. Nope. Small numbers folks. (Full disclosure--I own several copies of these two issues including two copies of each that I personally submitted to CGC. I expect I will be offering some of these for sale in the foreseeable future, though, as of this writing I have no Jessica Cruz related comics for sale).
To Green Lantern Again...
Well, actually we are still in the New 52 Justice League run, but with Justice League #50, Jessica becomes a Green Lantern. This is another super-sized issue as it is the finale to the epic, ten-part Darkseid War story. This issue has just under 150 copies in the census as of this writing. However, that has more to do with the fact that Batman learns about the existence of three Jokers in this issue, ring a bell? All the more reason to pick this one up.
And Rebirth
I first crossed paths with Jessica Cruz in Bryan Hitch's run on Justice League. Beginning with issue #1, she plays a central role in the story. I liked her vulnerability. The questions she asks that no one else seems to ask. In an era when everyone seems to know with certainty what's best for everyone else, I found her questioning attitude refreshing. (I reread that first issue prior to this writing and found nothing to change my impression). So for me, she is a genuinely likable character, perhaps even relatable if we allow ourselves to admit that we don't always have all the answers. I'm looking forward to seeing how she is portrayed on the screen.
My Favorite Pick
I think Justice League #31 is the Jessica Cruz comic to have, followed by issue #30 and then Green Lantern #20. There is room to grow for all of these. As always, be mindful of what you pay.
Justice League #50 has key potential on other merits, a bump in the popularity of Jessica Cruz will only help that. Be on the lookout for it, I know I will.
