On Monday, the comic world was given the news that Geoff Johns, the Chief Creative Officer of DC Comics and the long-time writer of the Green Lantern monthly series, would be stepping down after Green Lantern #20. Johns posted a blog on DC Comics’ website to confirm the rumor.

Johns reflected that he has been working on Green Lantern in some way for ten years, starting with his early pitch drafts for Green Lantern: Rebirth. After that book, and bringing back the “classic” Green Lantern character, Hal Jordan, Johns has written over 100 issues for the series, including the massive company-wide events as the Sinestro Corps War,Blackest Night, and its sequel, Brightest Day.

With the arrival of Green Lantern #20, Johns reflected that it was a good time to step away:

“As every storyline is coming to a head, it feels like the right time. The book is still doing great. The characters are as vibrant as ever. Let’s go out how we started – on a high note.”

In the same post, Johns showed his gratitude towards all the great artists he has worked with over the course of the series, and the DC staff for letting him work on the character for so long. Among those names were Ethan Van Sciver, Doug Mahnke, Pete Tomasi, Ivan Reis, and Joe Prado. After leaving Green Lantern, Johns will be focusing his attention on the Justice League books, including DC’s flagship title Justice League, as well as the upcoming Justice League of America.

Johns is my favorite comic book writer working in the business today. While I’m sad to see him leave Green Lantern, I’m glad that he’s leaving the book on his own terms. He has one of the best track records in comics today, and I’m looking forward to everything he’ll produce for us in the future.

Source: DC Comics