Green Lantern Jessica Cruz shines light on anxiety and mental health issues in '80th Anniversary Spectacular'
Spoilers for 'Green Lantern 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular'
Since their inception, the Green Lantern Corps have had one requirement for their recruits: the ability to overcome great fear. But what about a fear that's not wholly rational, that stems from a mental health condition like Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Well, that brings us to Jessica Cruz, the newest human Green Lantern, who has struggled with anxiety for as long as she's been around in print. Despite her generally fearful state of mind, Jessica has time and again found ways to overcome her fears and prove her worth as a Green Lantern.
And now in the 'Green Lantern 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular' landmark one-shot, we get a story that showcases how Jessica fights her anxieties every day and even weaponizes them. In the story 'The Voice', written by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Mirka Andolfo, we see a day in the life of Jessica Cruz and gain some insight into the inner workings of her mind.
Through her monologue, Jessica details how she has to deal with the anxious part of her mind every day. And even while her "anxious brain" makes suggestions that are completely irrational, there is a part of her that knows it is wrong. It's a surprisingly realistic depiction of anxiety, where even though we may consciously know that our anxieties are not true, we cannot ignore them or just shut them out as people often say we should. It's an everyday struggle, not a simple battle to be won, and Jessica Cruz fights it in every waking moment.
But she doesn't let that cripple her. Later on in the story when her partner Simon Baz is in danger, she uses the focus of her anxiety, a kitchen knife, to save him. In doing so, she doesn't make the anxiety cease to exist. But she does find a way to overcome it and turn it to her advantage. And that's why the Lanterns don't seek people without fear but those who have them and yet find ways to overcome.
'Green Lantern 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular' landmark one-shot was released on June 24.