Jessica Cruz

Jessica Cruz is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics. Created by Geoff Johns, she is a member of the Green Lantern Corps and the Justice League. She first appeared in Green Lantern #20 (July 2013).

Publication history

Jessica Cruz appears briefly in the 2013 issue Green Lantern #20 but does not makes her official debut until the last pages of Justice League vol. 2 #30, when the Ring of Volthoom locates her. She was dubbed "Power Ring" while she was host to the Ring of Volthoom but is not a member of the Crime Syndicate of America.^[1] Jessica becomes an official member of the Green Lantern Corps at the end of Justice League #50: The Darkseid War.^[2]

Fictional character biography

Jessica Cruz and her friends are on a hunting trip when they accidentally stumble across two men burying a body. The men brutally murder her friends, but Jessica manages to escape but is left traumatized. The Ring of Volthoom, which feeds off fear, is able to locate her due to her trauma. Unlike the previous ring bearers, she does not willingly accept the ring, but is forced to accept it. The Ring tortures Jessica with physical and psychological pain. The Ring explains that it is using Jessica to attract the being that destroyed Earth-Three to Earth-Prime because he is now dying (for reasons not explained) and wants to take the planet with him.

Batman is able to de-power the ring after convincing Jessica to face her fears. Jessica later succumbs to effects of the AMAZO virus, but is soon cured. Hal Jordan returns to Earth to teach Jessica how to control her ring.

When Darkseid's daughter Grail arrives on Prime Earth, she attacks Jessica and uses her ring to open a portal to Earth-Three, allowing the Anti-Monitor to cross over to the Prime Earth. Jessica and the rest of the Justice League are then transported away by Metron. After this the Justice League decides to free the Crime Syndicate to help in the fight against the Anti-Monitor and Grail. Jessica, Cyborg and Mister Miracle head to the prison and the close proximity to the Syndicate allows the Ring to possess Jessica's mind and body. During the Justice League's confrontation against Grail and Darkseid, Grail manages to separate the Flash from the Black Racer, which immediately begins to pursue the Flash. Realizing the Racer will not leave the physical plane of existence until it reaps a soul, Jessica convinces Cyborg to tap into the ring's technology and override Volthoom's control over Jessica's body for a few seconds. This allows Jessica to jump between Flash the Black Racer, allowing the incarnation of death to apparently kill her. Jessica survives, and it is revealed that the Black Racer killed Volthoom instead, causing the ring to crumble into dust. Immediately afterwards, a Green Lantern ring descends at the battlefield and transforms Jessica into a new Green Lantern.

In Green Lanterns: Rebirth #1, she meets Simon Baz when he is investigating an alien intrusion. This turns out to be a Manhunter who battles the two of them. It then revealed to be a training exercise run by Hal Jordan to test the two rookies. Hal combines Jessica and Simon's power batteries in order to make them work as a team and puts them in charge of protecting Earth.

Powers and abilities

As a Green Lantern, Jessica is capable of projecting energy-based constructions, flight, and utilizing various other abilities through her power ring which are only limited by her imagination and willpower.

While Jessica was briefly a Power Ring she initially had no control over the ring. Under the tutelage of Hal Jordan she learns to overcome the evil powers within the Ring and use it effectively, until Volthoom possesses her body. Her feelings of courage help Cyborg decipher the alien language of the ring and he is able to let her overcome Volthoom's influence for a moment, and jump between Black Racer and Flash which ends up destroying Volthoom and the Ring, freeing Jessica.

Jessica is also an adept survivalist and was able to live by herself for three years. She was seen wielding a shotgun with proficiency when she was able to hit the Ring of Volthoom and keep it at bay for a few moments before it made her its host.

References