In the crossover series JLA/Avengers by DC and Marvel, Kyle Rayner becomes the first and only Chrome Lantern in DC Comics history. This transformation occurs through the intervention of the Cosmic Cube, an artifact renowned for its reality-altering capabilities within the Marvel Universe. As the Chrome Lantern, Kyle Rayner achieves unprecedented power, surpassing even his formidable White Lantern form, thus establishing himself as arguably the mightiest Lantern in DC lore.
The Lanterns are among the most powerful groups in the DC Universe, coming in almost every color imaginable. However, there was only one Chrome Lantern.
The DC Universe features a spectrum of Lantern Corps, ranging from the well-known Green Lanterns to the less familiar Orange Lanterns. It’s not unusual for a character like Kyle Rayner to adopt a new color temporarily. What was surprising was Kyle becoming DC's first and only Chrome Lantern, thanks to an iconic Marvel artifact.
In JLA/Avengers #2, created by Kurt Busiek, George Perez, Tom Smith, and Comicraft, the Justice League and the Avengers race to find artifacts from their respective universes before the barrier between them collapses entirely.
During this quest, Kyle Rayner's Green Lantern ring started losing power. With his power battery among the stolen artifacts, he had no choice but to recharge his ring using the recently recovered Cosmic Cube. This transformation made Kyle the first and only Chrome Lantern, potentially the strongest Lantern ever.
The Green Lanterns, elected by the immensely powerful Guardians of the Universe, are one of DC's mightiest groups. Equipped with a power ring, they can create constructs limited only by their imagination. As an artist, Kyle Rayner’s use of the ring was exceptional. However, the rings need periodic recharging. When Kyle couldn’t access his power battery, he used Marvel's Cosmic Cube instead, leading to unexpected results.
The Cosmic Cube, a potent Marvel Universe artifact, allows its users to manipulate reality, granting nearly any wish without limits. Wars have been fought over it. When Kyle charged his ring with the Cube, his body transformed to match the cube’s chrome color. Although not shown in this issue, it’s possible this granted Kyle the Cube's reality-altering powers.
Kyle Rayner frequently becomes the most powerful Lantern in the DC Universe. He first displayed this when he became the White Lantern, with dominion over life itself. Continuing this tradition, Kyle became DC's first Chrome Lantern, potentially the most powerful Lantern ever. While the White Lantern's power to control life was significant, the Chrome Lantern could potentially reshape reality itself. Thus, with the help of a Marvel artifact, Green Lantern Kyle Rayner became DC’s most powerful Lantern.
JLA/Avengers #2 is available now from DC and Marvel Comics!