Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of a number of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers.
Contents
Hal Jordan first appearance
Showcase, Volume 1, Number 22 (October 1959)
Summary
An alien peace officer named Abin Sur of the Green Lantern Corps crash lands in the middle of the California desert. As he lay dying, he commands his power ring to seek out a worthy successor -- one who proves to be fearless and strong-willed.
Miles away, test pilot Hal Jordan is examining a flight simulator when a corona of green light envelops him, pulling him along with the simulator to the spot of Abin Sur's crashed vessel.
Abin Sur tells Hal that the power of the ring selected him to take on the role of the Green Lantern. He gives him the ring, his costume and a power battery. He instructs him that the ring will obey his every command, but is powerless against anything colored yellow. He further tells him that the ring's energy must be charged from the power battery once every twenty-four hours.
Hal agrees to accept the responsibility of wielding the ring in the cause of justice, and with that, Abin Sur passes away. Hal Jordan is now Green Lantern.
Hal Jordan biography
Source: http://glcorps.dcuguide.com/profile.php?name=greenlantern2
In the three billion year history of the legendary Green Lantern Corps, one name outshines all others. Known as the greatest of the Green Lanterns, he is Hal Jordan of Earth, Space Sector 2814. His many years as the emerald gladiator brought him recognition throughout the cosmos.
Born the middle of three brothers, Harold "Hal" Jordan idolized his father, test pilot Martin H. Jordan, and wanted to follow in the elder Jordan's footsteps. One fateful day, that dream all but came to an end. A critical loss of pressure in a jet Martin was test piloting caused the aircraft to crash. Hal saw his father die in front of his eyes. [Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn #1]
Three years after his father's death, Hal started dating a girl named Jennifer. She helped convince Hal to continue with his love of flying. They dated for a year before Hal broke up with her, wanting to see other people. [Green Lantern Vol. 3 #48]
At some point in his teenage years, Jordan met Jay Garrick, the Golden Age Flash. For some unknown reason, Garrick does not recall the incident, and the details of this meeting have yet to be revealed. [Justice League Europe #50]
Garrick was not the only super human Jordan would come into contact with before receiving the power ring. Returning to Coast City after a visit to Metropolis University, Jordan met Clark Kent of Smallville. Their plane hit heavy turbulance which spun the aircraft out of control. Jordan helped calm frightened passengers while Clark Kent secretly stabilized the 707 jet liner.
A few nights later, Jordan's life was jeopardized by his lack of fear. He inadvertantly came across a smuggling ring while scuba diving and charged in without concern for his safety. Jordan was taken aboard their World War II submarine but was later rescued by the authorities when the submarine was run aground by mysterious forces. From this event, Jordan would come to learn to combine his fearlessness with good judgement. [New Adventures of Superboy #13]
Jordan and Kent would remain acquaintences. Years later, Metroplois reporter Clark Kent interviewed the young test pilot for the Daily Planet. [Action Comics Weekly #642]
After high school, Jordan enrolled in a West Coast college and earned a degree in aviation engineering. Following that, Jordan enlisted in the Air Force and served under Captain Richard Davis. The commanding officer became mentor and lifelong friend to the young pilot. [Green Lantern Vol. 2 #144]
Hal met fellow U.S.A.F. pilot Larry Trainor while in the service. Trainor would later leave the Air Force to become a test pilot as would Hal. As fate would have it, this would not be the only coincidence in these mens' lives, as Trainor went on to become the Doom Patrol's own Negative Man. [JLA: Year One #6]
Another Air Force friend of Hal's, pilot Bill Davis, was killed in Korea. Over the years, Hal kept in touch with Bill's elderly parents, Sally and Steve Davis. There does not appear to be any relation between Richard Davis and Bill's family. [Green Lantern Vol. 2 #36]
Jordan rose quickly in the ranks and became a test pilot for experimental aircrafts. During a test run of an experimental stealth bomber a fellow test pilot, Vince Hardy, took control of the aircraft at gun point. Hardy offered him a share of the money the Soviets would give for the bomber but Jordan refused. Jordan and Hardy fought, which sent the bomber in an uncontrollable dive. Hardy parachuted to safety but Jordan tried unsuccessfully to pul the plane out of its dive. He too jumped to saftey before the plane crashed into the side of a mountain.
Jordan wandered the Alaskan wilderness for two days before search parties found him. Without Hardy in custody, the miltary chose to make an example of Jordan. He was discharged from the Air Force. [Green Lantern Vol. 3 #104]
With his degree in aviation engineering, Jordan easily rejoined civilian life. He designed a flightless trainer for the Ferris Aircraft Corporation and for some time was Ferris' number one test pilot. Though his aviation career showed great promise, Jordan was passed over by the astronaut program. Metropolis reporter Clark Kent interviewed the young test pilot for the Daily Planet. [Showcase #22, Action Comics #642]
Jordan soon started to date Carol Ferris, the daughter of owner Carl Ferris. The elder Ferris was not an easy man to work for and Jordan eventually fell into disfavor with his employer. Carol and Hal broke up, and Carol started to date Biff, another Ferris emplyee. Hal was later fired for an unknown reason, but his mother talked Ferris into rehiring her son. Carl Ferris took Hal back at a third less pay and the test pilot was grounded.
After work, Hal, his brother Jack and Jack's girlfriend Dee, and fellow test pilot Andy went out for drinks. Despondent over recent events, the alcohol Hal drank impaired his judgement. He lost control while driving home, narrowly avoiding a roadside billboard but rolling the jeep into oncoming traffic. Hal woke up in the hospital, and Andy had been critically injured in the accident. [Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn #1]
Oath
"In brightest day, in blackest night,no evil shall escape my sight, let those who worship evil's might, beware my power, Green Lantern's light!"
-- SHOWCASE # 22 "Secret of the Flaming Spear!"
Creative team (First Appearance)
- Script: John Broome
- Pencils: Gil Kane
- Inks: Joe Giella
- Edits: Julius Schwartz
Issues
October 1962
- 16
Origin and first appearance of Star Sapphire. Cover pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Murphy Anderson. The Secret Life of Star Sapphire!, script by John Broome, pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Joe Giella; Zamoran warriors travel to Earth to make Carol Ferris thier new queen. They turn Carol into Star Sapphire and test her by having her defeat Green Lantern. Earth's First Green Lantern!, script by Gardner Fox, pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Murphy Anderson; Hal Jordan explains to Pieface why Abin Sur came to Earth in a spaceship when all Green Lanterns can travel thru space unaided. 36 pgs.
September 1961
Cover pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Murphy Anderson. The Battle of the Power Rings!, script by John Broome, pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Murphy Anderson; Sinestro uses his yellow power ring to siphon enough energy from various Green Lanterns to attack the Guardians of the Universe themselves. Green Lantern's Brother Act!, script by John Broome, pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Joe Giella; Hal joins his brothers Jim and Jack Jordan to help with Jack Jordan's election campaign. Reporter Sue Williams tries to prove that Jim Jordan is Green Lantern; First Jordan Brothers story. Letter from Roy Thomas asks how Sinestro is pronounced. Answer: accent on first syllable. Letter from Don MacGregor. 36 pgs.
January 1962
Cover pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Murphy Anderson. Prisoner of the Power Ring!, script by John Broome, pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Joe Giella; Dr. Jason Blanding shrinks his entire family to a sub-atomic level. Once there Green Lantern's ring energy begins to affect the sub-atomic world and Green Lantern has to travel there to rescue the Blanding family. The Origin of Green Lantern's Oath!, script by John Broome, pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Murphy Anderson; Green Lantern tells Pieface the story of his first three cases, on which his oath is based. Letter to the editor from editor E. Nelson Bridwell. 36 pgs.
See also
External links
- Green Lantern @ Wikipedia
