GREEN LANTERN

In the 1950s, DC revived discontinued titles from a decade earlier – reinventing The Flash, Hawkman and the Atom as ‘all-new’ characters, often using now-modish science fiction ideas rather than magic to explain their powers.

The ‘old’ Green Lantern (Allan Scott) had a magic ring, but fearless test pilot Hal Jordon was given his ‘power ring’ by a dying alien who recruited him to take his place in a corps of space cops run by the Guardians of the Galaxy. 

As long as he kept the ring charged while reciting his oath, GL could project all manner of giant green objects (boxing gloves, etc) and travel through space. Over the years, Jordan has been stripped of his ring (and his life) – but currently he’s back in action as the primary GL of the DC Universe.

Connoisseurs reckon he was at his best partnered with left-wing liberal superhero Green Arrow in a socially-conscious 1960s run by Denny O’Neill and Neal Adams collected as ‘Hard Traveling Heroes’.

AKA: HAL JORDAN – THOUGH CLAIMS TO THE TITLE HAVE BEEN PUT IN BY OVER 7,000 OTHER INDIVIDUALS

FIRST APPEARED IN SHOWCASE # 22, 1959

CREATED BY JOHN BROOME, GIL KANE