In 2020 we're getting a DC Comics film called "Green Lantern Corps", a movie that will no doubt show the cosmic adventures of the emerald-clad army. This movie will most likely wash away the tarnish of the Green Lantern name and restore public popularity for the character. Today I'll help you excited movie-goers study up on Earth's many Green Lanterns!
July 1940, American artist Martin Nodell finds inspiration in the opera "The Ring of The Nibelung" and the green light of a railway lantern and creates Alan Scott, The Green Lantern. As the story goes, a mystical green flame fell to Earth as a meteor and committed three acts: an act of death, an act of life, and an act of power. First, it was carved from a meteor into a lamp and it's crafter was killed for his defacing of the meteor. The lamp was found by the patient of a mental institution and restored his sanity after he crafted it into a lantern. Finally, the lamp was in the possession of a railroad engineer named Alan Scott and instructed Scott on how to create a ring from the lantern, this ring gave Scott the magical powers needed to become The Green Lantern! Becoming an iconic hero of The Golden Age, Alan Scott joined The Justice Society of America, runs a Gotham broadcasting company, and fathers two future heroes named Jade and Obsidian. With his moniker revamped for future characters, this character's magical origins separate him far from his successors.
The next-and best known-Green Lantern was Hal Jordon (highest one), created by John Broome in 1959. After DC reinvented The Flash to much success, this character followed the same beats of having a reinvented origin. Hal Jordan was a pilot for Ferris Aircraft, his boss Carol Ferris was also his love interest and his future villain, Star Sapphire. After discovering a dying alien by the name of Abin Sur, Hal was given a lantern and ring that granted him great powers! He used these tools to become The Green Lantern! After fighting villains on Earth and founding The Justice League of America, Jordan started working with The Green Lantern Corps: an army of space cops who have an officer in every sector of space. After Cyborg Superman-don't ask-destroyed Jordan's home Coast City, Hal sought revenge towards his superiors-The Guardians-because they forbid him from using his powers to recreate Coast City. Hal went crazy, changed his name to Parallax and effectively destroyed the GLC. As Parallax, he was one of DC's worst villains until he sacrificed himself to defeat a monster called The Sun-Eater. After his death, Jordan was selected by "the fates that be" to become the supernatural superhero, The Spectre. And then he came back to life and more or less went back to being the main Green Lantern.
In 1968, John Broome established a character named Guy Gardner (just above bottom). Gardner would've been a candidate for Abin Sur's ring, but Jordan was closer (thanks to a time interruption by Booster Gold) so Gardner was selected as his backup. Gardner had an abusive father, he was a juvenile delinquent, an overall obnoxious, tempered and pompous. Gardner became a Green Lantern to back Jordan up, but they didn't stay buddies forever. Similarly, Gardner was a member of The Justice League, but he was mutually disliked. When Jordan came back to Earth from space, Gardner challenged him to a fight: however loses quits the Corps. Hal wins, obviously. But Gardner had acquired a yellow fear-powered ring and started fighting crime as, well, Guy Gardner. There was a phase when Guy was half-alien and called himself The Warrior, he joined the GLC again and opened a bar on the GLC home world, recently he led the rage-powered Red Lanterns. Currently, Guy wields a Green ring and a Red ring. Christmas Lantern!
In 1972, Guy Gardner was hit by a bus. The Guardians needed a new backup for Jordan and recruited former US Marine John Stewart (second highest), created by Dennis O'Neil. Although he began being opposed to authority and critical of how Jordan operated, Stewart folded into the model Lantern. When Jordan was unavailable and/or not on the Corps, Stewart was the sole Green Lantern for Earth and The Justice League. Stewart became the first mortal Guardian of The Universe known as The Master Builder. This didn't last forever and he went back to being one of the many Earthling Green Lanterns. Notably, Stewart's architect background made his light constructs the most effective. Also he was in that neat cartoon!
Kyle Rayner (bottom) was created by Ron Marz in 1994. Kyle was an aspiring young artist, after Hal Jordan killed the GLC, one surviving Guardian gave Kyle a Power Ring and a Power Battery to become the last Green Lantern. Don't worry, he isn't the last Green Lantern. The quota over at DC Comics was that Kyle Rayner couldn't make the same light construct twice in one issue, because he was an artist his creativity was law. Kyle was a member of The Justice League for a while, but soon fought Oblivion: the manifestation of Kyle's darker emotions. Kyle acquired godlike power when he became The Guardian's Torchbearer, Ion. He became a Green Lantern once again and led a team of other colored ring-bearers. After mastering each of the seven colored Power Rings, Kyle was promoted to White Lantern-powered by Life itself, again with godlike power. Then he was assassinated by The Omega Men.
Geoff Johns created the newest Lantern Simon Baz (third highest) in 2012. Baz was a Lebanese-American and former car thief accused of a terrorist attack, Jordan's ring was sent to Baz during his interrogation and he became The Green Lantern. After a scuffle with The Justice League, Simon joined Stewart, Gardner and the rest of the GLC. And now, he is obscure.
The Green Lanterns of Earth pale in comparison to the entire Green Lantern Corps, but its not surprising this character got different incarnations given the protocol of the Corps. Green Lantern is an enduring character because anyone can be the GL, no matter what race, gender, religion or background. As long as you have willpower, you too can be The Green Lantern. The style and equipment and powers of the GL are different from any other characters, and their universe is vast enough to stand on its own. I have the best hopes for the future of this character in both the comics and movies! I hope this little run down caught you up on all the Lanterns and maybe even helped you pick your favorite! Thanks for reading!
In 1968, John Broome established a character named Guy Gardner (just above bottom). Gardner would've been a candidate for Abin Sur's ring, but Jordan was closer (thanks to a time interruption by Booster Gold) so Gardner was selected as his backup. Gardner had an abusive father, he was a juvenile delinquent, an overall obnoxious, tempered and pompous. Gardner became a Green Lantern to back Jordan up, but they didn't stay buddies forever. Similarly, Gardner was a member of The Justice League, but he was mutually disliked. When Jordan came back to Earth from space, Gardner challenged him to a fight: however loses quits the Corps. Hal wins, obviously. But Gardner had acquired a yellow fear-powered ring and started fighting crime as, well, Guy Gardner. There was a phase when Guy was half-alien and called himself The Warrior, he joined the GLC again and opened a bar on the GLC home world, recently he led the rage-powered Red Lanterns. Currently, Guy wields a Green ring and a Red ring. Christmas Lantern!
In 1972, Guy Gardner was hit by a bus. The Guardians needed a new backup for Jordan and recruited former US Marine John Stewart (second highest), created by Dennis O'Neil. Although he began being opposed to authority and critical of how Jordan operated, Stewart folded into the model Lantern. When Jordan was unavailable and/or not on the Corps, Stewart was the sole Green Lantern for Earth and The Justice League. Stewart became the first mortal Guardian of The Universe known as The Master Builder. This didn't last forever and he went back to being one of the many Earthling Green Lanterns. Notably, Stewart's architect background made his light constructs the most effective. Also he was in that neat cartoon!
Kyle Rayner (bottom) was created by Ron Marz in 1994. Kyle was an aspiring young artist, after Hal Jordan killed the GLC, one surviving Guardian gave Kyle a Power Ring and a Power Battery to become the last Green Lantern. Don't worry, he isn't the last Green Lantern. The quota over at DC Comics was that Kyle Rayner couldn't make the same light construct twice in one issue, because he was an artist his creativity was law. Kyle was a member of The Justice League for a while, but soon fought Oblivion: the manifestation of Kyle's darker emotions. Kyle acquired godlike power when he became The Guardian's Torchbearer, Ion. He became a Green Lantern once again and led a team of other colored ring-bearers. After mastering each of the seven colored Power Rings, Kyle was promoted to White Lantern-powered by Life itself, again with godlike power. Then he was assassinated by The Omega Men.
Geoff Johns created the newest Lantern Simon Baz (third highest) in 2012. Baz was a Lebanese-American and former car thief accused of a terrorist attack, Jordan's ring was sent to Baz during his interrogation and he became The Green Lantern. After a scuffle with The Justice League, Simon joined Stewart, Gardner and the rest of the GLC. And now, he is obscure.
The Green Lanterns of Earth pale in comparison to the entire Green Lantern Corps, but its not surprising this character got different incarnations given the protocol of the Corps. Green Lantern is an enduring character because anyone can be the GL, no matter what race, gender, religion or background. As long as you have willpower, you too can be The Green Lantern. The style and equipment and powers of the GL are different from any other characters, and their universe is vast enough to stand on its own. I have the best hopes for the future of this character in both the comics and movies! I hope this little run down caught you up on all the Lanterns and maybe even helped you pick your favorite! Thanks for reading!
P.S. I'll be doing a new podcast series called "Public Origins" very soon, it will be a podcast where I explain the origins of comic book characters! Please vote on which character I should cover: Hank Pym/Ant-Man, Arthur Curry/Aquaman, or Elizabeth Braddock/Psylocke. You can vote by commenting your character's name here on The Panel Biter, or on The Panel Biter's Facebook and/or Twitter. Please cast your vote, the first podcast for "Public Origins" starts this coming Friday!
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