GREEN LANTERN

:''For the DJ, see DJ Green Lantern.''
'Green Lantern' is the name of several fictional superheroes in the DC Comics universe. The first (Alan Scott) was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in ''All-American Comics'' #16 (July 1940). The best-known is Hal Jordan, created by John Broome and Gil Kane in ''Showcase'' #22 (Oct. 1959).
Each Green Lantern possesses a "power ring" that gives the user great control over the physical world as long as the wielder has sufficient willpower and strength to wield it.
While the ring of the Golden Age Green Lantern (Alan Scott) was magically powered, the rings worn by all subsequent Lanterns were technological creations of the Guardians of the Universe, who granted such rings to worthy candidates. These individuals made up the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps.
After World War II, when sales of superhero comic books generally declined, DC ceased publishing new adventures of the Alan Scott Green Lantern. At the beginning of the Silver Age of Comic Books, DC editor Julius Schwartz had writer Broome and artist Kane revive Green Lantern as a new character, test pilot Hal Jordan, who became a founding member of the Justice League of America. In the early 1970s, writer Denny O'Neil and artist Neal Adams teamed Green Lantern with archer Green Arrow in groundbreaking, socially conscious, and award-winning stories that pitted the sensibilities of the law-and-order-oriented Lantern with the populist Green Arrow. Several cosmically themed series followed, as did occasional different individuals in the role of Earth's Green Lantern. Most prominent of these are John Stewart, Guy Gardner, and Kyle Rayner.
Each Green Lantern was a member of the Justice Society of America or the Justice League, and John Stewart was featured as one of the main characters in both the ''Justice League'' and the ''Justice League Unlimited'' animated series. The Green Lanterns are often depicted as being close friends of the various men who have been the Flash, the most notable friendships having been between Alan Scott and Jay Garrick (the Golden Age Green Lantern/Flash), Hal Jordan and Barry Allen (the Silver Age Green Lantern and Flash), and Kyle Rayner and Wally West (the modern age Green Lantern and Flash), as well as Jordan being friends with West.

Contents

Publication history

Golden Age

Silver Age revival

Later developments

Awards

Fictional character biographies

Golden Age Green Lantern: Alan Scott

Silver Age Green Lantern: Hal Jordan

Bronze Age Green Lanterns

Guy Gardner

John Stewart

Modern Age Green Lantern

Kyle Rayner

Jade

Others who have worn a Green Lantern Power Ring

Powers and abilities

In other media

Television

Cast roles

Guest appearances

Green Lantern oath

Duck Dodgers' oath

Green Lantern parodies/references

Comics

Television

Music

Other

See also

Footnotes

References

External links

Publication history

Golden Age

Green Lantern (sometimes called The Green Lantern in the early days) was created by Martin Nodell (using the name Mart Dellon) and Bill Finger. He first appeared in the Golden Age of comic books in ''All-American Comics'' #16 (July 1940), published by All-American Publications, one of three companies that would eventually merge to form DC Comics. This Green Lantern was Alan Scott, an engineer who had come into possession of a magic lantern. From this, he crafted a power ring which gave him a wide variety of powers. The limitations of the ring were that it had to be "charged" every 24 hours by touching it to the lantern for a time, and that it did not work on wood.
Nodell had originally planned to give Green Lantern the alter ego "Alan Ladd," this being a linguistic twist on "Aladdin," who had a magic lamp and magic ring of his own. DC considered the wordplay distracting and foolish, and the character's name was changed before publication to "Alan Scott." In May 1942, the film ''This Gun for Hire'' suddenly made journeyman actor Alan Ladd a movie star. Nodell would always joke that they'd missed a great opportunity.^[1]

Green Lantern was a popular character in the 1940s, featured in both ''All-American Comics'' and in his own title and co-starring in ''Comic Cavalcade'' along with The Flash and Wonder Woman. He was a charter member of the Justice Society of America, whose adventures ran in ''All Star Comics''. After World War II, the popularity of superheroes declined. The ''Green Lantern'' comic book was canceled with issue #38 (June 1949). ''All Star Comics'' #57 (1951) was the character's last Golden Age appearance.

Silver Age revival

In the late 1950s, DC Comics successfully revived superheroes, ushering in what became known as the Silver Age of comic books. Rather than bringing back the same Golden Age heroes — as Atlas Comics, the 1950s precursor of Marvel Comics, unsuccessfully tried to do — DC reimagined them as new characters for the modern age. Following the successful revival of the Flash in ''Showcase'' #4 (Oct. 1956), a new Green Lantern was introduced in ''Showcase'' #22 (September-October 1959).
This Green Lantern was Hal Jordan, a test pilot who was given the ring by a dying alien, Abin Sur, and who became a member of the Green Lantern Corps, an interstellar organization of police overseen by the Guardians of the Universe. The Corps' rings were powerless against anything colored yellow, due to a necessary impurity in the ring. Jordan's creation was motivated by a desire to make him more of a science fiction hero, editor Julius Schwartz having been a longtime science-fiction fan and literary agent who saw pop-culture tastes turning in that direction.
The Silver Age Green Lantern was unique in several ways. He was the first DC superhero to use his powers selfishly (in his romance with Carol Ferris) and he was the first DC superhero with a family. Written by John Broome and drawn by Gil Kane, these stories have been reprinted in deluxe hardback editions.
This Green Lantern was a founding member of the Justice League of America and starred in his own title as well; in issue #40 (Oct. 1965), he met his Golden Age predecessor, who was established to live on the parallel world of Earth-Two, separate from Jordan's Earth-One. The two Lanterns struck up a close friendship and have periodically come to each other's aid. Hal Jordan's Green Lantern also became close friends with the Flash (Barry Allen), and the two heroes appeared frequently in each other's comics to team up.

Later developments

With issue #76 (April 1970), the series made a radical stylistic departure. Editor Schwartz, in one of the company's earliest efforts to provide more than light fantasy, worked with the writer-artist team of Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams to spark new interest in the book and address a perceived need for social "relevance" — a general pop-culture catchphrase of the time. They added the character Green Arrow (with the cover though not the official name retitled ''Green Lantern Co-Starring Green Arrow'') and had the pair travel through America encountering "real world" issues, to which they reacted in different ways — Green Lantern as fundamentally a lawman, Green Arrow as a liberal iconoclast. Additionally during this run, Green Arrow's teen sidekick Speedy (the later grownup hero Arsenal) developed a heroin addiction that he was forcibly made to quit. The stories were critically acclaimed, with publications such as ''The New York Times'', ''The Wall Street Journal'', and ''Newsweek'' citing it as an example of how comic books were "growing up".^[2] However, the O'Neil/Adams run was not a commercial success, and after only 14 issues, the two left the title, which was cancelled.
The title would know a number of revivals and cancellations. Its title would change to Green Lantern Corps at one point as the popularity rose and waned. During a time there were two regular titles, each with a Green Lantern, and a third member in the Justice League. A new character, Kyle Rayner, was created to become the feature while Hal Jordan first became the villain Parallax, then died and came back as the Spectre.
In the wake of '', Geoff Johns returned Hal Jordan as Green Lantern in ''Green Lantern: Rebirth''. The Green Lantern Corps would follow with ''Green Lantern Corps: Recharge''. Currently there is a regular series for each, as well as some specials. Johns and Gibbons have been bringing back many elements from the title's rich and varied history, including formerly dead characters, ideas from Alan Moore's Green Lantern Corps' stories, with a sci-fi cop feel. This culminates in the creation of the Sinestro Corps and the current Sinestro War.

Awards

The series and its creators have received several awards over the years, including the 1961 Alley Award for Best Adventure Hero/Heroine with Own Book; and Academy of Comic Book Arts' Shazam Award for Best Continuing Feature in 1970, for Best Individual Story ("No Evil Shall Escape My Sight", ''Green Lantern'' vol. 2, #76, by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams), and in 1971 for Best Individual Story ("Snowbirds Don't Fly", ''Green Lantern'' vol. 2, #85 by O'Neil and Adams).
Writer O'Neil received the Shazam Award for Best Writer (Dramatic Division) in 1970 for his work on ''Green Lantern'', ''Batman'', ''Superman'', and other titles, while artist Adams received the Shazam for Best Artist (Dramatic Division) in 1970 for his work on ''Green Lantern'' and ''Batman''. Inker Dick Giordano received the Shazam Award for Best Inker (Dramatic Division) for his work on ''Green Lantern'' and other titles.

Fictional character biographies

Golden Age Green Lantern: Alan Scott

Main articles: Alan Scott

Alan Scott's Green Lantern history traditionally began thousands of years ago when a mystical "green flame" fell to Earth. The voice of the flame prophesied that it would act three times: once to bring death, once to bring life, and once to bring power. By 1940, the flame had been fashioned into a metal lantern, which fell into the hands of Alan Scott, a young engineer. Following a railroad bridge collapse, the flame instructed Scott how to fashion a ring from its metal, to give him fantastic powers as the superhero Green Lantern. He adopted a colorful costume and became a crimefighter. Alan was a founding member of the Justice Society of America. He is also an honorary member of the Green Lantern Corps. However, two subsequent stories threw this separation of Alan Scott from Corps history into question.
At least one story during one of the earliest cross-over adventures of the Justice League with their pre-Crisis Earth-2 counterparts, the Justice Society, showed Hal Jordan and Alan Scott charging their rings from the same Power Battery, an impossibility if the source of the two rings' power was different and incompatible. Thirty years later a post-Crisis ''Tales of the Green Lantern Corps'' story brought Scott even closer to the Corps' ranks. It was revealed that Hal Jordan was predated as Earth's Green Lantern by a citizen of ancient China. Not only was the Corps' now-familiar green, black and white uniform motif not yet adopted, but this ancient Chinese GL altered the basic red of his uniform to more closely resemble the style worn by his countrymen. Power ultimately corrupted this early GL and the Guardians allowed his ring to manifest a weakness to wood, the material from which most Chinese weapons of the time were fashioned. This allowed the locals to ultimately defeat their corrupted “champion." His ring and lantern were burned and it was during this process that the “intelligence” inhabiting the ring and the lantern, and linking them to the Guardians, was damaged.
Centuries later, it was explained, when Scott found the mystical lantern, it had no memory of its true origins, save a vague recollection of the uniform of its last master. This was the origin of Scott’s distinctive costume. Due to the damaged link to the Guardians, those immortals presumed the ring and lantern to be lost in whatever cataclysm overcame their last owner of record. Thus it was that Scott was never noticed by the Guardians and went on to carve a history of his own separate and apart from that of the Corps…still sporting a ring with an artificially induced weakness before anything made of wood. Honoring this separate history, the Guardians never moved to force Scott to relinquish the ring, formally join the Corps, or adopt its colors.

Silver Age Green Lantern: Hal Jordan

Main articles: Hal Jordan


The next Green Lantern to see publication was Harold "Hal" Jordan, a second-generation test pilot, having followed in the footsteps of his father, Martin Jordan. He was given the power ring and battery (lantern) by a dying alien named Abin Sur, whose spaceship crashed on Earth. Abin Sur used his ring to seek out an individual who was "utterly honest and born without fear" to take his place as Green Lantern. Jordan became a founding member of the Justice League of America and as of the mid-2000s is, along with John Stewart, one of the two active-duty Lanterns in Earth's sector of space.
Jordan was also a member of the Green Lantern Corps, which was modeled after the "Lensmen" from the science fiction novel series written by E.E. Smith. The early 1980s miniseries "Green Lantern Corps" honors this with two characters in the corps: Eddore of Tront and Arisia. A different interpretation of Jordan and the Corps appears in ''.
Following the rebirth of Superman and the destruction of his hometown of Coast City in the early 90s, Hal Jordan seemingly went insane and destroyed the Green Lantern Corps and the Central Power Battery. Now calling himself Parallax, Hal Jordan would devastate the DC Universe off and on for the next several years. However, after Earth's sun was threatened by a Sun-Eater, Jordan sacrificed his life expending the last of his vast power to reignite the dying star. Jordan subsequently returned from beyond the grave as the Spectre, the divine Spirit of God's Vengeance, whom Jordan attempted to transform into a Spirit of Redemption, which ended in failure.
In '' it is revealed that Jordan was under the influence of a creature known as Parallax when he turned renegade. Parallax was a creature of pure fear that had been imprisoned in the central power battery by the Guardians of the Universe in the distant past. Imprisonment had rendered the creature dormant and it was eventually forgotten, becoming known merely as the "yellow impurity" in the power rings. Sinestro was able to wake Parallax and encourage it to seek out Hal Jordan as a host. Although Parallax had been trying to corrupt Jordan (via his ring) for some time, it was not until after the destruction of Coast City that it was able to succeed. It took advantage of Jordan's weakened emotional state to lure him to Oa and cause him to attack anyone who stood in his way. When Jordan finally entered the central battery and absorbed all the power, he unwittingly freed the Parallax entity and allowed it to graft onto his soul.
The Spectre bonded with Jordan in the hopes of freeing the former Green Lantern's soul from Parallax's taint but was not strong enough to do so. In "Green Lantern Rebirth" Parallax began to assert control of the Parallax-Spectre-Jordan composite. Thanks to a supreme effort of will Jordan was able to free himself from Parallax, rejoin his soul to his body and reclaim his power ring. The newly revived (and youthened) Jordan awoke just in time to save Kyle Rayner and Green Arrow from Sinestro. After the Korugarian's defeat Jordan was able to successfully lead his fellow Green lanterns in battle against parallax and imprison it in the central battery once more.
Hal Jordan is once again a member of the Green Lantern Corps, and along with John Stewart is one of the two Corps members assigned to Sector 2814.

Bronze Age Green Lanterns

Guy Gardner

Main articles: Guy Gardner (comics)


In the late 1960s, Guy Gardner appeared as the second choice to replace Abin Sur as Green Lantern of sector 2814. This placed him as the "backup" Green Lantern for Jordan. During ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'', the Guardians split into factions, one of which appointed Gardner their champion. He has gone through many changes, including wielding Sinestro's Qwardian power ring, then gaining and losing Vuldarian powers, and readmission to the Corps during ''Green Lantern: Rebirth''. He later became part of the Green Lantern Honor Guard, and oversees new Green Lanterns' training.

John Stewart

Main articles: John Stewart (comics)


In the early 1970s, John Stewart, an unemployed architect, was selected by the Guardians to replace Guy Gardner as the backup Green Lantern for Jordan. When Jordan resigned from the Corps for an extended period of time, Stewart served as the regular Lantern for that period. Since then, Stewart was in and out of action due to various circumstances, but by the 2000s began serving with Jordan as one of his sector's two designated regular-duty Lanterns.

Modern Age Green Lantern

The current Green Lantern is once again Hal Jordan (see previous), but two other modern Lanterns are notable.

Kyle Rayner

Main articles: Kyle Rayner


Kyle Rayner was a struggling freelance artist when he was approached by the last Guardian of the Universe, Ganthet, to become a new Green Lantern with the last power ring. Ganthet's reasons for choosing Rayner remained a secret for quite some time. Despite not being cut from the same cloth of bravery and fearlessness as Hal Jordan — or perhaps because of that — Rayner proved to be popular with readers and his fellow characters. Having continually proven himself on his own and with the JLA, he became known amongst the Oans as "The Torch Bearer". He was responsible for the rebirth of the Guardians and the re-ignition of the Central Power Battery, essentially restoring all that Jordan had destroyed as Parallax. Rayner later began operating as the Green Lantern known as Ion.
Kyle Rayner was chosen to wield the last ring because he knew fear, and Parallax had been released from the Central Power Battery. Ganthet knows this and chooses Kyle because his experiences dealing with fear enable him to resist Parallax. Because Parallax is fear, and yellow, none of the other Green Lanterns, including Hal, could harm Parallax and, therefore, came under his control. Kyle teaches them to feel and overcome fear so they can defeat Parallax and incarcerate him in the Central Power Battery once again.
Kyle becomes Ion, who is later revealed to be the manifestation of willpower in the same way Parallax is fear. During the current Sinestro War between the Green Lantern Corps and the Sinestro Corps, Ion is imprisoned while Parallax possesses Kyle.

Jade

Main articles: Jade (comics)

When Jenny-Lynn Hayden, the superhero known as Jade, was stripped of her powers, Kyle Rayner gave her a copy of Hal Jordan's power ring. When Rayner left to restart the Green Lantern corps, Jade donned the classic Green Lantern uniform and served as Earth's Green Lantern until losing the ring during a battle with the villain Fatality. When the ring was later returned to her, she changed to a modified version of Rayner's Green Lantern uniform. Jade continued to function as a Green Lantern until Rayner used his original Ion powers to restore her original powers. Upon her death, Jade returned all her powers to Rayner.

Others who have worn a Green Lantern Power Ring

''See also: Green Lantern Corps and List of Green Lanterns''
Other DC Superheroes who wield the GL Ring and/or powers temporarily include Superman ^[3], Nightwing ^[4], Green Arrow ^[5], and Zatanna ^[6]. The dark form of the 21st century Supergirl (Kara Zor-El), while under the influence of black kryptonite, wields John Stewart's Ring ^[7]. Batman uses Hal Jordan's ring, on the Green Lantern's suggestion, to confront his fear; the ring shows images of his deceased parents talking to him, presumably generated from the Caped Crusader's mind ^[8]. The future version of Superman witnessed in ''DC One Million'' acquires a ring when the heroes of the past replace a sample of kryptonite with a long-lost Green Lantern ring, allowing him to destroy the weakened supercomputer Solaris.
The Silver Age Atom (Ray Palmer) uses a power ring on three separate occasions. The first is in his ''Justice League of America'' debut ^[9], during which he uses Jordan's ring to free the Justice League from a mental trance. The second occasion the Atom pulls the ring off the finger of an imposter Green Lantern and captures him with it^[10]. Finally, Palmer and Jordan are pitted against the villain Traitor, who has shrunken Earth down to microscopic size, intending for it to be destroyed when it rapidly expanded and exploded. Using a spare ring, the Atom was able to slow Earth's growth enough that it was not destroyed, leaving Jordan to battle Traitor.
The Flash (Barry Allen) has also wielded a power ring. T.O. Morrow created three duplicates of Hal Jordan with upgraded power rings (they were not vulnerable to yellow). When Barry defeats one of the false Lanterns, he temporarily wields the upgraded ring until he realizes that the real Hal Jordan is in danger. Barry then wills the ring to fly to Hal in order to save him.^[11] Wally West, as Kid Flash, receives a temporary power ring from Jordan, after he loses his powers while in pursuit on the Mirror Master and Black Hand, which he uses to become the 'Kid Lantern.'^[12]
In addition to the noted heroes, some villains have also worn a Lanterns ring. The villain Star Sapphire briefly had control of Hal Jordan's ring ^[13].
Hector Hammond, in his initial appearance, gains control of a facimile ring created for Thomas Kalmaku by Jordan, through the use of advanced technology. The ring grants Hammond the full powers of a Green Lantern before the charge expires. During ''Identity Crisis'', Deathstroke tried to gain control of Kyle's ring, believing his enhanced mental powers would overcome Rayner's will. Slade interrupts the use of the Green Lantern's ring; although it is unclear whether this is due to the mercenary's congnative prowess or the mere fact that he broke the Green Lantern's fingers.
DC heroes who have filled the Green Lantern role in DC's Elseworlds or other alternate universes include Clark Kent ^[14], Bruce Wayne ^[15], Barbara Gordon ^[16], Uncle Sam ^[17], and Big Barda ^[18].

Powers and abilities

Main articles: Power ring (weapon)

All Green Lanterns wield a power ring that can generate a variety of effects and energy constructs, sustained purely by the ring wearer's strength of will. The greater the user's willpower, the more effective the ring. The limits of the power ring's abilities are not clearly defined and it has been referred to as "the most powerful weapon in the universe" on more than one occasion. Across the years, the ring has been shown capable of accomplishing ''anything'' within the imagination of the ring bearer. Often the rings are used to form solid-light constructs, the power and size of which are limited only by the ring-bearer's willpower. Stories in 2006 retconned the ring's longtime lack of effect on yellow objects, stating that the ring-bearer need only feel fear and overcome it in order to affect yellow objects. In one comic book issue Kyle Rayner blew up an entire yellow sun in order to destroy a group of hundreds of unpopulated planets that held deadly sicknenesses by manipulating the sun's energy to destroy itself.
Power rings of various wielders have exhibited (but are not limited to) the following:

★ Plasma based constructs limited to the willpower of the bearer.

★ Semi-sentient computers, including Book of Oa reference, from laws to the history of the universe.

★ Flight across the cosmos through wormholes.

★ Time travel

★ Power source, but no longer limited to 24 hours. Kyle Rayner's ring was the first ring to absorb more power than originally thought, having stored the main power battery's energy following its explosion on Oa.

★ Use their ring to posses almost unlimited telepathic powers.

★ Universal Translator

★ Force field generation.

★ Radiation simulation, including Kryptonite.

★ Generate "earplugs" to block out all telepathic communication and manipulation.^[19]

★ Render user invisible^[20]

★ Kyle Rayner suggested, during the battle with Alex Nero, that the ring can split atoms.

★ Upon death of the wielder, the ring automatically looks for a replacement.

★ ''Green Lantern: Rebirth'' revealed that only a certain ''type'' of willpower can use the ring effectively, as evidenced when Green Arrow's "cynical" willpower barely allows him to generate a single arrow and leaves him exhausted after this feat.

In other media

Television

Several Green Lanterns have appeared in animated TV shows, both as regular characters and as guest stars.

Cast roles

Hal Jordan was the featured character in a solo series which was part of ''The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure'' (1967) as well as part of the Justice League segments. These would be the character's first animated appearances. Gerald Mohr is the voice of Green Lantern.
In addition, Hal Jordan's Green Lantern was an occasional supporting character in the various ''Super Friends'' incarnations: ''Challenge Of The SuperFriends'', '', and ''. Michael Rye is the voice of the Green Lantern for these appearances.

John Stewart is a member of the Justice League in the ''Justice League'' animated series. In this series, Stewart's ring was initially constrained to permitting him to fly, generating a protective force field, creating walls, and firing energy blasts; this limitation was established as being due to Stewart's mindset, not an inherent limitation of the ring itself (the series' version of John Stewart is a former U.S. Marine, not an architect). After being berated by Katma Tui for his unimaginative use of the ring, Stewart has learned to generate complex tools (to defuse a bomb in one instance) and weapons. In a development not seen in any other version of the Green Lantern mythos, Stewart's eyes glow green as a side effect of the Ring's radiation (the glow fades when the ring runs out of power). The series has been inconsistent about the ring's effectiveness against yellow; Stewart is seen fighting Sinestro in one episode and the yellow energy does not prove to be a significant problem for the Lantern, although in a later episode of ''Justice League Unlimited'', the Flash threw yellow Jell-o at him, breaking his force field. Stewart's voice is provided by Phil LaMarr.
Another feature of this series is Stewart's dramatic lovelife. After a failed romance with fellow Justice League member Hawkgirl, Stewart begins a relationship with Vixen, although an episode where he travels into the future seems to indicate that he will come to have a son with Hawkgirl later on. However, with the recent appearance of the Carter Hall/Katar Hol incarnation of Hawkman in the series, that changed, after Stewart admits he will not let fate control his life and tells Hawkgirl he is staying with Vixen. Despite this it's still left up in the air at the end of the series - Hawkgirl considers Hawkman a stalker, not a boyfriend, and she still loves John. Hawkman also concludes at the end of the episode that he and Hawkgirl are just not fated to be with each other. Stewart also admits his love for Hawkgirl, albeit cryptically, since when she says to him "Tell me you don't love me" he replies that she knows he will never say that but he is resolute and admits that he is still staying with Vixen. It is debatable what remains in the future but based on the future it is arguably hinted that he will eventually have some relationship with Hawkgirl.

Guest appearances

★ Kyle Rayner appeared as Green Lantern in "In Brightest Day...", an episode of ''. This incarnation appeared to be a hybrid of Kyle Rayner, John Stewart, and Hal Jordan, since he was recruited by Abin Sur, and fought Jordan's old enemy Sinestro (voiced by Ted Levine. He looked more like Jordan than Rayner (although Hal Jordan's name is clearly visible, painted on the nose of an airplane at a military base). The tie-in with John Stewart is due mainly to the fact that Rayner's Green Lantern "uniform" is the uniform donned by Stewart in the comic series. (this is, perhaps, after the fact, as Stewart didn't resume his role as Green Lantern in the League until after he was incorporated in the JL animated series, however his costume had always been unique and distinctive) Rayner was later inducted into the Green Lantern Corps. Guy Gardner makes a cameo as the mugger who steals Jimmy Olsen's camera. Rayner is voiced by Michael P. Greco.

★ Rayner was briefly mentioned in one episode of ''Justice League'' and he appeared as one of the Green Lanterns attending Superman's funeral in "Hereafter". He later reappeared after the series became ''Justice League Unlimited'' in "The Return", bearing a far greater resemblance to his comics counterpart. Rayner's appearance (where he and the Corps unsuccessfully attempted to defend Oa from Amazo) finally explained why John Stewart was the Green Lantern of Earth; Rayner had been stationed on Oa all along. Will Friedle provides Rayner's voice in "The Return."

★ A character known as Green Guardsman (whose real name was Scott Mason) appeared in the two-part ''Justice League'' episode "Legends", in which John Stewart and several other members traveled to a parallel universe. This other universe had its own superhero group, the Justice Guild, whose members were modeled on Golden Age versions of the Justice Society of America characters. Green Guardsman was an homage to the Golden Age Green Lantern. His power ring was unable to affect aluminum. The voice of the Green Guardsman is provided by William Katt.

★ The Justice League version of John Stewart appeared in several episodes of ''Static Shock'', both as a member of the League and in a solo appearance. Phil LaMarr reprises his ''Justice League'' role as Green Lantern, as well as providing the voice for Static.

★ "The Call", a two-part episode of ''Batman Beyond,'' featured a future Justice League that included a Green Lantern who was an eight-year old child; he later reappeared as a young adult in the ''Justice League Unlimited'' episode ''Epilogue'' (the character was created for this appearance, and has not appeared elsewhere). His name was Kai-ro, a tribute to Kairo, Green Lantern's alien sidekick on ''The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure''. Kai-ro is voiced by Lauren Tom.

★ Hal Jordan appeared briefly in the ''Justice League Unlimited'' episode ''The Once and Future Thing, Part 2: Time, Warped'' in which the time-traveling villain Chronos caused the timeline to become unstable, with characters changing or disappearing as their history was altered. At one point, John Stewart morphed into Jordan, who aided the other characters for several minutes before changing back into Stewart. Jordan was voiced by Adam Baldwin.^[21]

★ On the animated TV series "Duck Dodgers," the episode entitled "The Green Loontern" includes appearances by many members of the Green Lantern Corps. In this episode, a mixup at the dry cleaners results in Dodgers (Daffy Duck) getting Hal Jordan's outfit and ring. Filmmaker and comics fan Kevin Smith provided the voice of Jordan for this cameo.

★ Howard Murphy played Green Lantern in the live action ''Legends of the Superheroes'' TV specials in 1979. The role of Sinestro was played by comedian Charlie Callas.

★ The unsuccessful 1997 pilot for a live-action ''Justice League of America'' television series included Matthew Settle as Guy Gardner, although the pilot's Green Lantern used only the name and costume of the comic-book Gardner. In personality and appearance, he much more closely resembled Hal Jordan. He wore a mask and insignia similar to that worn by Kyle Rayner as a part of his original costume. His ring closely resembled that of Alan Scott. However, this ring didn't bestow the power of flight upon its wearer; instead, Gardner flew by using the ring to generate a helicopter rotor.

Green Lantern oath

Green Lantern is famous for the oath he recites when he charges his ring. Originally, the oath was simple:
:...and I shall shed my light over dark evil.
:For the dark things cannot stand the light,
:The light of the Green Lantern!
(This oath was later given as an in-joke to Tomar-Re, Green Lantern of sector 2813, and the first Lantern Hal Jordan met after Abin Sur)
In the mid-1940s, this was revised into the form that became famous during the Hal Jordan era:
: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!
The word blackest is often replaced with darkest to avoid racist connotations. The above is the most popular version of Green Lantern's oath. Science fiction writer Alfred Bester, who wrote many Green Lantern stories in the 1940s, has been credited as the creator of this oath. However, in an interview with journalist F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre at the 1979 World Science Fiction Convention in Brighton, England, Bester stated that the brightest day oath was already in place before he began writing for the character.
It has since been established that each Green Lantern has his, her, or its own oath. For example, Medphyl, the Green Lantern of the planet J586 (seen in ''Swamp Thing'' # 61, "All Flesh is Grass"), a planet where a sentient plant species lives, has the following oath:
:In forest dark or glade beferned
:No blade of grass shall go unturned
:Let those who have the daylight spurned
:Tread not where this green lamp has burned.
Other notable oaths include that of Jack T. Chance:
:You who are wicked, evil and mean
:I'm the nastiest creep you've 'ever' seen!
:Come one, come all, put up a fight
:I'll pound your butts with Green Lantern's light!
:Yowza.
and that of Rot Lop Fan, a Green Lantern whose species lacks sight, and thus has no concepts of brightness, darkness, day, night, color, or lanterns:
:In loudest din or hush profound
:My ears catch evil's slightest sound
:Let those who toll out evil's knell
:Beware my power, the F-Sharp Bell!

Duck Dodgers' oath

In the animated TV series ''Duck Dodgers'', Duck Dodgers temporarily becomes a Green Lantern after accidentally picking up Hal Jordan's laundry. In the first part of the episode, he forgets the real quote and makes up his own version:
:In blackest day or brightest night
:Watermelon, cantaloupe, yadda yadda
:Erm...superstitious and cowardly lot
:With liberty and justice for all!
(In-joke: "watermelon" and "cantaloupe" are words traditionally muttered repeatedly by extras in crowd scenes to simulate actual conversation, and "superstitious and cowardly lot" were are the words associated with Bruce Wayne's realization of why he needed to use the image of a bat as a means to scare criminals.)

Green Lantern parodies/references

Comics

★ Marvel Comics' Nova, Quasar and Freedom Ring have all been considered similar in powers and concept to Green Lanterns. Nova being most like Hal Jordan, although many years younger, while Quasar and Freedom Ring resembled Kyle Rayner. However, it should be noted that Quasar was created fifteen years before Kyle Rayner, so this was a fallacy. The Star Brand, a concept in Marvel's "New Universe", a comics line introduced in 1986, also was thought by some to bear certain similarities to Green Lantern.

★ Doctor Spectrum - There are three versions of Dr. Spectrum from three different dimensions in the Marvel Universe, none of which come from the normal Marvel continuity.

★
★ The version of Dr. Spectrum that had the most development was a member of the Squadron Supreme. Dr. Spectrum used to be an astronaut, adventurer and something of a playboy. On one of his space missions, he saved the life of a benevolent alien of the Skrull race. In gratitude for rescuing him, the Skrull gave Joe Ledger the Power Prism, an energy synthesizer his people had created.

★
★ The version of Dr. Spectrum in ''Supreme Power'' series is a rebooted version of this character. In this version, Joseph (Joe) Daniel Ledger is a Colonel in the United States Army, who perform covert operations missions. He is considered the perfect soldier: an army man who follows any and all orders and is a natural killer. Joe Ledger was the only candidate who was focused and single minded enough to be able to control the power prism found in Hyperion's space ship.

★
★ An evil version of Dr. Spectrum was a member of the Squadron Sinister. Although the Squadron Sinister Dr. Spectrum preceded the Squadron Supreme version in appearance, the former is considered the original as the latter was revealed to be just a copy.

★ The Beacon - from Big Bang Comics.

★
★ Beacon of Earth A, corresponding to the 1960s version: Dr. Julia Gardner

★
★ Beacon of Earth B, corresponding to the 1940s version: Scott Martin

★ The Green Ghost - from ''Invincible'' series.

★ Green Lambkin - a funny animal version, first appearing in ''Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew'' #14, April 1983. Given his ring by the Goat-Guardians of the planet Uh-Oh, the Green Lambkin was a member of Just'a Lotta Animals, fighting evil alongside heroes such as Batmouse and Super-Squirrel on the parallel world Earth C-Minus.

★ In issue #10 of Warren Ellis' ''Planetary'', "Magic and Loss", there is a race of red-robed beings providing blue lanterns to those worthy of being "Policemen." One noble alien is selected, and a glowing blue lantern (a "mind-powered weapon") is placed within his chest. The alien, now capable of space-travel, heads to Earth where he is captured, vivisected, and has the blue lantern extracted by Dr. Randall Dowling of the Four, after having his powers nullified through the use of red-hued light. Following this, Lamplight gained the power of the lantern and joins the group Stormwatch, a multi-national superhero organization sponsored by the United Nations.

★ Iron Lantern, an Amalgam Comics character, is a combination of Hal Jordan and Marvel Comics character Iron Man. Similarly, Jade Nova, another Amalgam Comics character, is a combination of two Green Lantern characters, Kyle Rayner and Jade as well as Marvel Comics' character Frankie Raye.

★ One of the stories in ''Endless Nights'', entitled "Dream: The Heart of a Star" introduces "Killalla of the Glow," one of five ancient Oans learning to harness the "Glow" of their sun. She meets the incarnation of her sun, Sto-Oa (meaning "The Light of Oa"), and falls in love with him, despite being the lover of Morpheus.

★ Christian Walker becomes a member of the Millennium Guard, an agency similar in jurisdiction to the Green Lantern Corps, in ''Powers''.

Television

★ In the ReBoot tv series there is a group know as the Guardians, their mission is to "mend and defend", they have Keytools, devices that are capable of almost infinite feats by just chaging they configurations showing a great similarity to the Power Rings and in the latest movie, the Keytool Glitch gain energy-based powers who work just like the Power Rings.

★ The American sitcom ''Seinfeld'' made references to Green Lantern in three episodes: "The Barber" (November 11, 1993), "The Stand In" (Feb. 25, 1994) and "The Strong Box" (Feb. 5, 1998).

★ The comic book read by Walt on the TV series ''Lost'' is ''Green Lantern/Flash: Faster Friends'' #1.

★ In the Warner Brothers animated series ''Freakazoid!'', villain Armando Guitierrez, upon discovering that Freakazoid is not vulnerable to Kryptonite, attempts to menace him with a yellow piece of paper. Freakazoid shakes his head and says "That's the Green Lantern."

★ The Green Swoosh as portrayed by the Johnny Bravo. His power does not come from a ring, but instead superpowered boots.

★ In the UK comedy series ''Coupling'' (2001), there is a short reference to Green Lantern and his ring in the episode "Her Best Friend's Bottom"

★ In an episode of ''Dexter's Laboratory'' titled "You Vegeta-believe It!", Dexter builds a gardening tool called the Green Thumb 1, which has several functions parodying the powers of Green Lantern's power ring.

★ In an episode of ''Duck Dodgers'', Duck Dodgers has his dry cleaning mixed with the Green Lanterns and joins the Green Lantern Corps.

★ On the reality animated TV parody show DRAWN TOGETHER, Captain Hero (when he is under stress) makes a reference that he wishes that the Green Lantern were there because "he always knew how to help me relax"

★ In 2007, ls:tv (Leeds Student Television, a member of the National Student Television Association) aired a short sketch series entitled "The Green Intern" in a comedy program called "Bits".

★ Bradin Westerly on the TV series ''Summerland'' is a Green Lantern fan. In an episode, he argues with another character about who knows more about Green Lantern.

★ In series 5 of 24, the vice president of the USA is named Hal Gardner - a reference to Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner.

★ In The Simpsons Movie, when asked by Marge about the signifiance of "EPA", Comic Book Guy mistakes it for the scream made by Sinestro (Green Lantern's archenemey) when banished by Green Lantern to another dimension.

Music

★ Green Lantern is mentioned in the hit 1966 song "Sunshine Superman" by British folk musician Donovan.

★ The New Zealand band the Mutton Birds has a song called "Green Lantern", about someone whose status in life has diminished. The refrain has the narrator assuring the subject, "you're still the Green Lantern to me."

Other

★ The Hurricane - World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)'s character. Gregory Helms is a comics fan and has a Green Lantern tattoo on his right bicep. His love of comics was turned into a wrestling character or "gimmick".

★ The Star Knights in the Mutants and Masterminds Role-playing game are an homage to the Green Lantern Corps.

★ The protagonist of ''No More Magic'', a novel by Avi, is an avid reader of comic books, and in particular, a fan of the Green Lantern series.

★ Green Lantern is a featured character in the short fan films ''Losing Lois Lane'' and ''Grayson''. Although these fan films are based respectively on the Superman and Batman mythos, Green Lantern is presumably featured for his long-time membership in the Justice League of America).

★ Liberal pundit and blogger Matt Yglesias has repeatedly criticized the Bush administration for basing its decision to go to war in Iraq on what he calls the "Green Lantern Theory of Geopolitics." Yglesias characterized adherents to this "theory" as people who believe "that American military might is like one of these power rings.... that, roughly speaking, we can accomplish absolutely anything in the world through the application of sufficient military force."[1] [2]"The Green Lantern Theory" has since become a popular meme among liberal bloggers.[3]

See also

★ List of Green Lanterns

★ Green Lantern Corps

★ Power Ring

★ Doctor Spectrum a Marvel superhero based on the Green Lantern as an homage.

★ Sinestro Corps

★ List of Green Lantern enemies

Footnotes

1. Monitor Duty (Feb. 13, 2006): "Alan Kistler's Profile On: Green Lantern!"
2. Wright, Bradford W. ''Comic Book Nation''. Johns Hopkins, 2001. Pg. 227
3. ''Action Comics'' #642
4. Action Comics'' #642, ''DC Comics Presents'' #6
5. '' #4
6. ''Green Lantern'' [2nd series] #42, ''Green Lantern'' 80-Page Giant #2
7. ''Supergirl'' [4th series] #4
8. ''Green Lantern'' [4th series] #9
9. "Menace of the Atom Bomb"
10. "Decoy Missions of the Justice League"
11. Silver Age Flash Tale "Trail of the False Green Lanterns"
12. Flash & Green Lantern: The Brave And The Bold #3
13. ''DC Comics Presents'' #6
14. ''Superman: Last Son of Earth''
15. ''In Darkest Knight''
16. ''JLA: Created Equal''
17. ''Superman/Batman'' #15
18. ''JLA: Another Nail''
19. ''52'', Week #13. Writers Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid Artists Todd Nauck and Marlo Alquiza.
20. ''Identity Crisis'' #2
21.

References

★ The Book of OA

★ The Green Lantern Shrine

★ The Unofficial Green Lantern Corps Web Page

★ Green Lantern Rebirth

★ Green Lantern Corps. JLResource.com entry

★ Index of Hal Jordan's (and John Stewart's) Earth-1 adventures

★ Emerald Dawn

External links

★ The Emerald Warrior

★ Profile by Alan Kistler

★ Classic Comic Books: The Golden Age Green Lantern

★ Classic Comic Books: The Silver Age Green Lantern