Green Lantern

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The Green Lantern mythos splits into two distinct eras. The Golden Age origin features Alan Scott, created by Martin Nodell with Bill Finger, who crafted a magic ring from a lantern that spoke to him after a railway crash. This ring required charging every 24 hours and could not affect wood, pitting Scott against villains like Vandal Savage in New York. Conversely, the Silver Age reimagined the concept through Hal Jordan, introduced by John Broome and Gil Kane in Showcase #22 (September–October 1959). Jordan received his ring from the dying alien Abin Sur, becoming an officer of the Green Lantern Corps overseen by the Guardians of the Universe. These rings draw power from the electromagnetic spectrum of emotional willpower, allowing users to create constructs based on imagination. Later expansions introduced a full spectrum of colored lanterns, including the Sinestro Corps War and the Blackest Night event led by Geoff Johns.

In Their Own Story

In April 1970, the series underwent a radical shift under editor Julius Schwartz and the team of Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams. This era produced the groundbreaking 'Snowbirds Don't Fly' story in issues #85–86, revealing that Green Arrow's sidekick Speedy had developed a heroin addiction. Although critically acclaimed by The New York Times and Newsweek for showing comics were 'growing up,' the run was not a commercial success and ended after 14 issues. Decades later, writer Geoff Johns returned Hal Jordan in 'Green Lantern: Rebirth' (2004–05) after he had served as the villain Parallax and the Spectre, laying the groundwork for future trilogies while reintroducing the character to a new generation.

Reader's Guide

Succession within the Green Lantern title has been marked by distinct personalities and backgrounds. Guy Gardner followed Hal Jordan as a stubborn, abrasive defender with a rebellious reputation. John Stewart became the fourth user, notable as one of the highest-profile African-American superheroes originally chosen as an alternative to Jordan. In the 1990s, Kyle Rayner emerged as the fifth Lantern; a struggling Mexican-American artist whose ring was granted after the Corps' initial destruction by Jordan, known for his elaborate constructs born from artistic imagination. The 2010s brought Simon Baz, a Lebanese-American Muslim and former mechanic with rare precognitive powers, partnered with Jessica Cruz, the seventh member who overcame crippling anxiety and depression to master her fear-based ring. Most recently, Sojurner "Jo" Mullein joined as the eighth Lantern, serving as an investigator in the Far Sector.

Did You Know?

• Alan Scott's magic ring was originally unable to directly affect objects made of wood and had to be charged every 24 hours by touching it to his lantern.
• Hal Jordan's initial physical appearance was patterned after actor Paul Newman, a neighbor of artist Gil Kane.
• Between 1995 and 2003, DC Comics temporarily changed Alan Scott's codename to 'Sentinel' to distinguish him from the science-fictional Green Lanterns.
• The story 'Snowbirds Don't Fly,' which revealed Speedy's heroin addiction, was published in issues #85–86 of the series and cited by The Wall Street Journal as an example of comics growing up.
• Jessica Cruz was initially chosen by a power ring meant for those who succumbed to fear before she broke free of it to become a Green Lantern.