- Hal Jordan
Showcase Vol 1 #22
October, 1959
Executive Editor: Julius Schwartz
Cover Artists: Gil Kane
"S.O.S. Green Lantern!"
Writers: John Broome
Pencilers: Gil Kane
Inkers: Joe Giella
Editors: Julius Schwartz
"Secret of the Flaming Spear"
Writers: John Broome
Pencilers: Gil Kane
Inkers: Joe Giella
Editors: Julius Schwartz
"Menace of the Runaway Missile"
Writers: John Broome
Pencilers: Gil Kane
Inkers: Joe Giella
Editors: Julius Schwartz
Appearing in "S.O.S. Green Lantern!"
Featured Characters: Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) (First appearance)
Supporting Characters: Green Lantern (Abin Sur) (First appearance) (Dies)
Locations: California
Items: Green Lantern Ring (First appearance)
Green Lantern Power Battery (First appearance)
Vehicles: Abin Sur's Starship (First appearance)
Synopsis for "S.O.S. Green Lantern!"
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.
Appearing in "Secret of the Flaming Spear"
Featured Characters: Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
Supporting Characters: Carol Ferris (First appearance)
Carl Ferris (First appearance)
Villains: Saboteurs (Single appearance)
Other Characters: Frank Nichols (Single appearance)
Locations: California
Coast City
Ferris Aircraft
Items: Green Lantern Ring
Green Lantern Power Battery
Vehicles: The Flaming Spear
Synopsis for "Secret of the Flaming Spear"
Test pilot Hal Jordan goes to the office of Carol Ferris, daughter of Ferris Aircraft's president and CEO Carl Ferris. He asks Carol out on a dinner date, and Carol agrees. Suddenly, an S.O.S. pipes through the office intercom. A Ferris aviator piloting the experimental Flaming Spear is in trouble. Hal sneaks away and changes into the Green Lantern. He flies out towards the runway and helps bring the Flaming Spear safely to ground. His ring picks up a strange radiation emanating from the nose of the plane. Tracing the energy signature back to its source, Green Lantern finds that a group of saboteurs are responsible for disrupting the Flaming Spear's flight path. When Green Lantern appears before them, the thugs begin shooting at him, but he uses his ring to make their bullets explode. One of them picks up a yellow lamp and heaves it at Hal Jordan. As the power of his ring is vulnerable against anything colored yellow, the lamp succeeds in striking Jordan's head, knocking him down. The saboteurs take this opportunity to make their escape. Green Lantern revives and gives chase, but quickly discovers that their getaway car is colored yellow as well. He uses his ring to spike the vehicle's tires causing it to skid to a halt. The three criminals attempt to flee, but Hal binds them with tendrils of green energy. With the threat abated, Green Lantern changes into his civilian attire and returns to Ferris Aircraft. Carl Ferris calls Carol and he into his office for an important announcement. He tells them that his wife and he are going on an extended vacation for the next two years. During this time, Carol will retain full control of the company. After Carl leaves the room, Hal asks Carol if they are still on for their dinner date, but Carol tells him that as his new boss, their relationship will be "strictly business" for the next two years. Back in his locker room, Hal laments the fact that his power ring can grant him his every desire except the one thing he wants most in the world - Carol.
Appearing in "Menace of the Runaway Missile"
Featured Characters: Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
Supporting Characters: Carol Ferris
Villains: Doctor Parris (Single appearance)
Other Characters: Unnamed Colonel (Single appearance)
Locations: California
Coast City
Ferris Aircraft
Items: Green Lantern Ring
Green Lantern Power Battery
Synopsis for "Menace of the Runaway Missile"
After partaking in a test flight, Hal Jordan tries to ask Carol Ferris out on a date, however she rebuffs him stating that she is going to the celebrity ball to meet Green Lantern. That night, Hal changes into Green Lantern and has a romantic interlude with Carol until he notices a missile in the sky. Speeding off to try and stop it, he realizes that the missile is coated in yellow paint and his power ring cannot effect it. That is until he notices that the nose cone of the missile is not yellow and is able to stop it by creating a net with his power ring.
Tracking the missile to its source, he captures its creator: a scientist who put his evil ambition ahead of his country. After Green Lantern turns him over to the military, he returns to the Ferris Aircraft Company the next day as Green Lantern to apologize to Carol, who coldly rebuffs him.
Notes
"S.O.S. Green Lantern" is reprinted in Secret Origins #2, DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #22, DC Silver Age Classics: Showcase #22, Millennium Edition: Showcase #22, Green Lantern Chronicles Volume 1 and Green Lantern Archives, Volume 1.
"Secret of the Flaming Spear" is reprinted in DC Silver Age Classics: Showcase #22, Millennium Edition: Showcase #22, Green Lantern Chronicles Volume 1 and Green Lantern Archives, Volume 1.
"Menace of the Runaway Missile" is reprinted in DC Silver Age Classics: Showcase #22, Millennium Edition: Showcase #22, Green Lantern Chronicles Volume 1 and Green Lantern Archives, Volume 1.
This is the first appearance of Hal Jordan, the Silver Age Green Lantern. He makes a chronologically earlier appearance in a Justice League origin story in Justice League of America #144. He chronologically appears next in a flashback tale in Green Lantern (Volume 2) #10. That event takes place one week following events from this issue. His next actual appearance is in Showcase #23, following the third story from this issue.
Although this is the first and only canonical appearance of Abin Sur, he will appear in numerous flashback sequences in the following years. His next chronological flashback appearance takes place in Green Lantern (Volume 2) #16.
First appearance of Carol Ferris. Carol will become Hal Jordan's on-again/off-again lover, and even his adversary when she takes on the mantle of Star Sapphire. Carol makes a chronologically earlier appearance in Green Lantern (Volume 2) #10. She appears next in Showcase #23.
Class retrospective, Mike. Nice.
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