CLASSIC COMIC : Iron Lantern Vol 1 #1 "Showdown at Stark Aircraft!"

Amalgam Comics
June, 1997
Executive Editor: Bob Harras
Cover Artists: Paul Smith, Atomic Paintbrush

"Showdown at Stark Aircraft!"
Writers: Kurt Busiek
Pencilers: Paul Smith
Inkers: Al Williamson, Andrew Pepoy, Greg Adams, Bob McLeod, Tom Palmer, Al Milgrom, Paul Smith
Colourists: Christie Scheele, Digital Chameleon
Letterers: Richard Starkings, Comicraft, Albert Deschesne
Editors: Tom Brevoort, Glenn Greenberg


Appearing in "Showdown at Stark Aircraft!"
Featured Characters: Iron Lantern (First appearance)
Supporting Characters: Happy Kalmaku
Harrington Ferris
Kyle O'Brien
Oa the Living Planet
Rhomann Sur (Dies in flashback)
Stewart Rhodes
Villains: Great White
H.E.C.T.O.R.
Madame Sapphire
Mandarinestro
Other Characters:
Gardner
Gyrich
Weaponers of A.I.M. (mentioned only)
Locations: Coast City
Stark Aircraft
Items: Central Power Battery
Power Battery
Sapphire
Vehicles: Rhomann Sur's Starship (flashback only)

Synopsis for "Showdown at Stark Aircraft!"
After Hal Stark, the Iron Lantern, drops off the evil H.E.C.T.O.R. for imprisonment on Oa, the Living Planet, he returns to Earth and reflects upon the events that led to the creation of his alien-powered armor. Pepper Ferris has to pilot a test aircraft in Hal’s absence, but the plane nearly crashes due to sabotage. Iron Lantern saves the day, and at a party later that evening, Hal and Pepper get an earful from her father, Senator Ferris. Pepper storms off, only to be possessed by a mysterious gem, turning her into the nefarious Madame Sapphire. Meanwhile, Kyle O’Brien slips away, looking to hijack the Iron Lantern armor for himself. Madame Sapphire attacks Stark Aircraft with the giant Great White, forcing Hal to don his Iron Lantern armor. He drags the massive robot shark into space, but down on Earth, Madame Sapphire captures Senator Ferris, and Kyle manages to overpower Stewart Rhodes and Happy Kamalku, then steal Iron Lantern’s power battery. With his energy cut off, Hal plummets towards Earth…and the villain responsible for Iron Lantern’s troubles is revealed, gloating in his base on the dark side of the moon: the evil Mandarinestro!

Appearing in "Sock It to Oa"
Featured Characters:
Aquamariner
Bethany Stark
Black Brand
Dr. Whiplash
Happy Kalmaku
H.E.C.T.O.R.

Human Lantern
Iron Lantern
Iron Lantern 5700
Jack Stark
Janice Doremus
Jim Stark
Kyle O'Brien
Madame Sapphire
Magneto and the Magnetic Men
Olivia Stane
Rhomann Sur
Sonicorn
Stewart Rhodes
Sunset Vane

Synopsis for "Sock It to Oa"
Letters page, fake fan letters referenced past issues, with a notable letter singing the praises of Arno Manning, the Iron Lantern of the year 5700. (Longtime fans of both Green Lantern and Iron Man are well aware of what that means.)

Iron Lantern 3 Opens Big Internationally

Ok it's Iron Man 3 but hey I think Iron Lantern would be cooler.

CHARACTER CLOSE-UP : Sonar

Sonar is a DC Comics supervillain. He first appeared in Green Lantern (2nd series) #14, July (1962), and was created by John Broome and Gil Kane.

Fictional character biography
Nestled in the mountains of south eastern Europe lies the tiny Balkan nation of Modora. With a population of four hundred, Modora was relatively unknown to the rest of the world, whose only product was the wool of a peculiar brown sheep found only in that small area. It wasn't even a member of the United Nations. Modora was sealed off from the rest of the world by Fando the Mad, a leader who believed Modora should be frozen in its past. He burned bridges and barricaded roads to the outside world while making all decisions for his countrymen. One man, Bito Wladon, was determined to change that.
Wladon's parents were deaf, which was a mark of Satan to the superstitious Modorans. By Modoran beliefs, they were not to be killed or hurt, they were to be shunned. Young Bito was a pariah as well, even though he could hear, he was the son of deaf parents. The cruel actions of his community built resentment towards his parents and the outside world. Bito Wladon would hide from the rest of the world in a barn, in which he one day discovered a cache of books, hidden by his peddler grandfather against the orders of Fando.
Bito Wladon became an apprentice to a clock maker, while he secretly embarked on a brilliant career working on the mastery of sound. By using an invention of his, the "nucleo sonic motor" which could use any sound source to power it, Wladon discovered he could nullify gravity or concentrate sound as a destructive force. As talented as he was, Wladon used sound as a means to an end. His fanatic patriotism to Modora had made him a dangerous man. Believing the greatest nations on Earth were also the most powerful, Wladon chose to make Modora great by supplying it with the "nucleo-sonic bomb," a weapon based on supersonic energy. He hoped to make Mordora the most powerful country in the world.
Unfortunately, his homeland was not technologically advanced enough to support his efforts. Wladon was slipped out of Modora for the United States. Many of the items he needed were classified equipment. Wladon would lead a life of crime to get the resources for his sonic weapons.
Wladon designed a regal, military costume to befit the future of Modora. When he appeared in the United States, the media dubbed him "Sonar" because of his mastery of sound.
Returning home from a cosmos-wide meeting of the Green Lantern Corps, Green Lantern of Earth Hal Jordan visited the nation of Modora to get a stamp for Tom Kalmaku's stamp collection. The emerald warrior was surprised to discover Modora was so small it did not have a post office. Modorans were within walking distance of any of their fellow citizens. While he was searching for a stamp, Green Lantern learned of Bito Wladon from the clockmaker, hearing of his sound discoveries, which worried him, and returned to the United States as soon as possible.

Sonar knew of the hero of Coast City and was prepared for their encounter. A punch thrown into thin air sent out a concentrated burst of supersonic waves that knocked out the ring wielder.
Despite his victory, Sonar was still disturbed by Modora's lack of representation in the media. He needed one more robbery to gain the components to his nucleo-sonic bomb. Sonar prepared for his next skirmish with Green Lantern by creating a tuning fork gun. The odd looking weapon used super sonic vibrations tuned to human brain waves to create mental effects in a target.
Sonar's tuning fork gun made Green Lantern see everything as yellow. The sudden change acted on his willpower, weakening him. Green Lantern believed he could not act, as the world was yellow and therefore could not be affected by his power ring. It took tremendous effort for the emerald gladiator to remove the illusion from his mind.
Sonar travelled east, crossing the Atlantic on his way home to Modora. He did not realize his tuning fork gun left a faint trail of radiation the ring wielder could track. Green Lantern's ring created a waterspout to defeat his foe.
Though he was stripped of his weapons and stolen technology and then imprisoned, Sonar was proud his exploits had made newspapers all over the world. The people of Modora showed their gratitude to Green Lantern by creating a Modoran postage stamp for the hero which he in turn gave to Tom Kalmaku, completing his stamp collection.
Fando knew Sonar was a threat to his power, but Wladon appealed to Fando's greed and fear and soon came to believe Sonar would help him keep his power.
Weeks later, Sonar was released from prison by a legal loophole. Using an old Modoran law, Sonar was granted his freedom due to his help in the annual harvest.
Playing upon Fando's insecurities, Bito struck a deal with Modora’s ruler and became commander of his armies. However, Bito secretly orchestrated an invasion by one of Modora’s neighbours and murdered Fando and the royal family during the confusion. Repelling the invasion with his sonic weaponry, Bito became the new ruler of Modora.
When Hal Jordan went to the Slab in order to get information from Hector Hammond he was taunted by Bito, claiming that he shouldn't be locked up because he had diplomatic immunity, until Hal knocked him out with a power ring generated fist.
In the years following, Sonar continued his adversarial relationship with Green Lantern while slowly expanding his influence across Europe. Incarcerated by the Justice League after his failed take-over of the former Soviet Union, Bito's sound technology and name were adopted by a mentally unstable criminal, who had the devices implanted beneath his very skin.

Current status
Sonar recently appeared in 52 as the Modoran representative to Black Adam's Freedom of Power coalition.

Successor
Following in the footsteps of the original Sonar, Bito Wladon of Modora, the new Sonar gains his powers to create an empire. Though the source of his powers remains unrevealed, he has stated it involved suffering through agonizing experiments. Sonar alludes to his father being a monarch, but the original Sonar has made no mention of fathering an heir. His name is revealed to also be Bito Wladon.
The new Sonar first appears in Keystone City to test his new powers. Sonar tears up the Keystone City Hall. His reign of destruction spurs the involvement of Keystone City's resident super-hero, Wally West, the Flash. The battle was brief, with Sonar flying from Keystone for a larger city to rule. Sonar planned to conquer a kingdom worthy of his royal stature.
Arriving in New York City, Sonar is able to use the sounds of Manhattan against Green Lantern Kyle Rayner. The battle was joined when the Flash tracked the villain to the Big Apple. Sonar is defeated when the Flash accelerates him faster than sound. Rayner takes Sonar to the Slabside Island Maximum Security Prison.
Through means unknown, Sonar escapes his cell and turns his powers upon himself. He cybernetically enhanced himself, radically altering his appearance. After taking five guards as hostages, he freed the rest of the prisoners.
Kyle Rayner learns of the uprising and returned to the Slab as Green Lantern. Sonar had gathered the prisoners as a small army in service to him. Villains such as Hellgrammite, Killrock, Dervish, Shrapnel, Houngan, the Alter, and Spellbinder listens as Sonar spoke of making New York City his empire. Though he was a force to be reckoned with, the new Sonar did not impress Sledge, yet another prisoner in the Slab.
Sledge joins with Green Lantern to take down their mutual enemy but would not reveal his plan. Sledge separated from the hero as Green Lantern went against the freed villains. His rescue came at the hands of Sledge. The 9-foot-tall (2.7 m) villain pounds Sonar through the floor of the prison, opening a hole to the ocean in which the island prison was situated.
Green Lantern searched for Sonar but eventually gave up, believing his foe was dead at the hands of Sledge. Sonar's remains were not found.
Sonar did survive, and returned once more to battle Rayner in the middle of New York City. The effects of the so-called "Godwave" during the Genesis incident causes Green Lantern's power ring to temporarily lose all of its energy. Sonar is still defeated.
During the Ion saga Kyle watches as Sonar and Jade fight. The heroine continuously comments on how he wasn't a very threatening villain. The battle ends with a kick to Sonar's groin.
Sonar is later featured in JLA-80 Page Giant #1, discussing many supervillains with the Rainbow Raider.
Most recently, he has been seen among the new Injustice League, and is one of the villains featured in Salvation Run, the storyline where many villains are exiled from Earth. He is one of the villains sent to retrieve the Get Out of Hell Free card from the Secret Six.

Powers and abilities
Bito Wladon Sr. carries a Sonic Sceptre, a device that enables him to absorb sound, which he can use to fly, project illusions, fire sonic attacks and perform telekinetic feats.
The second Sonar (Bito Wladon Jr.) has been cybernetically enhanced, so that he has the ability to harness ambient sound and use it for his own purposes. He usually attacks by firing sonic blasts.

Other versions
Anti-Matter Universe
Sonar has a counterpart in the anti-matter universe of the Crime Syndicate of America named Lady Sonar, who is a member of the Justice Underground.

Sonarr
A Scottish super-hero with a bag-pipe named Sonarr was introduced in Justice League Quarterly #8

JLA/Avengers
Sonar appeared in JLA/Avengers #3 as the leader of a group of villains under the villain Krona's control. Sonar helps the Silver Swan and Silver Banshee defeat the Vision with sonics and magic. He is entrapped by Wonder Woman's magic lasso and unwittingly spills the truth about Krona, though calls him 'the Master'.

Flashpoint
In the alternate timeline of the Flashpoint event, Sonar is a member of Deathstroke's pirates. After being broken out of a floating prison by Deathstroke, Clayface tells Deathstroke about how Sonar could use his abilities to detect sunken treasures. He is not in the prison due to a superhuman trade, but Deathstroke catches up with him. He was imprisoned in Deathstroke's ship and used as a living radar system. After an attack by Aquaman and Ocean Master, Sonar asked Icicle to free him and then tells Deathstroke that he can save him from critical wounds, in return for being made second in command, which Deathstroke agrees to. Using his sonic abilities, Sonar removes a piece of Aquaman's trident from Deathstroke's chest, allowing his healing factor to restore him. After Warlord's ships were destroyed by Jenny Blitz, Sonar joined in a mutiny against Deathstroke, but Deathstroke and Blitz overheard this and kills the crew members for their treachery. Sonar manages to contact another pirate fleet led by the Caretaker before Deathstroke shot him.

Elseworlds
A version of Sonar appears in the controversial Elseworlds story JLA: Act of God. This version of Sonar has some sort of cybernetic augmentations, and the fixation of desperate Green Lantern, Kyle Rayner. One year later after the mysterious disapperence of all super-powers called "Black Light", Sonar and Rayner have a final show down, which included Rayner getting impaled.

Relic's Origin Will Begin In GL Variant Covers

From MTV Geek

Relic’s origin story will begin to be told in the form of a series of black & white variant covers across all of the “Green Lantern” family of titles from June through August. Drawn by Rags Morales (ACTION COMICS), these variant covers will all give clues to how Relic came to be, and will be collected – fully lettered, in color, and with additional new pages – in the series’ September issue.

“When you very first encounter him, he will be a fully formed menace, but you will get the backstory of how he got to be that way,” GREEN LANTERN writer Robert Venditti revealed to MTV GEEK about Relic. “He’s a completely new character not based on any pre-existing character.”

As for the impact Relic will have on the Green Lantern universe? According to Venditti, he will “tie together every Lantern of every color that has ever appeared in any comic book ever.” Talk about a big bad!

SATURDAY SHOWCASE : Cool Green Lantern Art

New GREEN LANTERN Writer Explains RELIC's CORPS Connection

From Newsarama.com

Readers might assume Green Lantern might slow down when the new creative team comes onto the title in June, but writer Robert Venditti says "we aren't easing into anything."

"The Relic storyline will be very grand in scale," the writer told Newsarama. "We're coming out of the gate with an ambitious, challenging arc."

Relic is the brand new villain whose design was previewed by DC last week, with art that revealed he was enormous in comparison to the average Green Lantern.


But Venditti said his size isn't the only reason he's such a threat to the Lanterns. In fact, he said the villain "will connect every Lantern of every Corps that has ever appeared in any comic book."

Venditti and artist Billy Tan take over Green Lantern with issue #21 after the departure of long-time creative team Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke. Their run will begin after some devastating events promised for the end of the current storyline, "Wrath of the First Lantern," which is affecting all the Green Lantern books.

The Green Lantern franchise has five books now: Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, Green Lantern: New Guardians, Red Lanterns and the new Larfleeze book by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis and Scott Kolins. And they're all starting with a fresh slate of creative teams in June, as well as a "jumping-on" point for new readers.

Venditti, who's also currently writing the DC book Demon Knights, is emerging as one of the key creators for the new direction of the Green Lantern universe, since he's writing Green Lantern and also co-writing Corps. Newsarama talked to the writer to find out more about Relic and why he's probably a character to watch as DC allegedly heads toward a focus on villains in September.

Newsarama: Robert, we recently learned about the introduction of a new villain called Relic. What were your thoughts behind creating this new character for Green Lantern?

Robert Venditti: Relic is a character I’ve been working on in one form or another for nearly six months. He was born out of what I knew was going to happen before I came in as the new writer for the book.

While the goal is for issue #21 to be a clean jumping-on point for readers, we’re also very much picking up the story where Geoff and Doug are leaving it off. Relic is emblematic of what I see as the next logical step in the Green Lantern mythology.

Nrama: From where or what does this villain emerge?

Venditti: That’s a detail I really can’t get into yet.

Nrama: Is it something we'll find out soon? At the end of Geoff's run? Or is it something that's a mystery?

Venditti: The answer will come in September. But I will say he emerges from an entirely new location.

Nrama: We've heard a little about what's coming in September from DC, but I know that's still under wraps. Can you tell us anything about his powers or why he's a threat to the Corps?

Venditti: His enormous size gives him a proportionate level of strength, but he isn’t what I’d describe as being inherently super-powered. His weaponry and defenses are more technology oriented, and he’s coming after the Corps for a very specific reason. All his technology is geared toward fighting them.

Nrama: How involved were you in the design of the character? Can you describe the design process and why he looks the way he does?

Venditti: I had input into the design, but Billy did most of the work there. The goal was to create a character who’d be visually imposing and compelling, but to also stay true to the character’s roots.

Nrama: Any clue you can give us about his roots, and how that plays into this look?

Venditti: Before he was a villain, Relic was a scientist, and I think Billy did an amazing job melding those two things together.

Nrama: We've been talking to other writers on the upcoming Green Lantern titles, as you know, since we talked to you and Van Jensen about Green Lantern Corps. It sounds like the Earth team of Lanterns are splitting up, with John over in the Corps book and Guy Gardner heading to Red Lanterns. Since you're dealing with Hal Jordan in Green Lantern, what role does he play in the interaction with this new villain? And what does this threat mean to him in particular?

Venditti: As a result of events that will transpire before the beginning of our run, Hal will see himself assume more of a leadership role within the Corps. Relic is the first major villain he’ll face, so in many ways he’ll be a test of Hal’s leadership.

As for what Relic will mean to Hal, the answer is “More than he could ever imagine.” Relic will hold that level of significance for many of the characters in the series.

Nrama: Many of the characters? So what other characters get involved in the battle with this villain?

Venditti: Pretty much everyone, as far as Green Lantern characters are concerned. Relic is such a huge threat, fighting him becomes an all-hands-on-deck scenario.

Nrama: I know you've got to hold back until the end of "Wrath of the First Lantern," but can you describe any of the other challenges that are being faced by the characters in Green Lantern when you start your run?

Venditti: Between Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps, there’s going to be a status quo change for nearly every major member of the cast. I can’t go into what those will be, but we hope many of them will surprise people.

And I’m not even getting into Red Lanterns and New Guardians. Charles Soule and Justin Jordan are both really smart writers, and I’m as excited to read their books as everyone is.

Nrama: OK, since we're tiptoeing around the end of "First Lantern," we'll have to talk again after that last issue comes out. So for now, is there anything else you want to tell fans about Relic or what's coming in Green Lantern?

Venditti: The Relic storyline will be very grand in scale. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: He’ll connect every Lantern of every Corps that has ever appeared in any comic book. Ever. We’re coming out of the gate with an ambitious, challenging arc, so we aren’t easing into anything.

COSMIC ARTIST BRAD WALKER BRINGS HIS TALENTS TO NEW 52, GL FRANCHISE

From CosmicBookNews.com

Artist Brad Walker has been a favorite at Cosmic Book News since he was drawing Guardians of the Galaxy, Thanos Imperative: Ignition and select other titles for the House of Ideas.

Now Walker is following an emerald light to the New 52 where, next month with issue #21, he becomes the regular artist for DC’s Green Lantern: New Guardians.

Managing Editor Byron Brewer caught up with Walker exclusively in a tavern in Oa’s south hemisphere and talked with the artist about Kyle Rayner, a new direction for New Guardians, his favorite GL tales of yesterday and more.

Cosmic Book News: Brad, you have been known for drawing individual cosmic heroes like Nova and cosmic groups like Guardians of the Galaxy. How will that work in relation to drawing Green Lantern: New Guardians?

Brad Walker: It's sort of given me direction for how I like to approach science fiction/cosmic type stories. It's really a different mindset than street level/Earth-based stuff, and there is a whole different catalogue of influences to pull from. So, it feels good to come into something like this with that experience, and I feel more like I'm hitting the ground running. And our cast isn't QUITE as insane as something like Guardians of the Galaxy, so that's nice!

CBN: There has been talk of new characters coming to the Lantern books. Have you been doing any design work?

Brad Walker: Yes!  I have! A new villain, in particular.  It's fun to do, and I really try to think about the design stuff from all angles. Most of that thinking will never register or be apparent to the reader, but hopefully, on a subconscious level, all the thought I put into visual themes and repeated elements will resonate, and people will enjoy the look of the character. And I've also been getting used to doing some recent designs I really like by Aaron Kuder and Ethan Van Sciver. The GL corner of the DCU is definitely my current favorite, design-wise.

CBN: How is it working with new writer Justin Jordan? Do you find a synergy with the writer on this book?

Brad Walker: It's been fantastic, so far!  He's very gracious and collaborative. We talked back and forth a good bit before the first script was finished, and he was cool about encouraging me to add to the storytelling, and playing with things to make it work, visually. To me, that's when comics work best, when both writer and artist bring their best ideas, and respect what the other person has given. It's a lot of fun!

CBN: Not to ruin the First Lantern climax, but how does Kyle Rayner come out on the other side of that adventure? Any changes in store when we open issue #21?

Brad Walker: Well, Kyle's still alive. There's a giant spoiler.  But I suppose he's on the cover of issue #21, so not really a spoiler at all. I don't think it ruins anything to say that Kyle may have a specific destiny within the Green Lantern Corp. They've hinted at that a lot over the years. In my mind, if Hal is the greatest Green Lantern, Kyle is possibly the most powerful Green Lantern. Tony Bedard and Aaron Kuder have been exploring this a lot in their recent arcs. So, at the beginning of our first arc, Kyle is going to take on a new role that maybe only he can handle. I'm hoping we can really explore where his role lies in the greater universe.

CBN: Will the book continue go focus on Kyle or will we see more of a team book with the return of a rainbow army?

Brad Walker: It's going to be plenty of Kyle, but there will be some other characters to focus on. That's all I'll say. (laughs)

CBN: Any favorite Lantern stories? Have you been a fan of the franchise?

Brad Walker: Yeah, I got into GL comics a little later than some other franchises. The Hal toy was always my favorite Super Powers figure growing up, but I didn't catch onto his comics until the Kyle Rayner stuff started. I loved the Marz/Banks/Winick stuff. Once I was really into that, I backtracked to what I could get in trade, or what issues I could find. I love the heavily comics coded, early Broome/Kane stuff, and the O'Neil/Adams stuff. Then, later, I got into the Emerald Dawn eras, and now I'm reading the Wein/Gibbons stuff that's just being reprinted. But ever since Geoff came on with Rebirth, I've been really into it monthly again.

CBN: Any new cosmic big bads coming? What can you tell us about the strange anomaly at the end of the universe?

Brad Walker: Yes! I'd say no less than three new, bad ... things ... in our first issue! And one of those things is actually a group of things. As for the anomaly at the end of the universe? All I'll say is that I'm gonna try to make it look kinda gross. (laughs)

CBN: Any favorite characters so far, or ones you would like to improve upon as your art becomes more a part of the book?

Brad Walker: I really like Kyle. I always have. I'm hoping to get the hang of drawing his mask. It's tricky, but I think I've found a handle on it. Kyle's tough, because the mask covers most of his face, and it's not skin tight, like Hal's. But I'm working on ways to fudge it here and there to suggest emotion. Kind of like how Gene Colan would do with Iron Man in the ‘60's. And after all, his mask is only made of light, so I can do what I want.

Hal probably remains my favorite GL, so I hope he shows up from time to time. I'd like to draw some of the cool, alien GL's like Tomar, Kilowog, the one shaped like a big, round crystal that a sorority girl would hang from her rearview mirror, or any of the anthropomorphic animal ones. And I'd love to design a couple new aliens.

CBN: You have had a lot of experience drawing cosmic characters and galactic circumstances. Is the scope of a cosmic book like this a good thing or bad thing for you as an artist?

Brad Walker: It's fantastic. I love drawing deep space emptiness and filling it up. I've been looking at a lot of Al Williamson Star Wars newspaper strips, because he was just incredible at drawing interesting space scenes.

CBN: Any new projects or ones in the future that you would like to promote?

Brad Walker: For the moment, I'm 100% in this. I want to do everything I can to make it one of the coolest looking books on the stands. So that'll take about 20 hours a day. I'll have to figure out something to do with the other four.

Cosmic Book News would like to thank our old friend, artist Brad Walker, for taking time out of a very busy schedule to answer our questions, and we also thank DC’s own Alex Segura and Alex Nagorski who helped make this interview possible.

Play Arts Kai Green Lantern Figure

Preview : GEOFF JOHNS' Last Issue GREEN LANTERN #20

Sneak Peek Of Geoff Johns Last GL Issue

From Twitter, Johns showed off an inked page by Doug Mahnke from the issue, a 66 page finale!

CLASSIC COMIC : Green Lantern Vol 2 #59 "Earth's Other Green Lantern!"

Green Lantern Vol 2 #59
March, 1968
Cover Artists: Gil Kane, Murphy Anderson

"Earth's Other Green Lantern!"
Writers: John Broome
Pencilers: Gil Kane
Inkers: Sid Greene
Editors: Julius Schwartz


Appearing in "Earth's Other Green Lantern!"
Featured Characters: Green Lantern
Supporting Characters: Guy Gardner  (First appearance)
Guardians of the Universe
Villains: Green Lantern Villains
Sonar (flashback only)
Shark (flashback only)
Black Hand (flashback only)
Doctor Polaris (flashback only)
Sinestro (flashback only)
Children of Ghera
Other Characters:
Abin Sur (flashback only)
Locations: Oa
East City
Ghera
Items: Green Lantern Ring
Green Lantern Power Battery

Synopsis for "Earth's Other Green Lantern!"
On the planet Oa, the Guardians show Hal Jordan the Memory Machine, a device that records all the memories of the Green Lanterns for historical preservation. They then show the final moments of Abin Sur's life and how he happened to choose Hal Jordan as the most likely candidate to be his successor as Green Lantern. After, they also explain that Hal was the closest, as there was another person just as noble as Hal was that could have been selected. Intrigued by this, Hal is also told the Memory Machine could compute what would have happened if the other person was selected.
Viewing the situation, Hal learns that the next person is a physical education instructor from East City named Guy Gardener. Gardner becomes is selected to be the Green Lantern for Earth and much like Hal, busts up a ring of spies. Gardner would also tackle Hal's foes, Sonar, the Shark, Black Hand, Dr. Polaris and Sinestro. Later on a mission to a planet where the Yellow Plague killed off all the adults, Guy learns that the surviving children divided into two factions and have gone to war with each other with giant robots. Being used as a pawn at first, Guy manages to free himself and stop the on going struggle and convince the children of the planet to live in peace. Returning to Earth, Guy would soon fall victim to the Yellow Plague himself, and would summon Hal Jordan to take his place as Green Lantern.

With the story done, a curious Hal takes a business trip to East City to meet the real Guy Gardner, and the two become fast friends before Hal has to return to the west coast.

Notes
This issue is based on the origin of Green Lantern told in Showcase #22, and depicts a hypothetical alternate timeline divergent from those events. It also mildly retcons some of the events of that issue.

Green Lantern #21 Variant Cover By Rag Morales

GL Hal By Ethan Van Sciver

Coming Soon Our First Ever.....

Two years ago I had a dream, or maybe it was a nightmare lol, from that dream this blog was born. And in these past two years through good and bad, a few bumps and bruises here and there it has grow in scope, gaining viewers and fans. With that being said to commemorate those past two years, a bright future, Free Comic Book Day, and a few milestones I will be officially announcing the first ever contest soon, just working out a few details so stay tuned. Thanks Mike.

Interview: Keith Giffen Talks THRESHOLD and LARFLEEZE

From Comicvine.com

What can we expect from the new THRESHOLD arc and from the new LARFLEEZE on-going series? Also, the return of a classic DC character!

Jediah Caul, who first appeared in GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS ANNUAL #1, has been the main focus of writer Keith Giffen's new DC book THRESHOLD, which is currently at four issues. This sci-fi epic journey is going through a few changes in the upcoming future, and Giffen took the time to answer some burning questions.


Comic Vine: What did you want to bring to this book that you felt was missing from other comic books at the time?

Keith Giffen: A dense read. New characters, settings, etc. When one of the most common criticism readers level at me is "there are too many words"... That's a point of pride.

CV: What can you tell us about the new cast of space villains coming up? How much will this book be changing over the course of the next few issues?

KG: Caul's story will come to a definitive end. I know. Shocking. A story that actually ends. We'll also get to spend a bit of time with Star Hawkins and Ilda as well as - finally - catching a glimpse of the Lady Styx.

CV: Captain K'Rot (Carrot) was a bizarre but very cool choice for a character reboot in this series. What are, if any, some characters we'll see popping up in THRESHOLD?

KG: The cast has, pretty much, been introduced so no new additions for the foreseeable future.

CV: What is your process in designing new characters, like Jediah Caul or the K'Rot?

KG: Have fun. Ignore the internet whiners.

CV: The artists on this book, Tom Raney and Scott Kolins, have done a fantastic job with the main and back-up stories. What has it been like to work with these very talented artists?

KG: Believe it or not... relaxing. You have no idea how great it feels to know that the guys you're working with know the craft and get what you're trying to do. Tom and Scott are rock solid professionals and I'm lucky to have them. Winslade too.

CV: Are Stealth, Space Ranger, and Jediah Caul going to continue to be the focus of this series or will this book jump to other people in the science fiction part of the DCU, much like how JSA LIBERTY FILES changes focus after each arc?

KG: Focus characters will change, but be drawn from characters already introduced. Assuming we survive long enough.

CV: One of the funnest parts of this series, so far, is Blue Beetle's appearance. In solicits, we see he'll be popping back into the book in issue 7. Will he be an ongoing part of this book and how big are your plans for him?

KG: Jaime's slated to be a major player. Lonar has plans for the kid wearing the reverse engineered Apokolyptian battle armor.

CV: Because Larfleeze is stepping out into his own book, does this mean the Threshold story will expand each issue or will a new back-up take its place? If so, what can you tell us about it?

KG: Star Hawkins gets his dance in the spotlight once Larfleeze exits. The story revolves around the hunt for the legendary, longest running contestant.

CV: With the upcoming LARFLEEZE on-going, it seems as though this book is going to have the same humorous tone as the back-ups, how tough is it to constantly write a book like this and keep it funny?

KG: Not tough at all. Not with DeMatteis on board. Actually, it's a lot tougher writing superheroes with a straight face. I mean, c'mon... most of them are wearing their underpants on the outside.

CV: What can we expect from Larfleeze's new book?

KG: New characters, new locales, new threats, new romances (you heard right... romances). All I'm taking with me from the DCU are Larfleeze and Stargrave (and one other). The rest will all be brand spanking new.

CV: Will we be seeing any familiar faces in upcoming issues that have yet to appear in the New 52?

KG: Okay... the "one other" mentioned above is G'NORT. But only because DeMatteis has a G'Nort fixation that just won't quit. And no, he's not a GL.

Whoa! The return of G'Nort?! Everyone's favorite dog-faced Green Lantern character?

Make sure to check out Giffen's awesome science-fiction, action-packed book, THRESHOLD. You may still be able to find issues #1-#4 and issue #5 is on sale May 8th.

Green Lantern 2 Part Of WB's Plans?

From CosmicBookNews.com

With the release of the Man of Steel coming soon, and recent the head of WB movies, Jeff Robinov, stating that news about their DC characters would be announced soon, it looks as if information is starting to trickle out of Warner Bros.

Our DC Entertainment source contacted us about updates following the Justice League Movie.

The source notes this is the plan at the moment, but we'll have to see what develops.

• If the Justice League movie becomes a worldwide hit, then expect production on The Flash, Green Lantern 2, Wonder Woman and The Batman to speed up 100 fold.

• Darren Aronofsky is still touted within WB's halls for the Batman reboot.

• Joseph Kosinski is apparently the no. 1 choice for a second Green Lantern film with his work on Tron: Legacy the key factor and his expertise with CGI.

• The plan is still for 2016 to host Justice League.

• 2017 is a "World's Finest" year of Man of Steel 2 and The Batman.

• Expect movies every year after Justice League.

The future will tell how much truth there is in this but GL fan's can hope.

CHARACTER CLOSE-UP : Mogo

Mogo, most commonly referred to as "Mogo, the Living Planet" is a fictional character and planet in the DC Universe, a member of the Green Lantern Corps. It first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 2 #188 (May 1985), in a story titled "Mogo Doesn't Socialize". Mogo was created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.

Fictional character biography
Background
Mogo is a sentient or "living" planet, technically genderless but often casually referred to as male. When it is desired, its affiliation with the Corps is marked with foliage arranged into a green band, marked with the standard Green Lantern Corps lantern symbol, circling Mogo's equatorial area.
In its early appearances, Mogo is not a social Green Lantern and its interactions with the rest of the DC universe are not well documented. It avoids announcing its presence, preferring to represent itself using pseudonymous holograms. In Mogo's first appearance, it is explained that the planet-sized Mogo's gravitational field would wreak havoc on any other planet it would try to "visit"; hence Mogo "doesn't socialize."
Bolphunga the Unrelenting, an alien hunter, was one of Mogo's first direct adversaries; having tracked the legendary Green Lantern Mogo to the planet where he apparently 'resided', Bolphunga subsequently spent years searching the planet for Mogo, examining various plants and animals for any sign of a power ring, until closer examination of patterns in the foliage led him to realize just what Mogo really was, prompting him to flee Mogo in a panic.
In one incident, it sent holograms to purchase Lobo's dolphins. When Lobo tried to retrieve them, a Mogo hologram persuaded him not to. The dolphins turned out to have a symbiotic relationship with Mogo, eating space debris that fell to his surface. Lobo never discovered he was dealing with a sentient planet. At the same time, Mogo has allowed alien races to live on its surface and has been willing to change its climatic conditions to suit them. These inhabitants of Mogo may not always know that their home is alive and watching them.

When the Parallax entity, who was at that time inhabiting the body of Hal Jordan, destroyed the power battery on Oa and slew the Guardians, Mogo lost contact with the Green Lantern energy that helped sustain him. He traveled to Sector 1014 to seek the aid of Ch'p, unaware that his friend had died long ago. Having relied on the emerald energy of the power battery to sustain him, Mogo lost consciousness and drifted through Sector 1014 until he was discovered by a nomadic alien race. These aliens proceeded to strip Mogo of his natural resources and pollute his environment. Mogo's body reacted instinctively, creating constructs to hinder the aliens' efforts to exploit his resources. Mogo was finally rescued by Kyle Rayner, who used his power ring to reawaken the sleeping giant. Mogo offered to allow the aliens to settle on him and offered to take care of all their needs, but the stubborn beings chose to abandon their settlements. Mogo later revealed to Rayner that he was relieved the aliens had left, and that he had planned to give them terrible weather in retaliation for their pollution.
This storyline contradicts a Green Lantern annual where Kyle faces the bodies of many dead Green Lanterns, Mogo included, all of whom try to destroy him.
Mogo appeared in Green Lantern Corps: Recharge #2, requesting back-up against Rannian and Thanagarian forces. Green Lanterns Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner, Stel, and Green Man were dispatched to clear out the enemy fleets, and then enjoyed a respite on Mogo's surface (Guy made metafictional remarks about Mogo wanting to socialize, recalling the famous Alan Moore story).
With the restoration of the Green Lantern Corps, Mogo has taken on the role of a training and recreation planet for his fellow Green Lanterns. Soranik Natu, Kyle Rayner, and other Lanterns have traveled to his sector to ask for his counsel. Further, while defending Mogo from an attack by the Sinestro Corps, the Green Lantern Arisia explained that Mogo is responsible for guiding Lantern power rings without users to those who can overcome great fear, and says that "without him, the rings are directionless".

Infinite Crisis
Mogo played a major role in the conclusion of the Infinite Crisis, in which the Green Lantern Corps, Superman and Kal-L stop the villainous Superboy-Prime. The Supermen took the deluded Superboy-Prime into the red sun Rao in a desperate gamble to depower him. With their powers waning, the Kryptonians crash land on Mogo. Superboy-Prime is defeated by Superman, but Kal-L dies of his injuries. After the fight, the rest of the Green Lantern Corps, who have suffered fatalities themselves, take Superboy-Prime into custody.
In the 52 storyline, as Adam Strange and Starfire's ship is hurtling towards a sun, Mogo appears and rescues them.

Prophecy
In Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Annual #2 (1986), a prophecy narrated to Abin Sur suggests that Mogo will be the last Green Lantern. In a battle with the "Empire of Tears", Ranx the Sentient City will explode a blink-bomb within Mogo's core, killing the sentient planet and ending the Green Lantern Corps forever.
When the Corps is rebuilt again, many Lanterns gain partners. Mogo teams up with Bzzd, an insect-sized Lantern. Bzzd was killed battling Mongul II.
In Green Lantern Corps #11 (vol. 2) Mogo apparently shows Kilowog images of his dead species, pushing him into madness and hate against the Green Lantern Corps. He then starts tampering with the minds of the Lanterns seeking advice and counseling, in the form of illusions granted by Mogo's powers, framing Guy Gardner for killing and pitting the Lanterns against each other. This behavior seems to be caused by the virus Despotellis of the Sinestro Corps, and according to Guy Gardner was actually unnoticed by the planet, who was immune to the fungus himself (stated by Green Man in issue #13). After the fungus made itself known by drilling towards Mogo's core, the sentient planet proceeded to shift its orbit into the path of an asteroid whose impact noticeably scars Mogo but eradicates the fungus, whose remnants are destroyed by the other Lanterns.
The Sinestro Corps attack Mogo with Ranx, who started to drill into the planet, with the intention of planting the blink bomb. It was revealed that Mogo is the one who guides the rings of deceased Lanterns to find new replacements, and that if he should die, the Corps would be unable to recruit members in this manner. Thanks to Sodam Yat, as well as a change in the Book of Oa permitting the Lanterns to use lethal force against the Sinestro Corps, Ranx is destroyed and the Sinestro Corps are driven from Mogo.

Blackest Night
During the Blackest Night event, Oa is attacked by the deadly Black Lantern Corps. During the attack, Salaak decrees that all rings from fallen Green Lanterns should be sent to Mogo, so as not to endanger the lives of potential rookies. Soranik Natu then sends all injured patients from the fight to Mogo, but is sidetracked by Kyle Rayner being attacked by a Black Lantern Jade. She sends her partner Iolande to Mogo with the patients alone instead. Mogo shows up at Oa to help in the battle against the Black Lanterns with Kilowog stating "I guess Mogo does socialize after all", a tip of the hat to Moore's origin story. Mogo increases his gravity to such a degree that all of the Black Lanterns are pulled down to his surface and absorbed into his core. The superhot magma within continually burns up the Black Lantern's bodies, keeping them from regenerating their forms. Mogo describes this as "They will burn, for all eternity". The injured patients are shown to be resting safely in Mogo.
Following the successful imprisonment and destruction of the Black Lanterns, Mogo and the rest of the Green Lantern Corps along with Munk and Miri face the wrath of a red ring–possessed Guy Gardner. While Miri, a Star Sapphire, attempts to revert Guy back to normal, it is ultimately Mogo who manages to purge the infection of the red light. However, he warns that some influence of the red still remains, and that only a Blue Lantern's power ring could completely remove the influence of the red ring. Mogo soon resumes his duties of supervising new rookies as they are now being recruited.

War of the Green Lanterns
In the War of the Green Lanterns crossover, Mogo was corrupted and taken over when Krona attacked Oa with the emotional entities and Parallax climbed inside the Central Power Battery on Oa. Krona then used Mogo to send out hundreds of Green Lantern rings across the universe to recruit more members to be brainwashed. Kyle Rayner and John Stewart tried to stop Mogo while wielding Blue and Indigo rings respectively, but they could not reach him because of the Black Lantern energy Mogo had absorbed from the events of "Blackest Night". John Stewart used his Indigo Tribe ring to absorb the Black Lantern energy, and was forced to destroy Mogo by firing a Black Lantern constructed bullet into his core and destroyed it. Mogo's sudden destruction caused fragments of his body to rain down onto Oa destroying multiple structures,knocking out many rogue Lanterns under Krona's control leaving an opening for Hal and Guy to get to Krona almost unimpeded. After Krona is apparently killed by Hal Jordan, Mogo's corpse is now orbiting around the planet Oa. After the ensuing chaos along with Krona's death and Sinestro gaining a green ring, Kilowog states that as long as Mogo's corpse floats above Oa, the Corps will be disheartened. He gets numerous Lanterns together and they move his pieces into the nearest sun, giving him a "funeral pyre". The resulting reaction from Mogo's body being put into the sun causes a Mogo-like Green Lantern stripe to appear, forever honoring the planet.

The New 52
Following Mogo's destruction, the Guardians contact John Stewart to claims that Mogo's remains appear to be moving towards a particular location, suggesting that Mogo is trying to reform itself, and assign Stewart to track it. While traveling, he encounters Fatality, who reveals that Mogo is actually a male and female consciousness that were 'mated' at the core, with John's fragment of Mogo containing the female consciousness that seeks to be reunited with its mate, prompting Fatality to use her Star Sapphire powers to help the endangered love come together.
John and Fatality arrived at the location of Mogo's pieces that are held prisoner by the space pirate that is using Mogo's power as the ship's energy beam weapon to attack the planet's core, threatening their lives. John and Fatality spring to attack the space pirate to free Mogo by sending the space pirate to crash on the planet. John finds out about the Guardians wanting to use Mogo. Mogo then reforms all its pieces into a planet's orbit after the events of "War of the Green Lanterns". The Guardians reveal their plan was to use size of the reformed Mogo and assimilate it into the Third Army, but their plan failed when Mogo destroyed the Third Army that was trying to assimilate it.

The villainous First Lantern drained the Green Lantern Corps of their emotions on the planet Oa, but Mogo rescued the Green Lantern Corps by shielding them with dirt and stone, allowing them to escape from the First Lantern's powers. When the Green Lantern Corps are transported to Mogo itself, Mogo creates a scenario in which the Corps is attacked by their doppelgangers. Mogo freezes the doppelgangers and confesses it to be a ruse to the Green Lantern Corps, stating that it was done in order to test their will and strength and to prepare them to fight against the First Lantern.

Future
In the Legion of 3 Worlds, it is revealed that in the 31st century Mogo has been long dead and without him, there was no way to distribute the rings and thus no Green Lantern Corps.

Powers and abilities
In addition to the standard powers of a Green Lantern Power Ring, Mogo can also alter his weather and surface conditions such as plant growth, and travel through space at faster-than-light speeds. Mogo has a form of sensory or extrasensory awareness of what is happening around and on it. However, his wellbeing is largely sustained by the constant supply of energy from a Green Lantern power battery. Without it, he eventually loses his strength and even falls into a seemingly comatose state. Mogo also telepathically guides the Green Lantern Power rings to their bearers.

Other versions
Green Lantern Vs. Aliens
In the Green Lantern versus Aliens limited series, Mogo was also the adopted home of a group of Aliens. It seems that years ago, Hal Jordan and a group of fellow Green Lanterns were charged with dealing with these Xenomorphs following the death of a Green Lantern, and Hal Jordan wanted to avoid killing them if possible, believing that they were just animals, and thus were not evil. His solution was to deposit them on Mogo, where they would be a threat to no one and would be able to live. Years after that, however, Kyle Rayner and other Green Lanterns, including Salaak traveled to Mogo to rescue the crew of a crashed freighter. This was Rayner's first encounter with the sentient planet, although he didn't speak to Mogo directly. Most of the GL squad did not survive. However, due to its non-canon nature (as evidenced by the dead GLs showing up alive later), in their next encounter, Rayner does not remember this event.

In other media
Television
Mogo appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "The Eyes of Despero", Despero takes control of Mogo as part of his plan. It is later freed by G'nort. Here, Mogo exhibits an increased control of its land mass.
Mogo appears in the Green Lantern: The Animated Series episode "Lost Planet", voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson, as a stowaway planet that has caused numerous ships from throughout the universe to crash onto himself, so that he could imprison the criminals on board the fleets to keep them from harming others. This incarnation emits a massive projection of a power ring around its equator, giving planet the appearance of "wearing" the ring.

Film
Mogo appears in the movie Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. He first appears in a flashback story told by Hal Jordan which is an adaptation of his premiere story. At the climax of the film, Mogo arrives to help his comrades defeat Krona, and since that involves sacrificing the evacuated planet Oa, he volunteers his own body for the Corps' temporary headquarters afterward.
Although Mogo has appeared in promotional advertising art for the 2011 Green Lantern film, this character does not appear in the film.