Alan Scott is a
superhero
A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
appearing in
American comic book
An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
, and the first character to bear the name
Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...
.
He fights evil with the aid of a
magical ring
A magic ring is a mythical, folkloric or fictional piece of jewelry, usually a Ring (jewellery), finger ring, that is purported to have Magic (supernatural), supernatural properties or powers. It appears frequently in fantasy and fairy tales. M ...
which grants him a variety of powers. He was created by
Martin Nodell
Martin Nodell (November 15, 1915 – December 9, 2006) was an American cartoonist and commercial artist, best known as the creator of the Golden Age superhero Green Lantern. Some of his work appeared under the pen name Mart Dellon.
Biography Earl ...
and
Bill Finger
Milton "Bill" Finger (February 8, 1914 – January 18, 1974) was an American comic strip, comic book, film and television writer who was the co-creator (with Bob Kane) of the DC Comics character Batman. Despite making major (sometimes, signatu ...
, first appearing in the comic book ''
All-American Comics
''All-American Comics'' was a comics anthology and the flagship title of comic book publisher All-American Publications, one of the forerunners of DC Comics. It ran for 102 issues from 1939 to 1948. Characters created for the title, including Green ...
'' #16, published in 1940.
Alan Scott was created after Nodell became inspired by the characters from Greek, Norse, and Middle Eastern myths and tales, including
Aladdin
Aladdin ( ; ar, علاء الدين, ', , ATU 561, ‘Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with ''The Book of One Thousand and One Nights'' (''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of ...
from ''
One Thousand and One Nights
''One Thousand and One Nights'' ( ar, أَلْفُ لَيْلَةٍ وَلَيْلَةٌ, italic=yes, ) is a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age. It is often known in English as the ''Arabian ...
'', and sought to create a popular entertainment character who fought evil with the aid of a
magic ring
A magic ring is a mythical, folkloric or fictional piece of jewelry, usually a Ring (jewellery), finger ring, that is purported to have Magic (supernatural), supernatural properties or powers. It appears frequently in fantasy and fairy tales. M ...
that grants him a variety of supernatural powers. After debuting in ''All-American Comics'', Alan Scott soon became popular enough to sustain his own comic book, ''Green Lantern''. Around this time DC also began experimenting with
fictional crossovers
A crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, unofficial efforts by ...
between its characters, leading towards a
shared universe
A shared universe or shared world is a fictional universe from a set of creative works where more than one writer (or other artist) independently contributes a work that can stand alone but fits into the joint development of the storyline, chara ...
of characters. As one of the publisher's most popular heroes, Alan became a founding member of the
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America (JSA, or Justice Society (JS)) is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team was conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox during the Golden Age of Comic ...
, one of the first such teams of "mystery men" or superheroes in comic books.
Following
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the character's popularity began to fade along with the decline of the
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books describes an era of American comic books from 1938 to 1956. During this time, modern comic books were first published and rapidly increased in popularity. The superhero archetype was created and many well-known char ...
, leading to cancellation. After eight years out of print, DC chose to reinvent Green Lantern as
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
hero
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan, one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created in 1959 by writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane, and first appeared in '' ...
in 1959. Later, DC revisited Alan Scott, establishing that Alan and Hal were Green Lanterns on two different parallel worlds, with Alan residing on
Earth-Two
Earth-Two (also Earth Two or Earth 2) is a setting for stories (a "fictional universe") appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in ''The Flash'' #123 (1961), Earth-Two was created to explain differences between ...
and Hal on
Earth-One
Earth-One (also Earth-1) is a name given to two fictional universes (The Pre-Crisis and Post-Crisis versions of the same universe) that have appeared in American comic book stories published by DC Comics. The first Earth-One was given its name in ...
. Later stories set on Earth-Two depicted Alan becoming the father to the superheroes
Obsidian
Obsidian () is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed when lava extrusive rock, extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimal crystal growth. It is an igneous rock.
Obsidian is produced from felsic lava, rich in the lighter elements s ...
and
Jade
Jade is a mineral used as jewellery or for ornaments. It is typically green, although may be yellow or white. Jade can refer to either of two different silicate minerals: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in the amphibole group of ...
, each with powers somewhat like his own. In 1985, DC chose to
reboot
In computing, rebooting is the process by which a running computer system is restarted, either intentionally or unintentionally. Reboots can be either a cold reboot (alternatively known as a hard reboot) in which the power to the system is physi ...
its internal continuity, merging Earth-One and Earth-Two and re-establishing Alan as an elder statesman of the
DC Universe
The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...
, coexisting with the more science fiction-oriented heroes of the
Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic law enforcement organization appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residin ...
.
In 2011, DC's
New 52
The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new series ...
introduced a new
Multiverse
The multiverse is a hypothetical group of multiple universes. Together, these universes comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describe them. The di ...
, depicting a young Earth-2 version of Alan who was an out gay man. The "original" version of Alan is brought back into the mainstream continuity following the 2016
DC Rebirth
DC Rebirth is a 2016 relaunch by the American comic book publisher DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic book titles. Using the end of The New 52 initiative in May 2016 as its launching point, DC Rebirth restored the D ...
initiative, and in 2020,
comes out
Coming out of the closet, often shortened to coming out, is a metaphor used to describe LGBT people's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, or gender identity.
Framed and debated as a privacy issue, coming out of ...
to his children as gay,
retroactively establishing this incarnation of Alan as the
first gay superhero.
Publication history
The original Green Lantern was created by an American artist named
Martin Nodell
Martin Nodell (November 15, 1915 – December 9, 2006) was an American cartoonist and commercial artist, best known as the creator of the Golden Age superhero Green Lantern. Some of his work appeared under the pen name Mart Dellon.
Biography Earl ...
. Nodell mentions
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...
's opera cycle ''
The Ring of the Nibelung
(''The Ring of the Nibelung''), WWV 86, is a cycle of four German-language epic music dramas composed by Richard Wagner. The works are based loosely on characters from Germanic heroic legend, namely Norse legendary sagas and the ''Nibelung ...
'' and the sight of a trainman's green railway lantern as his inspiration. After seeing this opera, Nodell sought to create a superhero who wielded a variety of magical powers from a magic ring, which he regularly recharged from a green lantern. Nodell wanted a colorful and interesting costume for his character, deriving from elements of Greek mythology.
[Nodell in ] As Nodell recalled in an undated, latter-day interview,
Nodell chose the name "Alan Scott" by flipping through New York telephone books until he got two names he liked.
The character of Alan Scott made his debut in ''All-American Comics'' #16 (July 1940), fighting crime under the masked identity of "Green Lantern". He also appeared as part of the superhero team
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America (JSA, or Justice Society (JS)) is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team was conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox during the Golden Age of Comic ...
in ''
All Star Comics
''All Star Comics'' is an American comic book series from All-American Publications, one of three companies that merged with National Periodical Publications to form the modern-day DC Comics. While the series' cover-logo trademark reads ''All St ...
'' #3 (Winter 1940). He served as the team's second chairman in #7, but departed following that issue and returned a few years later, remaining a regular character.
His villains tended to be ordinary humans, but he did have a few paranormal ones, such as the immortal
Vandal Savage
Vandar Adg of the Blood Tribe, more widely known as Vandal Savage, is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is said to be a Cro-Magnon warrior who gained immortality and advanced healing abilities after encount ...
and the zombie
Solomon Grundy. Green Lantern proved popular and was given his own series, ''Green Lantern'', later that year. Most of his adventures were set in New York.
In 1941, Alan Scott was paired with a sidekick named
Doiby Dickles
Charles "Doiby (Derby)" Dickles is a fictional character from DC Comics. He was the original sidekick for Alan Scott (the first Green Lantern), appearing in comic book stories starring that hero from 1941 to 1949.
The character was created by wri ...
, a rotund Brooklyn taxi driver, who would appear on a regular basis until 1949. In 1948, Alan also got a canine sidekick named Streak. The dog proved so popular that he starred in his own solo side-stories.
After World War II, superheroes declined in popularity. ''Green Lantern'' was cancelled in 1949 after 38 issues and ''All-American Comics'' dropped superheroes in favor of westerns. Alan Scott's final
Golden Age
The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology, particularly the ''Works and Days'' of Hesiod, and is part of the description of temporal decline of the state of peoples through five Ages of Man, Ages, Gold being the first and the one during ...
appearance was in ''All-Star Comics'' #57 (1951). He remained out of publication for 12 years, and even after his revival he never got another solo series.
In 1959, DC Comics editor
Julius Schwartz
Julius "Julie" Schwartz (; June 19, 1915 – February 8, 2004) was a comic book editor, and a science fiction agent and prominent fan. He was born in The Bronx, New York. He is best known as a longtime editor at DC Comics, where at various t ...
reinvented Green Lantern as a science fiction hero. The new Green Lantern, named
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan, one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created in 1959 by writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane, and first appeared in '' ...
, was empowered by alien masters to serve as an interstellar lawman and had many adventures set in outer space. His powers were similar to Alan's but he was otherwise completely unrelated—Alan Scott never existed as far as the new stories were concerned. Hal Jordan proved popular, but readers still had an interest in the old Green Lantern. Some years later, Alan Scott reappeared as a guest star in ''The Flash'' #137 (1963). To avoid continuity conflicts with the Hal Jordan character, Alan Scott and all his old stories were
retconned
Retroactive continuity, or retcon for short, is a literary device in which established diegetic facts in the plot of a fictional work (those established through the narrative itself) are adjusted, ignored, supplemented, or contradicted by a subse ...
as having existed on
Earth-Two
Earth-Two (also Earth Two or Earth 2) is a setting for stories (a "fictional universe") appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in ''The Flash'' #123 (1961), Earth-Two was created to explain differences between ...
, in a parallel universe. For most of the 1960s and 1970s, Alan Scott made guest appearances in books belonging to
Silver Age characters, visiting their universe through magical or technological means. In 1976, he appeared regularly alongside his Justice Society comrades in the revived ''
All-Star Comics
''All Star Comics'' is an American comic book series from All-American Publications, one of three companies that merged with National Periodical Publications to form the modern-day DC Comics. While the series' cover-logo trademark reads ''All St ...
'' and later ''
Adventure Comics
''Adventure Comics'' is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1938 to 1983 and revived from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues (472 of those after the title changed from ''New Adventure Comics''), ...
'' in stories set in the 1970s. In 1981, DC Comics launched ''
All-Star Squadron
The All-Star Squadron is a DC Comics superhero team that debuted in ''Justice League, Justice League of America'' #193 (August 1981) and was created by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway. Although the team was introduced in the 1980s, its se ...
'', which featured Alan Scott and the Justice Society in a World War II setting.
In 1986, the editors at DC Comics decided that all its characters should exist within the same setting and effected this change with the ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' miniseries. Alan Scott now shared the same fictional world as Hal Jordan. DC Comics decided to write the character out of continuity in a one-shot book entitled ''
Last Days of the Justice Society'', in which he was "forever" trapped in an extra-dimensional realm. The character was brought back in the 1990s due to fan interest. Rather than update Alan Scott as a contemporary young hero as had been done with Batman and Superman, Alan Scott was instead written as a veteran of World War II with a magically prolonged lifespan. To distinguish Alan Scott from Hal Jordan, his superhero codename was for a time changed to "Sentinel" and he lost his magic ring, manifesting his powers through his glowing hands instead. In ''JSA'' #50 (2003) he regained his classic codename and ring, though he remained apart from Hal Jordan's Green Lantern Corps. He was a regular character in ''JSA'' and ''Justice Society of America''.
In 2011, DC Comics again rebooted their fictional properties, and their new version of Alan Scott once again exists on Earth-2, where Hal Jordan and his Green Lantern Corps do not exist. The new Alan Scott is no longer a grizzled veteran of World War II, but a fresh young superhero. He first appears in ''Earth 2'' #3 (2012) with a completely redesigned sleek, solid green suit with no cape.
Fictional character biography
Golden and Silver Ages
Discovery
Thousands of years ago, a mystical "green flame" fell to Earth in ancient China as a
meteor
A meteoroid () is a small rocky or metallic body in outer space.
Meteoroids are defined as objects significantly smaller than asteroids, ranging in size from grains to objects up to a meter wide. Objects smaller than this are classified as micr ...
. A voice in the flame predicted that it would act three times: once to bring death, once to bring life, and once to bring power. For the first prophecy, a lamp-maker crafted the green metal of the meteor into a lamp. In fear and as punishment for what they thought
sacrilege
Sacrilege is the violation or injurious treatment of a sacred object, site or person. This can take the form of irreverence to sacred persons, places, and things. When the sacrilegious offence is verbal, it is called blasphemy, and when physical ...
, the local villagers killed him, only to be destroyed by a sudden burst of the green flame. For the second, in modern times, the lamp came into the hands of a patient of a mental institution who fashioned the lamp into a modern train lantern. The green flame restored his sanity and gave him a new life. For the third, by 1940, after having already fulfilled the first two-thirds of this prophecy, the lantern fashioned from the meteoric metal fell into the hands of Alan Scott, a young railroad engineer. Following a railroad bridge collapse, the flame instructs Scott in how to fashion a ring from its metal, to give him fantastic powers as the superhero ''Green Lantern''. He adopts a colorful costume of red, purple, brown, yellow, and green. He becomes a crimefighter in his first adventure, defeating the crooks who caused the accident. He also discovers his powers' weakness to wood when he is bludgeoned with a club.
Alan is a founding member of the
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America (JSA, or Justice Society (JS)) is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team was conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox during the Golden Age of Comic ...
, and is its second chairman.
Scott uses his ring to fly, walk through solid objects by "moving through the fourth dimension", paralyze or blind people temporarily, hypnotize them, create rays of energy, melt metal as with a blowtorch, and cause dangerous objects to glow, among other things. It could also allow him and others to time travel. Occasionally, he uses it to read minds or create solid objects and force fields in the manner usually associated with fellow Green Lantern,
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan, one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created in 1959 by writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane, and first appeared in '' ...
. His ring could protect him against any object made of metal, but would not protect him against any wood- or plant-based objects.
During the 1940s, Green Lantern seemed to alternate between serious adventure, particularly when
Solomon Grundy, his nemesis, appeared and light comedy, usually involving his sidekick,
Doiby Dickles
Charles "Doiby (Derby)" Dickles is a fictional character from DC Comics. He was the original sidekick for Alan Scott (the first Green Lantern), appearing in comic book stories starring that hero from 1941 to 1949.
The character was created by wri ...
. Toward the end of his
Golden Age
The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology, particularly the ''Works and Days'' of Hesiod, and is part of the description of temporal decline of the state of peoples through five Ages of Man, Ages, Gold being the first and the one during ...
adventures, he got a sidekick and companion pet in Streak the Wonder Dog – a heroic
canine in the mold of
Rin-Tin-Tin
Rin Tin Tin or Rin-Tin-Tin (September 1918 – August 10, 1932) was a male German Shepherd born in Flirey, Flirey, France, who became an international star in motion pictures. He was rescued from a World War I battlefield by an American sol ...
and
Lassie
Lassie is a fictional female Rough Collie dog and is featured in a short story by Eric Knight that was later expanded to a full-length novel called ''Lassie Come-Home''. Knight's portrayal of Lassie bears some features in common with another fic ...
– who is also a member of the
Space Canine Patrol Agents
The Space Canine Patrol Agents, or SCPA is a group of fictional anthropomorphic extraterrestrial canine superheroes that appeared in stories published by DC Comics.
History
The SCPA first appeared in ''Superboy'' (volume 1) #131 (July 1966). Sev ...
, and the
Legion of Super-Pets
The Legion of Super-Pets is a fictional team of superhero pets in the DC Universe. The original membership included Krypto the Superdog, Streaky the Supercat, Beppo the Super-Monkey, and Comet the Super-Horse, with the shape-shifting alien Pro ...
.
In ''All-American Comics'' #38, it's revealed his middle name is Wellington.
Justice Society of America
A part of Scott's early history is filled out with
retroactive continuity
Retroactive continuity, or retcon for short, is a literary device in which established diegetic facts in the plot of a fictional work (those established through the narrative itself) are adjusted, ignored, supplemented, or contradicted by a subse ...
. ''All-Star Squadron'' Annual #3 states that the JSA fought the villain
Ian Karkull
Ian Karkull is a supervillain in comic books published by DC Comics. He first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #69 (August 1941) as a foe of the sorcerer Doctor Fate. He later became a recurring foe of the All-Star Squadron and the Justice Society ...
, who inadvertently imbued them with life energy stolen from an innocent victim. The energy slowed their aging, allowing Scott and several other members, as well as their spouses, to remain active into the late 20th century without infirmity. The events of that incident also led Scott, who had failed to save the victim from whom the energy was stolen, to take a leave of absence from the JSA, explaining why the character vanished from the roster for a time.
Scott was a member of the Justice Society of America in 1951 when the team was investigated by the "Joint Congressional Un-American Activities Committee," a fictional organization based on the real-life
House Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly dubbed the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives, created in 1938 to investigate alleged disloy ...
. They were accused of possible communist sympathies and asked to reveal their
identities. The members declined the request, and many of the members retired in the 1950s.
The team rebands in the 1960s with Scott as a member, though little is known of their adventures during this time, save for stories about their team-ups with the
Justice League of America
The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived ...
, the
parallel world Earth-One, and cross-universe adventures Scott shares with Earth-One's Green Lantern, Hal Jordan.
Progeny
It was eventually revealed that in the late 1960s that Scott marries the woman with the dual identity
Rose and Thorn
Rose and Thorn are the two personalities of two characters (one in the Golden Age and one in the Silver Age) within publication of DC Comics. Before the ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'', Rose Canton came from Earth-Two and Rose Forrest from Earth-On ...
. They have a pair of children who would grow up to become the superheroes
Jade
Jade is a mineral used as jewellery or for ornaments. It is typically green, although may be yellow or white. Jade can refer to either of two different silicate minerals: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in the amphibole group of ...
and
Obsidian
Obsidian () is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed when lava extrusive rock, extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimal crystal growth. It is an igneous rock.
Obsidian is produced from felsic lava, rich in the lighter elements s ...
of the team
Infinity, Inc.
Infinity, Inc. is a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
The first incarnation is mostly composed of the children and heirs of the Justice Society of America (JSA), making them the Society's analogue to t ...
[''Infinity, Inc.'' Annual #1. DC Comics.]
In the 1980s, Scott married his reformed former nemesis,
Molly Mayne, also known as
The Harlequin, reconciling with his son and daughter.
Post-''Crisis on Infinite Earths''
The ''Last Days of the Justice Society of America Special'' (1986) one-shot tells how
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
caused a massive wave of destructive energy to erupt over the post-''Crisis'' Earth in 1945. Scott and the JSA, fresh from burying their Earth-Two comrades Robin and Huntress, enter into a limbo dimension in order to fight an eternally recurring
Ragnarok.
''Green Lantern'' (vol. 3) #19 attempted to
retcon
Retroactive continuity, or retcon for short, is a literary device in which established diegetic facts in the plot of a fictional work (those established through the narrative itself) are adjusted, ignored, supplemented, or contradicted by a subse ...
Alan Scott's origin and power ring to accommodate the changes made by ''
Crisis on Infinite Earths
"Crisis on Infinite Earths" is a 1985 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics. The series, written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez, was first serialized as a 12-issue limited series from April 1985 to March ...
''. In this story, Alan's ring originally belonged to a Green Lantern named Yalan Gur, who was so favored by the
Guardians of the Universe
The Guardians of the Universe are a race of extraterrestrial superhero characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Green Lantern. They first appeared in ''Green Lantern'' (vol. 2) #1 (July 19 ...
that they removed the yellow impurity from his ring (which the Guardians deliberately placed in all the GL rings to limit their power and could be removed at their discretion). However, Yalan Gur abused his power and interfered with the inhabitants of ancient
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. The Guardians then substituted a weakness for wood that allowed the local peasants to successfully attack and mortally wound Yalan with simple wooden clubs. Yalan flew into the sky and raged against the Guardians. His body burned in the atmosphere, becoming the green metallic meteorite that ultimately became Alan Scott's lantern. Yalan's spirit also possessed the metal, promising death in his rage and life when he realized his mistakes (the first two prophecies of the green metal, which were fulfilled). When Alan received the lantern, the spirit directed Alan to create the power ring and persona of Green Lantern, complete with the ring's weakness to wood.
Return
Through the machinations of
Waverider
A waverider is a hypersonic aircraft design that improves its supersonic lift-to-drag ratio by using the shock waves being generated by its own flight as a lifting surface, a phenomenon known as compression lift.
The waverider remains a well ...
, the JSA teammates are able to leave Limbo and begin living in the Post-''Crisis'' Earth they had fought to save. The miniseries is followed by ''Justice Society of America'' (1992–1993), which shows how Alan Scott adjusts to his new world. In the short-lived series, the JSA fight the newest incarnation of the
Ultra-Humanite
Ultra-Humanite is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He first appeared as a recurring adversary of Superman. The Ultra-Humanite is the first supervillain faced by Superman and he is among the first supervillai ...
as well as Pol St. Germain and
Kulak the Sorcerer. Scott reconnects with his wife and children, stating in issue #1 that Molly "is pretty much handling things at the company..." and that
Jade
Jade is a mineral used as jewellery or for ornaments. It is typically green, although may be yellow or white. Jade can refer to either of two different silicate minerals: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in the amphibole group of ...
and
Obsidian
Obsidian () is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed when lava extrusive rock, extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimal crystal growth. It is an igneous rock.
Obsidian is produced from felsic lava, rich in the lighter elements s ...
"... are fine off doing their own thing in Hollywood. Not too interested in being super-heroes." The series ends with issue #10, not with the team disbanding, but with the members gathering together at their first formal meeting after returning home.
Alan follows Guy Gardner and a small group of heroes to investigate a
mysterious distress from Oa, only to be defeated by Hal Jordan, who now calls himself
Parallax
Parallax is a displacement or difference in the apparent position of an object viewed along two different lines of sight and is measured by the angle or semi-angle of inclination between those two lines. Due to foreshortening, nearby objects ...
, having been driven mad after the destruction of his home,
Coast City
Coast City is a fictional city in the state of California, created by John Broome and Gil Kane, which appears in stories published by DC Comics. It is depicted most often as the home of the Silver Age version of the superhero Green Lantern, Hal ...
. After the confrontation, Alan discovers that an artist,
Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner (), one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character is depicted as being associated with the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of ...
, inherits the remaining Green Lantern ring. After meeting the young hero, he informs him of the situations with Jordan and the
Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic law enforcement organization appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residin ...
. During the ''
Zero Hour
Zero Hour may refer to:
* Midnight, or 00:00
* Zero hour (1945), the capitulation of the Nazi government at midnight May 8, 1945
* Zero Hour (military designation), the scheduled time for the start of some event, especially a military operation
...
'' event, Alan witnesses the villain
Extant
Extant is the opposite of the word extinct. It may refer to:
* Extant hereditary titles
* Extant literature, surviving literature, such as ''Beowulf'', the oldest extant manuscript written in English
* Extant taxon, a taxon which is not extinct, ...
incapacitate and kill several of his JSA teammates. After suffering defeat by the villain, Alan gives Kyle his original ring, passing the name "Green Lantern" to him. Alan's ring was later destroyed by Parallax.
For a time, the Starheart became part of Scott's body and he adopts the name Sentinel, becoming a founding member of a new
JSA.
Thanks to the rejuvenative properties of the Starheart, Scott's physical body is again temporarily revitalized so that he resembles a man in his 30s or early 40s. This drives his wife Molly, who has not been affected, to sell her soul to the demon
Neron in exchange for youth. Alan enters the demonic realm, with help from entities such as the
Phantom Stranger
The Phantom Stranger is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, of unspecified paranormal origins, who battles mysterious and occult forces, sometimes under their Vertigo imprint. The character first appeared in an ...
and
Zatanna
Zatanna Zatara () is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson, and first appeared in '' Hawkman'' #4 (November 1964). Zatanna is a stage magician with a ...
, and, with Kyle Rayner's aid, manages to win Molly's soul back, reuniting Molly's essence with her soulless being.
He has since been physically altered again so that he more closely resembles his true chronological age. He returns to using the name "Green Lantern" during the JSA's battle with
Mordru
Mordru (also known as Mordru the Merciless) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jim Shooter and artist Curt Swan, Mordru first appeared in '' Adventure Comics'' #369 (June 1968).
Considere ...
. He continues to fight crime in his original costumed identity, rebuilding a ring and serving as an elder statesman to the
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America (JSA, or Justice Society (JS)) is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team was conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox during the Golden Age of Comic ...
and to the
superhero
A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
community in general.
In ''
Green Lantern: Rebirth'', Alan and his daughter Jade, assist the surviving members of the Green Lantern Corps, Hal Jordan, who had been possessed by the ancient fear entity Parallax,
John Stewart John Stewart may refer to:
Business
* John Aikman Stewart (1822–1926), American banker
* John Killough Stewart (1867–1938), businessman and philanthropist in Queensland, Australia
* John K. Stewart (1870–1916), American entrepreneur and inve ...
,
Guy Gardner Guy Gardner may refer to:
* Guy Gardner (astronaut) (born 1948), United States Air Force officer and former astronaut
* Guy Gardner (character)
Guy Gardner, one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic ...
,
Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner (), one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character is depicted as being associated with the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of ...
, and
Kilowog
Kilowog is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character is a member of the Green Lantern Corps.
The character appeared in the 2011 ''Green Lantern'' film with his voice provided by actor Michael Clarke Dunca ...
, in defeating the Parallax-possessed
Ganthet
Ganthet is a character in the DC Comics universe, who first appeared in 1992 in Larry Niven and John Byrne (comics), John Byrne’s graphic novel ''Green Lantern: Ganthet's Tale'' (). He is also the husband of Sayd.
Fictional character biography ...
. Alan is increasingly physically weakened due to Parallax's failed attempts to control him as it did with Jordan, Stewart, Gardner, and Kilowog, so it decides to kill him instead. However, Jordan, with the aid of
The Spectre, breaks free from Parallax' influence, and saves Alan from the fear entity.
During the
Rann-Thanagar War,
Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner (), one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character is depicted as being associated with the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of ...
's power ring revealed that Scott is an honorary member of the Green Lantern Corps.
''Infinite Crisis'' and ''52''
During the ''
Infinite Crisis
"Infinite Crisis" is a 2005–2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, a ...
'', Scott and his daughter
Jade
Jade is a mineral used as jewellery or for ornaments. It is typically green, although may be yellow or white. Jade can refer to either of two different silicate minerals: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in the amphibole group of ...
, along with many others, travel with
Donna Troy
Donna Troy is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She is the original Wonder Girl and later temporarily adopts another identity, Troia. Created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani, she first appeared in ''The ...
to the center of the universe to save it from
Alexander Luthor, Jr.
Alexander Luthor Jr. is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.
Publication history
Created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, the character made his first appearance in ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #1 (April 198 ...
Though they manage to succeed in saving the universe, Jade dies on this mission.
A year later, Scott is still active and relatively youthful compared to his true age, but now wears an
eyepatch
An eyepatch is a small patch that is worn in front of one eye. It may be a cloth patch attached around the head by an elastic band or by a string, an adhesive bandage, or a plastic device which is clipped to a pair of glasses. It is often worn ...
having lost his eye in a
Zeta beam transporter accident while returning from space. Though Scott loses his daughter, he tells
Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner (), one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character is depicted as being associated with the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of ...
that he still has family both through relations and close friendships, among which he counts Kyle.
Week 4 of the ''
52'' maxiseries reveals that Scott lost his left eye during a period when he and several other superheroes were declared missing approximately 11 months prior to the events of ''Checkmate'' #1. The Zeta Beam that
Adam Strange
Adam Strange is a fictional space adventurer appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by editor Julius Schwartz with a costume designed by Murphy Anderson, he first appeared in ''Showcase (comics), Showcase'' #17 (November ...
had hoped to use for teleporting the heroes away from the time-space ripple caused by
Alexander Luthor, Jr.
Alexander Luthor Jr. is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.
Publication history
Created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, the character made his first appearance in ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #1 (April 198 ...
's actions was splintered by the ripple itself, mutilating the heroes in various ways.
In Week 5, Alan goes to the wife and daughter of
Animal Man
Animal Man (Bernhard "Buddy" Baker) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As a result of being in proximity to an exploding extraterrestrial spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the ability to temporarily "borrow" t ...
to tell them that Animal Man is missing in space. This gives Ellen Baker more hope that her husband is alive.
In Week 29, Alan,
Wildcat
The wildcat is a species complex comprising two small wild cat species: the European wildcat (''Felis silvestris'') and the African wildcat (''F. lybica''). The European wildcat inhabits forests in Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus, while the ...
, and
Jay Garrick (Flash) are the only members of the JSA present on
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden and ...
. They talk about the other members of the JSA and about the new
Infinity Inc.
Infinity, Inc. is a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
The first incarnation is mostly composed of the children and heirs of the Justice Society of America (JSA), making them the Society's analogue to t ...
, which is a new version of a team of which Alan's daughter, Jade, was a member.
After being put into a comatose state during an attack by the
Gentleman Ghost
Gentleman Ghost is a supervillain appearing in books published by DC Comics publications. Created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Joe Kubert, the character first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #88 (October 1947).
Fictional character biography ...
, Alan envisions Jade, who tells him goodbye and grants him another portion of her green energy. His missing eye is replaced by a green glowing orb that, due to its mystical origins and connection to Jade, allows him to track astral and mystical energy forms such as ghosts.
"One Year Later"
During the missing year of the "One Year Later" storyline, Scott has joined
Checkmate
Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game.
In chess, the king is ...
at the rank of White King, with his JSA teammate
Mister Terrific as his Bishop. Scott soon finds himself in a moral conflict with ''Black Queen''
Sasha Bordeaux
Sasha Bordeaux is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was at first primarily associated with superhero Batman, and she has subsequently evolved an association with Checkmate in two of its i ...
over the violent nature of Checkmate, particularly after Bordeaux and her team slaughter dozens of Kobra operatives during a raid on a facility. Bordeaux contends that the ends justify the means, while Scott adheres to the principle that heroes should not kill unless absolutely necessary. Bordeaux responds by suggesting that Scott resign. Concurrent with this internal conflict, Scott and the White Queen (
Amanda Waller
Amanda Blake Waller (née White), also known as "the Wall", is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''Legends'' #1 in 1986 and was created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and ...
) try to keep the organization from being discontinued by political forces.
After the rise of the being
Gog, Alan Scott allies with the Justice Society members that oppose Gog's simplistic view of the world. However, after encountering a Justice Society from an alternate universe in which his daughter Jade is still alive, he considers asking the seemingly all powerful being to raise his daughter from the dead. Later,
Sandman
The Sandman is a mythical character in European folklore who puts people to sleep and encourages and inspires beautiful dreams by sprinkling magical sand onto their eyes.
Representation in traditional folklore
The Sandman is a traditional charact ...
learns that Gog is rooting himself into the Earth, and if he remains for one more day, the Earth will no longer be able to survive without him. The rest of the JSA arrive to kill Gog by separating his head from the Earth, which is the only way to save the planet. The Society members ally with Gog in an attempt to protect him until they see him attempt to attack a Society member. All of Gog's followers, including
Magog, turn on him, causing Gog's blessing on them to be undone. The JSA are able to topple Gog and send him to the
Source Wall
This page list the locations in the DC Universe, the shared universe setting of DC Comics.
Sites
* the Arrowcave – The former base of operations of the Green Arrow and Speedy.
* Avernus Cemetery – A burial ground located in Central City for ...
, but Alan is unable to see his daughter.
In the "
Final Crisis
"Final Crisis" is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely b ...
" storyline, Alan led a resistance against
Darkseid
Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
's forces as one of the superheroes responding to Article X. He is shown defending Checkmate's
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
HQ from the Justifiers. Though
Donna Troy
Donna Troy is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She is the original Wonder Girl and later temporarily adopts another identity, Troia. Created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani, she first appeared in ''The ...
tries to place the Justifier helmet on him,
Hawkman
Hawkman is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1, published by All-American ...
saves him.
In the "
Blackest Night
"Blackest Night" is a 2009–10 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous central miniseries, written by Geoff Johns and penciled by Ivan Reis, along with a number of tie-in issues. ''Blackest Nig ...
" storyline, Alan and the rest of the JSA battle the reanimated
Kal-L
Superman of Earth-Two is an alternate version of the fictional superhero Superman, who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was introduced after DC Comics created Earth-Two, a parallel world that was retroactiv ...
and
Black Lantern
The Black Lantern Corps is a fictional organization of corporeal revenants (resembling intelligent zombies or jiangshi) appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, related to the emotional spectrum. The group is composed of deceased fiction ...
versions of dead Justice Society members. After
Jakeem Thunder
Jakeem Thunder (Jakeem Johnny Williams), initially called J.J. Thunder, is a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe, a member of the superhero team the Justice Society of America.
The character appeared starting in the second season of '' ...
is knocked out, Alan is one of the heroes who adds his powers into a "Black Lantern Bomb" designed to mimic Jakeem's Thunderbolt abilities, destroying all of the Black Lanterns in New York. In the final battle of the event, his daughter Jade is resurrected by the power of white light.
"Brightest Day"
In the beginning of the "
Brightest Day
''Brightest Day'' is a 2010–11 crossover storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of a year-long comic book maxiseries that began in April 2010, and a number of tie-in books. The story is a direct follow-up to the ''Blackest Night'' storyli ...
" storyline, Alan lies in the arms of Obsidian, convulsing and writhing as a green light pours from his body. His body possessed, Alan flies off with his JSA teammates in hot pursuit, eventually led the team to Germany. The JSA meet up with
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
's new
Justice League
The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived ...
and find that Jade, who had been staying on
Oa since her resurrection, has returned to Earth inside a green meteor, later revealed to be the legendary Starheart that gave Alan his powers.
Sebastian Faust
Sebastian Faust (known as simply Faust) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, created by Mike Barr and Paul Pelletier. He was introduced in the 1993 ''Outsiders (comics), Outsiders'' comic book series ...
tells the two teams that the Starheart has been gradually taking control of people on Earth for quite some time. Now that it is on Earth, it is growing more powerful and driving metahumans all over the world insane. Jade states that the Starheart captured her in space and purposely brought her to Earth to find Alan and that it is her fault that her father is now in danger. Just then, Alan awakens and his costume transforms into a suit of armor identical to the one he wears in ''Kingdom Come'', and he then tells the assembled heroes that he intends on destroying the world.
Starman
''StarMan'' is a 1996 fantasy novel by Australian writer Sara Douglass. It follows the second book in the series, '' Enchanter'', with Axis marching north with his army to confront a formidable enemy.
Background
''StarMan'' was first published ...
is sent into space to search for Alan, and finds that Alan has constructed a massive fortress on the surface of the moon. Before Starman can warn the others, Alan appears in front of him and tears his gem, the source of his abilities, from his chest, thus rendering him powerless. The Starheart uses its influence to corrupt various metahumans with magical or elemental abilities, which creates chaos across the globe. Realizing that the heroes must defeat Alan in order to end the chaos, Batman recruits
Miss Martian
Miss Martian (real name: M'gann M'orzz; alias Megan Morse) is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
Sharon Leal portrayed the character in the second season of the Arrowverse series ''Supergirl''. Leal returne ...
to get a mental lock on Starman, which, in turn, provides the Justice League with Alan's location. Batman then assembles a small strikeforce consisting of himself, Jade,
Hourman
Hourman or Hour-Man is the name of three different fictional superheroes appearing in comics published by DC Comics. The original Hourman was created by writer Ken Fitch and artist Bernard Baily in '' Adventure Comics'' #48 (March 1940), during ...
,
Donna Troy
Donna Troy is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She is the original Wonder Girl and later temporarily adopts another identity, Troia. Created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani, she first appeared in ''The ...
,
Jesse Quick
Jesse Chambers is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Chambers, who first used the superhero name Jesse Quick and later Liberty Belle, is the daughter of Golden Age heroes Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle. She inh ...
, and
Mr. America, all of whom have a low chance of being possessed by the Starheart.
Mister Miracle
Mister Miracle (Scott Free) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #1 (April 1971) and was created by Jack Kirby.
Publication history
Mister Miracle debuted in ...
arrives and informs the team that Alan has most likely installed
Fourth World
The Fourth World is an extension of the three-world model, used variably to refer to
# Sub-populations socially excluded from global society, such as uncontacted peoples;
# Hunter-gatherer, nomadic, pastoral, and some subsistence farming peoples ...
defenses in his base and offers to use his knowledge of such technology to guide them through the fortress. When they finally find him, Jade uses her powers to restore Alan to normal. With his sanity restored, Alan chooses to allow the Emerald City he created on the moon to stay and the city becomes populated by various magical creatures from throughout the DCU.
[''Justice Society of America'' (vol. 3) #43. DC Comics.]
After the events of the "Brightest Day", Alan and the rest of the JSA travel to the city of Monument Point, which has been attacked by a superpowered terrorist named Scythe. Just before being defeated, Scythe snaps Alan's neck. In the subsequent story, it is revealed that Scythe is the product of Nazi genetic engineering, and that Alan and Jay had been tasked by the president with killing the experiment back when he was in infancy during World War 2. The two heroes could not agree on a course of action, and, as a result, Scythe was allowed to live. Doctor Mid-Nite discovers that the injuries Alan sustained have rendered him paralyzed, and that any attempt to heal himself could break his constant concentration, which could result in the Starheart once again regaining control of his body.
Jade visits her bed-ridden father in the Emerald City, and offers to use her abilities to help him walk again. Alan declines his daughter's offer, reasoning that if the Starheart were to once again take over his body, it could result in the deaths of everyone in the city.
Eclipso
Eclipso () is a supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. The character is the incarnation of the Wrath of God and the Angel of Vengeance that turned evil and was replaced by the Spectre.
The character bares notable similarities to Dr. Jekyll and ...
attacks the city, which results in
Jesse Quick
Jesse Chambers is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Chambers, who first used the superhero name Jesse Quick and later Liberty Belle, is the daughter of Golden Age heroes Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle. She inh ...
having to get Alan to safety. After taking over Jade, Eclipso has the power of the starheart then defeats and possesses the Justice League's reserve roster, and then badly injures the angel Zauriel. With the Justice League outnumbered, Eclipso then reveals his ultimate goal is to somehow kill God. Eclipso then tortures Zauriel, causing his screams to attract the attention of the new Spectre, Crispus Allen, who he kills, absorbing the Spectre's powers upon his demise. With his newfound abilities, Eclipso reveals that God relies on the collective love of humanity in order to stay alive, and that by destroying the Earth, Eclipso will ultimately kill God once and for all. Just as the members of the JLA prepare to wage a counterattack, Eclipso destroys the moon, apparently dooming all life on Earth. With the moon destroyed, Eclipso then seemingly kills Donna Troy, the physically strongest remaining member of the Justice League. However, it is ultimately revealed that Donna's death was an illusion conjured by Saint Walker, who used his blue power ring to temporarily trap Eclipso in a state of euphoria. After the Atom and Starman break Eclipso's link to his brainwashed slaves, the combined heroes attack Eclipso together, defeating him. In the aftermath it is discovered that Jade and Obsidian can now be within proximity of each other again and their father has control of the Starheart again.
Later, the JSA try to take down the villain D'arken who has broken free from imprisonment beneath Monument Point and absorbed the powers of JSA members, but D'arken is too powerful. Due to this only non-superpowered and magical members fight D'arken. The JSA tells Alan that unleashing the Starheart is the only way to destroy D'arken. However, after releasing the Starheart energies, Alan's body begins to incinerate. Afterwards, the JSA attend a funeral for Alan, whom they believe to be dead.
DC Universe
In the 2017 - 2019 ''
Watchmen
''Watchmen'' is an American comic book Limited series (comics), maxiseries by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins (comics), John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics in 1986 a ...
'' sequel ''
Doomsday Clock
The Doomsday Clock is a symbol that represents the likelihood of a man-made global catastrophe, in the opinion of the members of the ''Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists''. Maintained since 1947, the clock is a metaphor for threats to humanity ...
'', Johnny Thunder finds Alan Scott's Green Lantern power battery in a steel mill. After he and Saturn Girl save Johnny Thunder from some junkies,
Rorschach (Reggie Long)
Reginald "Reggie" Long is a fictional character in publications by DC Comics. He is the second character to hold the name of Rorschach and was introduced in the 2017 series ''Doomsday Clock'' by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank.
Publication history
Th ...
asks Johnny Thunder what that lantern is. Later,
Doctor Manhattan
Doctor Manhattan (Dr. Jonathan Osterman), often shortened to Dr. Manhattan or simply Manhattan is a fictional character who appears in comics published by DC Comics. He debuted in the graphic novel limited series ''Watchmen''. Doctor Manhattan w ...
recalls various events in which he indirectly killed Alan Scott and thus set forth changes in the timeline. On July 16 of 1940, Alan Scott was riding on a train over a collapsing bridge, but he survived by grabbing onto the lantern. He continues his life, eventually "
sitting at a round table wearing a mask" and later testifying before the House Un-American Activities Committee but refusing to implicate anyone in his employ. On July 16 of 1940 again, Doctor Manhattan moves the lantern six inches out of Alan Scott's reach so that Scott dies in the train accident and leaves no family behind, as the green lantern is passed through different locations thereafter. When Lois Lane finds a flash-drive among the mess while at the Daily Planet, it shows her footage of Alan Scott and the rest of the Justice Society. It is revealed that Doctor Manhattan prevented Scott from becoming Green Lantern and indirectly killed him because he was curious about what the effects of changing the history of the Metaverse would have on not just itself but on Superman. As a result of Alan Scott not becoming the Green Lantern, the Justice Society of America was never formed and history was reset into the New 52 Universe/Prime-Earth. In the present time during a confrontation among different factions, Doctor Manhattan becomes inspired by
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
, so he undoes the changes that he made to the timeline by moving the lantern back on July 16 of 1940, which resulted in the restoration of the timeline and therefore the return of Alan Scott alongside many other superheroes to the DC Universe. Because of this, Alan Scott and the Justice Society assisted Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes in fighting Black Adam's group as well as the People's Heroes from Russia, the Outsiders from Markovia, and the Doomed from India.
In the pages of ''
Dark Nights: Death Metal'', Alan Scott was seen with Jay Garrick, Doctor Fate, and Wildcat where they guarded the Valhalla Cemetery. When Wonder Woman, Wally West, and Swamp Thing enter, Alan Scott unleashes a
Cerberus
In Greek mythology, Cerberus (; grc-gre, Κέρβερος ''Kérberos'' ), often referred to as the hound of Hades, is a multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the Underworld to prevent the dead from leaving. He was the offspring of the mo ...
construct on them as he asks for the password. Wonder Woman states that the last person who told her it stated "Munkel." Alan Scott calls off the construct and stated that she was close as the password was "Ma Hunkel." Alan Scott was the with the Justice Society when the good guys and bad guys were preparing for the final battle against Perpetua and
Darkest Knight
''Young Jedi Knights'' is a ''Star Wars'' young adult fiction series by science fiction writer Kevin J. Anderson and his wife Rebecca Moesta. It was published from 1995 to 1998. It covers the Jedi training of Jacen and Jaina Solo, the twin chil ...
.
Following the reboot of the multiverse at the end of ''Death Metal'', Alan Scott and other Golden Age heroes are restored to the timeline. In ''Infinite Frontier'' #0 Alan reunites with Jade and Obsidian at the Justice Society brownstone and comes out as gay. He is invited to join the Totality, a team of superheroes and villains dedicated to protecting Earth from any threats in the new multiverse, returning to the moniker of Sentinel.
Powers and abilities
Alan Scott wields a magical ring that can produce a variety of effects. The extent of the ring's ability has never been rigorously defined, but three consistent traits are that it allows him to fly, that its effects are accompanied by a green light, and that it cannot directly affect anything made of wood.
In Scott's first appearance, his body would glow green or be bathed in a green light whenever he used his power, such as passing through a wall or flying. During his earliest appearances, he would project a beam of green light from his ring that could do a variety of things such as move objects, melt metal, shrink objects, or put out fires. He rarely used it as an actual weapon and preferred to fight with his fists like any other pulp-adventure hero would do. The ring made him invulnerable to any weapon not made of wood.
In later appearances, he started conjuring solid objects. These objects could be of any shape and size such as: a sword to cut a rope, chains to bind a prisoner, a parachute to slow his fall, and a disembodied fist to beat his foe. But they were always pure green in color and would vanish as soon as he stopped concentrating on them. Alan controlled these objects telekinetically. These conjured objects, later referred to as "constructs", would become the signature power of Green Lanterns in later decades.
At the start of many stories, Alan charged his ring by touching it to a green lantern, which would give him 24 hours of power (regardless of how heavily he used it).
Alan's ring cannot affect anything made of wood or plant matter. He can conjure a green shield to block bullets, but a wooden club will pass right through it effortlessly.
Solomon Grundy, a zombie whose body is partially made from swamp matter, is highly resistant to Alan's powers.
In the mid-1980s, DC merged Alan Scott and
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan, one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created in 1959 by writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane, and first appeared in '' ...
into a shared setting and eliminated parallel universes from the narrative. Because these two characters were unrelated, the writers altered Alan's powers to differentiate him from Hal. Alan's constructs were now wreathed in green flame, highlighting their magical (and not technological) nature. He physically merged with his lantern, meaning he no longer needed to recharge as Hal needed to. In 1995, he lost his magical ring but learned to manifest his power through his glowing hands instead (this change was reversed in ''JSA'' #50).
In the beginning, Alan's power was vaguely connected to the mystical power of the living world; "green, as are the plants, the growing things!".
Other versions
Earth 2
Alan was reintroduced in issue 1 of ''
Earth 2'' as the young dynamic head of GBC productions on Earth 2 (a parallel world within the
DC Multiverse
In DC Comics, the Multiverse is a "cosmic construct" composed of the many fictional universes the stories of DC take place in. The worlds in this multiverse share a space and fate in common, and its structure has changed several times in the h ...
). This version of Green Lantern is associated with
the Green, a mystical realm/entity that connects all botanical life on Earth. On June 1, 2012, DC announced that Scott would be reimagined as a gay man.
In issue 3, Scott is revealed to have a boyfriend named Sam Zhao, to whom he intends to propose while on vacation in China. Before he can do so the train on which the couple is traveling is suddenly wrecked. A mysterious green flame protects Scott and heals him; a disembodied voice informs him that the crash was caused by a force that threatens the whole world, and that Sam did not survive. The grief-stricken Scott is then told that he will be given the power to avenge his love and protect the world. The flame creates a costume for him, and molds Sam's engagement ring into a
power ring with which Scott can harness his power. Reborn as the Green Lantern, Scott proceeds to help the other survivors and swears vengeance for Sam. In the present, he gains an enemy in
Solomon Grundy who is an avatar of the Grey. Green Lantern is assisted by Flash and Hawkgirl in fighting him, but Atom brings him down temporarily by jumping onto him at giant size. The battle continues until Scott once again exiles Grundy to the moon where neither he nor the "Grey" can do any damage.
Alan was later reunited with Sam who has become an avatar for the White. Following their brief fight with Solomon Grundy, the Parliaments ended their feud where they instructed Alan, Sam, Grundy, the Clear's avatar Azathoth, and the Red's Yolanda Montez to work together to combat the invasion from Apokolips.
When Apokolips starts to approach Earth 2, the Parliaments advise their representatives to join forces and fight this threat. While in Earth's orbit, Solomon Grundy, Azathoth, and Sam Zhao sacrifice their lives so that Alan Scott can receive their combined Parliament abilities to stop Apokolips from destroying Earth 2. Alan didn't know it yet, but Sam's spirit was still with him. Following a disastrous fight with Darkseid, Alan woke up to see Sam's spirit who revealed that he was chosen to be the Avatar of the White while assisting the Parliaments way to ease Alan's transition into realizing his full potential as the last champion of Earth and to embody its primordial essences at the cost of losing his memories of Sam.
Kingdom Come
In the ''
Kingdom Come
" Kingdom come" is a phrase in the Lord's Prayer in the Bible.
Kingdom Come may also refer to:
Film
* ''Kingdom Come'' (1919 film), a Western short featuring Hoot Gibson
* ''Kingdom Come'' (2001 film), a comedy starring LL Cool J
* ''Kingdom ...
'' limited series by
Mark Waid
Mark Waid (; born March 21, 1962) is an American comic book writer best known for his work on DC Comics titles ''The Flash'', '' Kingdom Come'' and '' Superman: Birthright'' as well as his work on ''Captain America'', ''Fantastic Four'' and '' Dar ...
and
Alex Ross
Nelson Alexander Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an American comic book writer and artist known primarily for his painted interiors, covers, and design work. He first became known with the 1994 miniseries ''Marvels'', on which he collaborated wi ...
, Alan is the only Green Lantern on Earth. He lives in an orbital space station called New Oa from which he protects Earth from alien attacks, and has ceased to meddle in human affairs. When
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
comes out of retirement, he rejoins the Justice League to help suppress the rogue superhumans that are causing chaos throughout the world. After the crisis is resolved, he joins the United Nations as the ambassador of the sovereign nation of New Oa.
Alan Scott's costume in this series was styled after the full plate armor of medieval knights. In the regular books, he has sported this armor on several occasions when he uses high amounts of power.
JSA: The Unholy Three
Another version of Alan Scott was seen briefly in ''
JSA: The Unholy Three'' as a post-WW2 agent called the Lantern whose use of his power ring was invaluable to the intelligence community for its ability to discern truth from lies. The ring and Alan's hand were destroyed by a Superman gone rogue.
Green Lantern: Evil's Might
In the
Elseworlds
''Elseworlds'' was the publication imprint (trade name), imprint for American comic books produced by DC Comics for stories that took place outside the DC Universe Canon (fictional), canon. Elseworlds publications are set in alternate realitie ...
tale, ''
Green Lantern: Evil's Might'', Alan Scott is depicted as the young leader of a gang called the Bowery Greens. He steals a magical green gem similar to Kyle Rayner's ring and later steals Kyle's lantern. In a final showdown, he fatally wounds Kyle, but is absorbed into Kyle's ring.
The Golden Age
In the Elseworlds series "
The Golden Age", Alan Scott finds himself under investigation from the
House Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly dubbed the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives, created in 1938 to investigate alleged disloy ...
because of his refusal to turn over employees suspected of communist activities. In the final battle with
Dynaman
is the seventh installment of Toei Company's Super Sentai metaseries. It aired on TV Asahi from February 5, 1983, to January 28, 1984, replacing ''Dai Sentai Goggle-V'' and was replaced by ''Choudenshi Bioman'' with a total of 51 episodes. Six ...
, Johnny Quick (Johnny Chambers), Johnny Quick refers to him as "the big guy", implying that he may have been the most powerful hero of the era (although this is likely also a reference to Alan's large physical stature).
''Superman & Batman: Generations 2''
In ''Superman & Batman: Generations 2'', an alternate version of Alan Scott is featured. This Alan Scott's ring's origin is explained as having originally been a Green Lantern ring that was lost on Earth long ago. In this storyline, the first time Alan used his ring, he was knocked out from behind by a man with a wooden club. This caused Alan to believe the ring was weak against wood, thereby causing a mental block that prevented him from truly exerting his power against wooden objects or attacks. This was confirmed by the Guardians, who explained that this was the reason behind the weakness to yellow of the Green Lantern Corps' rings. They simply told all new Green Lanterns that their rings were powerless against yellow to establish the same mental block.
''52''
In the final issue of the 2006 - 07 miniseries ''
52'', a new Multiverse is revealed, originally consisting of 52 identical realities. Among the parallel realities shown is one designated "Earth-2". As a result of Mister Mind "eating" aspects of this reality, it takes on visual aspects similar to the pre-''Crisis'' Earth-Two, including the Green Lantern among other Justice Society of America characters. The names of the characters and the team are not mentioned in the panel in which they appear, but the Green Lantern is visually similar to Alan Scott.
Based on comments by writer Grant Morrison, this alternate universe is not the pre-''Crisis'' Earth-Two.
It was revealed in ''Justice Society'' (vol. 3) #20 that the post-''Crisis'' Earth-2 Alan Scott is dead as stated by his daughter Jade who encountered the New Earth Scott and was shocked to see the New Earth counterpart to her father still alive.
''Superman: Red Son''
In the 2003 miniseries ''Superman: Red Son'', Scott is also shown as a member of the Green Lantern Marine Corps.
''A Brave New World''
''A Brave New World'', a story published in ''Wonder Woman'' #750 details how Wonder Woman, the world's first superhero, revealed herself at the 1939 New York World's Fair, 1939 World's Fair, rescuing President Franklin D. Roosevelt from an assassination attempt. The narrator reflects that Wonder Woman's faith in humanity inspired people and provided hope in a dark time. In the final panel, the narrator is revealed to be Alan Scott, wearing his power ring. This was intended to be the first story set in the "5G" continuity, a reboot of the DC Universe which was eventually cancelled, making it a standalone non-canon story.
In other media
Television
* A character based on Alan Scott called Scott Mason / Green Guardsman appears in the ''Justice League (TV series), Justice League'' episode "Legends", voiced by William Katt. The Green Guardsman was an Multiverse (DC Comics), alternate reality superhero and member of the Justice Guild of America who wields a power ring similar to those used by the
Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic law enforcement organization appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residin ...
, though he cannot affect aluminum, and was viewed by the residents of the "mainstream" Earth as a fictional character.
* Alan Scott appears in the ''Smallville'' episode "Absolute Justice", portrayed by Doug Pinton. This version operated as a superhero and served as the Chief executive officer, CEO of an unnamed broadcasting company in the 1970s before he was arrested for fraud by the government, who were on a mission to take down the
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America (JSA, or Justice Society (JS)) is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team was conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox during the Golden Age of Comic ...
(JSA). Scott, like the other members of team, tried to take the blame for several crimes, though they were never convicted. As the law was now aware of his superhero identity, Scott retired from heroics. His ring and battery were later stored in the museum that the Justice Society used as their lair. In the television series' comic book continuation ''Smallville Season 11'', it is revealed that Scott was not a member of the Green Lantern Corps and got his power ring and battery through unknown means.
* Alan Scott appears in the ''Batman: The Brave and the Bold'' episode "Crisis: 22,300 Miles Above Earth!", voiced by Corey Burton. This version is a member of an aged Justice Society of America.
* Alan Scott makes a brief non-speaking cameo appearance in the ''Young Justice (TV series), Young Justice'' episode "Humanity", via archival footage of the JSA.
* Alan Scott appears in the DC Universe (streaming service), DC Universe / The CW series ''Stargirl (TV series), Stargirl'', portrayed by an uncredited actor. This version is a member of the Justice Society of America before the team was attacked and killed by the Injustice Society. While his ring disappeared, Courtney Whitmore claims his powerless battery in the present in the hopes of finding someone to succeed him. Scott's daughter,
Jade
Jade is a mineral used as jewellery or for ornaments. It is typically green, although may be yellow or white. Jade can refer to either of two different silicate minerals: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in the amphibole group of ...
(portrayed by Ysa Penarejo), later appears in season two.
Films
Alan Scott makes a cameo appearance in the opening credits of ''Justice League: The New Frontier'', wherein he is forced out of heroics by the government.
Video games
Alan Scott appears in ''DC Universe Online'', voiced by Jason Phelps.
Miscellaneous
* Alan Scott appears in a volume of the ''Sleepers'' trilogy, created by Mike Baron and written by Christopher J. Priest.
* Alan Scott appears in ''Adventures in the DC Universe'' #4, ''Justice League Adventures'' #20 (cameo), and ''Justice League Unlimited'' #40.
Action figures
In 2010, Alan Scott was released in Wave 14 of Mattel's DC Universe Classics toyline.
DC Universe Classics 14: Green Lantern review
/ref>
Collected editions
* ''Golden Age Green Lantern Archives'' Vol. 1 (Green Lantern Vol. 1 #1 and All-American Comics #16–30)
* ''Golden Age Green Lantern Archives'' Vol. 2 (Green Lantern Vol. 1 #2–3 and All-American Comics #31–38)
* ''JSA Presents: Green Lantern'' (Green Lantern: Brightest Day, Blackest Night (one-shot); JSA: Classified #25, #32–33)
* ''Crisis on Multiple Earths: The Team-Ups'' Vol. 1 (Green Lantern Vol. 2 #40)
* ''Crisis on Multiple Earths: The Team-Ups'' Vol. 2 (Green Lantern Vol. 2 #45, 52)
References
External links
*
Earth-2 Green Lantern Index
Green Lantern Corps profile on Alan Scott
Alan Scott's profile on the DC Database Project
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scott, Alan
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Characters created by Bill Finger
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Fictional characters who can manipulate light
Fictional characters with energy-manipulation abilities
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