Green Lantern (vol.3) #49 (1994)

Green Lantern (vol.3) #49 (February, 1994)
"Emerald Twilight, Part Two: The Present"
Writer - Ron Marz
Penciller - Fred Haynes
Inkers - Romeo Tanghal & Dennis Cramer
Colorist - Steve Mattsson
Letterer - Albert De Guzman
Assistant Editor - Eddie Berganza
Editor - Kevin Dooley
Cover Price: $1.50

Part Two of Emerald Twilight.  If you need/want to get caught up, go 'head and check out yesterday's discussion of Green Lantern #48.  For some coverage of Green Lantern #50, please make sure to check out this coming weekend's Weird Science DC Comics Podcast, where Reggie and I will be taking our Cosmic Treadmill back to late 1993/early 1994 to break it all down.  It's always a good time, give it a listen if you're interested!

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Hal Jordan's coming our way, and he's in a mood!  Hot off the heels of his summoning to Oa for disciplinary action regarding his selfish and irresponsible use of his ring, a ticked-off Hal is on his way.  I'm a bit confused here, as I thought his ring ran out of juice last issue... I'm not quite sure how he's powered enough to get him off the ground.  Maybe I missed something...

During Hal's trek to Oa, he runs across several of his brothers and sisters-in-arms.  The first among them are the tandem of Ke'Haan and Laira.  It's not a pleasant visit... they aim to stop Hal, and he just isn't having it.  He thrashes them both, all the while lambasting them for being loyal slaves to the Guardians.  After the battle, the power hungry Hal takes both of their rings.  I think this was a bone of contention among fans, not knowing whether or not Hal left them to float and die in space.  I think that's been cleared up with Hal's redemption though.

We shift scenes to the Guardianzzzz... *snort*, sorry... the Guardians of the Universe.  They are putting their misshapen blue heads together to figure out how to halt Hal.

Speaking of Hal, he's now tangled up in a strange octopussish alien parasite, courtesy of Tomar Tu (son of Hal's longtime Lantern buddy Tomar Re).  Tu tries to talk Hal down, to no avail... Hal is able to finagle his way out of tentacles and blasts his buddy.

Hal's suddenly jumped by one of the wackier GLs (and that's saying something) Jack T. Chance!  Jack is... well, truly a creation of his time... stubble, trench coat, chains, BFG... we know the type.  Hal easily outclasses him.  He snags both rings and flies off.

The more Lanterns get in Hal's way, and fall pretty quickly.  All the while, Hal is thinking about how his power levels will be augmented to off-the-charts levels thanks to the additions to his jewelry collection.  Those Lanterns are Kreon, Hannu, and Graf Toren... you know, those Lanterns...

The final Lantern to get in Hal's way before he lands on Oa is a woman called Boodikka.  Hal apparently brought her into the Corps, and she will not relinquish her ring to him... claiming it is as much a part of her as her hand.  Hal sees his best solution as taking her hand along with the ring.  Easy peasy.

Back with the Guardians... they are considering the unthinkable to stop Hal in his tracks...

Hal finally lands on Oa, and runs in to his toughest fight yet... his old buddy (and drill sergeant) Kilowog!  Got a bit of a good-news, bad-news situation for Kilowog... good news, he's one hell of a trainer... bad news, so good a trainer, his student is able to wipe the floor with him!

Hal triumphantly saunters over to the Power Battery... he doesn't just want more power... he wants all the power.  The Guardians appear before him in a projected form, and try to reason with him one last time.  Hal... again, ain't having it.

He leaves the Guardians with absolutely no choice... they must turn to the one man they feel can take Hal down... they turn, to Sinestro! 

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Okay, we're two-thirds of the way through... and, to be honest I don't think Hal has necessarily crossed the line into irredeemable just yet.  Sure, he's beaten down many of his brothers and sisters-in-arms, stole their rings, and chopped off a Lantern's hand... but, nothing he couldn't charm himself out of, right?  Eh, maybe not.  All's I'm saying is though he may be mad with power, I don't feel that he's irreversibly evil just yet.

This entire issue was Hal's trip to Oa, and at no point did it feel dull or padded.  This was wonderfully paced, and really gave us insight on the thoughts bubbling to the surface of Hal's noggin.  We get the impression that Hal sees all the Lantern's in his way as being just as traitorous (to his ends) as the Guardians of the Universe.  It would be difficult, in Hal's state, to separate the Lanterns "just following orders" and the Lanterns engaging in a sorta personal attack on his needs and desires.

Tomar Tu and Kilowog's confrontations with Hal were very powerful scenes.  Hal doesn't see either of them as friends... just disloyal roadblocks who would rather blindly follow the Guardians than allow him to go about his business.

If I were to pick any nits... I gotta comment on the art.  This is definitely a step down from Bill Willingham's work in issue #48.  As much as I loath to "adjectivize" a time period, this issue feels very 90's.  Still serviceable, but not up to the Willingham (and later, Banks) standard.

This is another issue that was never gonna be, if the initial solicits were to be believed.  The original (Gerard Jones) Green Lantern #49 was supposed to be:

“Green Lantern is caught up in a battle raging between two equally powerful groups of Guardians of the Universe.  Hal’s side loses, and the winners’ first act is to take away the power rings’ 24-hour time limit, and their yellow impurity.  Their second act is to appoint a new leader of the Green Lantern Corps--Sinestro!  This issue leads directly into the landmark Green Lantern #50, a major turning point for the series.”

Well, we do get us some Sinestro!  Other than that... something competely different.  Something with one of my favorite covers ever, to boot!

Definitely still one you should check out... I consider this entire era of Green Lantern as "must reading".  This, like the issue prior is available digitally.  As I mentioned about, in this weekend's Weird Science DC Comics Podcast, Reggie and I will be discussing Green Lantern #50, so if you're interested in our thoughts be sure to give it a listen!

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Green Lantern (vol.3) #48 (1994)

Green Lantern (vol.3) #48 (January, 1994)
"Emerald Twilight, Part One: The Past"
Writer - Ron Marz
Penciller - Bill Willingham
Inkers - Romeo Tanghal & Robert Campanella
Letterer - Albert De Guzman
Colorist - Anthony Tollin
Assistant Editor - Eddie Berganza
Editor - Kevin Dooley
Cover Price: $1.50

Got some Hal Jordan related talkie-stuff in the offing, and figured it'd be in the best interests of my research to reacquaint myself with (at least the open of) the Emerald Twilight storyline.  It's been a good few years since I last visited this tale... let's get right into it.

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We open with an injured Hal Jordan kneeling in a smoldering crater.  The camera pans back to reveal the twelve-miles square wasteland that was once Coast City.  Hal's hometown, which was destroyed by Cyborg Superman and Mongul during the Reign of the Supermen storyline (in Green Lantern #46).

Hal looks at the decimation surrounding him, and thinks about how he wears a ring that could do anything.  It's interesting that these thoughts would pass through Hal's mind at this point.  He, theoretically, has the most powerful item in the Universe... and yet, he was powerless to save his home... his neighbors, his friends...

Hal pops a blast of emerald energy into the sky.  From out of the resulting green miasma field walks Martin Jordan, Hal's father.  What is particularly off-putting, is that Martin seems annoyed, almost put out... he asks Hal rather nonchalantly, "did you want something?"... quite bizarre.  Hal says he wants to talk about their relationship... how Martin was never proud of him, like he was of his other sons.

Martin plainly answers that he was proud of his other sons because they actually accomplished things in their lives.  Hal protests, and begins running down his accolades... which is all well and good, until Martin reminds him that he fell a bit short when it came to saving Coast City.  This is a side of the Jordan's that I didn't know about.  You (or I) always got the feeling that Hal was the apple of his father's eye.  Guess not, eh?

Martin tells Hal that he's wasted enough of his time, and hops into his jet.  What follows is the reenactment of Bishop's plane crash from Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn #1.  Adult Hal reacts similarly to child Hal.

Suddenly, Jessica Jordan... Hal's mom, shows up.  Hal tries to confide in her... talk about his father's disapproval.  Rather than help him work through his issues, she recommends that he just let it all go.  After all, there's nothing he can do about it.  Again... all the power in the Universe, and there's nothing Hal can do.

After mom leaves, Hal becomes a bit indignant, and goes all "f-that noise"... and uses his ring to recreate Coast City!  Hal has fancied himself a God.

He is surprised to find his first girlfriend, Jennifer sitting under a tree.  We get the impression that not even Hal knows how powerful his ring is, he's almost a spectator here.  They chat as though they were old friends, and Jennifer agrees to walk Hal to his parents house.

While they walk, they reminisce over their teenage years.  Hal met Jennifer a few years after the death of his father, and credits her with helping him finally deal with it.  As they approach Hal's folks' house, we learn that Jennifer and her family were still in Coast City when it was destroyed.  She says it was "over pretty quick" and that nobody blames Hal.

Hal enters the house and finds his father sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee.  This meeting is quite different from the first.  Martin is happy to see his son, and is just about to say he's proud of Hal, when...

The ring runs outta juice!

Hal is left in the wasteland, where he is joined by a projection of one of the Guardians of the Universe.  He is informed that he is in violation of Green Lantern code, as he used his power for personal gain.  He is ordered to surrender his ring and head to Oa for disciplinary actions.

Hal gets a wicked look on his face, and says... yeah, I'll go to Oa, but you ain't gonna like me when I get there!

As he flies Oa-bound, we meet a couple of stargazers hanging out in the desert.  Don't worry about them though, it's not like they're important or anything... 

Who's that boy?

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Okay, one chapter in... and what's to come still isn't clear.  Right now, we've got a Hal Jordan who is certainly abusing his power... however, considering the circumstances... not an unforgivable offense.  What we know is that Hal's ticked at the Guardians... hell, that may as well be "Tuesday" to Mr. Jordan.  He's at odds with his blue-bosses more often than not.  

This is what's so great about this story.  Even a chapter in, and nobody could guess what's to come.  One could assume that Hal and the Guardians hash things out... some threat reveals itself going into the landmark issue #50... bing-bang-boom... back to normal come #51.

Hal really shows a new side to himself here... especially as it pertains to his relationship with his father.  I'd always been under the assumption that Hal was "daddy's little boy"... the one most likely to follow in his footsteps... here, we find out that's not exactly the case.  Martin Jordan has apparently never even told his boy that he's proud of him.  You gotta imagine that's something that eats away at Hal on a daily basis.  

Unless of course this is the ethereal equivalent of "projection", in the psychological sense.  In that, Hal is projecting his own feelings of failure onto the manifestation of his father.  Perhaps, as his father was his hero... and Hal sees himself as a failed hero, the ultimate judgment of his endeavors would come in the form of his dad's shame.  Or maybe I'm just thinking too hard...

Hal's internal feelings of failure are almost given a flesh and blood form with the destruction of his home town, Coast City.  This is akin to Superman failing to save Metropolis, or Batman not being able to save Gotham City.  The emerald construct of Martin Jordan even calls him out on his failure... which may well have been the final nail for Hal's sanity.

This was such an exciting time in the DC Universe.  Actual change was occurring... real, (theoretically) irreversible changes.  The DC Universe spent many years between the Crisis on Infinite Earths and Infinite Crisis evolving... growing... changing.  Here, Coast City is wiped off the map.  This was a huge deal.  Made it feel like nobody was really safe!  It's unfortunate that these changes were all swept under the rug in order to make the books look like they did in the 1970's.

There's a bit of controversy... not only with the entire Emerald Twilight story, but this issue in particular.  This was never supposed to be this issue we received.  The build to issue #50 was supposed to be penned by long-time Green Lantern scribe, Gerard Jones.  In fact, his story was even solicited!

The original solicitation for Green Lantern #48 (Gerard Jones version):

“Superman and the Justice League gather by Green Lantern’s side as Hal confronts the horror of the destruction of Coast City.  Meanwhile on Oa, the Guardians of the Universe find themselves fighting a lethal battle against… the Guardians of the Universe.”

That doesn't seem like the book we just read, does it?

I know Ron Marz drew a lot of H.E.A.T. (nyuk nyuk) for this, but this is a fantastic story.  Bill Willingham is a wonderful writer, who I too often forget is also a wildly talented artist in his own right.  This is how you usher in a new era... most definitely recommended.  Whether you dig Green Lantern/Hal Jordan or not, this is an awesome piece of DC lore that all fans should check out.  It's been collected a bunch of times, and is available digitally.

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Justice League of America #161 (1978)

Justice League of America #161 (December, 1978)
"The Reverse Spells of Zatanna's Magic-cigaM"
Writer - Gerry Conway
Penciller - Dick Dillon
Inker - Frank McLaughlin
Letterer - Ben Oda
Colorist - Adrienne Roy
Editor - Julius Schwartz
Cover Price: $0.40

Took a look at the pre-Flashpoint Zatanna #1 yesterday, and I'm still in a Zee mood.  Figure why not check out a late-70's Zatanna-centric issue of Justice League of America... in which Zatanna may just be wearing her strangest costume ever!

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We open up with the Leaguers all voting on whether or not to induct a new member... Zatanna!  I love this... the heroes are literally dropping little folded pieces of paper into a bowl.  Of particular note... the Atom is turning in his ballot in his diminutive size.  They all vote yea of Ms. Zee, and are shocked when the lady herself shows up (in an odd new costume) to not-so-politely decline the invite... even going as far as saying she will never work with any of them individually either!

The League tries to reason with her.  Batman reminds her of the time when together they searched for her father, Zatara (over a hundred issues ago!).  She claims to no longer be a magician... now, she is a sorceress!  She states that everything that had gone on before was due to her own delusions and naivete.  She continues to tell everybody where they can shove it, before making some pointed statements in the direction of Green Lantern.  She says some magic words (but curiously, not words spoken in reverse) and leaves the League scratchin' their heads.

Green Arrow, the acting chairperson of this juncture thinks the whole thing stinks, and adjourns the meeting.  The League all hits the bricks, sans the Atom... who is stuck at monitor duty.

While all by his lonesome, Ray thinks back to the times the League had worked with Zatanna... and can't quite wrap his head around her rash behavior this day.  He makes note of Zatanna not speaking backwards when doing her magics... and becomes suspicious.  He decides to call Batman to bounce some ideas off of him, when...

A Green mist enters the satellite... and becomes the form of Hal Jordan.  Before Atom can tell Batman his suspicions Hal zaps him with... blue fire.

Hal, who seems just a bit off, logs into the League computer (while typing on its 'alphabet board') to... read his own file... He learns that he must charge his ring every 24-hours, and so he takes off.  As he approaches the Earth he thinks to himself that he has "neutralized" his old foe, Zatanna.

Speaking of Zatanna, we join her as she enters the dimension of Ys.  Upon arrival, she is greeted by an army of man-beasts, who she is able to escape.  Her destination is a castle, which she approaches until she is struck in the shoulder by crossbow sniper's arrow.  We can see that inside the castle stands an immobile and cobweb covered Hal Jordan.

Back in Gotham, Batman is visiting with his old friend Zatara to see what's gotten into his daughter's head.  Zatara claims that Zatanna would never turn down an invitation to join the League.  At this point Batman's become wise that there must have been something more to Zee's behavior.  He takes off to call an emergency JLA meeting.

... which only three other members respond to.  The colorful trio of Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Red Tornado are at Batman's service.  The recovering Atom reveals that he was attacked by Green Lantern.  Luckily, "Hal" didn't clear his browser history on the JLA think-box, so he's easily trailed to Angkor Wat.

The team arrives at a temple in the Mystery City... and finds the man they were seeking, Green Lantern.  Despite their best efforts, they are unable to take the ring-wielder down.

Back in Ys, Zee is bound and gagged by her assailants.  Suddenly, a strange ramshackle group of warriors storm the area... we've got knights, pirates, pilgrims, Mongolian warriors... it's quite the scene.  They fight off and chase off Zatanna's captors.  We learn that Zatanna performed a spell-summon to bring them in.

Once free, Zatanna turns her attention to the castle.  She uses a magic spell to crumble it to the ground, revealing the floating form of Hal Jordan in its wake.  Hal is groggy and confused... as am I!

Back in Angkor Wat, it is revealed that Hal Jordan is, in reality the Warlock of Ys!  He tosses his useless Green Lantern ring to the floor as he brags about how he dunnit.  Back in Green Lantern #42 (from 1966!!!) the Warlock battled Hal and Zatanna.  During the conflict, he placed a curse on Hal where they would trade life energies over a long period of time.  It was the Warlock who was really once paralyzed in the Ys castle!

Unfortunately for the Warlock... he talks to damn much.  Hal and Zee arrive on the scene and... well, Hal punches him in the face.  Really, that's the whole fight.

Back at the satellite, Zatanna proudly accepts her membership among the World's Greatest Superheroes!

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I always forget how fun these satellite era stories can be.  I also forget just how large the team is!  Fourteen members?  Seems like too many when you think about it... but, actually works in practice.  I like this so much better than having a half-dozen books featuring different (or sometimes the same) versions of the League.

I thought it was really cool that they did a callback to a story that must have occurred almost a decade before this one to establish the baddie.  Don't know if there was all that much of a back-issue market back in '78... but I still think it's neat having footnotes to issues like Green Lantern #42 (the current issue was #111) and Justice League of America #51... over a hundred issues ago!

The story was kinda silly, but a fun way to induct Zatanna into the ranks.  This is not an issue you can breeze through... trust me.  The first time I got through it, I was still scratching my head over the Warlock and Hal trading places.  This one definitely demands your (or maybe just my) full attention.  Thankfully, it's worth it!

Speaking of Zee... howsabout that costume, eh?  When I first looked at the cover, I hadn't the foggiest idea who I was looking at... I thought for a moment it was Superwoman from the Crime Syndicate!  The weird leotard, collared cape, Iron Sheik boots, and gravity-defying ponytail combo is certainly a sight to behold!  This is gotta be the wackiest Zatanna costume... and keep in mind, for awhile it looked as though she wore a lobster on her head!

Ray asking the tough questions

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