In-Universe History · 1959
Hal Jordan Becomes Green Lantern
A dying alien's ring chooses a fearless test pilot.
1959
The story
Abin Sur of Ungara — Green Lantern of Sector 2814, one of the Corps' greatest — lay dying in his crashed starship outside Coast City. His ring had one directive: find a successor. It scanned the area and chose Hal Jordan, a fearless test pilot at Ferris Aircraft, for his ability to overcome great fear.
Hal spoke the oath for the first time — "In brightest day, in blackest night..." — and became the Silver Age Green Lantern. His debut in Showcase #22 (October 1959, John Broome/Gil Kane) launched the modern Green Lantern mythos: the Corps, the Guardians, Oa, and the emotional spectrum itself all flow from this moment.
The ring chose Hal because he was without fear — or rather, capable of overcoming it. That distinction would define his entire career, from his greatest triumphs to his fall as Parallax and his long road back. Every Green Lantern story since 1959 begins here, in the desert outside Coast City.
Showcase (1956) #22 — main cover, photographed in a grading slab. Gil Kane (cover art). Artwork source & details.
Artwork credits (1 image)
Credits refer to the illustrations shown here. Open a record for sources, adaptations and unresolved details. Some artwork and source pages contain story spoilers.
- Hal Showcase22 — Showcase (1956) #22 — main cover, photographed in a grading slab. Gil Kane (cover art).