In-Universe History · 1961
The First Duel: Hal Jordan vs. Sinestro
Student faces teacher — the Corps' greatest rivalry ignites.
1961
Key figures
Hal JordanThe rookie who stood up to his own mentor
SinestroThe fallen mentor — the Corps' greatest enemy
The story
Sinestro had been the Green Lantern Corps' finest — so fine that the Guardians assigned him to train the rookie Hal Jordan. But Sinestro ruled his homeworld Korugar as a tyrant, and when the Guardians learned the truth, they stripped him of his ring and exiled him to the antimatter world of Qward. His fall was absolute.
On Qward, Sinestro forged a new ring — yellow, powered by fear instead of will. When he returned to face the Corps, it was Hal — still new to the ring — who stood against his former teacher. Their first duel set the template for everything after: will against fear, student against teacher, green against yellow.
No rivalry in comics runs deeper. It began in Green Lantern vol. 2 #7 (1961), by John Broome and Gil Kane — Sinestro's first appearance, and the start of the feud that would define the Sinestro Corps and the Green Lanterns alike.
Illustration attribution under review. Artist and original source not fully established. Artwork source & details.
Artwork credits (3 images)
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 Sinestro — Artist credit unconfirmed.
- Hal Jordan — Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #45 (2018), Tyler Kirkham variant cover, cropped detail. Tyler Kirkham (cover pencils and inks); Arif Prianto (cover colors).
- Sinestro — Green Lantern (2011) #52 (2016), New 52 homage variant cover artwork. Billy Tan (variant cover pencils and inks); Alex Sinclair (variant cover colors).