Green Lantern

Green Lantern is a name that has been used by many characters in the DC Universe, appearing in two distinct legacies. The original (during the Golden Age) was businessman Alan Scott, who wore a magic power ring that created energy constructs and had to be charged using his mystic lantern.

"Green Lantern" was re-imagined in the Silver Age as an intergalactic peacekeeping force called the Green Lantern Corps, with test pilot Hal Jordan serving as the new Green Lantern. The Guardians of the Universe on Oa give these Lanterns rings, again powered by a battery, but also requiring strong willpower to be wielded, and sent them to patrol all 3600 sectors of the known universe. Jordan became a founding member of the Justice League on Earth-One, and Scott was a member of the Justice Society on Earth-Two. Their timelines were merged during the Crisis on Infinite Earths, and it was explained that Scott's magic ring taps into the Starheart.

There have been several other human Green Lanterns of Sector 2814. The architect John Stewart and later the brash Guy Gardner were both originally introduced as potential replacements for Jordan. Kyle Rayner became the fifth and only Green Lantern when Jordan turned into the evil Parallax and destroyed the Corps during Emerald Twilight. The Corps has since been rebuilt with all Lanterns serving simultaneously. Muslim engineer Simon Baz would become the sixth Green Lantern and PTSD victim Jessica Cruz became the seventh after overcoming the Ring of Volthoom from Power Ring of the Crime Syndicate.

The Alan Scott version of Green Lantern was created by Bill Finger and Martin Nodell, first appearing in All-American Comics #16 (1940). The Hal Jordan version was created by John Broome and Gil Kane after an initial concept by Julius Schwartz, first appearing in Showcase #22 (1959).