HAL JORDAN : Greatest GREEN LANTERN

"I've always done what I truly believed was right. At first, people called me a hero for it... and then a villain. As the memory of what I've done -- and been -- fades, I hope I will be seen... in a different light." --HAL JORDAN
With a looming GREEN LANTERN movie in the horizon, it's best to brush up everything we need to know about the Greatest of them all - HAL JORDAN.

Who is HAL JORDAN?
HAL JORDAN is a test pilot. The succesor of Abin Sur as GREEN LANTERN in sector 2814 and the first earthman ever inducted into the GREEN LANTERN Corps. He is a hero, member of the Justice League. Then was disgraced as the villain, Parallax . He began his redemption in the form of Spectre. Rebirthed once more to the hero he truly is, The GREEN LANTERN.

Harold "Hal" Jordan is a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the GREEN LANTERN moniker. HAL JORDAN was created in the Silver Age of Comic Books by John Broome and Gil Kane, and made his first appearance in Showcase #22 (October 1959).

What are his powers and abilities?

HAL JORDAN posseses no superhuman powers, but with his GREEN LANTERN Ring , he can do many things that a normal human cannot; like fly, create solid light constructs, forcefields, and anything the ring and his imagination will allow him to do.

Indomitable Will

Abilities
GREEN LANTERN Ring Mastery: Jordan's constructs are among the most powerful. When he creates them, one often witnesses an "afterburner" behind Jordan of all his stray thoughts unconnected to the job at hand.

Skilled Boxer

Expert Pilot

Strength level
Class 100+; while using constructs created by the ring Hal is effectively able to lift/move tremendous weights far heavier than 100 tons with little effort Without the ring Hal possesses the strength of a man his age,height and build who engages in regular exercise making him capable of press lifting at least his own weight.

What are the changes he underwent?

1. GREEN LANTERN
Early appearances:
Showcase (1959 - 1960)

HAL JORDAN was a recreation of DC's Golden Age GREEN LANTERN with a changed secret identity, origin, and personality than his 1940s counterpart. HAL JORDAN's GREEN LANTERN is sci-fi based as opposed to the mystical powers of the Golden Age GREEN LANTERN, Alan Scott. This new GREEN LANTERN was a member of an intergalactic constabulary made up of many different alien species who were given a device that provided them with great mental and physical abilities. Paul Newman was the basis for HAL JORDAN's likeness, and redesigned the GREEN LANTERN uniform into a sleek form-fitting green, black, and white outfit.

Paul Newman basis of HAL JORDAN's likeness

The Brave and the Bold (HAL JORDAN appeared in this series sporadically from 1960 - 1981)

Note: the minor change on the LANTERN symbol on his chest, previously the LANTERN had a circular white in the middle of the logo, now the LANTERN is solid green.

GREEN LANTERN Vol. 2 (1960-1986)

Costume-wise there is not much change throughout the series. Only that minor detail again on his LANTERN symbol that reverted to having a circular white within the LANTERN, on the later part of the series.

Justice League of America (1960 - 1987)

GREEN LANTERN was one of the first characters to be part of a "shared universe". HAL JORDAN being one of the founders of the Justice League of America, had him united with several other superheroes. Though their precursor the Justice Society of America already had done this in the Golden Age of comics. The crucial difference was that events occurring in the Justice League title were reflected and referenced in individual superheroes' titles.

GREEN LANTERN Corps (1986 - 1988)

HAL JORDAN for a time quit being a GREEN LANTERN, but not for long as he took up the ring again and join a revitalized GREEN LANTERN Corps. Seven members of the corps were residing on Earth at that time, including several aliens. The alien LANTERNs took a more direct hand in human affairs, a fact not appreciated by human governments. Eventually, the Earth corps broke up and returned to their home sectors.

Action Comics (1967 - 2010) HAL JORDAN has appeared sparsingly in this series, but he prominently appeared here in 1988.

Until this point we still do not see any significant change on HAL JORDAN himself and his GREEN LANTERN costume.

Emerald Dawn I & II(1981 - 1991)
In this series HAL JORDAN's origin story is re-told. The role of the GREEN LANTERN Corps in his origin is expanded and the series also provided more details about his childhood and his relationship with his father and brothers, while the sequel detailed the role of Jordan in the downfall of Sinestro.

GREEN LANTERN Vol. 3 (1990 - 1991)

This is where we start seeing the fall of HAL JORDAN. (Visually indicated by the strips of white hair on the sides of his head, Hal's getting old fast from the stress of being a GREEN LANTERN).

2. Parallax
First appeared as Parallax in GREEN LANTERN Vol 3 #50 (March, 1994)

Grief stricken by losing the city he protects, HAL JORDAN went insane and transformed into Parallax. He left a path of destruction and slaughter throughout the universe all the way to the GREEN LANTERN Guardian's homeplanet of Oa.

As Parallax he attempted to rewrite history. But was defeated by a gathering of heroes. In the Final Night miniseries and crossover storyline, Jordan returns and sacrifices his life to reignite the Sun, which had been extinguished by the Sun-Eater.

Later on in GREEN LANTERN: Rebirth, Parallax was revealed as an alien parasitic entity that caused HAL JORDAN's turn to villainy. Since then, this entity has found new hosts in other GREEN LANTERNs as well as rebonding with HAL JORDAN.

3. Spectre
In the 1999 mini-series Day of Judgment, after the first Parallax incident, Jordan becomes the newest incarnation of the Spectre. Soon after assuming this mantle, Jordan chooses to bend his mission from a spirit of vengeance to one of redemption.

4. Rebirth
HAL JORDAN is then separated with the Spectre, and is now "reborn" as a GREEN LANTERN. Knowing now that his turn as Parallax was due to an alien parasitic entity. He still have to prove himself to the superhero community that indeed he has returned to their side.

Following up on the GREEN LANTERN: Rebirth miniseries, DC Comics subsequently began a new GREEN LANTERN (vol. 4) series starting with issue #1 (July 2005), with HAL JORDAN once again the main character. Trying to rebuild his life, HAL JORDAN has moved to the nearly deserted Coast City, which is slowly being reconstructed. He has been reinstated as a Captain in the United States Air Force, and works in the Test Pilot Program at Edwards Air Force Base.

Changes in his GREEN LANTERN costume is still minor, the GREEN part of his costume now does not extend all the way to his crotch area but now ends on the waist. The GREEN LANTERN logo on his chest sometimes is depicted as embossed. GREEN LANTERNs now adds a little light construct of their logo flashing a few inches out of their chest as sort of a beacon.

5. Changing Colors
With the introduction of other colored LANTERN Corps. HAL JORDAN on few occassions have worn the rings of these other colored corps which transformed him into a member of that corps with matching costume.

Red LANTERN:

Blue LANTERN:

Orange LANTERN:

Black LANTERN:

White LANTERN:

Most of these transformations does not last long.

HAL JORDAN in Live Media
1. Howard Murphy
The first live appearance of GREEN LANTERN was way back in 1979 in Legends of the Superheroes TV specials. This version of GREEN LANTERN is HAL JORDAN and he was portrayed by Howard Murphy.

2. Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds plays HAL JORDAN in the 2011 Martin Campbell directed GREEN LANTERN movie.

sources: http://superherouniverse.com/wiki/Hal_Jordan/index.html : http://www.comicvine.com/hal-jordan/29-11202/ : http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Green_Lantern_(Hal_Jordan) : http://stars.ign.com/objects/924/924014.html : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hal_Jordan : http://www.dcuguide.com/glcorps/profile.php?name=GREEN LANTERN2 : http://screamsheet.wordpress.com/2011/02/16/superhero-makeovers-hal-jordan-the-green-lantern/ : http://www.hyperborea.org/flash/hal.html : http://www.comicbookdb.com/character.php?ID=35 : http://www.comicbookdb.com/character.php?ID=71 : http://www.comicbookdb.com/character.php?ID=72

Article requested by:

spider1489
HAL JORDAN PLEASE!! and once again great article! i love these

This is the 24th article in my Know Your CBM Character series. Any requests and suggestions for an article for this series write it down in the comment section BELOW.

P0llMaster
5/6/2011
DCMU

DISCLAIMER: This posting was submitted by a user of the site not from Earth's Mightiest editorial staff. All users have acknowledged and agreed that the submission of their content is in compliance with our Terms of Use. For removal of copyrighted material, please contact us HERE.