Hal Jordan: Green Lantern Appreciation 2020

[Electricmastro]

From Green Lantern #46 (July, 1966). Art by Gil Kane.

[Johnny]

I only liked the gray hair when Pat Broderick drew them in the first few issues of vol. 3. His hair -- and his overall look in general -- was more scruffy and the gray was still relatively less pronounced than it became later.

The art is really good but I'm generally no fan of "old man Hal" stories at all. That's just not what the character is about for me. And who knows, maybe that's my problem or I'm just stuck in my own ways since I don't think major characters should grow older in general. Interesting stories can of course be told with older superheroes but in my view unless it's an Elseworlds setting, those characters should always be in their prime. Grizzled veteran Hal just doesn't appeal to me and I dreaded those movie rumors when they first started. Now I'm somewhat more open to it I guess, but it's still not the way I'd rather see this character adapted in outside media or otherwise, especially if it creates the kind of perception about "the old guy that needs to step aside".

[phantom1592]

it looks like hal is not wearing his dad's jacket in this.

when did the bomber jacket story start? was it geoff johns who introduce it?

Yep. Before Johns Hal wore all KINDS of clothes.

Actually, I think it may have started up to a point when Hal became Spectre... but if I recall, I think Johns was involved back then too... But yeah, Silver, Bronze and Vol 3... His dad's bomber jacket wasn't a thing.

[Frontier]

Yep. Before Johns Hal wore all KINDS of clothes.

Actually, I think it may have started up to a point when Hal became Spectre... but if I recall, I think Johns was involved back then too... But yeah, Silver, Bronze and Vol 3... His dad's bomber jacket wasn't a thing.

Flight jacket looks cooler .

[Tzigone]

The art is really good but I'm generally no fan of "old man Hal" stories at all. That's just not what the character is about for me. And who knows, maybe that's my problem or I'm just stuck in my own ways since I don't think major characters should grow older in general. Interesting stories can of course be told with older superheroes but in my view unless it's an Elseworlds setting, those characters should always be in their prime. Grizzled veteran Hal just doesn't appeal to me and I dreaded those movie rumors when they first started. Now I'm somewhat more open to it I guess, but it's still not the way I'd rather see this character adapted in outside media or otherwise, especially if it creates the kind of perception about "the old guy that needs to step aside".

I'm not into the idea of "old man Hal" but neither am I into the idea of "reckless flyboy Hal." I liked him as he originally was. Intelligent in regards to his field (including the science/engineering needed), not a playboy (emphasis on "boy" in some versions as far as maturity goes), fearless but not reckless, etc. I know a lot of people find silver age bland, but I could really buy he was the guy chosen for the gig back then. I know it's extremely popular, and I'm not even a GL reader (so my opinion hardly matters), but I just don't like the idea of his father the pilot and tied to Ferris and Hal being haunted by his death and all that.

[Johnny]

I don't know, almost seems like this character is cursed to never have a definitive version that's embraced across the board. Which is rather atypical since all classic characters seem to have this one depiction everyone thinks they should be defined by. Hal doesn't seem to be one of those.

[phantom1592]

I don't know, almost seems like this character is cursed to never have a definitive version that's embraced across the board. Which is rather atypical since all classic characters seem to have this one depiction everyone thinks they should be defined by. Hal doesn't seem to be one of those.

I don't know... i've seen plenty of people debating what the 'one true' Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman are.... Every time we get a reboot or relaunch we get one more 'new modernized/abomination/insult/etc.' version thrown into the polls :P

[Johnny]

I don't know... i've seen plenty of people debating what the 'one true' Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman are.... Every time we get a reboot or relaunch we get one more 'new modernized/abomination/insult/etc.' version thrown into the polls :P

That's what I mean, people always debate what those characters should be like because they all have their perceptions of what their "true" depictions are supposed to be. You don't really see that with someone like Hal Jordan. He's either perceived as this outdated Silver Age guy or someone that was too boring and was turned into a villain to be more interesting, or this "figure it out when we get there" guy or whatever, but people generally seem to be rather apathetic when it comes to debating who the "real" Hal Jordan is. They just don't seem to do that or at least I don't tend to see it.

[phantom1592]

That's what I mean, people always debate what those characters should be like because they all have their perceptions of what their "true" depictions are supposed to be. You don't really that with someone like Hal Jordan. He's either perceived as this outdated Silver Age guy or someone that was too boring and was turned into a villain to be more interesting, or this "figure it out when we get there" guy or whatever, but people generally seem to be rather apathetic when it comes to debating who the "real" Hal Jordan is. They just don't seem to do that or at least I don't tend to see it.

Maybe. I think a big part of that is he doesn't change TOO much between his incarnations. I always make a point that Green Lantern did not GET rebooted at the end of Crisis. It was a part of their continuing story and just seemed to keep going from there. So silver age GL who was fearless is the same character who became 'the greatest GL ever', a born leader and experienced Corpsman... and that's still the same character who's got the grey temples and has the respect of all the other heroes as 'the most experienced human GL'... Even parallax despite a stupid journey to get there.... was still the accomplished and confident guy who believed he was saving the world... If you like Hal, you like Hal... If you find that type of character boring... then you don't like Hal... Not a lot of middle ground.

Johns and Waid rewound the clock and fleshed out 'Fearless and confident' with JLA year one and Rebirth on... but I still feel that their Hal is 'the real' Hal... I think the only real departure in character was the O'neil/Adams version that was super-conservative/Lawful good as a foil to Green Arrow's Super-liberal/Chaotic Good character. That was a well respected run that feels 'off charcter' to me... but most of the runs? Still feels like the same character.

Compared to Golden age/Silver Age/Bronze Age/BatGOD/Miller Batman interpretations. Anything from Adam West to Nolan is still 'comic accuarate' in it's own way.... Hal just hasn't had that kind of swings.

[Frontier]

I don't know, almost seems like this character is cursed to never have a definitive version that's embraced across the board. Which is rather atypical since all classic characters seem to have this one depiction everyone thinks they should be defined by. Hal doesn't seem to be one of those.

I've seen a lot of Hal fans cite Johns' Hal or GL:TAS Hal.

[Vampire Savior]

I've seen a lot of Hal fans cite Johns' Hal

Green Lantern's got this D:

[silly]

I've seen a lot of Hal fans cite Johns' Hal or GL:TAS Hal.

GL:TAS is my definitive Hal.

[Vordan]

I don't know, almost seems like this character is cursed to never have a definitive version that's embraced across the board. Which is rather atypical since all classic characters seem to have this one depiction everyone thinks they should be defined by. Hal doesn't seem to be one of those.

Johns GL is exactly that. Your average casual doesn’t care about any aspects of the GL Lore beyond Johns run.

[Tzigone]

I don't know, almost seems like this character is cursed to never have a definitive version that's embraced across the board. Which is rather atypical since all classic characters seem to have this one depiction everyone thinks they should be defined by. Hal doesn't seem to be one of those.

I haven't noticed most of the characters to have a definitive version embraced across the board, especially the older ones. Superman gets argued over all the time. Batman has fans of modern and bronze and golden-age-that-wasn't (gritty with Alfred and no Dick) era. Wonder Woman is many things to many people and no one can agree on anything (mission, family/cultural-life, divinity-level, etc.) . Cyborg has a split in the '80s and new 52 line (and those who think he should be thrilled to be cybernetic or not or be visibly a cyborg or not). May be too new to be classic, though.

[silly]

Anybody know where this is from?