Hal Jordan: The Green Lantern Appreciation 2021

[WestPhillyPunisher]

I looked at it as he's no longer the last GL. He can relax with peers, and exhale.

I’ve never been much of a Kyle fan, but that makes plenty of sense.

[SJNeal]

It's my biased nature speaking for me, but it always irks me when people say they find anything "favorite" about Parallax.

Then again if I started reading GL about a decade earlier than I did, I would've probably had a very different idea who Hal Jordan was.

It's entirely the costume not the era associated with it. I came in to Hal almost a decade after he'd been back, so don't worry.

Oh I totally get it, just saying that my perception of the character is mostly based on what people like Geoff Johns did with him, while I find it interesting when people say they were introduced to him at a different time. Be it in the pre-Crisis era, or the 90s, or during the post-Johns era.

As you both came into your Hal fandom around the same era, have either of you ever gone back and read anything that came before? I know when I first started reading comics, I felt this need to "catch up" and would go back and collect as many back issues as was financially feasible. This applied to pretty much every character, not just Hal/GL, so I'm just curious if similar mindsets still exist amongst fans or if my mentality is strictly pre-internet, or pre-everything-gets-a-collection-6-months-after-release.

[Gaius]

As you both came into your Hal fandom around the same era, have either of you ever gone back and read anything that came before? I know when I first started reading comics, I felt this need to "catch up" and would go back and collect as many back issues as was financially feasible. This applied to pretty much every character, not just Hal/GL, so I'm just curious if similar mindsets still exist amongst fans or if my mentality is strictly pre-internet, or pre-everything-gets-a-collection-6-months-after-release.

I do try and go back and get stuff from pre-my time. At least when DC makes it available in some form (whether trade or digitally). I have most of the trades that makeup WW's publication from 1987 to 2011 for instance

In regards to Hal, I have the Green Lantern: Sector 2814 trades from a few years back that had the Len Wein and Englehart runs and I'll probably get the Silver Age collections over the holidays.

[Johnny]

As you both came into your Hal fandom around the same era, have either of you ever gone back and read anything that came before? I know when I first started reading comics, I felt this need to "catch up" and would go back and collect as many back issues as was financially feasible. This applied to pretty much every character, not just Hal/GL, so I'm just curious if similar mindsets still exist amongst fans or if my mentality is strictly pre-internet, or pre-everything-gets-a-collection-6-months-after-release.

I read some of the GL Silver Age collections that came out in recent years, Emerald Dawn I, Emerald Twilight and the first Kyle Rayner collection they did. Also the Emerald Knights arc was the first GL comic I can remember reading and that was before I knew pretty much anything about the franchise. The only thing I knew was that GL wasn't a single character but a bunch of different dudes, needless to say a story where the current GL brings back the former GL and they fight the current evil form of the former GL, and then have to go back to their respective time was quite the journey for me that I don't really think is accessible to new readers. lol

I do have a "catch up" mindset, though I don't apply it to every hero I like. My all-time favorite character is Spider-Man and I've yet to finish the original Lee/Ditko run, while comparatively I read Bendis' USM run as it was happening and afterwards went back to the McFarlane run through the Clone Saga... yeah I know. So I guess sometimes "catching up" turns into "careful what you wish for" with me. "Kraven's Last Hunt" is probably my favorite comic arc in general, but that's not a story I'd recommend to a new reader. I guess I feel the same way about some of the prior GL eras, which I realize is ironic, since the Kyle run was precisely meant to be new reader-friendly.

[SJNeal]

I do try and go back and get stuff from pre-my time. At least when DC makes it available in some form (whether trade or digitally). I have most of the trades that makeup WW's publication from 1987 to 2011 for instance

Ugh I started buying WW monthly in 1992, and didn't complete my Perez run until around 1999/2000. Individual back issues were still out of my price range for the most part, so I could only afford to drop $3-4 each once in awhile. Then eBay came along cheap lots were everywhere.

In regards to Hal, I have the Green Lantern: Sector 2814 trades from a few years back that had the Len Wein and Englehart runs and I'll probably get the Silver Age collections over the holidays.

I love the Sector 2814 trades! Even though I have the singles of them all the way through, well, today, I'd still love to see the eras immediately pre and post-COIE collected. We got that one lone GLC hardcover from Englehart/Staton, and then nothing.

[HsssH]

I do have a "catch up" mindset, though I don't apply it to every hero I like. My all-time favorite character is Spider-Man and I've yet to finish the original Lee/Ditko run, while comparatively I read Bendis' USM run as it was happening and afterwards went back to the McFarlane run through the Clone Saga... yeah I know.

I had similar experience so I started making myself a reading lists that I stick to so that I don't wander by accident from Lee/Ditko into Clone Saga

[cam18]

Will always be who I think of when I think of Green Lantern no disrespect to John,Kyle and Jessica who I like but yea.

[SJNeal]

I read some of the GL Silver Age collections that came out in recent years, Emerald Dawn I, Emerald Twilight and the first Kyle Rayner collection they did. Also the Emerald Knights arc was the first GL comic I can remember reading and that was before I knew pretty much anything about the franchise. The only thing I knew was that GL wasn't a single character but a bunch of different dudes, needless to say a story where the current GL brings back the former GL and they fight the current evil form of the former GL, and then have to go back to their respective time was quite the journey for me that I don't really think is accessible to new readers. lol

I do have a "catch up" mindset, though I don't apply it to every hero I like. My all-time favorite character is Spider-Man and I've yet to finish the original Lee/Ditko run, while comparatively I read Bendis' USM run as it was happening and afterwards went back to the McFarlane run through the Clone Saga... yeah I know. So I guess sometimes "catching up" turns into "careful what you wish for" with me. "Kraven's Last Hunt" is probably my favorite comic arc in general, but that's not a story I'd recommend to a new reader. I guess I feel the same way about some of the prior GL eras, which I realize is ironic, since the Kyle run was precisely meant to be new reader-friendly.

Back in the day, when starting a new series/character meant your first issue was likely #47 (or #329!) I convinced myself had to go back and at least read as much of the prior run as I could. With Hal/GL, that was pretty daunting even in 1991 because there was no way in hell I could do that. So I decided COIE was my cut off; I loved that stuff so much I eventually went further to track down all of Wolfman, Wein, Englehart et al.

Even though I read so much that came before - and everything after - "my" GL is still those first few years surrounding the time I discovered the character. It's a mentality oddly specific to Hal though. I certainly don't consider Messner-Loebs WW or Ordway & Sterns Superman "mine", even though they're the runs I discovered the characters with, and still love.

[Gaius]

Ugh I started buying WW monthly in 1992, and didn't complete my Perez run until around 1999/2000. Individual back issues were still out of my price range for the most part, so I could only afford to drop $3-4 each once in awhile. Then eBay came along cheap lots were everywhere.



I love the Sector 2814 trades! Even though I have the singles of them all the way through, well, today, I'd still love to see the eras immediately pre and post-COIE collected. We got that one lone GLC hardcover from Englehart/Staton, and then nothing.

Yeah, I was hoping to get the collections of the 90s GL they were putting out a few years back but seems they didn't make many past vol 2 and then the third party copies got silly expensive. Though then I learned about Gerard Jones, so I don't see that stuff getting collected again for a long while.

Also lol, yeah I saw that Englehart/Staton trade that never went past by volume 1. Never gonna forget this kind of cover.

[Johnny]

Back in the day, when starting a new series/character meant your first issue was likely #47 (or #329!) I convinced myself had to go back and at least read as much of the prior run as I could. With Hal/GL, that was pretty daunting even in 1991 because there was no way in hell I could do that. So I decided COIE was my cut off; I loved that stuff so much I eventually went further to track down all of Wolfman, Wein, Englehart et al.

Even though I read so much that came before - and everything after - "my" GL is still those first few years surrounding the time I discovered the character. It's a mentality oddly specific to Hal though. I certainly don't consider Messner-Loebs WW or Ordway & Sterns Superman "mine", even though they're the runs I discovered the characters with, and still love.

I think sometimes oddly enough it can almost feel like an obligation of sorts, where you feel like you "have" to go back and read some of the old stuff because you're invested in the franchise and you've heard some particular run is lauded as being iconic, but that sense of obligation is what can sometimes make you postpone it indefinitely too. The GL/GA run is a good example of that for me because I've thought of reading that stuff for so long and I still haven't done it because I just don't like feeling as if I "have" to read it. Also given some of the things I've seen and heard about Hal's portrayal there, I don't believe I'm even going to like it much. Same way I haven't gone back to watch the Adam West Batman show because I've seen every other Batman related outside media and I often think to myself I "should" go back to watch that but I honestly don't think I'll like it a lot. lol

[Anthony Shaw]

I read some of the GL Silver Age collections that came out in recent years, Emerald Dawn I, Emerald Twilight and the first Kyle Rayner collection they did. Also the Emerald Knights arc was the first GL comic I can remember reading and that was before I knew pretty much anything about the franchise. The only thing I knew was that GL wasn't a single character but a bunch of different dudes, needless to say a story where the current GL brings back the former GL and they fight the current evil form of the former GL, and then have to go back to their respective time was quite the journey for me that I don't really think is accessible to new readers. lol

I do have a "catch up" mindset, though I don't apply it to every hero I like. My all-time favorite character is Spider-Man and I've yet to finish the original Lee/Ditko run, while comparatively I read Bendis' USM run as it was happening and afterwards went back to the McFarlane run through the Clone Saga... yeah I know. So I guess sometimes "catching up" turns into "careful what you wish for" with me. "Kraven's Last Hunt" is probably my favorite comic arc in general, but that's not a story I'd recommend to a new reader. I guess I feel the same way about some of the prior GL eras, which I realize is ironic, since the Kyle run was precisely meant to be new reader-friendly.

Roger Stern is my favorite Spider-Man writer. I love his Marvel stuff. I recommend getting any of his Spidey stuff from the 1980s.

I love the Sector 2814 trades! Even though I have the singles of them all the way through, well, today, I'd still love to see the eras immediately pre and post-COIE collected. We got that one lone GLC hardcover from Englehart/Staton, and then nothing.

This might sound crazy, but I prefer the Englehart run over Johns.

[Gaius]

Roger Stern is my favorite Spider-Man writer. I love his Marvel stuff. I recommend getting any of his Spidey stuff from the 1980s.



This might sound crazy, but I prefer the Englehart run over Johns.

It’s pretty good from what I’ve read so far.

Not really Hal, but it’s very interesting reading this version of John long before the DCAU.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

I read the first chapter of Season 2, I liked it a lot. It's pretty in line with Season 1, and I guess the differences between both seasons become clearer later on (I know that Liam Sharp changes his style midseason).

I had a lot of fun and ended up intrigued with where things are going. I love that the ring has other properties beside making constructs. I'm no expert in Green Lantern, but I've read some old stories and the ring was a more interesting object back then imo

I enjoy Hal Jordan as a man who has seen so much, travel so far, that he has kinda lost touch with Earth.

Liam Sharp and Steve Oliff, just like in Season 1, make one hell of a team

Absolutely. Glad you're digging it. Things don't start getting really weird until a little later, but if you're confused about anything, just drop by here and ask about it. Hopefully, we can clear it up.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

This might sound crazy, but I prefer the Englehart run over Johns.

Same. I think Englehart managed to juggle Hal, John, and Guy brilliantly without either feeling like they were getting the short-end of the stick. The build-up to issue #200 is probably by favorite run of GL comics.

[SJNeal]

Yeah, I was hoping to get the collections of the 90s GL they were putting out a few years back but seems they didn't make many past vol 2 and then the third party copies got silly expensive. Though then I learned about Gerard Jones, so I don't see that stuff getting collected again for a long while.

Also lol, yeah I saw that Englehart/Staton trade that never went past by volume 1. Never gonna forget this kind of cover.

Jones' involvement didn't stop them from releasing a second JLI omnibus (with a third on the way), so who knows what will happen with his GL. It's been speculated on, but there seems to be no good solution.

And that GLC hardcover was not only overpriced, but had the worst cover ever! Whoever's idea it was to use that one for the collection better have gotten a firm talking to. It's no wonder there wasn't a follow up.