Hal Jordan: The Green Lantern Appreciation 2023

[Mutatis_Mutandis]

Ran into some excerpts from comments on Hal in the bronze age from a few people put out in 2015 from Back Issues. They include O'Neil, editor Jack Harries (he took over after as editor after Schwartz left the book at the very end of O'Neil's run and stayed through the first part of Wolfman's run) and Mark Barr.

https://imgur.com/a/iGz1w0u

Really cool find! I like and agree with Barr's take that being a GL is more like a spiritual calling for Hal.

[j9ac9k]

Really cool find! I like and agree with Barr's take that being a GL is more like a spiritual calling for Hal.

I don't know how "spiritual" Hal would be. Could be a fine line, but in my mind, he equates it with civic responsibility and compassion for others.

[Mutatis_Mutandis]

I don't know how "spiritual" Hal would be. Could be a fine line, but in my mind, he equates it with civic responsibility and compassion for others.

It's not spiritual in the sense of a religious calling but "spiritual" as in a sense of fulfilment, a sense of purpose and overcoming an alienation he otherwise feels (Barr spells this out in the rest of the quote and that's how I'm reading it). It's not for no reason that his life is a mess any time he gives up the ring.

[StarSpangledMan]

It's not spiritual in the sense of a religious calling but "spiritual" as in a sense of fulfilment, a sense of purpose and overcoming an alienation he otherwise feels (Barr spells this out in the rest of the quote and that's how I'm reading it). It's not for no reason that his life is a mess any time he gives up the ring.

I concur with GL being a spiritual fulfilment for Hal too, it always felt like he was looking for something beyond what is ordinarily offered on this mortal coil.

[NathanS]

It's not spiritual in the sense of a religious calling but "spiritual" as in a sense of fulfilment, a sense of purpose and overcoming an alienation he otherwise feels (Barr spells this out in the rest of the quote and that's how I'm reading it). It's not for no reason that his life is a mess any time he gives up the ring.

It was one of the interesting ideas flouting in the Priest written stuff of ACW (David seemed to have a very different direction in mind, but we only caught a glimpse of what he wanted to interrogate) Hal figuring out where the hell he fits in a universe that no longer had the Guardians, and then also lost the corps. Without those to tell him who he was, well who was he?

[j9ac9k]

It was one of the interesting ideas flouting in the Priest written stuff of ACW (David seemed to have a very different direction in mind, but we only caught a glimpse of what he wanted to interrogate) Hal figuring out where the hell he fits in a universe that no longer had the Guardians, and then also lost the corps. Without those to tell him who he was, well who was he?

He's apparently a renegade with long hair, trenchcoat and hoodie.

[Stanlos]

Now that Hal is back on earth for a bit, how do you think his style of dress will be?

[NathanS]

He's apparently a renegade with long hair, trenchcoat and hoodie.

That is one answer, yes if Slightly different conditions mind.

On a more serious note the "Hal, the eternal rebel" thing had yet to take hold (that really only started to be interested as part of his character in the 90s ED in particular adding a, wariness of the Guardians right from the start that originally he didn't have prior to Hard Traveling, and even after that often he defaulted back staying in line though V3 moved him a bit more towards questioning them fully, but that was clearly a point of writer/editor conflict on how much should the Guardians be jerks and how much should Hal be happy to fall in line.)

Now that Hal is back on earth for a bit, how do you think his style of dress will be?

Hard to say, since rebrith they have defaulted to the bomber jacket look a lot, but prior to that its mostly been driven by the artist (Gil Kane ALWAYS had everyone dressing like it was the 40s no matter the era for example) So far its been fairly casual this time around.

[StarSpangledMan]

Now that Hal is back on earth for a bit, how do you think his style of dress will be?

Hard to say, since rebrith they have defaulted to the bomber jacket look a lot, but prior to that its mostly been driven by the artist (Gil Kane ALWAYS had everyone dressing like it was the 40s no matter the era for example) So far its been fairly casual this time around.

It's be nice to see some variety in his outfits again.

Outfits pt 1

Outfits pt 2

[j9ac9k]

So yeah -- Parallax pops up at the end of "Green Arrow #3." From his brief appearance, he doesn't seem like the raving madman from "Zero Hour" and acted like he and Ollie were friends. Hallalax had apparently helped Ollie with some time travelling (it's explained in the issue) and doesn't like Ollie changing the condition of their deal. So far it seems we might get a "frenemy" type dynamic. I have a good feeling about next issue. (and of course he looks great - that design is never not stellar)

[StarSpangledMan]

So yeah -- Parallax pops up at the end of "Green Arrow #3." From his brief appearance, he doesn't seem like the raving madman from "Zero Hour" and acted like he and Ollie were friends.

When was Convergence Parallax plucked from time again? Would he be the same Hal from Final Night who revived Ollie?

So far it seems we might get a "frenemy" type dynamic. I have a good feeling about next issue. (and of course he looks great - that design is never not stellar)

Izaakse has been killing it; I like the way he draws the emerald energy with a rippling fluidic quality, seen in this issue and the preview image for GA#4

[NathanS]

When was Convergence Parallax plucked from time again? Would he be the same Hal from Final Night who revived Ollie?

Prior, he's taken after his confrontation with Kyle and his former friends in v3 #64. Which strictly speaking means he should have a Ganthet in him. That was a plot point that never went anywhere since like a year and half later Final Night occurred. Likely easy enough to say in his timeline Ganthet never did that I suppose.

[Frontier]

So yeah -- Parallax pops up at the end of "Green Arrow #3." From his brief appearance, he doesn't seem like the raving madman from "Zero Hour" and acted like he and Ollie were friends. Hallalax had apparently helped Ollie with some time travelling (it's explained in the issue) and doesn't like Ollie changing the condition of their deal. So far it seems we might get a "frenemy" type dynamic. I have a good feeling about next issue. (and of course he looks great - that design is never not stellar)

One of the failures of Beware my Power's use of Hal (and there were many) was not even really bothering with Parallax's design.

[HsssH]

Vordan, I think, posted a while ago how DC should have used the New 52 to reboot John and fix some of his problems. Now, we all understand why DC didn't change anything with GLs, it was hot property at the time. But maybe they should have rebooted it? It is not like anything really memorable happened during that period and 5 years timeline would have given enough time to establish new origins for Hal, John, Guy and Kyle.

[j9ac9k]

Vordan, I think, posted a while ago how DC should have used the New 52 to reboot John and fix some of his problems. Now, we all understand why DC didn't change anything with GLs, it was hot property at the time. But maybe they should have rebooted it? It is not like anything really memorable happened during that period and 5 years timeline would have given enough time to establish new origins for Hal, John, Guy and Kyle.

I don't think rebooting the franchise would've "fixed" anything, especially since the Nu52 was mostly a reset more than a "wipe the slate clean and start from scratch" kinda reboot. What changes to their origins do you think would've helped?