In 1993, DC Comics issued Green Lantern 48 and 49, labeled “Emerald Twilight.” It was the latest case of a the comics group making major changes in a popular character simply because the shock value would sell a few more books than usual that month.
That’s why they “killed” Superman and had Batman break his back and become paralyzed, to be replaced with the new and improved Batman — this one even more psychopathic than the original has become.
The end result was that Hal Jordan, driven by grief at the loss of Coast City, tries to resurrect the his home town, only to be stopped by the Guardians. Hal turns insane and kills every single member of the Green Lantern Corps, breaks the neck of Sinestro (his greatest enemy) and then kills most of the remaining Guardians and destroys the Power Battery. He emerges as Parallax, a villain who exists to change the course of history and is the major villain in the then=upcoming “Zero Hour” mini series, which was yet another DC Comics attempt to to retroactively change continuity and sell more books.
Eventually, Parallax died saving the Earth from the Sun Eater in the huge “Final Darkness,” series crossover spectacular. Feh.
LIke the death of Superman and the crippling of Batman, readers just knew it wouldn’t last. They would bring him back, eventually. The only question is how. Hal’s behavior would turn out to be the result of mind control or an evil lookalike, or DS would simply change continuity through a new “Zero Hour” or “Crisis on Infinite Earths”-type cross-over mini- or maxi-series.
The resurrection started several years back when Parallax is discovered in Limbo (not quite Hell, but certainly not in heaven) with other tragic, but flawed heroes. He agrees to become the next host for the Spectre and returns to Earth to redeem himself. For a while, the Hal Jordan Spectre even had his own comic. But, it never seemed to click. Jordan is a hero in the classic mold. He doesn’t fit into the Spectre universe, which is dark and evil.
The spoiler is below:
Continue reading ‘Return of Green Lantern: More of the same’
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