Posts tagged green lantern

This Month in DC History

Ted Kord was introduced as the new Blue Beetle in 1986! But since Booster Gold and Amanda Waller were also introduced in 1986 (both who have had their time in the History seat) let’s talk about 2005! Why 2005? Well Ted Kord was unfortunately killed in 2005 when Max Lord showed his true colors. Ted was unlike the other Blue Beetles as he wasn’t in anyway powered by the Blue Scarab. He was pretty much Batman with a sense of humor. His buddy, Booster Gold, would try several times to bring Ted back from the dead (through time travel) but Ted’s death would always need to be a fixed point in time.

What else happened in 2005?

• Ted’s death was just the beginning of the Infinite Crisis. A follow-up to Crisis on Infinite Earths. In this tale the whole “let’s not have multiple Earths” thing that CoIE cause came undone as 52 Earths sprung into existence. The villains of the piece were Superboy-Prime and Alexander Luthor (of Earth-3) who just wanted their earths back. Who could blame them?
• Being reintroduced into the DCU the previous year, Supergirl gets her own title. This was the 4th series for Supergirl and lasted up until it was wiped out by the New 52.
• Green Lantern Hal Jordan had also been brought back from the dead thanks to Geoff Johns and given his own title in 2005. Johns epic tale survived the New 52 transition (I mean nothing would have been different with the Lantern saga if the New 52 hadn’t happens) only to wrap up last month.

(I’m going on vacation so you get to learn a little early this week because I don’t trust scheduling posts)

This month in DC History

For the first time Batman met Talia al Ghul in 1971. She was in a cell being held hostage by a man named Dr. Ebenezer Darrk and his League of Assassins. Talia proved how lethal she was when she shot Darrk and sent him reeling into the path of a train. In the following June issue of Batman, she and Robin would be kidnapped and Batman would meet her father, Ra’s, as they would go looking for the two. In the end Batman would reveal that he knew it was Ra’s(’s?) doing all along and he would have gotten away with it if it wasn’t for the meddling kids.

What else happened in 1971?

• The Fourth World abound as three comics where introduced including Mister Miracle. Mister Miracle could escape from anything except the wrath of Big Barda (who joined him in issue 4) when she told him to put his dishes in the dishwasher instead of in the sink.
• Aquaman’s title ended as the story “The Creature that Devoured Detroit!” concluded. In the story the “creature” was made up of algae that grew rapidly because of a satellite that emitted artificial sunlight so criminal couldn’t take solace in the cover of night. Both the story and the title ended abruptly, but Aquaman would be back to fight another day.
• Green Lantern and Green Arrow attacked drugs when Speedy was discovered to be doing heroin. Green Arrow tossed him out and it was Dinah Lance who helped him quit cold turkey. This was a big issue as drug use in comics was seen as taboo even if they were condemning them.

This month in DC History

Kal found out he wasn’t the only full size survivor of Krypton when his cousin Kara showed up in 1959. As Kara’s rocket descended to Earth, Superman remembered the time when he as Superbaby arrived on his new planet… I’m not making that up. That’s what the book says. Anyway Supergirl appeared across several titles until she sacrificed herself in 1985 during that Crisis I wrote about last time I did a History lesson. She’s return, of course. Can’t keep a good girl down.

What else happened in 1959?

• The first Suicide Squad was formed but it wasn’t made up of a group of lovable miscreants from Belle Reve. No the first Suicide Squad was a band of World War II-era military misfits lead by Rick Flag and they appeared in the pages of The Brave and The Bold.
• Hal Jordan was introduced in October of this year. His first issue told the story of Abin Sur’s death, introduced Carol Ferris, and also showed the tension between’s Hal’s new duties and his personal life. There was no Hector Hammond and no Parallax but there was a 2nd issue… hmmm.
• Everyone’s favorite Batman villain Mr. Zero was introduced. You know Mr. Zero right? Likes ice puns, was the governor of California, wether you want him to or not he will be back. Oh I’m sorry, Mr. Zero was renamed Mr. Freeze in the 1960’s Batman show. I bet if they didn’t change his name a third of the puns from Batman and Robin would have had to be dropped.

Some people didn’t see that I was doing this for 2 weeks and were asking where some heroes/cities were. Well here they are. We’ll return to DC History next week. Once again the source for these locations is Atlas of the DC Universe. 

• Colorado- Middleton (Martian Manhunter)
• California- Gateway City (Wonder Woman), Star City (Green Arrow), Coast City (Green Lantern, Hal)
• Illinois- Hub City (Blue Beetle, Garrett & possibly the Question but I don’t really know)
• Louisiana- St. Roch (Hawkman & Hawkgirl)

This month in DC History

Superboy gets a villain in shape of the fiery red head known as Knockout in 1994. She was trained on Apokolips to be one of the Female Furies, but was inspired by Big Barda’s escape to become her own person and escape to Earth herself. When she got there, she flirted and fought with Superboy just for the fun of it until she landed in jail for killing a cop.

What else happened in 1994?

• In the Emerald Twilight saga, Hal Jordan went crazy trying to resurrect Coast City (which was decimated from the “Reign of the Supermen”) this ultimately turned him into Parallax and introduced the new Green Lantern, Kyle Rayner.
• Aquaman got a third ongoing series. His hair became long accompanied by a beard to give him a Arthurian look. In the 2nd issue his hand got chewed off by piranhas and was replaced by a harpoon in 3rd issue. This Aquaman series lasted for 75 issues ending in 2001.
• After the “Knightfall” crossover, Bruce took back the mantle of Batman from Jean-Paul Valley and gave it to Dick Grayson became Batman in the 12 part crossover called Prodigal. This story ran Dick through the gauntlet of old Batman foes. Bruce would be back the following year.

This Month in DC History

Wally West was introduced in the same comic that the Weather Wizard was introduced in, The Flash #110. The nephew of Barry Allen, Wally found himself covering a chemicals when lightening struck his Uncle’s laboratory. He took the mantle Kid Flash until he became the 3rd person to be called The Flash.

Now because of a typo in the DC Comics Super Heroes and Villains Fandex, I though Wally was introduced in January 1959 and not 1960. Thanks to Darkseidr for reposting last week’s and pointing this out, causing me to check into this because I was planning on writing about Wally today anyway, and now I don’t look half a stupid as I feel about almost making that mistake. So enjoy the cover of The Flash #111 and…

Here are some more things that happened in 1960:

• Professor Ivo attacked the Justice League with his pet android Amazo. Amazo could absorb the JLA powers making him a one “man” Justice League but also got the weaknesses, making yellow fire particularly frightful for him.
• Captain Boomerang was introduced to cause trouble for The Flash. Although The Flash continually beat his foe, the villain just proved that no matter how many times you throw him into jail, he’ll just come right back.
• Hal Jordan got his own title. The first issue found the Green Lantern on a planet called Calor, a planet filled only with men, being terrorized by the Dryg, a creature that zapped the will out of people with his fire bolts. The problem came to the Guardians attention when they noticed the planets overgrown lawns, because no one had the will to go mow it. 

This Month In DC History

Wonder Girl, Cassie Sandsmark, just one of Zeus’s many children, was introduced in 1996, although she was unaware of who her father was. She borrowed Wonder Woman’s clothing and gained powers to take down a clone of Doomsday until she got a gift from Dad, her own powers. 

What else happened in 1996?

• DC and Marvel had a fight… in a cross over series called DC VS Marvel Comics. There were 5 battles that were voted on by the readers and then several others that the writers chose the victors. The fights were as follows (winner in bold)
  Captain Marvel vs Thor
  Aquaman vs Namor
  The Flash vs Quicksilver
  Robin vs Jubilee
  Green Lantern vs The Silver Surfer
  Catwoman vs Elektra
  (And then the voted on Battles:)
  Lobo vs Wolverine
  Wonder Woman vs Storm
  Superboy vs Spiderman
  Superman vs The Incredible Hulk
  Batman vs  Captain America
  After these battles an Amalgam universe was created where the likes of Iron Lantern and Super Solder lived. 
• Superman and Lois Lane got married. It was a slow-con for the 1960’s Lois Lane but her evil scheme of marriage to the man of steel finally worked.
• Hal Jordan died and had a funeral that was way more green than the house down the street with the solar panels.

Last, but not least, you can’t go wrong by watching the Justice League episode Comfort and Joy before Christmas. It hits all the right notes for the holiday season.

This Month in DC History
Arthur Curry, the King of the Sea, was introduced in 1941. He’d spend over two decades as a bachelor before he’d get his Queen Mera in October of 1963 (Sorry I forgot about her last month). His powers included super strength, breathing underwater, the ability to talk to sea life and the ability to be mocked by people with the slightest knowledge of his existence. (He’s still my favorite so Shut Up!)

What else happened in 1941?

• Let’s see who wan’t introduced in 1941? Green Arrow and Speedy were introduced in the same issue Aquaman was introduced in. Jimmy Olsen went from radio to print also in November. Wonder Woman and The Penguin were introduced in December of that year. Thanks DC for introducing all these guys in the same year making this article even harder to write.
• World’s Best Comics issue 1 came out and then changed it’s name to World’s Finest Comics by issue 2. With Superman, Batman, and Robin on the cover, it contained a large array of stories including stories about Punch Parker and Lando, Man of Magic. Yeah I don’t know who they are either. We’ll save that for another article.
• Green Lantern also got his own series while Flash picked up his second entitled All-Flash. The Flash would have had a couple more titles but he messed up the time stream and they ceased to exist.

This Month in DC History

Who was extremely smart but cheated in his school’s puzzle contest, introduced in 1948, and can’t help himself when it comes to proving he’s smarter than the world greatest detective? Why it’s my favorite villain, The Riddler. And what kind of crime would involve a Banana and a Russian? Well someone Russian is gonna slip on a banana peel and break their neck! The only possible answer.

What else was going on in 1948?

• Superman’s origin was retold (and altered a little). John and Mary were the Kents who sent the baby Kryptonian to an orphanage and then picked him up the next day to adopt him and both were dead by the time Clark when to Metropolis. Once an orphan… I guess.
• Mr. District Attorney, from the hit 1939 radio show, got his own comic. Too bad they wouldn’t give him his own name.
• Green Lantern jumped the shark when Streak the Wonder Dog appeared. Streak tried to deposit a bone into the bank and Green Lantern was cancelled in 1949 for having skeletons in his vault.

This “Month” in DC History
Cheetah pounced on Wonder Woman’s scene in 1943. Priscilla Rich did not superpowers but did have a knife, the cheetah’s natural tool for taking down gazelles in the wild.

What else happened in 1943?

• Speaking of Blackest Night, Alan Scott first said the Green Lantern Oath for the first time. The Guardians thought it was so catchy that they stole it to enable the charging of their rings. Too bad they didn’t like “My ray strikes the darkest corner, banishing all wickedness!”
• Kryptonite was introduced on the Superman radio show. Thank goodness we found something to bring down Superman, now let’s make sure every villain of his uses it.
• Alfred Pennyworth shows up on American shores wanting to follow in his father’s footsteps as the Wayne’s butler. Intended to be the comic relief, he quickly figured out who Batman and Robin were and caused them headaches as he tried to be the detective.  Thankfully, he became much better at taking care of the estate.