All-American Comics Vol 1 16



The Origin of Green Lantern


 * "And I shall shed my light over dark evil, for the dark things cannot stand the light…the light of the Green Lantern!"
 * --Green Lantern

Summary
Volume: 1 Issue: 16 Month: July Year: 1940

Credits
Head Writer: Bill Finger Writers: Jon L. Blummer, Al Smith, Art Helfant, Jerry Siegel, Carl Claudy and Sheldon Mayer Cover Artists: Sheldon Moldoff Pencilers: Martin Nodell, Al Smith, William Smith, Russell Cole, Stan Aschmeier and Jon L. Blummer Inkers: Martin Nodell, Al Smith, William Smith, Russell Cole, Stan Aschmeier and Jon L. Blummer Editors: Sheldon Mayer

Green Lantern
The Origin of Green Lantern

Credits
Head writer: Bill Finger Penciler: Martin Nodell

Synopsis
Cast of Characters:
 * Green Lantern (Alan Scott)
 * Albert Dekker
 * Billings
 * Chang
 * Green Flame of Life
 * Jimmy

Locations:
 * China
 * American Midwest
 * Trestle Bridge


 * Gotham City
 * Arkham Asylum

Items:
 * Green Lantern Power Battery
 * Green Lantern Ring

First Appearances: Green Lantern (Alan Scott); Albert Dekker (a corrupt businessman); Billings (a mental patient); Chang (a Chinese occultist); Green Flame of Life (the spirit of a dead Green Lantern); Jimmy (Alan's friend) Final Appearances: Albert Dekker (dies in this issue); Billings; Chang (dies in this issue); Jimmy (dies in this issue)

Synopsis: Engineer Alan Scott and his colleague, Jimmy, travel aboard a train across the American Midwest. Alan is present to inspect the recently designed Trestle Bridge. Alan recently outbid a rival engineer named Alert Dekker for the Trestle Bridge contract, and Jimmy is concerned that Dekker might try to sabotage the bridge's test trial. Alan assures him that there is nothing to worry about.

As fate would have it however, a bomb explodes beneath the bridge derailing the train. Everyone on board is killed in the explosion – everyone but Alan Scott. Alan awakens and finds a strange emerald lantern resting near the wreckage. The lantern begins glowing and an eerie voice begins to chant, "Three times shall I flame green! First - to bring death! Second - to bring life, and third - to bring power!" Known as the Green Flame of Life, the disembodied voice infuses Alan with visions of the past.


 * Flashback:
 * Two-thousand years ago a green meteor came to Earth and landed in the provinces of China. An aging occultist named Chang discovered the meteor and listened to the same spectral promises of death, life and power. Cutting away a portion of the alien rock, Chang fashioned it into a small lantern. The neighboring villagers distrusted the sorcerer and before long, a mob gathered together and killed him. The Flame of Life fulfilled the first of its prophecies.


 * The lamp traveled across the globe for centuries until it eventually fell into the hands of a mental patient named Billings. Billings remolded the lamp into the shape of a train conductor’s lantern. The Green Flame of Life flared again and mystically restored Billings' sanity – granting him a new lease on life. As promised, the second of three prophecies has been fulfilled.

Now the Green Flame of Life flares for a third time granting the gift of power to Alan Scott. Following the lantern's instructions, he cuts away a small piece of the lamp and molds it into a ring. The Flame of Life instructs that in order to effectively wield his power, he must charge his ring with energy from the lantern, once every twenty-four hours.

With this fantastic new power under his command, Alan sets out to find Albert Dekker – the man responsible for blowing up the Trestle Bridge. Glowing like a green phantom, he phases through the walls of Dekker's office and forces him to take responsibility for the bridge's destruction. Moments after Dekker confesses to his crimes, he falls away dead from fright.

Alan decides to use his newfound powers and tools to fight crime as a man of mystery. He becomes…the Green Lantern.

Hop Harrigan
The Rescue

Credits
Head writer: Jon L. Blummer Penciler: Jon L. Blummer

Synopsis
Cast of Characters:
 * Hop Harrigan

First Appearances: Final Appearances: Synopsis:

Mutt and Jeff
Cicero's Cat

Credits
Head writer: Al Smith (as Bud Fisher) Penciler: Al Smith (as Bud Fisher)

Synopsis
Cast of Characters:
 * Mutt
 * Jeff

First Appearances: Final Appearances: Synopsis:

Red, White and Blue
Sealed Orders

Credits
Head writer: Jerry Siegel Penciler: William Smith

Synopsis
Cast of Characters:
 * Red
 * White
 * Blue

First Appearances: Final Appearances: Synopsis:

Ben Webster
Sinister Mansion

Credits
Head writer: Russell Cole (as Edwin Alger) Penciler: Russell Cole (as Edwin Alger)

Synopsis
Characters:
 * Ben Webster

First Appearances: Final Appearances: Synopsis:

Popsicle Pete
Stamps

Credits
Head writer: Art Helfant Penciler: Art Helfant

Synopsis
Cast of Characters:
 * Popsicle Pete

First Appearances: Final Appearances: Synopsis:

Jimmy Stone
Traitor's Treachery (Part 3)

Credits
Head writer: Sheldon Mayer Penciler: Sheldon Mayer

Synopsis
Cast of Characters:
 * Jimmy Stone

First appearances: Final appearances: Synopsis:

Adventures in the Unknown
The Exploding Buildings

Credits
Head writer: Carl Claudy Penciler: Stan Aschmeier

Synopsis
Characters: First Appearances: Final Appearances: Synopsis:

Scribbly
Good-bye Widow-Maker

Credits
Head writer: Sheldon Mayer Penciler: Sheldon Mayer

Synopsis
Characters:
 * Scribbly

First Appearances: Final Appearances: Synopsis:

Gary Concord the Ultra-Man
The Power Plant Failure

Credits
Head writer: Jon L. Blummer Penciler: Jon L. Blummer

Synopsis
Characters:
 * Ultra-Man (Gary Concord)

First Appearances: Final Appearances: Synopsis:

Trivia

 * Green Lantern (Volume 3) #19 reveals that the Green Flame of Life is actually the spirit of a deceased member of the Green Lantern Corps named Yalan Gur. This significant detail tangentially links Alan to the Green Lantern Corps. Historically, he has always been treated as a completely separate entity.

Recommended Readings

 * All-Star Comics
 * Green Lantern (Volume 1)
 * JSA

Related Articles

 * Green Lantern Corps
 * Justice Society of America
 * Starheart
 * Yalan Gur