DC Retroactive: Green Lantern - The '70s #1 is an issue of the series DC Retroactive: Green Lantern (Volume 1) with a cover date of September, 2011. It was published on July 27, 2011.
Synopsis for "Nightmare Planet"
One year after Green Arrow's first accidental kill, Oliver still suffers from nightmares reliving that haunting moment. Unable to sleep, he walks out in the night, and Black Canary joins him. Suddenly, Ollie notices someone stalking them, and Dinah gets shot by an arrow. Thanks to Oliver, the arrow hit her in the shoulder instead of the neck. The doctors see to her wound at the hospital and they let her leave. Back in the streets, they get approached by a man named Lathrop Kingsley, asking Oliver to sign a contract for his multi-national law firm. Suddenly, Kingsley also gets shot by an arrow, only this time he dies. Oliver follows the trajectory of the shooter to a rooftop one block away, where he finds a note hinting at the shooter's identity, Argy, and his location. Oliver remembers him from the monastery he attended during his quest for redemption. Argy heard of Oliver's first kill, and he's obsessed with being better than him, repeating the same shot he made when Green Arrow killed that man a year ago. Green Arrow gets to Argy's house and confronts the troubled kid. Argy, wanting to prove to his dead father that he is the better archer, aims at Green Arrow, who responds by saying that he won't prove anything if he shoots from such a short distance. Green Arrow disarms Argy and then takes the troubled kid to where he'll get help and won't harm anyone, not before Argy saying that he just wanted to be loved.
Meanwhile, Green Lantern receives a telepathic call from an incoming alien ship that crash lands in the war zone of a snowy nation. When Hal approaches the aircraft, he finds someone identical to Abin Sur, his predecessor. This alien introduces himself as Zu Sur, of the same klatch as Abin. Zu tries to remember why he called for Green Lantern's help, until a group of armed men approach at the ship, guns blazing. Green Lantern subdues the soldiers, who consider all foreigners as their enemies, and most be killed. Zu Sur now remembers his mission. He was sent to find a race of sentient being who have evolved past savagery and deliver a message. Unfortunately, he was struck by one of the men's bullets, and he dies before he could deliver his message. Staring grievously at the dead body, Green Lantern orders the men to get away. His message, however, would have fallen on deaf ears. Hal then puts the body back in the ship and sends him away from Earth.
Appearing in "Nightmare Planet"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Argy (Archer)
Other Characters:
- Abin Sur (Flashback only)
- Lathrop Kingsley
- Zu Sur (Dies)
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis for "No Evil Shall Escape My Sight!"
This story is reprinted from Green Lantern (Volume 2) #76.

A poor black man challenges Green Lantern's views on civil rights.
Green Lantern prevents a group of street toughs from harassing an elderly man. Using his ring, he scoops the assailant up and transports him to jail. Onlookers to the incident however, including Green Arrow, show their disapproval of Green Lantern's actions. The man whom Green Lantern saved is an unscrupulous slum lord named Jubal Slade. Green Arrow gives Hal a tour of one of Slade's buildings, showing him all of the people that Slade plans on putting out into the streets after he sells the building.
Shortly after, a poor, elderly black man points out how Green Lantern works for the "blue skins", i.e. the Guardians of the Universe; has helped out races with "orange skins" and "purple skins", and yet he has never bothered with the "black skins" on his own planet.
After learning the truth, Hal tries to intimidate Jubal Slade, but Slade has the law on his side, and Green Lantern's threats fall on deaf ears. Enraged, Hal prepares to punch Slade, but an image of one of the Guardians appears before him, admonishing him for his conduct.
The Guardians of the Universe summon Hal back to Oa. They send him on a mission to the orbit of Saturn where he is to divert a meteor shower from striking Saturn's moon, Titan.
Back on Earth, Green Arrow tries to trick Jubal Slade into accepting a bribe. He arranges to have Slade's goons meet up with him later for a payoff. The thugs however, try to kill Green Arrow, but fail.
Having realised that the Guardians have dispatched him on a useless mission (there is no life on Titan to be endangered by the meteor shower) and they have simply sent him somewhere to cool off and think about his actions, Hal disobeys orders and returns to Earth where Green Arrow tells him about his failure to trick Slade. They find district attorney Jeremy Tine and bring him to Slade's penthouse. Disguising himself as one of Slade's goons, Hal tricks Slade into confessing to the attempted murder of Green Arrow. After Hal reveals himself, Slade tries to escape, distracting the heroes with a hand grenade. Hal dispatches the grenade and Slade is arrested.
Afterward, the Guardians admonish Hal Jordan again for abandoning his post around Titan. It is Green Arrow who rises to Hal's defense, challenging the Guardians to come down from their perch and experience what it is to live as a normal human being. The Guardians ponder the offer and send one of their own to Earth to travel with Green Lantern and Green Arrow.
Appearing in "No Evil Shall Escape My Sight!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Guardians of the Universe
- Old Timer (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Jubal Slade (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Martin Luther King, Jr. (Flashback only)
- Robert Kennedy (Flashback only)
- Jeremy Tine (Single appearance)
- Mike (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
Notes
- Nightmare Planet is a "lost tale" from the 1970s featuring Green Lantern (Hal Jordan). It appears to take place one year after the events of The Flash #217 and #219, where Green Arrow accidentally kills his first victim and then travels to a monastery.
See Also
- Cover gallery for the DC Retroactive: Green Lantern series
- Images from DC Retroactive: Green Lantern - The '70s Vol 1 1