Green Lantern #1 is an issue of the series Green Lantern (Volume 1) with a cover date of November, 1941. It was published on September 26, 1941.
Synopsis for Green Lantern: "Masquerading Mare!"
Alan Scott learns that Irene Miller has inherited an estate. After taxes and fees, she has the house, the property, and a race horse named Jersey Queen. Alan heads out to the estate to check it out. He overhears Scar Jorgis, a known criminal, aggressively haggling with Irene for Jersey. Alan intervenes and punches Jorgis; before his crony can shoot Alan, Jorgis and the thug leave, vowing revenge. Apparently, Jorgis was trying to buy the horse, because he was afraid it would beat his horse in the upcoming race. That night, suspecting Jorgis is up to no good, Alan transforms into the Green Lantern and heads over to Irene's new home.
Green Lantern catches two crooks attempting to lame the horse and easily takes them out, sending them running back to Jorgis. Irene arrives, and Green Lantern beats a hasty exit. After the thugs report back, Jorgis decides to take a different tack and leans on a man, Gerald Davis, who owes him money. Davis is a cousin of Irene, and, the next day, he persuades Irene into entering Jersey Queen into several races before her big debut at Melbont. The race, however, is a claim race: a price is put on each horse by the owner and can be claimed for that price if it loses. Jersey Queen loses, and Davis claims the horse. Jorgis and Davis then plan to fix Melbont to make the most money off the betting odds.
Everything goes according to plan, and Jersey Queen wins race after race, making Jorgis' horse an underdog. Green Lantern sees Davis visiting Jorgis, overhears their plan to sabotage Jersey Queen, and heads to the barn to put a stop to their scheme. He takes out the guard and rides away on the horse. Informed of the theft, Jorgis paints another horse up to look like Jersey Queen and sends a few thugs to Irene Miller's farm to find the real horse. They arrive and are confronted by Green Lantern who beats up the thugs. He blinds Jorgis and compels a confession in return for giving the criminal's sight back. After delivering them to the police department, Green Lantern substitutes the real horse in place of the fake, and Jersey Queen wins the race. Irene reveals herself as the jockey, and Davis is arrested. Later, Irene cannot stop talking to Alan about being kissed by the Green Lantern.
Appearing in Green Lantern: "Masquerading Mare!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Scar Jorgis
Other Characters:
- Chang (Flashback only)
- A former lunatic (Flashback only)
- Gerald Davis
- Jersey Queen
Locations:
- Capitol City
- China (Flashback only)
Items:
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for Green Lantern: "Disease!!"
The city is struck with an epidemic of pneumonia. While there is a serum to help patients recover, the serum is beginning to run out. When the serum is finally depleted, the district attorney tells the press that Boss Filch and his men stole hospital money meant to buy more of the medicine. The next day, the DA is run over by a car, and Boss Filch is implied to be responsible. At the offices of Apex Broadcasting, Irene Miller and Alan Scott discuss the crisis, and Irene expresses dismay that she cannot act to solve the problem.
That night, Alan transforms into Green Lantern and quickly flies to Filch's home, bursting in past the sputtering butler. He confronts Filch, who protests his innocence. Their meeting is interrupted by Filch's young son, and Green Lantern realizes that the criminal truly cares for his little boy. GL comes to the conclusion he will have to change his tactics to fight this enemy. As the Red Cross begins a charity drive to raise money for more serum, the Green Lantern starts his own charity drive by taking money from gambling, racketeering, and other criminal operations. He delivers the money to the Red Cross and continues fighting gangsters and asking for donations from wealthy individuals in order to help raise money.
While raising money, Green Lantern realizes someone is impersonating him. He locates the imposter, stops him, and donates his money to the cause. With this final amount, the hospital has bought more serum that will arrive in the city by special plane. Again, GL confronts Filch, who still refuses to confess. When Tommy is suddenly stricken with pneumonia, Filch agrees to confess in order to save his son's life. Green Lantern returns with the serum and saves the boy's life, and Filch confesses, implicating Commissioner Merril in the death of the DA. Green Lantern flies to Merril's home and beats up the thugs, leaving them for the police. In the end, Irene moons over Green Lantern's deeds while Alan exclaims that the super-hero is probably just as ordinary as anyone else.
Appearing in Green Lantern: "Disease!!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Boss Filch
- Commissioner Merril
Other Characters:
- Mister Van Smithers
- Tommy Filch
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for Green Lantern: "Arson in the Slums"
A strange wave of fires hits the tenement district. Media publisher Barton calls for the city to tear down the unsafe buildings. Alan Scott gets suspicious and decides to investigate as Green Lantern, saving some people trapped by the flames in another fire and actually managing to slice one building in two to save half that hasn't yet caught fire. A fire inspector finds a strange piece of hardware in the ruins that causes two thugs to knock him out and throw him in front of a speeding train. Fortunately, Green Lantern's will proves more powerful than a locomotive and he saves the inspector, who's sure the thing he found was an incendiary device. The hero asks the man to lay low to keep the bosses of whatever scheme's going on from getting wise. Soon GL saves a reporter who overheard Barton mention a murder from being drowned, and also has him lay low to keep the bosses from getting wise.
Their stories allow him to put two and two together: Barton's trying to get the tenements torn down because he's in cahoots with a real estate type named Murker, who could buy up the land where the tenements were burnt down and make a tidy profit. Green Lantern confronts the two crooked businessmen and has the fellows he rescued come in and pretend to be ghosts, scaring Barton and Murker into confessing into a hidden microphone.
Appearing in Green Lantern: "Arson in the Slums"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Barton Miller
- Murker
Other Characters:
- Commissioner Grey
- Mrs. James
Locations:
- Capitol City
- Daily Tattle
Items:
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for Hop Harrigan: "Trailers of Treachery"
Tank is escorted away from Hop by some intimidating men, and the concerned Hop flags down a cab and follows their car. The driver happens to be Doiby Dickles, but the two are arrested for running a red light. Seeing a fellow crusader for justice needing his help, Green Lantern saves Hop and Doiby from jail and carries them to where Tank was taken. While Green Lantern takes care of some strangely unarmed toughs, Hop and Doiby find out why: Tank's actually taking weight loss treatment to impress his girlfriend.
Appearing in Hop Harrigan: "Trailers of Treachery"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- None
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Green Lantern: "Green Lantern in South America"
Apex Broadcasting calls Alan Scott in to investigate when one of their broadcasting centers in South America has been going out because of tampering. He and Doiby, who's required to refrain from driving all day because of a sprained arm, travel to the country of Landavo and learn a civil war is brewing. The civil war's being fomented by German spies trying to take over the country to use it as a staging ground to invade North America. Green Lantern's magical powers cause the rioting locals to think he's a demon and retreat before they can make their attack. With the Germans captured and democracy restored, Alan Scott and Doiby head home, mission accomplished.
Appearing in Green Lantern: "Green Lantern in South America"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- General Ranko
Other Characters:
- Jensen
- President Carlos
- President of the Apex Broadcasting Company
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in the The Golden Age Green Lantern Archives Vol. 1.
- This issue includes a two-page introduction entitled "Green Lantern: His Personal History". The story is written and drawn by Bill Finger and Martin Nodell, and retells Green Lantern's origin from All-American Comics #16.
- This issue includes a two-page filler strip by Art Helfant called "Sweet Adeline".
- This issue includes a biographical text section for Bill Finger and Martin Nodell.
- This issue includes a two-page text story by William Moulton Marston and Martin Nodell entitled, "Will Power is the Flame of the Green Lantern! My Flame Shall Be Yours If You Develop Will Power!" William Moulton Marston is more popularly known as the creator of Wonder Woman.
- Green Lantern (Alan Scott) appeared last in All-American Comics #32. He appears next in All-American Comics #33.
- Doiby Dickles appeared last in All-American Comics #32. He appears next in All-American Comics #33.
- Hop Harrigan appeared last in All-American Comics #32. He appears next in All-American Comics #33.
- Irene Miller appeared last in appeared last in All-American Comics #32. She appears next in All-American Comics #33.
- Tank Tinker appeared last in All-American Comics #32. He appears next in All-American Comics #33.
- This issue features the first appearance of the President of the Apex Broadcasting Company.
- "Trailers of Treachery" is text-only.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Alan Scott Recommended Reading
- All-American Comics (Volume 1)
- All-Star Comics (Volume 1)
- All-Star Squadron (Volume 1)
- Comic Cavalcade (Volume 1)
- Green Lantern (Volume 1)
- Green Lantern/Sentinel: Heart of Darkness (Volume 1)
- Infinity Inc. (Volume 1)
- Justice Society of America (Volume 1)
- Justice Society of America (Volume 2)
- Justice Society of America (Volume 3)
- JSA (Volume 1)