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"Steal Small, Rob Big": Evergreen City has been hit by a series of strange thefts: An empty jewel box, a shoe, and the button off a man's coat. When Hal Jordan returns to Earth from a mission in space to resume his civilian identity as an insurance claims inspector, his boss Mr. Lawford tells hi

Green Lantern (Volume 2) #62 is an issue of the series Green Lantern (Volume 2) with a cover date of July, 1968.

Synopsis for "Steal Small, Rob Big"

Evergreen City has been hit by a series of strange thefts: An empty jewel box, a shoe, and the button off a man's coat. When Hal Jordan returns to Earth from a mission in space to resume his civilian identity as an insurance claims inspector, his boss Mr. Lawford tells him of the strange robberies that were committed to clients of the company. Lawford tells Hal while there hasn't been any claims, he suspects that this is just the beginning of something bigger that might have an effect on his company. Hal decides to investigate the situation, but not before he can call and set a date for Eve Doremus, as he has a surprise for her.

That evening he takes Eve out to the Heart-to-Heart Club, and gives her a heart shaped necklace as a gift. When Hal returns her to her fathers estate, they are jumped by some crooks who manage to swarm Hal and knock him out long enough to steal a ballpoint pen and necklace from her. Walking her the rest of the way home, along the way she tells Hal about how her uncle has invented a new secret formula that could be worth millions of dollars. Hal rushes off later to change into the Green Lantern. Suspecting that these are the same crooks that have committed the earlier threats he commands his power ring to try and find the pen that they stole. When hundreds of power beams spiral out of his ring, Hal realizes that there must be thousands of identical pens and gives up trying to track down the crooks.

Reporting for work the next day, Hal learns from his boss that all their clients who had worthless items stolen the previous day were subject to more serious crimes in which their material wealth was stolen. Hal realizes that Eve's uncle will likely be next and decides to go to his estate as the Green Lantern to catch the crooks in action. Sure enough, Green Lantern finds some thugs trying to crack Eve's uncles safe. Green Lantern manages to knock out all the crooks and prevent their get away, however when he takes them into the police station for questioning they refuse to talk. When Green Lantern tries to use his power ring to force them to talk the on duty police officer tells GL that he would be violating the criminals right to advice of counsel.

At the thieves hideout, their leader Jax, is about to once more use the device that has helped them commit their robberies: A special device that takes the light rays absorbed from an object and project past events that happened around the object. Using the device on Eve's pendant they learn that Hal Jordan is really the Green Lantern. Wanting to be sure of this, they capture Hal the next day as he is leaving work and take them back to their hideout and tie him up. Jax explains to Hal that he suspects that he is Green Lantern and in order to find out the truth they are going to pull the robbery while Hal is under guard at the hideout. While Jax and his men are off to commit their crime, Hal uses his power ring to melt through the handcuffs that are binding him and knock out both of the crooks watching him. Putting one of them in the chair in his place and using his power ring to make the crook look like Hal Jordan (and himself look like the crook) Hal manages to convince the other reviving crook that Hal Jordan had been easily defeated and tied back up again. Managing to slip away, Hal changes into Green Lantern and goes after Jax and his other men at the museum.

After Jax and his men are arrested, Hal returns to their hideout just as the last of Jax's men hears the radio report of Green Lanterns capture, seeing "Hal Jordan" in the chair convinces him that Hal Jordan and Green Lantern are two different people. Running into Green Lantern (Who has resumed the illusion of the crook's protégé) he knocks himself out allowing Hal to use his power ring to return everyone back to normal, tie them all up and wait for the police to show up as Hal Jordan. Later Hal has another date with Eve and returns to her the stolen necklace.

Appearing in "Steal Small, Rob Big"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Jax & his gang (Single appearance)
    • Benny (Single appearance)
    • Chubbs (Single appearance)

Other Characters:


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Links and References

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