Origin
Hundreds and hundreds of years ago, a mystical green meteor fell down to Earth after wandering the cosmos for millenia, pulsing with strange life. It fell in ancient China, after merging with the essence of an ancient Green Lantern named Yalan Gur. A mystic named Chang heard a voice inside the meteor prophesying that it would act three times, once to bring death, once to bring life, and once to bring power. Chang carved it into a lamp, but other men in his village feared him and the meteor and tried to murder him. The mob was about to succeed, but green flames blasted from the lamp and killed them. After many years, it was taken to America and given to Billings, an insane patient of Arkham Asylum. Billings was fond of metalworking, and he remade the Chinese style lamp into an ornate railroad lantern. Light burst from the lantern and he was sane, completing the first two prophecies. As it turned out, the power within the Lantern was actually the Starheart, the gathered magical forces of the Earth-1 universe, bound together by the Guardians Of The Universe upon their decision to rid the stars of magic to pave the way for science to prevail. It was hidden in the heart of a star before becoming a sentient being. After many more years, the lantern got on a train with young railroad engineer Alan Scott on it. Scott picked up the lantern and held it. Then, as the train was passing over a bridge, it was revealed that Dekker, a business rival, had placed explosives on said bridge. The train derailed, and everyone except Scott died. As he awoke in the wreckage, the lantern told him-carve a ring from the base of the metal and allow it to touch its light. When he did, the ring was filled with the power of the Starheart. He was told that the ring was powered by his will and belief. Alan Scott left, punished Dekker, and became Green Lantern.
Creation
Alan Scott was created by Bill Finger and Martin Nodell. Inspiration for this was cited to be an opera, The Ring of Nibelung, and the green lanterns of the trainsmen. The name “Alan Scott” was decided upon by flipping through the New York City phone book until Nodell found two names he liked. The character made his first appearance in All-American Comics #16 (July 1940) and in a matter of months helped found the Justice Society in All Star Comics #3 (December 1940). Two of his regular foes have become major foes such as Grundy and Vandal Savage.
His feature in All-American became popular enough to spin-off a solo title which the character had until 1949. The characters last Golden Age appearance was in 1951 with the rest of the Justice Society in All Star Comics #57 (Feb. 1951). The concept was reinvented by 1959 with a new Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, who had more of a sci-fi theme. Alan was soon brought back with the introduction of the multiverse concept in the DC Comics. Since then Alan has remained an important and recurring character within the DCU.
Currently in the New 52, he is one of the stars in the book, Earth 2. In this book he was reinvented as being gay and no longer having a WWII past to him.
Character Evolution
Golden Age: Earth Two
Scott was a founding member of the Justice Society Of America. Although, like Jay Garrick, he was old, the magics of the defeated foe of the JSA, Ian Karkull, kept him young and healthy even well into what should have been his older years. He fought evil in the JSA for many years. Scott had a sidekick named Doiby Dickles, and his base was in Gotham City. When not fighting crime, he worked for the Gotham Broadcasting Company, a company he eventually came to control. He actually became chairman of the JSA for a short time before giving the position to Hawkman. Suddenly, he and the rest of the JSA were transported to an another dimension, fighting Ragnarok for eternity as not to destroy the universe. However, the JSA came back after a few years.
Modern Age: New Earth
Scott retired after a battle with Extant, where he was physically aged to where he would be without the ring. But then, for a time, Scott’s body was merged with the Starheart, meaning he no longer required a ring and was, again, rejuvenated. He took the name Sentinel and helped found a new Justice Society Of America. But since, he was physically altered so he appeared older (he felt the apparent youth was alienating him from his older wife Molly), but still wore the ring solely by choice. Alan Scott continues fighting crime in the Justice Society as the Green Lantern. He returned to action in Gotham once, when an infamous “made of wood” copycat chain of murders occurred in Gotham City. He worked alongside Batman, and together, in the process of finding the killer, they fought the Irish mob. They found the killer, and it was revealed that he was the original killer’s nobody grandson, inspired by the mark his grandfather left on Gotham .They took him down, but Scott felt responsible for both killers’ psychotic actions, as in his heyday, he accidentally destroyed the original killer’s shop, partially triggering his hatred of society.
Post-Flashpoint: Earth 2
After the Flashpoint event, Alan Scott is returned as a young media mogul in Earth 2. In this incarnation, He has a boyfriend named Samuel. The two decide to take a break from work by going on a trip to the countryside in Hong Kong. While inside the train, Alan Scott decides to propose to Sam; however, the train explodes before Sam can answer. As for the ring, Alan wears the engagement ring he was about to produce to Sam, as it was transformed into his power ring because it was something Alan was attached to. He then becomes the avatar of the Green from Earth 2 and starts going by the name of Green Lantern. He later finds out that his powers come from the Earth itself when he battles the avatar of the grey from Earth 2, Solomon Grundy. During their battle it becomes evident that Grundy is a force to be reckoned with as he can reform from all damage inflicted on him. Grundy even has his face blown off and he simply reformed and continued to wreck havok on Earth 2. Grundy’s powers allowed him to use these tentacle like appendages and suck the life out of whatever they came into contact with. They were even shown fast enough to capture Jay Garrick. Alan counters Grundy and is able to defeat him by grabbing him and taking him into space where he throws Grundy onto the moon where grundy would remain for quite some time.
Darkseid’s army eventually attacks Earth 2 head on and Green Lantern leads a massive battle between the heroes of earth 2 against the forces of Apokolips. The councils of all the forces of earth gather and give their power to Alan. The Grey, the Gree, The Red, the White, they all choose Alan to be the savior and Alan even draws his power from all the Green’s across the multiverse but still is unable to defeat Darkseid. He is shown at the end to use his last powers to heal his friends and passes out. His fate along with the fate of everyone else will soon be known once the major even called Convergence finishes in June, 2015.
Most recently he was seen in Convergence #2 with his allies in a world where Telos controls everything about it. Telos is Brainiac’s caretaker of all the cities he’s stolen from the Multiverse. Alan is seen trying to tap into that planets power and it is a black energy that hurts him for a few seconds and he reveals that he saw parts of Telos’ plan. At that moment they are attacked by Telos who uses the rocks around them to attack. Alan then uses his new black powers to blast Telos away momentarily but it leaves him drained and unable to tap into that energy again for quite some time. Val-Zod then goes berserk on Telos to avoid seeing more people get hurt. In a surprise to everyone there, Telos retreats but seemingly does so because he has other things to do.
Major Story Arcs
Modern Age: New Earth
Solly
Another odd adventure he shared with Batman and his old friend Ted Knight came when he was requested to help with saving an innocent incarnation of Solomon Grundy amicably called Solly, one that had saved civilians and Jack Knight himself from a massive blast. He was sent into the behemoth’s mind and fought several Grundy incarnations until Ted himself entered the fray and helped Solly rest in peace, albeit setting the stage for Grundy’s next resurrection. During this mission, he also confronted a mad bomber targeting Opal City buildings along with Jack and the O’Dares, and was unexpectedly saved by his old archenemy and Opal City lover, the Shade.
Underworld Unleashed
During the Underworld Unleashed event, he was forced to come to terms with what his prolonged youth meant: his own wife, Molly Mayne, the Harlequin, sold her soul to rejuvenate herself and be closer physically with Scott. A force of superheroes gathered to reach Hell and free her soul, but in the process he fought his old foe Blackbriar Thorn, who used his wood weakness to force the Suicide Wood trees to crucify him; while he could have broken the branches, Scott refused to do so, as it would mean inflicting upon the souls inhabiting the trees the equivalent pain of ripping their arms off. This action calmed and exorcised the souls, and Scott was left free to combat Thorn and release his wife’s soul. Shortly after this, he was aged to his true age, allowing him to spend more time in peace with his wife.
Checkmate
He was also for a brief time White King of the secret organization Checkmate. Tasked with having China lift its veto of the organization before a United Nations committee, Scott found a secret Chinese installation working in the development of meta-humans. Within, his cunning allowed him to smoke out a Kobra traitor and deliver him into the authorities. He then stated to the Chinese functionaries the installation would remain a secret as long as China lifted its ban on Checkmate. The Chinese reluctantly complied, but the U.S. government, annoyed at losing a chance of humiliating China at a global level, forced him to leave Checkmate, only giving him the chance to pick his successor. He immediately chose the second Mister Terrific and returned to the JSA position.
Final Crisis
He was later re-incorporated into the JSA and was one of the great heroes who resisted Darkseid’s control of Earth during the Final Crisis, and helped form an army to combat the growing threat in the days before catastrophe struck by invoking Article X, a law passed by Franklin D. Roosevelt allowing for the drafting of superheroes. During the Gog crisis the JSA suffered, he stood with the old guard, disbelieving the godling’s promises and ultimately facing his wrath by being forced to witness his daughter’s dancing corpse, summoned by Gog to torment him.
Alan Scott is paralyzed
Recently, after being taken over by the Starheart, he was seen in his Kingdom Come armor. During the events of Supertown, Alan assists the JSA in defending a terrorist attack on Monument Point. After engaging the super terrorist Scythe in combat Alan has his neck broken. He is later shown in a hospital in Jacksonville, Florida wearing a halo neck brace and paralyzed from the waist down. Alan however was able to channel enough will power into his ring to send himself to the moon and into the Emerald City and was able to outfit himself with a new type of armor reflecting a living lantern. In doing so he was able to keep his body in a constant healing state and became more powerful than ever and was able to defeat Scythe in their rematch. Alan has admitted that until his neck fully heals it is unknown what his mobility will be afterwards but intends to continue being a very active member of the Justice Society despite his handicap.
In the future
Sometime in the 31st century Alan Scott and Blue Devil are seen encased in stone. It is unknown at what point they were placed within the wall or who placed them there, though it can be deduced that they were in great agony when placed within the stone wall. They can be seen surrounding the White Witch’s thrown, now calling herself the Black Witch.
Post-Flashpoint: Earth 2 (DC new 52)
Solomon Grundy, Avatar of the Grey
After the explosion of the train Alan is the only known survivor. While looking for his lost lover who is presumed dead he is visited by the mystical green starheart. It tells him that he is chosen to be the Avatar of the Green. At first he declines but eventually decides to take up the power and is transformed into The Green Lantern. Over in Washington D.C. a new threat arises calling himself Solomon Grundy, Avatar of the Grey. Grundy challenges Alan to fight and will destroy every city on the planet if he refuses. Alan has made his way towards Grundy who he sees fighting Hawkgirl and Jay Garrick.
In order to save the world, Alan decides to enter the Grey to find out how to defeat Grundy. The Grey reveals that the Earth is doomed, and that they have decided to put all their power into Grundy to destroy it. They offer to bring back Sam for Alan, which works for a short time. However, Alan soon realizes that they can’t really bring him back, and he returns to Earth to defeat Grundy, which he does by flying Grundy up to the outer atmosphere and throwing him on to the moon. When he returns, Jay and Hawkgirl offer to form a new Trinity, but he turns them down, saying that he can save the world on his own.
Later after finding out from Sam’s father that Sam was intended to be the target of the explosion, Alan reluctantly enlist the help of Hawkgirl to find the people responsible. Using her detective skills they followed a series of leads to a crate in China filled with the decomposing corpses of dozens of Parademons. Unfortunately Alan is called away by the power of the green to help aid Doctor Fate and Jay Garrick battle Wotan, leaving Hawkgirl with a plea to keep Digging.
After the battle with Wotan Jay, Alan and Doctor Fate rush to Dherain to confront Steppenwolf and aid the world army in the fight against Apokolips. During a fight with Steppenwolf, Alan blinded by rage over Sam’s death, fails to notice Brutaal approaching who along with Steppenwolf overpower him and beat him to a pulp causing his apparent death.
DC Rebirth
In the miniseries Doomsday Clock, Dr. Manhattan reveals that he removed the Justice Society of America from existence by simply moving the lantern six inches further than originally placed. Without the lantern, Alan Scott died in the accident that originally gave him his powers. Upon talking with Superman, Manhattan places the lantern within Scott’s reach, thus returning the JSA back into continuity.
He recently came out as gay in Infinite Frontier.
Powers and Abilities
Equipment
Starheart Power Ring
Alan Scott possesses powers comparable to a Green Lantern of the Green Lantern Corps, although what fuels his ring is vastly different; he receives power from the magical force called the Starheart, once accommodated within the Lantern rather than through the Green Lanterns’ Power Batteries and since contained within his own body. The ring grants many prodigious abilities, such as flight, super human speed, energy blasts…. The ring can also actualize any objects Scott can visualize through will power and concentration, e.g. over sized human hands, force fields, or even devices with complex moving parts like automobiles or airplanes. The ring is capable of translating languages, illuminating traps, the creation of probes to seek out specific people or objects, repairing physical damage, or analyzing a potential threat. Using the power of the Starheart, Scott is able to move through the 4th Dimension and pass through solid matter. He can detect disturbances in the electromagnetic spectrum and can modify cast spells because of the Starheartâs connection to magic. Alan has shown the ability to teleport on multiple occasions, also teleporting other people with him. His ring is powered by his will, faith, and the mystical energies of the Starheart.
Weakness
But, sadly like every superhero his powers have a weakness. The weakness of his ring was discovered by a small time business owner who watched as he was beaten by the Sportsmaster, knocked out by a simple wooden baseball bat, meaning wood is his weakness. A new criminal found out during that sad display in front of a convenience store. That criminal was later known as the “Made of Wood” killer and as years passed his grandson took the part of the killer. Fortunately for Scott, Batman was there to save him the second time.
Characteristics:
- Height: 6′
- Weight: 201 lbs.
- Hair: Blond
- Eyes: Blue
Character Profile
- Height: 6’0″
- Weight: 201 lbs
- Eye Color: Green
- Hair Color: Blond
- Citizenship: American
- Marital Status: Single
- Occupation: Adventurer, Media Mogul
- Known Relatives: Sam Zhao (fomer fiance)
Alternate Versions
JSA: The Unholy Three
In this universe Alan is a post WWII agent called the Lantern. His ring was used to tell truth from lies. A rogue Superman destroyed the ring and Alan’s hand.
Green Lantern: Evil’s Might
Alan is the young leader of the Bowery Greens. He stole a magic green gem and later on stole Kyle Rayner’s ring. In the final showdown Alan is absorbed into Kyle’s ring.
Superman: Red Son
Alan Scott is a member of the Green Lantern Marine Corps.
The Golden Age
The House Un-American Activities Committee is investigating Alan Scott due to his refusal to turn in employees suspected of communist activities.
Kingdom Come
Alan is the only Green Lantern of Earth in this alternate future. From his base of operations new Oa Alan protects Earth from alien attacks. he joins Superman’s new Justice League. At the end of Kingdom Come Alan is shown as the UN ambassador to New Oa.
Other Media
Television
Justice League
In the two part episode “Legends”, John Stewart and a few other members of the Justice League visit another universe and meet the superhero team the Justice Guild of America(a team based off of the JSA). One of the members of the Justice Guild, Green Guardsman, is an homage to Alan Scott. Green Guardsman was voiced by William Katt.
Batman Brave and the Bold
Alan Scott is voiced by Corey Burton and appears in the episode “Crisis: 22,300 Miles Above Earth!”
Green Lantern: The Animated Series
Although Alan Scott has not appeared on the show, his character was alluded to in the season one episode “Steam Lantern.” When Hal Jordan is blasted into a parallel universe by the Anti-Monitor, he encounters a steam-punk world with its own Steam Lantern. The Steam Lantern recalls his first encounter with a Green Lantern, who he describes as wearing “a red shirt and a cape.” Hal Jordan is unaware of the identity of this GL.
Video Games
DC Legends (Mobile) (2016)
Alan Scott is a Mystical class hero.
Game Bio: After obtaining the power of the Starheart, Alan Scott fights relentlessly for truth, freedom and justice throughout the generations. While working as a railroad engineer, Alan Scott found a strange lamp that infused him with the power of the Starheart, an ancient magical entity. As the first Green Lantern, he was a founding member of the Justice Society of America and has been a stalwart champion of justice for many decades, guiding and inspiring the newer generations of Green Lanterns.
Alan Scott was released in May 2019.
Novels
Green Lantern: Sleepers Book Two
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