Green Lantern (1960) 87 (1)

Green Lantern (1960) 87

Jan 1972

Beware My Power

by Denny O’Neill, Neal Adams, Dick Giordano, John Costanza

A bus hits Guy Gardener, the man whom the Guardians of Oa have chosen as the alternate Green Lantern for Earth. Gardener is badly injured. The Guardians choose another man to replace him, John Stewart. Hal trains John but Hal takes exception to the way that John interprets his instructions and to his attitude.

Hal tests John by assigning him to guard a racist politician. Hal is ready to read John the riot act when it seems that the politician was murdered. Hal winds up apologizing after John points out that the politician is still alive and wasn’t in quite as much danger as Hal thought he was.

Thoughts

Green Arrow and Black Canary are not in this story.

This is a significant story because it features the first appearance of John Stewart but it is not a great story. I’m not sure I would even say that it is a good story. The artwork is great and there is no doubt in my mind that this story was groundbreaking in 1972.

The dialogue and the pacing of the story, however leave a lot to be desired. The resolution of the assassination plot didn't make sense to me. I understand and accept that it was a way for John Stewart to prove his worth to Hal Jordan but it ended very abruptly.

Notes

John Stewart’s next appearance is in a two-part story in Green Lantern 94 & 95 (May & Jul 1977). He also appeared in a two-part Story in Green Lantern 164 & 165 (May & Jun 1983). He became a regular in the pages of Green Lantern starting in late 1984 and took over officially as the Green Lantern for Earth in Green Lantern 182 (Nov 1984).

John Stewart also appeared in Justice League of America 110 (Mar 1974) and Tales of the Green Lantern Corps 3 (1981) prior to becoming the Green Lantern of Earth in 1984 but those are the only other appearances that I can find which are not reprint or flashback appearances and not in the pages of Green Lantern prior to 1984. His only other cover appearance prior to late 1984 was on the cover to Green Lantern 165.

This story features the second appearance of Guy Gardner. His first appearance was in Green Lantern 59 (Mar 1968). His next appearance after this issue was in Green Lantern 116 (May 1979).