reblogged from scans_daily

written by insanekagome654.insanejournal.com

posted on comicvine by Avenging-X-Bolt

find the original article here: http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/504311.html

A while ago I posted Neil Gaiman's 'Green Lantern/Superman: Legend of the Green Flame'. I prefaced the entry by saying it was a continuation of sorts of an older story known as 'The List' (published in Action Comics Weekly #606). I've finally decided to post part of that story, which depicts a surprisingly vulnerable Hal Jordan and (even more surprising) an uncharacteristically rude Alfred Pennyworth.

First, a little background-

Hal Jordan has just returned from space. He's recently been held captive in another galaxy, is on the outs with his girlfriend, is homeless (his apartment having been destroyed), jobless, directionless and totally miserable. To make matters worse people on Earth seem to be afraid of him.

He decides to contact John. Unfortunately as bad as Hal's life is at the moment...well, poor John's is ten times worse.

I think it was emotionally mature for Hal to realize that he needs support and advice. He could have just as easily decided that he needs to work out his problems alone...which would have lead to a lot of ineffectual angst.

I'm a little less impressed by his lack of judgment when it comes to determining who would be the best to talk to about such things. If you're looking for emotional support and guidance Wayne Manor should NOT be your first stop....

Believe it or not, Bruce let him down easily compared to some...

One of the sequels to this story involved him talking to Dinah about his problems. Apparently someone finally remembered they were actually fairly good friends (which makes his treatment of her in 'Cry for Justice' all the more irritating) and it, unsurprisingly, went a lot better than this. Unfortunately I don't have that issue, so I can't post anything from it.

So, we're off to see everyone's favorite archer (Haha...ha).

...Ouch. Someone remind me why these two are friends again?

Anyway, I really liked this story. I don't mind Johns' characterization of Hal as much as some, but he does seem to have a limited emotional range. He always seems to be either full of righteous indignation, talking like a quippy action hero, or angsting in a very macho sort of way that seems oddly shallow. I miss the occasionally goofy Hal, the who is not embarrassed to be a little vulnerable and emotional and can (and has!) 'weep/ed openly and without shame.

what comic is that scene with bruce and hal from?

@batshrine said:

what comic is that scene with bruce and hal from?

they're all from Action Comic Weekly #606. it says this at the beginning of the article.

@ckuakini said:

thing is, Hal wasnt as close as he thought to most of the classic League. Green Arrow, Black Canary,and the Dibnys were his closest friends and Barry was dead at the the time that this storyline was written and Ollie....well you saw what he did. A great deal of these characters hadnt been introduced yet, didnt know Hal or didnt like him

Hal doesn't deserve to have friends :P

@Crom-Cruach said:

Hal doesn't deserve to have friends :P

why not exactly?

@Avenging-X-Bolt: Well there's that whole being a mass murdering douche thing

@Crom-Cruach said:

@Avenging-X-Bolt: Well there's that whole being a mass murdering douche thing

ahhhhh, yes, having a psychotic breakdown brought upon him by years of pain and suffering culminating in the loss of everything he ever loved and then being penalized for trying to bring it back. yup, what a douchebag.

come to think of it...has Hal ever done anything of any good his career..yknow besides

>save the planet on a daily basis,

>nurse Carol Ferris when she was wheelchair bound,

>help Roy Harper get over his drug addiction,

>save the Corps from Nekron and Krona (several times),

>give up his GL ring to help save Carol's business,

> rescue Guy Gardner's two faced self from the phantom zone

>sacrifice himself to save the world from a second ice age

>bring Green Arrow's hypocritical self back to life

> erase public knowledge of Wally West's identity thus sparing Linda Park from having a miscarriage

> help Kyle Rayner and Greta Hayes

>journey back in time to help rescue Bruce Wayne

so on and so forth

what a dick.

man,i never knew this side of hal...

i sincerely want to know what happens after this????

can someone please gove me summmary of what does happen?in PM????PLS PLS PLS

@xtremekidx said:

man,i never knew this side of hal...

i sincerely want to know what happens after this????

can someone please gove me summmary of what does happen?in PM????PLS PLS PLS

the story is followed up in these 2 stories in which Hal patches things up with Superman and gets advice from Black Canary.

the whole Batman conflict is eventually ignored completely while the Green Arrow thing is kinda settled in the Green Lantern issue before Emerald Twilight

http://hoosierinanity.blogspot.com/2008/06/green-lantern-if-heroes-knew-then-what.html

http://hoosierinanity.blogspot.com/2008/10/neil-gaimans-legend-of-green-flame_2695.html

@Crom-Cruach said:

@Avenging-X-Bolt: Well there's that whole being a mass murdering douche thing

ahhhhh, yes, having a psychotic breakdown brought upon him by years of pain and suffering culminating in the loss of everything he ever loved and then being penalized for trying to bring it back. yup, what a douchebag.

come to think of it...has Hal ever done anything of any good his career..yknow besides

>save the planet on a daily basis,

>nurse Carol Ferris when she was wheelchair bound,

>help Roy Harper get over his drug addiction,

>save the Corps from Nekron and Krona (several times),

>give up his GL ring to help save Carol's business,

> rescue Guy Gardner's two faced self from the phantom zone

>sacrifice himself to save the world from a second ice age

>bring Green Arrow's hypocritical self back to life

> erase public knowledge of Wally West's identity thus sparing Linda Park from having a miscarriage

> help Kyle Rayner and Greta Hayes

>journey back in time to help rescue Bruce Wayne

so on and so forth

what a dick.

@Avenging-X-Bolt:Thanks for reminding me once again why I don't like Geoff Johns and his constant retconning to make his golden baby look good

I don't feel that these few issues defines Hal Jordan. While those issues may have made for a good story, it doesn't correctly display is friendships. Hal did spend quite some time alone, and at time struggled to keep friends. To say that he was basically a loner however, isn't true.

@Avenging-X-Bolt said:

ahhhhh, yes, having a psychotic breakdown brought upon him by years of pain and suffering culminating in the loss of everything he ever loved and then being penalized for trying to bring it back. yup, what a douchebag.

come to think of it...has Hal ever done anything of any good his career..yknow besides

>save the planet on a daily basis,

>nurse Carol Ferris when she was wheelchair bound,

>help Roy Harper get over his drug addiction,

>save the Corps from Nekron and Krona (several times),

>give up his GL ring to help save Carol's business,

> rescue Guy Gardner's two faced self from the phantom zone

>sacrifice himself to save the world from a second ice age

>bring Green Arrow's hypocritical self back to life

> erase public knowledge of Wally West's identity thus sparing Linda Park from having a miscarriage

> help Kyle Rayner and Greta Hayes

>journey back in time to help rescue Bruce Wayne

so on and so forth

what a dick.

Excellent post right here.

@Crom-Cruach said:

@Avenging-X-Bolt:Thanks for reminding me once again why I don't like Geoff Johns and his constant retconning to make his golden baby look good

yup, that sentence would make sense except for the fact absolutely none of these were the result of retcons and only one instance was written by Geoff Johns. try again.

@Crom-Cruach: You're the douchebag.

@Jade1977 said:

@Crom-Cruach: You're the douchebag.

please, there is no need for name calling.

@Juandicimo_Magnifico45 said:

I don't feel that these few issues defines Hal Jordan. While those issues may have made for a good story, it doesn't correctly display is friendships. Hal did spend quite some time alone, and at time struggled to keep friends. To say that he was basically a loner however, isn't true.

agreed, i just feel that i was an influential turning point in Hal's life and had mad respect for the guy who wrote the article.

@Jade1977 said:

@Crom-Cruach: You're the douchebag.

This is entirely unnecessary.

bump

@Mercy_ said:

@Jade1977 said:

@Crom-Cruach: You're the douchebag.

This is entirely unnecessary.

this.

Forever alone hal

Poor Hal :( I never thought before but doesn't Hal have any non-super supporting cast?

currently no. but he DID have a decent one in the past.

Maybe Venditti will build it back up when he takes over?

i doubt it, but i hope so

In the New 52 Barry an Hal are definitely friends. He's also considered a legend in the Green Lantern Corps so he has friends in the corpse like Kilowog for example.

i think you missed the point of the article. its simply highlighting a point in Hal's career where he was mostly alone.