Number 2080: Goodbye to the All-American Green Lantern

The great superhero glut of the early forties was fading out toward the end of the decade. Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman were cornerstones of DC Comics and still selling well, so they were exempt from cancellation, but the others...no such luck. All-American Comics #102 (1948), had the last appearance of Green Lantern, who had been on the covers of the book for years. Green Lantern’s own title lasted a few more months, into 1949, but its final issue, #38, did not even have GL on the cover.

Green Lantern had company in the unemployment office: he was there with All-American co-features Dr Mid-Nite and the Black Pirate. The next issue was titled All-American Western, as cowboys took over.

For the record, I dislike comedy relief characters, especially when there is no real comedy. Doiby Dickles is Green Lantern’s pal, and all I can say about him is at least he wasn’t an underage boy like those hanging out with many other superheroes.

The Silver Age Green Lantern appeared in 1959, also written by John Broome, who has the writing credits for this story. Irwin Hasen (note the “Hotel Irwin” sign on page 6) did the pencilling, and Bob Oksner did the inking.

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