CODEX OMNIVERSA

Flashback: The Starheart

When we last saw the Starheart, Marco Polo had selected it as a gift of appreciation from Kublai Khan in the form of a green lamp. Then…

The patient later transformed it into a modern train lantern (see below.)

1940: Albert Dekker

Albert Dekker was a ruthless businessman. Denied the contract to build a new railway bridge, he later sabotaged it…

Alan Scott

On the inaugural train ride over the bridge, Alan Scott, the engineer in charge of construction, assured the conductor, James Henton (see below), that his firm being chosen instead of Dekker’s was no reason for Dekker to take revenge. But then…

Alan Scott was the only survivor and found himself holding the green railroad lantern. 

The lantern fulfilled a prophecy – to bring power…

For I am the flame of life! Green, as are the plants, the growing things!

You, who are to have this power, you must use it to end evil! The light of the Green Lantern must be shed over the dark, evil things… for, the dark evil things cannot stand light!

Power shall be yours, if you have faith in yourself. Lose that faith and you lose the energetic power for the Green Lantern, for will power is the flame of the Green Lantern!

Alan forged a ring, “the emblem of a mighty scourge of evil…” He used it and his new powers to scare Dekker; however, the shock was too much for him and he died.

Somehow I feel as if destiny has taken hold of my life… that this is only the beginning… that I must continue to fight against evil!

If I must fight evil beings, I must make myself a dreaded figure! I must have a costume that is so bizarre that once I am seen I will never be forgotten.

Flashback: John Michael Ladd

In 1936, Alan Scott joined the Army Corps of Engineers to build railroads and levees. However, he and John “Johnny” Michael Ladd, were among the men engaged on the top secret, “Project Crimson.” 

Imagine the kind of power it takes to make a fire burn for centuries… underwater. If it’s out there, and if it can be harnessed by good old Uncle Sam, then any war we ever need to fight will be over before it starts.

The mission to retrieve the Crimson Flame was ambitious and would brand Scott and Ladd heroes… as long as the army didn’t find out what they really were…

Sin or not, I was in love for the first time. And I was so confused. Not about who we were to each other, but to the rest of the world. The fact is, in 1936, we weren’t safe…

The mission was successful and the Crimson Flame was located. It was intelligent, and…

Scott learned that it’s true what they say, “Play with fire—”

Johnny was seemingly killed by the Crimson Flame. Afterwards, the nature of Scott’s relationship with Ladd was discovered and Scott was discharged. He checked himself into Arkham Asylum to “cure” himself.

Flashback: Billie

At Arkham, Scott met a transgender woman named, “Billie,” who became his mentor. Billie gave him the green train lantern. When Billie suffered a lobotomy, Scott organized a breakout and took himself and the lantern to Colorado.

July 16, 1940: James Henton

The conductor of the train mentioned earlier, James Henton, was more than a colleague of Scott’s. The two had fallen in love.

Therefore, when the bomb exploded on the bridge, Alan Scott faced a second personal loss.

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In May of 1940, Green Lantern first appeared in issue number 16 of the flagship title All-American Comics, Inc., All-American Comics. Artist Mart Nodell had brought a sketch to Sheldon Meyer and writer Bill Finger fleshed out the concept.

Alan Scott was originally named “Alan Ladd,” because of the influence of Aladdin & the Magic Lamp. It was changed before publication, a few years before the actor, Alan Ladd, emerged as a major Hollywood star in This Gun for Hire (1942.)