DC ’s very firstGreen Lanternwas the complete opposite of   Hal Jordan and is much more heroic as a resultant - especially when compared to theRyan Reynoldsportrayal . Many humans of Earth ( andeven non - humans such as a actual whale ) have become Green Lanterns over chronicle , from Hal Jordan to his predecessor Alan Scott to John Stewart and Jessica Cruz and beyond , and the major planet has acquire more lantern in a short timespan than any other . But Earth ’s very first Green Lantern , a Chinese monk from the seventh century , deserves to be remembered by fans and DC Comics likewise - and his escapade inGreen Lantern : Dragon Lordprove it .

While Hal Jordan is perhaps the most famous human member of the Green Lantern Corps , he was far from the first . TheGreen Lanterncomic seriesbegan in 1940 with the quality Alan Scott , who did n’t even know there were other Green Lanterns in the universe ( and the way his tintinnabulation and associated powers work was quite different).Showcase # 22would see Hal Jordan in the role of Earth ’s fresh Green Lantern , fit out with a new costume and an whole new backstory postulate a crashed alien ship . But while Hal Jordan and Alan Scott used the ringing liberally , Earth ’s very first Green Lantern - the ancient Taiwanese monk Jong Li - was absolutely terrified of it .

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Palpatine, Vader, and Momin

InGreen Lantern : Dragon Lord , write by Doug Moench with graphics by Paul Gulacy , Joe Rubinstein and James Sinclair , the Thelonious Sphere Monk Jong Li ’s world is forever alter when regal soldier combust down his temple and kill everyone inside in retaliation for harboring the Emperor ’s run away concubine who sought sanctuary . With his brothers and Master dead , Jong Li wanders until he is met by an’Emissary from Heaven ' ( in reality an alien member of the Green Lantern Corps ) whogives him a ring and a top executive battery . Jong Li uses the power of the ring to save others from the Emperor ’s one-man rule - but as a Buddhist monk , he is gravely concerned that the index is a corrupting influence ( and marvel if the Emissary was a ogre in disguise ) .

The difference between Jong Li and Hal Jordan is dark and sidereal day . Whereas Jordan apply his ring and even show off the power at times ( especiallyin the Ryan ReynoldsGreen Lanternfilm version ) , Jong Li uses the ring as little as possible , and even arrive at a point to rescue prisoners of the Emperor without the ring at all - he bury it in the poop for roughly half of an issue , and designedly waits 24 hours without charging it to assure no power stay in the weapon . From the start of the chronicle until the remainder , Jong Li worries that rising above others , even while help the barren , will lead him down a dingy path .

Jong Li is an introverted and thoughtful superhero , a personality that flies in the grimace of the   usual headstrong and unregenerate action hero of the medium . Jong Li would never have give up   fear to corrupt himas it corrupted Hal Jordan inEmerald Twilight ; the character indeed show himself desirable of the ring ’s power bynotusing the mightiness . As DC bear on to push Hal Jordan before all otherGreen Lanterns , the company would do well to remember that other lesser - experience characters exist ; Jong Li is one of them , and he deserves to be commemorate .

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A composite image of the Peanuts gang hoisting Charlie Brown and Snoopy in the air in front of black and white panels from the Peanuts comic strips

Jong Li is DC’s first Earth Green Lantern

Jong Li is Earth’s first Green Lantern

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Green Lantern