DC Comics will recontextualize the earliest adventures of Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern, just in time for the character’s upcoming series. Scott made his debut in 1940. In the time since, he has been re-envisioned for modern times, coming out as a gay man: first as a part of Earth 2 for DC’s New 52 in 2011, then coming out in official DC canon as of Infinite Frontier.
Now, the first Green Lantern’s life as a queer individual will finally be explored in the upcoming series Alan Scott: The Green Lantern, written by Tim Sheridan and illustrated by Cian Tormey.
Writer Tim Sheridan spoke with Looper about what the series has in store. Looper also provided preview panels, cover art, and variant covers for the series.
Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #1 Arrives October 14
In the interview, Sheridan – a gay man himself – says he plans to examine what life was like for Scott to be a gay man during the timeframe he debuted, a time that Sheridan admits was “complicated” for queer people. With the series set to examine Scott as both a man and a superhero, Sheridan will pull from his own personal experiences to tell his story. “I can’t relate to being a hero, but I can absolutely relate to feeling like you’re not one,” says Sheridan. “I can relate to feeling great joy, even in the midst of great doubt; to feeling, at once, totally powerless and totally powerful.”
The New Series Will Shape Alan Scott’s Identity
“For Alan to take his rightful place in the light,” Sheridan says, “we have to first find him fighting his way out of the darkness.” Sheridan also noted to Loop that, in both real life and for Scott especially, a person needs the people closest to them to “remind you who you are.” This especially seems vital because the series is due to feature special appearances from some familiar faces closest to Scott, including his fellow Justice Society of America member Jay Garrick, the first Flash. In addition, Scott will find himself part of an unexpected team-up with the Spectre.
Given Tim Sheridan’s comments on the series, it is clear Alan Scott: The Green Lantern will be a character study, first and foremost. It’ is pivotal that a gay writer is behind this series, tacking a character with similar struggles, crafting a genuine, relatable story for the character. One also has to wonder if by treating this as a 1940s-era period piece, if Sheridan plans to recontextualize old adventures of Scott’s that were originally released during that time period. Whichever way that Sheridan plans to tackle Alan Scott’s journey, it’s exciting to finally see the first Green Lantern’s journey as a gay man truly brought to the forefront of the DC Universe.
Source: Looper
Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #1 will be available October 14, 2023 from DC Comics.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
