Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #1: Love is Love

Spinning out of Flashpoint Beyond, The New Golden Age has reintroduced many characters out of obscurity, launching an initiative that promises to give the members of the JSA and their cohorts a time in the spotlight. For the uninitiated, Flashpoint Beyond ends with thirteen characters being retroactively placed back into various points in time throughout DC’s continuity. This saw several sidekicks return via Stargirl: The Lost Children and a ton of time travel shenanigans in the Justice Society of America series. Here, Alan Scott:

 The Green Lantern #1 explores a time in the Green Flame’s history that has stirred up much “controversy” regarding the character’s sexuality. In recent years, DC has revealed that Alan Scott is gay, a fact that he has kept from his family and friends for years. This caused shockwaves amongst the comic community, specifically outrage from the bigoted Comicsgate hate group. Thankfully, writer Tim Sheridan, artist Cian Tormey, colorist Matt Herms, and letterer Lucas Gattomi have come together to silence these hate groups and firmly establish the part of Alan Scott’s history that has, until now, yet to be seen.

I had the pleasure of meeting with Tim Sheridan at a signing he did at The Comics Stronghold in Oceanside, California, where we discussed what it meant to write such a powerful story and what approaches he took to exploring this lost time in Green Lantern’s life. Sheridan compared Alan Scott’s experience of coming out of the closet late in life to similar experiences people witness daily. His direct comparison came via a hypothetical: What if your grandfather or uncle announced they were gay? Would we shun them and kick them to the side? Would we question how they were able to raise a family? Or would we openly embrace them and support them? Through this discussion, Sheridan views Alan Scott the same way. His revealing that he is gay should not affect his place in the world or how we view his past; instead, he should be treated like any family member or friend. There is no reason this new information should alienate any fans, and through this lens, it becomes clear that Alan’s situation is more of a mirror of actual life circumstances than a “retcon.”

Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #1 explores two main periods: one during the war, where Alan Scott’s relationship with his partner Johnny Ladd is explored, and one year later when he is being blackmailed by J. Edgar Hoover, who is threatening to oust him as a gay man. Right off the bat, the themes of love and conquering fear are present. Though Alan Scott is not typically viewed as the same kind of Green Lantern as those within the Green Lantern Corps, his character’s theme of conquering fear is still very relevant. The way this theme is tackled is heartbreaking, as Alan is forced to obey command as he simultaneously relives a time he knows society would shun him for. 

Sheridan and Tormey pull no punches when displaying Alan and Johnny’s relationship. After the introduction sees Hoover’s blackmail attempt, the book dives into a segment where Alan and Johnny are in bed. This PG version of an intimate scene is identical to what would be shown in a comic featuring a relationship between a man and a woman, indicating that these creators aim to normalize the situation. Jumping right into this is a statement from the creators, ensuring audiences know that authenticity is of the utmost importance and that there is no reason to hide anything when the goal is to explore this relationship. This decisive moment truly shines as an indicator of how DC should normalize these relationships in mainstream books.

In a particularly poignant moment early on, Alan starts questioning the relationship, citing his faith. Through this discussion, it becomes clear that Sheridan is out to tackle any criticism that any hate group will throw in his direction. This moment is echoed later while Alan recounts these events to his associate Derby, as they discuss the social impact of Alan’s sexuality being brought to light. In this discussion, Derby is shown as uncomfortable debating the specifics of Alan’s relationship with Johnny, yet he doesn’t understand why his sexuality would impact anyone’s opinions of him. Derby says Alan is a hero, refusing to believe anyone should view him as anything else. These moments genuinely display this creative team’s way of tackling all aspects of the discussion surrounding the revelation of Alan’s sexuality, highlighting how there are different ways to support him regardless of the other biases one may have.

Another aspect of this first issue that makes it seriously compelling is the pacing and how seamlessly the pages shift between the time periods. This issue is the same length as most comics you’d see on the stands; however, it feels much more full as it tackles two interwoven stories. This helps encapsulate the issue’s themes and creates tension. The issue ends on two different cliffhangers, making the next issue a must-buy. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the series takes on these two time periods; however, there is no argument that the craftsmanship and care behind this issue created a fantastically engaging read.