Heritage Sale Features Iconic Green Lantern Comics Certified by CGC

Some of the most influential and culturally transformative Green Lantern comics of all time are among the collectibles certified by Certified Guaranty Company® (CGC®) that are included in Heritage Auctions’ Greenwich Collection Comics Showcase on October 26, 2023.

Green Lantern was first introduced in 1940, during the Golden Age, as Alan Scott in All-American Comics #16 by Martin Nodell and Bill Finger. With his magical lantern, he was a founding member of the Justice Society of America. In the Silver Age, a new Green Lantern emerged in the form of Hal Jordan, created by writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane in Showcase #22, published in 1959. Jordan, a test pilot, was chosen by the intergalactic-peacekeeping Green Lantern Corps to wield a power ring that could create constructs based on the user's willpower.

The 1970s was a transformative era for the character, thanks to writer Denny O’Neil and artist Neal Adams.

Included in this auction is Green Lantern #76 graded CGC 9.2 (lot 81086). This issue was the beginning of an iconic team-up between Green Lantern and Green Arrow to confront various social and political issues facing America at the time. This storyline addresses the civil rights movement, poverty and inequality, reflecting the social and political turmoil of the era. One of the most memorable scenes in this issue is when Green Arrow famously accuses Green Lantern of being too focused on cosmic threats and alien menaces while ignoring the real problems on Earth. This moment marks a turning point in the series, emphasizing the need for superheroes to address real-world issues and serve as socially conscious symbols.

Click images to enlarge.

Also in this auction is Green Lantern #85 graded CGC 9.8 (lot 81095). Continuing the series’ trend of addressing modern social issues, this story tackled drug addiction and famously revealed that Green Arrow's sidekick, Speedy, was a heroin addict. It was written without the approval of the Comics Code Authority (CCA), which had strict guidelines on content. However, due to the story's societal relevance, the CCA loosened its restrictions, ushering in a new era of more mature and socially conscious storytelling in comics.

Other CGC-certified comics in this auction include:

• an Avengers #19 graded CGC 9.6 (lot 81045)
• a Batman Annual #1 graded CGC 6.5 (lot 81059)
• a Detective Comics #359 graded CGC 5.5 (lot 81066)
• a Fantastic Four #55 graded CGC 8.0 (lot 81069)
• a Green Lantern #78 graded CGC 9.8 (lot 81089)
• a Green Lantern #87 graded CGC 9.4 (lot 81097)
• an Incredible Hulk Annual #1 graded CGC 9.4 (lot 81120)
• an Incredible Hulk #102 graded CGC 9.4 (lot 81119)
• a Super DC Giant #17 graded CGC 9.8 (lot 81145)
• a Teen Titans #1 graded CGC 9.2 (lot 81172)

About CGC

Since revolutionizing comic book grading in 2000, CGC has grown to include certification services for many other types of pop culture collectibles. These divisions include CGC Cards, CGC Video Games and CGC Home Video. CGC Cards provides expert card grading for TCGs, sports cards and non-sports cards. CGC Video Games is dedicated to video game grading for the most popular consoles, including Nintendo, Sega, Atari, PlayStation and more. The newest division of CGC, CGC Home Video, provides expert VHS grading in addition to other types of videocassettes.

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