When most people hear the name Green Lantern, they immediately think of Hal Jordan—the fearless test pilot chosen to wield one of the most powerful weapons in the universe. But did you know that Hal Jordan wasn’t the only man who could have received that ring.
In fact, one small twist of fate could have given Earth a very different Green Lantern. His name is Guy Darrin Gardner. And unlike the traditional image of a noble, disciplined superhero. Guy Gardner is loud, arrogant, confrontational, stubborn, and almost unbelievably confident in himself. He’s also one of the bravest Green Lanterns the Corps has ever had.
Hal Jordan became Earth’s first Green Lantern of the modern era when the mortally wounded alien Abin Sur crash-landed on Earth. Abin Sur’s power ring searched for a suitable replacement and selected Jordan. But the ring had identified Guy Gardner as another candidate. It was later revealed in the comics that Guy was also considered worthy of Abin Sur’s ring. However, geography was the deciding factor—Hal Jordan was closer.
1st Appearance Green Lantern (vol. 2) #59, published in march 1968 DC Comics
Guy Gardner was created by John Broome and Gill Kane. In his original comic-book origin, Guy was introduced as the man who could have become Green Lantern instead of Hal Jordan. His childhood is marked with trauma. Raised by wealthy parent (Roland and Peggy Gardner), young Guy was beaten by his alcoholic father. Guy finds solace in reading General Glory comic books, even modeling his bowl haircut after Glory’s sidekick, Ernie.
When the dying Abin Sur ordered his ring to find a worthy successor, it identified two suitable candidates: Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner. Hal was chosen essentially because he was closer to Abin Sur’s crash site. Later, Hal’s power battery showed him what would have happened if circumstances had been different and Guy had been closer—Guy Gardner would have received Abin Sur’s ring and become Green Lantern.
Guy eventually got his opportunity for real. After learning that Guy was his potential replacement, Hal Jordan sought him out and Guy became Hal’s backup Green Lantern. When Hal was unavailable or incapacitated, Guy could step in. His history then became considerably messier. Guy suffered serious injuries and spent time out of action, while John Stewart was subsequently selected as another backup Green Lantern.
The major turning point came during Crisis on Infinite Earths. The Guardians of the Universe were divided over how to respond to the Crisis, and a faction of Guardians recruited Guy directly. They gave him a Green Lantern power ring and battery, restoring him to active duty as a Green Lantern.
In DC’s The New 52 continuity, Guy Gardner’s origin was significantly reworked. In this version, Guy is a former police officer and the middle child of a family with a long history of service in the Baltimore Police Department.
Guy proves himself worthy of becoming a Green Lantern after displaying extraordinary courage during a police shootout, risking his own life to rescue his older brother, Gerard. His bravery ultimately leads to his selection as a Green Lantern and the opportunity to wield one of the Green Lantern Corps’ powerful rings.
This version of Guy also explores his troubled family life. He has a particularly strained relationship with his father, Ebenezer Gardner, a decorated police officer who was forced into early retirement after suffering injuries in the line of duty. Guy eventually leaves the police force himself following a mysterious incident, adding another complicated chapter to his life before becoming a member of the Green Lantern Corps.
The Superhero Who Doesn’t Act Like One
Guy possesses many of the qualities you’d expect from a Green Lantern. He’s brave. He’s skilled. He’s fiercely committed to the Green Lantern Corps. He’s willing to charge into battles that would terrify almost anyone else. Unfortunately, Guy is also arrogant, childish, narcissistic, argumentative and notoriously quick-tempered. In other words, he’s not exactly traditional superhero material. And that’s precisely what makes him so entertaining.
Guy doesn’t walk into a room quietly. He walks in believing he’s probably the toughest person there—and if someone disagrees, he’s often perfectly willing to settle the argument physically. That personality has created problems with fellow superheroes for decades.
So can Earth have more than one Green Lantern?
Yes, the Green Lantern Corps is an enormous intergalactic organization responsible for policing thousands of sectors across the universe. Earth sits within Sector 2814, and over the years several humans have served as Green Lanterns.
Guy’s journey began when he became an alternate—or backup—for Hal Jordan. Eventually, however, Guy proved that he deserved far more than reserve status. Through battles, tragedies and plenty of mistakes, Gardner established himself as a legitimate member of the Green Lantern Corps. And once Guy Gardner becomes part of something, getting rid of him isn’t easy.
Guy eventually got a power ring of his own.
In the late 1980s, Guy Gardner became a member of the Justice League International. This wasn’t always the perfectly coordinated collection of superheroes people might expect from the Justice League. At times it could be dysfunctional. Personalities clashed. Arguments happened. And Guy Gardner fit right in….Actually, sometimes Guy was the argument.
He regularly irritated his teammates with his ego and aggressive personality, and eventually made the questionable decision to challenge Batman. Guy wanted to establish himself as the person who should be running the Justice League. Batman had a simpler solution. One punch. And Guy went down.
The moment became one of the most famous comedic scenes in Justice League history and perfectly illustrates Guy Gardner’s personality. Challenging Batman to a fistfight takes courage. Doing it while apparently believing Batman can’t knock you out might require something else entirely.
What Makes Guy Different From Hal Jordan?
Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner are actually similar in one important respect. Neither man is particularly famous for being afraid. But their personalities couldn’t be more different. Hal is traditionally portrayed as the confident test pilot—the classic fearless hero who trusts his instincts and leaps into danger.
Guy takes that confidence several steps further. He doesn’t merely believe he can win. Guy frequently seems offended by the possibility that anyone thinks he can’t win. That distinction makes him an interesting alternative to the traditional Green Lantern archetype. Put Guy Gardner into a superhero team and instant conflict becomes possible. And that’s especially true with the Justice League.
For years, Guy Gardner was the Green Lantern that casual audiences were least likely to recognize. Hal Jordan had become the character most closely associated with Green Lantern in mainstream culture, especially after Ryan Reynolds portrayed him in 2011’s Green Lantern.
John Stewart also became enormously popular, particularly through animation. But Guy occupied a different corner of Green Lantern history. Comic fans knew exactly who he was. Everyone else? Not so much. However, that’s changing.
Nathan Fillion’s portrayal of Guy Gardner in James Gunn’s Superman brought the character—and his unmistakable bowl haircut—to a much larger audience.
And Guy is exactly the kind of character who could thrive in a larger interconnected DC Universe. He doesn’t need to replace Hal Jordan. He doesn’t need to replace John Stewart. He brings something completely different. Conflict, Comedy, Ego, Unpredictability….And underneath all of it, genuine heroism….