Byrne Robotics: This Island Earth and Green Lantern

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Topic: This Island Earth and Green Lantern (

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Anthony J Lombardi
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Joined: 12 January 2005
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Posted: 01 February 2016 at 12:41pm \| IP Logged \| 1

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John Byrne
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Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
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Posted: 01 February 2016 at 12:44pm \| IP Logged \| 2

If you see Rex Reason I don't see how anyone couldn't see the resemblance.

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Well. I can't, for one! Boston Brand, maybe, but not Hal Jordan.

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Anthony J Lombardi
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Posted: 01 February 2016 at 1:26pm \| IP Logged \| 3

As to the sequence providing a possible inspiration, as one who has drawn (pun intended!) inspirations from many sources, I'd call it a stretch to say Abin Sur picking up a flightless trainer and zooming to to his location is much like a jet aircraft being caught in mid-air!
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After reading your comment JB, I looked it up. I see the error I made. My memory of Hal's origin was mixing with various cartoon versions of the origin. In which Hal was flying the plane at the time.

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Ed Love
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Posted: 01 February 2016 at 7:18pm \| IP Logged \| 4

There's an obscure Golden Age superhero character from Quality Comics called Ace of Space has a similar origin to the Hal Jordan Green Lantern. An alien crashes on Earth and before he dies he gives an earthman his technology which he uses to fight crime.

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Rick Whiting
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Posted: 02 February 2016 at 2:16am \| IP Logged \| 5

There is a sequence in This Island Earth that looks very much like it inspired part of Hal Jordan's origin. At the start a scientist played by Rex Reason is flying a Jet towards his destination. When he gets to his location he does a little aerial showing off. Something happens and he loses control of the ship. As he unsuccessfully tries to gain control of the ship a green light envelops the ship, taking control it lands the ship.
Between sequence, Reason's resemblance to Jordan the date of the film 1955. The comic came four years later. I strongly believe that it had to have had an influence on Hal's creation. I read that Kane based Hal's likeness on Paul Newman. If you see Rex Reason I don't see how anyone couldn't see the resemblance.

What do the rest of you think?

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I thought that I was the only one who noticed the similarity to that early sequence in the film to that of the Hal Jordon Green Lantern origin. Also notice how the hero in that film is name Cal. However, JB makes a good point about this being a stretch due to the green beam in the film hitting a moving jet, while Abin Sur's beam hit a flightless trainer.

Speaking of the lead hero in This Island Earth, I really like how scientists in old sci-fi movies from the 30's, 40's,50's,60's,70's,and 80's were not "nerdy wimps", but were instead tough kickbutt action heroes. I the current trend in films and TV where most scientists are portrayed as "nerdy awkward shy wimps".

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