Set Description:
Synopsis: This is a complete set of 92 books with a minimum grade of 9.0, which has topped the census since 2012, although for a couple of years we kept it obscured. The set features 81 books that are highest graded, including 16 books that are single highest graded-down from a high of 27 books a few years ago. Of the 11 issues where we lack a highest graded example, all but three are bested by a single copy, with two trailing two books one grade above. Only one book in this set , our Showcase #33 9.0, which was tied for highest graded in 2012 when we acquired it, is worse than second highest graded, bested by a single 9.2 and a single 9.4.
Background: The first Green Lantern character, Alan Scott, was created in 1940 by Martin Nodell with scripting or co-scripting of the first stories by Bill Fingerduring the Golden Age of Comic Books and usually fought common criminals in Capitol City (and later, Gotham City) with the aid of his magic ring. For the Silver Age of Comic Books, John Broome and Gil Kane reinvented the character as Hal Jordan in 1959 and introduced the Green Lantern Corps, shifting the nature of the character from fantasy to science fiction. During the Bronze Age of Comic Books, Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams introduced John Stewart, a new member of the Corps who was one of DC's first black superheroes. Other notable Green Lanterns include Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, Simon Baz, Jessica Cruz and Jo Mullein.
The Green Lanterns are among DC Comics' longest lasting sets of characters. They have been adapted to television, video games, and motion pictures.
Our Collection: The only differences in this set and our award winning GL #1-89 are the three Showcases #22-24. The highlight there is our #23 9.4 with WP, which is the single highest graded example. Some day we might try to start adding some later books, but for now it’s just a place to park the three Showcase try-out issues.
Unlike many sets where we rank #1, because the top collections are not registered, I think it is safe to say that this is the greatest collection of SA Green Lantern books in existence containing copies of every single issue, including 61 9.8s and 16 single highest graded issues.
We really jumpstarted this set back in 2011 when CL auctioned off what was up until that time the #1 registry set containing a slew of Pacific Coast pedigrees. We also acquired in that auction our copy of GL #1, which sat atop the registry until one of the other two 9.4s was upgraded in 2019.
During 2019, we were lucky enough to add 7 single highest graded books through a private transaction with a good friend and fellow collector. But in the last five years books, 11 of the books we owned that were previously single highest graded lost that distinction, so that the goal has decreased to just 15.
Currently, the highlights of this set are the first four issues that are all highest graded examples, with Issues #2 and #3 holding that distinction alone.
Current Stats:
92/92 Books
61 9.8s-All Highest Graded
20 9.6s-17 Highest Graded
6 9.4s-2 Highest Graded
3 9.2s
2 9.0s-1 Highest Graded
47 WP
36 OW/W
9 OW
16 Single Highest Graded
81 Highest Graded
10 Second Highest Graded
1 Third Highest Graded
34 Pedigrees
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