InsaneJournal

A little bit of background may be needed first. This story is sort of a sequel to an earlier Green Lantern tale entitled 'The List' that ran back in 1988. Hal, feeling a little lost and despondent, decides that angsting alone isn't accomplishing much and that he really needs to talk to someone. He makes a list of old friends and associates and plans to seek them out for advice. Unfortunately for him they ALL blow him off, including Ollie and Superman (also, for some reason Hal decided to go to BATMAN first. Friggen BATMAN! Who goes to Batman for emotional support?!). It's kind of an interesting little story (I may post it at some point), and Gaiman decided to write this as a continuation of sorts.

I do apologize in advance if this seems a little disjointed and hard to follow, while this is a prestige format book and longer than your average comic (51 pages) I did have to leave a lot out.

The story opens with a lantern similar to Alan Scott's being uncovered in 1949. It then cuts to The Daily Planet's newsroom several decades later. Look everyone, it's Superm-Clark Kent!




Oh, that Lois.

So anyway, the two heroes are walking through the park to the museum and Hal decides he really needs to unload all his baggage (which admittedly is quite considerable at this point) and Clark is right there, so...



Yeah, the muggers are about as successful as you'd imagine they'd be. The pair continue to the museum and have begun to mingle when Hal runs into a familiar (at least to the readers) face;



I'm not going to lie to you, Hal...a lot of people saw that. For those who may be wondering that’s Hal's Peter Lorre impression.

While exploring less crowded halls of the museum the pair stumble across what appears to be an old power battery in a glass display case. Seeing a lantern in such a place is odd enough but it is especially strange as the majority of the power batteries were destroyed when the central battery on OA exploded. Hal decided it would be a great idea to experiment on this mysterious battery and, sealing off the hall so that no one else will notice what they’re doing, changes into Green Lantern and starts to recite the Oath while pressing his ring to the strange lantern.

It doesn’t go well.



Opps.

When they wake up they have seemingly been transported elsewhere. Or, if you listen to Boston Brand, they both just plain upped and died.



Boston keeps trying to leave before giving them any straight answers. Eventually they decide on their next course of action...



It doesn’t go well...















So what happens next? Well, it involves the Phantom Stranger, a magical (and malignant) green flame and the true significance of Alan Scott’s Oath. Unfortunately I can’t post anymore without hitting the limit. I thought it was worth the effort to track the story down and recommend anyone else who is interested do the same.

ETA: Well, I should have checked the tags earlier, it seems some of this was already posted. Sorry for stepping on your toes there, ashtoreth