Green Lantern Preliminary Art Discovered

Industry News, Scoop, Friday, August 18, 2006

Scoop has just learned that the original preliminary artwork for the
Green Lantern has been recently rediscovered. The artwork was
discovered in the archives of his creator Marty Nodell. According to
Spence Nodell it was decided that due to Marty's health to move him
to the Milwaukee area where he could be closer to Spence and his
family. As they were packing things up they discovered an old
envelope in a filing cabinet. The cabinet was mostly filled with
materials from Marty's advertising career and not his comic career.
Inside the envelope was the preliminary page of art for the Green
Lantern.

"I've know the Nodell's for nearly 30 years and the existence of this
page was never mentioned by Marty or Carrie. It was also a complete
surprise to Spence. When he showed it to his father Marty confirmed
what it was. I was told that their house in West Palm Beach was
spared during the hurricanes of the past few years. Many houses
including the house next door to the Nodell's were destroyed. They
were very lucky.
Marty is having his ups and downs right now and is still in the
hospital. Hopefully he'll get stronger and return home soon," said
collector Gary Colabuono.

The preliminary art tells the origin of the Green Lantern, but with a
number of notable differences from the published character seen in
All-American Comics #16. The preliminary art notes the Green Lantern
as being Willard Mason a professor at Pueblo University and not Alan
Scott as he was named in his first appearance. Both versions of the
origin feature a train wreck although; the preliminary art featured a
mysterious old lamp made by an old eastern Indian in Singapore. The
origin in All-American Comics #16 notes a fallen meteor in a Chinese
village which was fashioned into a lamp.
"This shows that my dad was the sole creator of the Green Lantern and
also proves that Bill Finger was brought in and made a significant
contribution to Green Lantern," said Spence Nodell.

"Seeing the original concept for the Green Lantern was an amazing
moment at the Wizard World Chicago convention. The fact this piece of
Golden Age history still exists speaks volumes for what is and what
may still be out there waiting to be rediscovered. I'm glad that the
Nodell family was willing to share this item with the collecting
community and I am happy that it will be a treasured family
heirloom," said Gemstone Publishing's Managing Editor Tom Gordon III.