▁powers , ▁all ▁of ▁which ▁come ▁from ▁imagination ▁and / or ▁emot ions . ▁The ▁characters ▁are ▁typically ▁dep icted ▁as ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Green ▁Lan tern ▁Corps , ▁an ▁inter stell ar ▁law ▁enfor cement ▁ag ency . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁Green ▁Lan tern ▁character , ▁Alan ▁Scott , ▁was ▁created ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁by ▁Martin ▁N od ell ▁during ▁the ▁Golden ▁Age ▁of ▁Com ic ▁Books ▁and ▁usually ▁fought ▁common ▁crim inals ▁in ▁Capit ol ▁City ▁( and ▁later , ▁Goth am ▁City ) ▁with ▁the ▁aid ▁of ▁his ▁magic ▁ring . ▁For ▁the ▁Silver ▁Age ▁of ▁Com ic ▁Books , ▁John ▁Bro ome ▁and ▁Gil ▁K ane ▁rein vent ed ▁the ▁character ▁as ▁Hal ▁Jordan ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁and ▁shift ed ▁the ▁focus ▁of ▁Green ▁Lan tern ▁stories ▁from ▁fant asy ▁to ▁science ▁fiction . ▁Other ▁notable ▁Green ▁Lan tern s ▁include ▁Guy ▁Gard ner , ▁John ▁Stewart , ▁and ▁K yle ▁Ray ner . ▁ ▁The ▁Green ▁Lan tern s ▁are ▁among ▁DC ▁Comics ' ▁longer ▁last ing ▁sets ▁of ▁characters . ▁They ▁have ▁been ▁adapted ▁to ▁television , ▁video ▁games , ▁and ▁motion ▁pictures . ▁ ▁Public ation ▁history ▁ ▁Golden ▁Age ▁▁ ▁Martin ▁N od ell ▁( initial ly ▁using ▁the ▁name ▁Mart ▁D ell on ) ▁created ▁the ▁first ▁Green ▁Lan tern . ▁He ▁first ▁appeared ▁in ▁the ▁Golden ▁Age ▁of ▁Com ic ▁Books ▁in ▁All - American ▁Comics ▁# 1 6 ▁( J uly ▁ 1 9 4 0