All American Comics#2

The Sign of the Green Lantern!

To many people, the news that a new library was going to be built may not qualify as news. But to two women, the news was of the utmost importance; Clara Kent of the Daily Star saw this as an assignment to be reported on to the best of her abilities. Alana Scott, meanwhile, saw this as an important step in her professional career. Her mentor John Hall had been locked in a fierce bidding war to get the city's contract and she had come to Metropolis to both lend moral support and her skills. She glanced down at the green ring on her finger. "And more than that if need be."

Cyrus Gorson, commissioner of public works, had called a small press conference. Hall had been pacing back and forth. Alana sat in the main lobby as Gorson stepped to the podium and addressed the small crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen of the press, I thank you for coming out. Now, as you've no doubt been aware, our shining city has had a small budget windfall this year, so it was decided that a new library should be constructed as to better benefit our citizens." Gorson smiled broadly and gestured to a reedy looking fellow behind him. "And after much consideration there is no one better to handle this momentous task than Mueller Contractors." The reedy fellow stepped forward and showed a few sketches of what the library was to look like.

Clara scribbled her notes, but as she did so she happened to overhear a conversation some feet away.

"Blast it, Mueller had it in the bag from the beginning! Why, there's no point in even trying in this job!" Hall spat.

"Look, I know there's always some gladhanding on some level, but just because you lost this bid doesn't mean" Alana was cut off.

"Yeah, I lost this one, and the five jobs before that. Mueller's smart though. Gorson doesn't always give the job to 'Mueller Contractors', no, sometimes it's Miller, or Mulligan, and Mellerson, but it's all the same! Mueller just slaps a new name on the plaque and gets the bill."

"Look John, why don't you go take the rest of the day off. I'll look around, see what I can find." Clara stepped away from the conversation.

"Hmm, that does make sense. Even with a different name I've seen the same crews over and over. This might be a job for Superwoman!"

That night, Alana Scott walked out of Hall's office and towards Mueller Contractors. Hall hadn't worked in almost a year. Every project he bid on somehow Mueller would get at the last minute. Once or twice she could see, but every single time?

She stood outside the lightened door and was about to switch off the lights and lock up when a dark sedan parked at the end of the street suddenly roared to life. Before she could move, it raced past her, the deadly barrel of a Thompson jutting out of the back window. Bullets tore the front of the office apart. She jerked back as the slugs flattened against her skin. She collapsed in the doorway.

The car was down the street when she sat up, the slugs sliding off her and her ring glowing. "I guess that answers my question about Mueller, but how can I prove he ordered this?" She concentrated, and her clothes were covered in a bright green light.

When the light faded, she was now clad in the red and green costume of the Green Lantern. "Now I follow the car and find out everything!"

Taking to the sky, she followed the car as it drove to the heart of the city and parked before the Mueller Building. She landed on the building's ledge as the goons entered the building. Looking up to the only lit window, she waited until she heard voice before flying up and crashing through the glass.

She landed on the floor, her fist blazing. "You're all under arrest!" Mueller sat calmly at his desk while the thugs stood slack jawed.

"Alright, if you got us, then we give up." Mueller stood up, but unseen by the Green Lantern his foot pressed a button under his desk. The floor under her gave way. The green light glowed as she started to fly, but the momentum was too much and she smacked her head into the wooden walls. She dropped to the bottom of the trap.

Mueller glanced down at unconscious heroine. "Tie her up and toss her in the harbor."

The Green Lantern, now bound in the heaviest chains Muller had on hand, was pulled from the trunk of the car. "Hey Leo, shouldn't we take a peek?" Donnie pointed to her mask.

"Why? Unless that screwy dame is secretly Judy Garland, would you know who she is?"

"Naw, I guess not." With one shrug he kicked the Green Lantern into the icy cold waters of Metropolis Harbor. Watching her sink, the two thugs got back into their car and drove off.

She snapped awake as soon as she hit the water. A bubble formed over her head as she sank. "I guess my ring must have automatically protected me? But why did I get knocked out?"

She imagined a large pair of scissors cutting the chains. Once freed, she floated back up and out of the harbor. A green flame dried out her costume.

"Well, I was going to help, but I see you can handle yourself." A voice came from behind.

She spun around, her ring casting a bright green light over the pier. Before her was a sight only glimpsed in the papers. She felt her knees go weak. "Superwoman?"

The blue and red heroine smiled and pointed at her ring. "That's a real neat trick you have there. Did you build that yourself?"

"Oh, ah no. It's a long story, and I'm not sure what you'd believe."

Superwoman shrugged off the question. "You'd be surprised, but that leaves the question of just what exactly led you to be tossed off the pier?"

She explained, omitting her secret identity. Superwoman nodded. "Muller's been on my radar for a while but I've never been able to prove anything." She glanced at the ring on her finger. "How would you like to give him a proper scare?"

The Green Lantern smiled. "I'm listening…"

Cyrus leaned back in his chair as he lit his cigar. "Rough business boys, but hopefully Mister Hall will go back to Gotham on the next train."

"And if he doesn't boss?" Donnie scratched his chin.

Cyrus grinned. "Then you pick up another job." He chuckled.

"Cyrus Gorson…" a voice echoed down the hall. Donnie and Leo both drew their guns. They went to the door and glanced down the hall.

"Nobody there." Leo narrowed his beady eyes.

"Cyrus Gorson!" the voice, now much louder, came from the wall. A green hand emerged from the wall, followed by a slim arm.

"Holy Hannah!" both thugs fired, stopping only when their guns clicked empty. The arm was quickly followed by a torso and soon the familiar face of Alana Scott.

"Cyrus Gorson!" her eyes snapped open, revealing milky white eyes. "You killed me!"

"No!" Gorson drew a sawed-off shotgun from under his desk and fired both barrels. The walls behind the ghost splintered. He flung the weapon away as he scrambled for the door, Donnie and Leo having dashed the moment the ghost identified herself.

Gorson sprinted down the hall, the green figure keeping an even pace with him. Crashing through the front door, he failed to spot his goons stuck on the pavement with a stop sign wrapped around their ankles. He probably would have run right into traffic until he smacked headlong into Superwoman.

"Problem?"

"Ghost!" Gorson raised himself to his knees. He clutched at her cape. "I'm being haunted, ghosts!" His voice broke down into hysterical sobbing.

"Well, let's take you down to the police. I'm sure they have resources to prevent any ghosts from getting to you."

Superwoman dropped the three men off at the local precinct. The desk sergeant was skeptical, but when Gorson confessed to his acts of murder and bribery, the police took them off her hands.

Superwoman saw the Green Lantern hovering over the Gorson building. "While you were turning them in, I went through his safe. Gorson's ledgers show enough evidence of graft to keep him in stripes for a while.

"I'll make sure the press gets ahold of them." Superwoman eyed the ring again. "Impressive abilities. Did you build that yourself?"

The Green Lantern blushed. "Ah, no, not exactly. It's a long story."

She didn't press. "Fair enough. You did a good job. You operate mostly out of Gotham, right?"

"Yes."

Superwoman nodded. "Nice to see the city has someone to protect it." She looked out over her own city. "If you need any help, just let me know." She leaped off into the night.

"Wow!"

On the train ride back, Alana sat next to John, a dressing on her head. She explained that the bullets grazed her head and shoulder and she hid while the incident between Gorson and the heroes went down. Hall believed it.

"Amazing town. What if Gotham had someone like Superwoman watching over it?"

"Oh really John, life isn't like a comic book." Alana giggled. "Mystery men and women running in every town?" John laughed softly at the idea and leaned back in his seat. Alana watched the city pass by as the train built up speed.

The end

Based on "the Sign of the Green Lantern" which was first published in All-American Comics I#17 (August 1940) with credits to Bill Finger (script) and Martin Nodell (pencils/inks/colors)

Next time, "At the World's Fair!"

All American Mail

From Wolvmbm

Nice start to a new series and a nice Bat cameo at the end of this story. Yet it got me thinking: I know that you like to retell the Golden Age tales of DC comics with a gender switch, but maybe it's time for an original tale? I mean we never seen a Gold Age tale of the Bat and Green Lantern teaming up together? Just something to consider. Still nice start to the new series. Keep up your wonderful work on these fantastic tales.

Thanks! Yes, there will be some original yarns with some different characters, eventually.

A mill thanks to Darci for proof reading the previous volumes as well.

Be on the lookout for the upcoming titles

Sensation Comics#16-Mission to Planet Eros

Detective Comics#15-Professor Strange and His Monster Men

Action Comics#15-Jail Break!