Green Lantern No. 110 Cover by Mike Grell

Along with writer Denny O’Neil, artist Mike Grell had taken Green Lantern from being a back-up in The Flash and relaunched into his own mag with No. 90 in 1976. By the time No. 110 came out in 1978 during the DC Explosion, Grell was about to leave the book to handle writing and pencilling duties on his own creation The Warlord, a book that went from bi-monthly to monthly status during the same time.

The cover for No. 110 is one of the most dramatic and powerful in the book’s run. It’s also likely hands-down the most graphic with the bare-chested Hal Jordan revealing his nipples. Who needs Power Girl’s boob window with details like that? Can anyone name another time bare nipples appeared on a DC Comics cover?

Given this was 1978, I’m surprised the cover made it past the Comics Code. I’m guessing being burned with fantasy green fire was seen as less graphic or real than the branding iron red and blistering I’ve given it here. And the nipples kind of get lost in the original under the hatching and no-emphasis colouring. Again, I’ve corrected this.

Colour and shit disturbing by me.

As published.

Scan from Heritage Auctions.

Made production ready. The lettering stats had faded and some of the fat ink lines weren’t as solid as they should be, so some adjustments and retouching went into this one.

New colour version.

Re-created trade dress added.