Green Lantern/Green Arrow by O’Neil & Adams 

I've always considered Green Arrow's liberal politics to be a socially acceptable variation of Robin Hood's code of "robbing from the rich to give to the poor." Arrow was always intended to be a modern day Robin Hood, but could never embrace Robin's outlaw ways for obvious reasons. However, as a passionate liberal, he could stand up up for the "little guy" against "The Man" (or "The System"), and these are the stories where this began.

It's funny when you think about it - everyone knows that this storyline saved and defined Green Arrow as a character, but I only now learned that Green Lantern was on the verge of cancellation. For all we know, this run also saved Hal Jordan from obscurity and helped GL become one of DC's top properties.

That image of the two screaming in each other's faces is one of the most enduring in the entire industry.

6:40 funny. For a guy called “Speedy”, heroine certainly isn’t the drug you’d expect him to get hooked on.

R.I.P. both Mr's O'Neil and Adams.

Neal Adams does give Stan Lee credit for being the first to break the Comic Code Authority's strangle hold on the industry with those Amazing Spider-Man issues.

Who would win in a battle of wits: Big green magic space cop man, or one green pointy-sticked beardy anarchy boi?

It was more than a little preachy. I was an eleven year old kid and it made me mad. It wasn’t balanced. The duo of creators were in love with no powers super heroes which is weird. The art was fantastic and carried the books.

I met and talked with Neal Adams at NY Comicon regarding this series-within-series. He basically said what you cited regarding his drug issue idea preceding Stan Lee's Spider-man "non-code issues." He was grateful that the Spider-man issues opened the door for his and Denny's story regardless of the timing. He's a great guy and he was generous with his time at the con.

What I'd give for a softcover trade of that book!

I don't know, everyone is saying how great it is that O'Neal balanced conservatism and liberalism but it sounds like he just leaned the narratives left.

i always heard about this storyline but didnt know the specifics. Thanks a lot!

Thanks for choosing this one. Shows people can work together and be friends despite differing political views. What a concept.

I owned this material in various printings over the years, but never the original issues. Never was overly hyped about the stories, but the art was certainly in a class by it's self.

"This veracity of the anecdote is...difficult to confirm." :)

Did you cover the Mike Grell issues immediately afterward too?

Superman: "Darkseid intends to destroy the Earth with his Anti-Life equation!" Green Arrow: "Then we must stop him at any cost. I don't religiously pay my taxes just to have someone destroy my planet!" Green Lantern: "You say that because, being rich, you don't mind giving money to the State. There are others who can't afford so many luxuries and yet, politicians still take their money, you know?" Superman: "Guys..." Green Arrow: "Without taxes we wouldn't have roads, sewers and many other things that make life easier, you know?" Green Lantern: "So what? If I don't give my money away willingly, it's still theft, no matter what it's used for." Superman: "Guys..." Green Arrow: "Your financial situation is good enough to easily give away a small percentage of your earnings each month, Hal. It's not that bad for you!" Green Lantern: "But it's not as stable as that of a rich man like you, you know? Also, Carol wants with all her soul that I get her pregnant. How do you want me to give the love of my life a child if the money that should support my son is spent by the president's at parties?! Anyway, I don't think you care about the baby my girl wants, considering that you didn't care at all about the one that Dinah had in her womb for only 4 weeks..." Superman: "Guys!" Green Arrow: "Dinah is a grown and responsible woman! She can do whatever she pleases with her body!" Green Lantern: "That "My body, my rules" philosophy means sh*t if it's at the cost of the life of someone who can't even defend themselves. If both of you made a mistake, then grow up and take responsibility for your actions!" Superman: "Guys!" Green Arrow: "How curious that you care about beings that have not yet been born, while you don't mid about all the children who die of misery for not being able to enter America!" Green Lantern: "Any foreigner is welcome as long as they do so following the Law. If you allow them to enter without the legal procedures, you are inviting them to not respect the law at all!" Superman: "GUYS!!!!" Green Lantern/Arrow: "WHAT?!" Superman: "Darkseid has destroyed the Earth while you were arguing..." Green Lantern/Arrow: "...He started it" *Point to each other*

It is also worth noting that Gil Kane worked on the Spiderman drug story series at Marvel, and that was initiated by the US Dept of Health, Education and Welfare.

GA as a leftist, except he shot boy scout which clearly was a symbol of government in Miller's view.

I learned about societal expectations. Phew. For me, at the idea of societal expectations are not forced upon me or many people at the very least. Instead the term "societal expectations" depends for many people in their lives and ideals. As in what is going to happen or believing how people will become in society. Not to be forced or pressured. It just takes time. This is what happened to many generations ago as well.

ace video, as always!

I love this part of the sliver age green lantern

I love how this run balances the two political views without forcing one. Now that's how you do politics.

Ah yes, the All in the Family of DC Comics

Imagine if Dwayne McDuffie didn't pass away when he did and JLA Unlimited continued a little longer...bet you he would have did a versioxn this with Stewart, Queen, and......Kara Zor El......?😮

Speedy...What’s in a name?

Adams did do a drug story . . . . in the second Deadman story in Strange Adventures in 1967 and the CCA approved it for some reason.

I am a fan of Marvel comics, but I love DC Comics because of the things that this video demonstrates. The wiliness that DC Comics had to experiment with their characters and the williness to tell distinct types of stories and take risks. Look at Alan Moore on Swamp Things, Grant Morrison's the Invisibles, Animal Man and his superhero stories, The Specter, Statman and Hitman in the 90s, Vertigo Comics, and the Waller vs. WildStorm from its Black Label. Mature comics. Yes DC Comics had make mistakes and had its misfires but Marvel is too pedestrian with its comics.

I remember how "powerful" that scene in the first issue was when I was a child. Now that I've grown some, I realize that the guy for some reason didn't realize who GL was and what he actually did, and didn't seem to think he himself was a native of Earth, and was saved along with the rest of the fricking planet most times GL went into action. Hal never did ANYTHING for a specific "white" person other than Carol Ferris, so was the old guy offering to date Hal?

7:50 I always looked at this cover as Hal getting a little back at Ollie with that statement.

I'm trying to read preview catalogs from 2004-2006 hahaha they're hard to find was hoping someone could assist

Is anyone watching this in 2022

"The fascism of the leftists" bruh

I think that page with the three panels with the black man is the most powerful page in all of comic book history

I have the ominous of this run I love it was so good I kinda need to reread it

God this run is overrated

😎 cool

But comics aren't supposed to have politics

'Arguably the most famous three panels in comic book history." No.....just no. Not even close. Any random 3 panels out of Dark Knight or Watchmen or many other masterpieces would be much more famous than these three panels.

The first SJW comic... ugh.

The books were very much of their time. An approach to telling a different kind of story with Hal (conservative) dealing with Oliver (liberal) over issues relevant to the audience. Problem was, comics fans want rock'm sock'm evil aliens who don't resemble anyone even remotely recognizable to real world counterparts. Head in the sand? Sure. But there are other places where con vs lib issues can be hashed out. I, for one, never forgave Denny and Neal making Speedy addicted to drugs. Being raised in the 50s, I see comics as "Funny Books" there to escape the humdrum of everyday problems. That said, you've done a damn fine job, as always, of encapsulating a chunk of Comics History. Thanks for that!

5:58 Well, it looks like he was spot on about the feminist movement. So called liberated women hate either men and their feminine nature.

The woke stuff back in the day was just as cringe as now.