Green Lantern heads to the American Wild West in a genius new piece of fanart DC needs to see. Although Green Lantern lives in modern times, the concept allows for one to exist in practically any time or era. Artist Mike J. Becker taps into this idea, creating a Green Lantern patrolling the American West of the 19th century, keeping it safe from outlaws.
Mike Becker released the fanart in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Becker stated it began as a commission. Becker called the piece: “Green Lantern Hal Jordan, space cowboy.” It shows Hal in a Wild West version of a Green Lantern outfit, complete with a green cape and cowboy hat. He carries his Lantern in his hand, and a group of alien villagers behind him stare in awe.
Becker also attached work-in-progress versions of the piece, giving fans an inside look into his creative process.
There Has Never Been A Canonical Cowboy Green Lantern
DC’s Elseworlds Would Be the Perfect Venue for a Wild West Green Lantern
Green Lantern is a pillar of the DC Universe, and at least one version of the character has been active since the Silver Age. During the Silver Age, Green Lantern was given an overhaul, reorienting the character from a magic-based hero to high-concept science fiction. Under the editorial guidance of Julius Schwartz, Green Lantern became a representative of an intergalactic police force, who patrolled the universe. The Green Lantern Corps is millennia old and is made up of many different species. Several humans, including Hal Jordan, John Stewart and Jessica Cruz, have been members.
While humans have been members of the Green Lantern Corps, none joined until Hal Jordan. This rules out a canonical Wild West Green Lantern. Yet the DC multiverse is large and sprawling, and as seen in the classic Elseworlds label, there exist different variations of Green Lantern. In 1993’s Emerald Knight, Bruce Wayne obtained the Green Lantern Power Ring. With it, he became a Green Lantern/Batman mashup. Other Elseworlds titles revealed the existence of additional Green Lantern variants from across history, but still none from the Wild West.
DC Needs To Create a Wild West Green Lantern Comic
The Green Lantern Corps Are Intergalactic Cowboys
Mike Becker’s new piece of fanart finally brings to life the cowboy Green Lantern fans did not know they needed. Mixing together the Wild West and the Green Lantern Corps is a stroke of genius, as the two concepts go hand in hand. The lawmen of the Wild West patrolled vast and desolate stretches of land, just as the Green Lanterns keep distant sectors of space safe. Much like these lawmen, most Green Lanterns also work alone. Finally, Becker’s art captures the essence of Hal Jordan, whose maverick attitude makes him a modern-day cowboy.
Source: Mike J. Becker
