Long before Hal Jordan ever picked up the ring and joined the Green Lantern Corps, another man was also known as the Green Lantern: Alan Scott. Unlike Jordan, Garner, Rayner, Baz, or Cruz, Scott is not a member of the Green Lantern Corps but still wields a power ring and served as a predecessor and inspiration to the Green Lantern Corps. Alan Scott has been a member of the DC Universe for nearly 80 years. Scott was created by Martin Nodell and made his first appearance in All American Comics #16 in 1940.

The power ring came from a meteor that landed in ancient China. The meteor contained a flame that managed to find its way to becoming a piece of metal that fell into the hands of a young railroad engineer: Alan Scott. Scott took the metal and made it into a ring with the help of the flame.With this power ring, Scott took up the identity of Green Lantern and became a crime fighter. Like his later counterparts, Scott was able to use the ring to fly and create constructs that he wishes. During his early adventures, Scott fought villains including long time enemy Solomon Grundy. Scott eventually teamed up with several other heroes and became a founding member of the Justice Society of America teaming with life long friend Jay Garrick aka The Flash. With the rest of the Justice Society, Scott served alongside the allied forces during World War 2 taking on the Axis powers as well as raising support for the war effort back home alongside many heroes from the era.

After the war though, superhero comics started to decline and several publications had been cancelled. Around this time, with the rest of the Justice Society, Scott was summoned by the Joint Congressional Un-American Activities Committee and was asked to give up his identity to the public. With the rest of the JSA, Scott declined and instead retired from being a superhero. Scott would occasionally come out of retirement and team up with the Justice League as well as his cross-universe predecessor: Hal Jordan. In this time, Scott also married the villain Rose Canton better known as Rose and Thorn and had two children who both became superheroes: Todd Rice aka Obsidian, and Jennifer Lynn-Hayden aka Jade. Scott also married the villain Molly Mayne aka Harlequin in the 1980s.

Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, Alan’s origins changed. This time Alan’s power ring belonged to a member of the Green Lantern Corps named Yalan Gur. Gur later rebelled against the Guardians of the Universe and became the meteor that made Scott’s ring. Scott also teamed up with several members of the Green Lantern Corps, especially Kyle Rayner to whom Scott served as a father figure and a mentor to. Scott would later give Kyle Rayner his original power ring following a team up to defeat Extant. Scott briefly used the name Sentinel having also officially passed his title to Rayner though eventually he went back to his Green Lantern title.

The Infinite Crisis and 52 Storylines saw Scott as a key player but also saw Scott witness tragedy. During Infinite Crisis, Scott lost his daughter Jade and later loses an eye in a zeta beam transporter accident. Scott would continue to team with several heroes through his career until his sacrifice during a battle with D’arken saw Scott use the power of the Starheart to defeat D’arken but sacrifice himself in the process.

In the New 52 reboot, Scott is changed to a young media mogul on Earth 2, who upon attempting to propose to his boyfriend Sam Zhao, is in a train accident and becomes the Green Lantern after the avatar of the green takes over Alan’s engagement ring. Scott would team with the Seven Wonders of the World, many of which are reimaginings of his fellow JSA members.

Alan Scott has appeared in other media including a live action appearance in the Smallville episode “Absolute Justice” where he was played by Doug Pinton. Scott also appeared in the Batman The Brave and the Bold episode “Crisis: 23,000 miles above Earth” voiced by Corey Burton.