Why did DC let Metzer give away Hal's return in Identity Crisis?

[Choppa]

I was reading Identity Crisis again and got to the part where Green Arrow is talking to the Spectre about who killed Jean. Then at the end there's a whole page where Hal obviously reveals he is going to return to the living. If this was like one line that would make sense to me because I lot of people probably wouldn't even remember it or understand it. But this is like so freaking obvious, why'd they let that slip so early??

[Jkid099]

Because at that point there had been solicitations and interviews and various other confirmations about the mini-series "Green Lantern: Rebirth" that it was already common knowledge that Hal Jordan was returning to the land of the living, and the ranks of the Green Lanterns.

[Choppa]

Oh. That's weird, I don't remember that.

[skally19]

i didn't really think it was a bad thing. i wasn't too much into comics back then so i didn't keep up on news. and i think ID was my first cross over event..anyways. it didn't do anything except excite me, so i guess that was their point

[DoctorDoom]

Yeah I remember those early solicits.

[rwe1138]

That wasn't the first time it was hinted at, either. In Flash #200 (written by Geoff Johns, who wrote GL:Rebirth), after Hal (as the Specter) sent Wally on his way to regain his secret identity, a time travelling Barry Allen mentions Hal is "well on his way." Hal responds with "What do you mean?"

[hitokiri_]

about to post that. beat me to it! damn you.

[kyleryner]

IIRC, that scene showed Ollie asking Hal, "so when are you coming back" (like it was something he could have done anytime but just havent gotten around doing it yet) and Hal replied "Im working on it" (as if he had a plan, and yes, just wait for it I'll defintely be back..)

It does, as you said, serve as a bit of foreshadowing... but story-wise, it doesnt make sense. Hal had no idea events were being set in motion that will culminate in Rebirth. Did he even know his body was kept in stasis by the Guardians? Kyle accidentally discovered the yellow entity Parallax and set off the chain of events that led to Hal's resurrection.

[carabas]

I read it as Hal making a joke about the inevitability of taxes and resurrections in the DCU.

[Choppa]

^lol

Kylerynr has a good point though, it doesn't make any sense. Perhaps Johns didn't have the whole story figured out at that time?

Btw, I seem to remember that when Hal became the Spectre, no one was allowed to know that it was him. Did that really happen or am I imagining things?

[dupersuper]

That was just during the first few issues

[Sean Walsh]

IIRC, that scene showed Ollie asking Hal, "so when are you coming back" (like it was something he could have done anytime but just havent gotten around doing it yet) and Hal replied "Im working on it" (as if he had a plan, and yes, just wait for it I'll defintely be back..)

If anything, that line could be taken as mere jest between 2 old friends. Sure, the specifics don't line up exactly.......but it's Hal and Ollie. One second they're arguing and the next they're shootin' the sh*t. :p

[Choppa]

That was just during the first few issues

So then what happened?

[jerrymcl89]

There wasn't ever much mystery in what would happen in a series called "Green Lantern:Rebirth", so I don't see how it was a priority to keep it a secret.