hal jordan and paul newman?

[Chris Thomas]

I just read paul newman was the inspiration for hal jordan? is this true? in what way?

any other 'inspirations' of major dc characters from real-life folks you know of?

[Bicycle-Repairman]

Captain Marvel's appearance was modelled after Fred MacMurray. Jerry Siegel said Superman was partially inspired by Douglas Fairbanks Sr. and Clark Kent was based on Harold Lloyd. The name "Clark Kent" was inspired by the first names of Clark Gable and Kent Taylor. The Joker bears a striking similarity to Conrad Veidt as the title character in the 1928 film adaptation of Victor Hugo's The Man Who Laughs, but a cartoon face on display at Coney Island has also been cited as an inspiration for the Clown Prince of Crime.

[Glaucon]

I just read paul newman was the inspiration for hal jordan?

I thought it was the other way around? :)

[The Scribe]

So, when is Hal Jordan's salad dressing coming put?

http://bizbash.com/content/editorial/mediafiles/e1992sho_02_0401_PaulNewman_PC-SylvainGabouyri_3_152.jpg



:D

[Chris Thomas]

I feel you might all think I am insane

let me give linkage:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Newman

last line

I am not insane. and I like his salsa.

[Joker2503]

This comes from the trade of "Identity Crisis." In the "director's cut" info in the back, Rags Morales lists who he based each heroes appearance on. If I'm remembering right, Paul Newman was the basis for Hal Jordan. A few more are: Batman - Tom Selleck, Green Arrow - Layne Staley, Sue Dibny - Mary Anne from 'Gilligan's Island'

[Bicycle-Repairman]

Jack Kirby's Fourth World books featured Goody Rickles, based on comedian Don Rickles, and Funky Flashman, who is believed to be a bitter parody of Stan Lee. Mr. Miracle was inspired in part by Jim Steranko, who worked as a magician and escape artist before becoming an illustrator. Big Barda's physique was said to be modelled after Lainie Kazan, but her personality was based on Kirby's wife Rosalind.

[Paradox]

Paul Newman would kick Hal Jordan's ass!

"Somebody count 1-2-3-go."

[Bored at 3:00AM]

This comes from the trade of "Identity Crisis." In the "director's cut" info in the back, Rags Morales lists who he based each heroes appearance on. If I'm remembering right, Paul Newman was the basis for Hal Jordan. A few more are: Batman - Tom Selleck, Green Arrow - Layne Staley, Sue Dibny - Mary Anne from 'Gilligan's Island'

No, it goes back much further than Identity Crisis, all the way back to 1959 when the character was first designed. Hal Jordan's co-creator, the late great Gil Kane, based Hal's appearance on Paul Newman whereas The Guardians' appearance was based upon the Prime Minister of Israel at the time, Sinestro was quite obviously David Niven with red skin and Carol Ferris was Elizabeth Taylor, I believe.

[Sk8maven]

If Kane (or the colorist) had given Hal blue eyes instead of brown, no one would ever have doubted who he based him on. ;)

Maven

[Shellhead]

I just read paul newman was the inspiration for hal jordan? is this true? in what way?

any other 'inspirations' of major dc characters from real-life folks you know of?

Yes, they were originally going to call Hal "Green Hand Luke." ;)

Actually, this is the first that I have ever heard of this connection.

As for other examples, John Constantine was based on Sting, the musician. Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern, is a counter-case... he was going to be named Alan Ladd, as a tribute to Aladdin (and his magic lamp), but the name was changed to Alan Scott to avoid confusion with a popular actor of the day.

[Slam_Bradley]

Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern, is a counter-case... he was going to be named Alan Ladd, as a tribute to Aladdin (and his magic lamp), but the name was changed to Alan Scott to avoid confusion with a popular actor of the day.


I've heard this one a number of times over the years, but I really don't buy it. Green Lantern first appeared in All-American #16 cover dated July 1940. Given the lead times the story was probably written no later then the end of '39 or very early in 1940. At that point Alan Ladd had only had two credited movie roles...and he was WAY down on the credits. He really didn't become a name until he appeared in "This Gun for Hire" which was released in May of 1942.

[Sk8maven]

Bill Finger started making this claim somewhere around the 1950's or 1960's (which means that it is suspect on the grounds of "hindsight" alone). Versions of the story that circulated after the chronological discrepancy was pointed out had the editor shooting down the suggested name because "How dumb is that?" But even those versions don't get around the problem that the whole point of the anecdote is the "name recognition" factor which existed only after the fact.

Martin Nodell, who used to go along with the claim, has more recently (i.e. after Finger's death) gone on record as denying that he ever did anything but pick a couple of names at random - "Alan" and "Scott" - out of the New York phonebook.

Roy Thomas certainly believed the story - and either never read, or spaced the memory of, All-American #38, in which Alan Scott's middle name is revealed as "Wellington". He gave Alan's middle name, in Infinity Inc. Annual #1, as "Ladd". :p

Fans nowadays tend to reconcile that discrepancy by assuming Alan has two middle names and has used whichever one seemed more appropriate at the time. ;)

Maven

[Sk8maven]

Oh, and as far as visual reference sources, it's pretty obvious that Nodell based Alan Scott on Buster "Flash Gordon" Crabbe.

Maven

[Ontir]

I just read paul newman was the inspiration for hal jordan? is this true? in what way?

any other 'inspirations' of major dc characters from real-life folks you know of?

I don't know, but it'd make sense. Newman was at, or near his zenith of popularity, when Jordan arrived on the scene. What's interesting about that to me, is that I've long thought that Newman would be the ideal choice to play Alan Scott in a JSA movie.

CC Beck, the original Captain Marvel ("Shazam") artist, based Cap on Fred Macmurray. The resemblance carried on, to some extent, but is very apparent in the first issue.

[PatrickG]

Bruce Wayne was named after Robert the Bruce and Mad Anthony Wayne.

[davids]

MacMurray played a sand hog in a movie called his kind of woman. He invented a new way to dig under preseure a female reporter Cladete colber [B&W version of cleopatra and sign of the cross and happened one night] Had a dream of Fred mcmurry as a customed superhero. Marvel all the way!

[Paradox]

Frankly, I personally find the whole concept silly, as I don't see the slightest resemblance between Newman and Kane's Hal.

I smell an urban myth...

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Frankly, I personally find the whole concept silly, as I don't see the slightest resembelence between Newman and Kane's Hal.

I smell an urban myth...

Nope, its true. Kane freely admitted it.

[Buried Alien]

And consider this: 1970s Barry Allen Flash looked alot like Robert Redford during the same time period.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as the Silver Age GL and Flash. :)


Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)