An INSIDE LOOK at the Green Lantern #1 Facsimile Edition…

Facsimile Editions? Can’t get enough of them.

It doesn’t matter if I’ve read the story before. It’s all about the packaging: the ads, the back-ups, the letters and whatnot.

In some cases, it’s especially the letters because that’s where you can see how fans at the time immediately responded to historic events — like the introduction of Hal Jordan in 1959.

I mean, consider what you know about GL now — the Green Lantern Corps, the Guardians, Carol Ferris, Coast City, all of it — and then take a minute to imagine what it was like at the beginning.

Well, the beauty of the Green Lantern #1 Facsimile Edition — out Feb. 5 from DC — is that you can find out.

In this INSIDE LOOK, you get the first appearance of the Guardians and a recap of Hal Jordan’s GL origin. Neato. But you also get two pages of letters that convey how fans like future comics luminary Roy Thomas felt about Alan Scott’s Silver Age replacement, who began his run in Showcase.

So, check out these story pages, followed by Green Lantern’s Mail Chute (which I’ve posted in larger size for easier reading).

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Did you read the third point in Thomas’ letter? Shockman way have been a DOA idea but the concept has echoes of Sinestro — who first appeared six issues later — does it not?

Anyway, we’ve got more for you to eyeball:

Dig these groovy features and ads — including a PSA that’s a relevant today as ever:

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A few thoughts:

— When we broke the news in November that this was coming (click here), I noted that I was somewhat surprised that DC was reprinting 1960’s Green Lantern #1 instead of Hal’s first appearance in Showcase #22. Now I get it: As mentioned, this issue introduces the Guardians — who are central to The Green Lantern: Season 2, by Grant Morrison and Liam Sharp, which kicks off Feb. 12.

— Standard price comparison: An original will cost you a lot of greenbacks. A mid-to-high-range, unslabbed copy recently sold on eBay for $737.50. The Facsimile Edition is four bucks.

— This is the second GL issue to get the Facsimile Edition treatment. The first was Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams’ Green Lantern #85. (Click here for an INSIDE LOOK at the creative team’s brilliance.)

— Speaking of creative teams, the Green Lantern #1 cover was pencilled by Gil Kane — who based Hal on Paul Newman — and inked by Joe Giella. The lead story was written by John Broome, with pencils by Kane and inks by Murphy Anderson. The back-up — which was the cover story — was by Broome, Kane and Giella.

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MORE

— How Fans Immediately Reacted to BATGIRL’s Debut — Over Five Decades Ago. Click here.

— How Fans Viewed the JUSTICE LEAGUE at the Very Beginning. Click here.