Green Lantern: market prices and trends in 2026

Green Lantern is one of the rare comic book properties that authentically spans every era of American comics. Alan Scott (Golden Age, 1940) and Hal Jordan (Silver Age, 1959) share the title and a power ring but have no cosmological connection — they are two entirely distinct characters. The Green Lantern vol.2 solo series launched in 1960 and ran through 1988 (issues #1–224), featuring landmark Silver Age keys (#1, #40), a socially-engaged Bronze Age run by Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams (#76), and the first appearance of John Stewart (#87). The 2000s brought Hal Jordan back via Geoff Johns's Green Lantern: Rebirth #1 (2004) and the cosmic events Sinestro Corps War (2007) and Blackest Night (2009).

This guide sticks to the verifiable: eBay medians from our estimator (eBay.fr + eBay.com, June 2026) and records documented by Heritage Auctions and specialist sources. Important caveat: the two great grails (All-American Comics #16 and Showcase #22) belong to distinct series not covered by our tool — auction results are the only price reference. For vol.2 keys, eBay medians are blended across all grades: a high-grade CGC copy is worth far more than the displayed median.

Green Lantern key issue ranking (real market data, June 2026)

The two Golden Age and Silver Age grails are too scarce on eBay to produce a reliable median. The Silver/Bronze keys from the vol.2 series are well-represented (40 to 98 listings), but the blended median is low — CGC-certified high-grade copies sell for multiples of that figure.

Record sources: Heritage Auctions, sellmycomicbooks.com, GoCollect.

All-American Comics #16 (1940): the birth of Alan Scott

Published in July 1940, All-American Comics #16 introduces Alan Scott, the Golden Age Green Lantern, in a story conceived by Martin Nodell and written by Bill Finger. Alan Scott is not an intergalactic law-enforcement officer: his power ring is forged from a magical green meteor, a concept radically different from the Silver Age Corps mythology. The CGC Census registers only a few dozen unrestored copies in total — fewer than 100 are estimated to exist. Our eBay tool does not cover this series. The only publicly documented reference sale is a 2018 Heritage Auctions result: a CGC 6.5 (FN+) copy realised $215,100. Two unrestored copies graded higher (CGC 8.0 and 9.4) exist but have never come to public sale — specialists estimate a top-grade example would exceed one million dollars.

Showcase #22 (1959): the Silver Age reinvention

Published in October 1959, Showcase #22 reinvents Green Lantern as Hal Jordan, a US Air Force test pilot chosen by a dying alien to receive a cosmic power ring. The script is by John Broome, the art by Gil Kane, under editorial direction of Julius Schwartz. The issue established the Green Lantern Corps mythology and the Guardians of the Universe. Our eBay tool does not cover the Showcase series. Documented sales place the value clearly: a CGC 9.2 — the highest known census grade — sold for $149,375 at Heritage Auctions in 2017, then for $105,000 in a separate 2021 sale. In lower grades, a CGC 7.0 was changing hands at around $15,000 based on 2024 market data. This remains the essential Silver Age DC key for Green Lantern collectors.

Green Lantern #76 (1970): the O'Neil / Neal Adams run

Published in April 1970, Green Lantern #76 launches one of the most celebrated runs in American comics history. Denny O'Neil on script, Neal Adams on pencils: the duo transformed the series into a direct mirror of US social tensions — racism, poverty, environmental destruction, drug addiction. The iconic cover of #76, in which an elderly Black man confronts Hal Jordan about his indifference to the poor, is one of the most reproduced images of the Bronze Age. Our eBay estimator returns a median of €9 across 69 listings — a reliable volume signal, but one that reflects almost exclusively low-grade copies. The documented record stands at approximately $31,000 for a CGC 9.8 (sold 2014); a CGC 9.6 has traded at around $7,000 more recently. Only two copies have been certified at the 9.8 grade according to available sources.

Green Lantern #87 (1971): first appearance of John Stewart

Published in December 1971, Green Lantern #87 introduces John Stewart, an African-American architect and former Marine selected by the Guardians as Hal Jordan's replacement — the first time a Black superhero joined a major DC title as a lead. The same issue contains the first cameo of Guy Gardner. With the HBO series Lanterns premiering on August 16, 2026 — casting Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, and Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner — collector interest in this issue has intensified. Our eBay estimator returns a median of €9 across 66 listings. In high grade, a CGC 9.8 sold for $20,000 in 2022; another CGC 9.8 traded at around $10,500 in early 2023. The CGC census registers close to 2,000 certified copies, making this key relatively accessible in lower grades.

The Lanterns series effect: what the 2026 market says

The HBO/Max series Lanterns (premiering August 16, 2026) follows Hal Jordan and John Stewart in a True Detective-style murder investigation in the American heartland, with Guy Gardner as a supporting character. The production — developed by Ozark showrunner Chris Mundy from a pilot written by Tom King and Damon Lindelof — is the first major Green Lantern screen adaptation since the 2011 Ryan Reynolds film, which was widely considered a commercial and critical failure. The series announcement has already maintained the character's visibility. eBay blended medians on vol.2 keys remain stable at €8–9, reflecting an abundant supply of lower-grade copies. The pressure shows in high-grade copies: CGC 9.0+ keys tend to see valuations climb ahead of major media releases, a pattern observed across other DC properties. No post-announcement CGC high-grade data is yet available for precise figures — projecting specific numbers would be speculation.