Comic Title: Green Lantern #23
Publisher: DC (National Periodical Publications, Inc.)
Address: 575 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: September 1963
On Sale Date: July 3, 1963 Copyright Date July 3, 1963
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1963

Frequency: Monthly, with the exception of Feb., May, Aug. and Nov.
Cover Price: $0.12
Page Count: 32
Editor: Julius Schwartz

Title: "Threat of the Tattooed Man"
Pages: 13

Feature(s):
Green Lantern (Hal Jordan of Earth-1)

Writer: Gardner F. Fox
Penciller: Gil Kane
Inker: Joe Giella

Reprinted In:
Green Lantern Archives Vol. 4 HC (2002)
Showcase Presents Green Lantern Vol. 2 TPB (2007)
Green Lantern Omnibus Vol. 2 HC (2012)
Green Lantern:The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2017)
Green Lantern:The Silver Age Vol. 3 TPB (2018)

Feature Character(s)

• Green Lantern (last appearance in Justice League of America #22; next appearance in Green Lantern #23)

Supporting Character(s)

• Carol Ferris (last appearance in Green Lantern #22; next appearance in Green Lantern #24)

Villain(s)

• Tattooed Man (Abel Tarrant; next appearance in Justice League of America #28)

Other Character(s)

• Lee Kerr (an artist; no further appearances)
• An art gallery security guard (no further appearances)

Synopsis:
Green Lantern is having his portrait painted by Lee Kerr at the local arts center. Carol Ferris arrives, and upon seeing the painting wishes to buy it. The portrait is not for sale and is going to be displayed at an exhibition. Carol is jealous of the artist and upset that she can not buy the painting.

Later, at the exhibition, a seaman steals a statue. When security confronts the man, he touches a tattoo on his arm which makes it come to life. The tattoo of boxing gloves knock out the security guard. Green Lantern rushes to the rescue, but the Tattooed Man touches another tattoo and creates a giant eagle. The eagle is impervious to Green Lantern’s ring, and it flys off with him in it’s grasp.

The Tattooed Man escapes and recalls how he gained his special ability. Not long ago, he was committing another robbery, but the police arrived and began shooting. Some chemicals were spilled on the floor which responded to the criminal’s wishes. He created a bomb which allowed him to escape capture. Later the sailor, Abel Tarrant, returned to the lab and soaked up the chemicals. He discovered their secret and now could create objects by drawing them with the chemical. He painted the chemical onto his arms as tattoos that he can use to commit crimes.

Green Lantern is finally able to escape the grasp of the eagle, but when he returns to the scene, Tattooed Man is gone. Over the next few days, Tattooed Man strikes several times. Green Lantern notices a pattern in the robberies and deduces the next crime. When Tarrant shows up to make the theft, Green Lantern is there to stop him. Tattooed Man uses several tattoos against GL, but GL delays as each tattoo loses power when the next one is released. A tattoo of a lightbulb nearly blinds GL, but he blocks the light with his mask. Having so many of his tattoo objects going at one time overextends Tattooed Man’s control, and Green Lantern is able to defeat him. Tarrant’s secret is secure though because he makes all the remaining tattoos vanish.

Back at the art gallery Carol learns that the portrait she wanted to buy is a gift for her from Green Lantern.