Comic Title: DC Special #17
Publisher: DC (National Periodical Publications, Inc.)
Address: 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY
Cover Date: Summer 1975
On Sale Date: May 15, 1975 Newsstand Date May 15, 1975
Source: Comic Reader, #118

Copyright Date May 15, 1975
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1975

Frequency: Quarterly
Cover Price: $0.50
Page Count: 64
Editor: Julius Schwartz

See Also: The Guide to DC Giants

Title: "The World of Living Phantoms"
Pages: 25

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

Writer: John Broome
Penciller: Gil Kane
Inker: Joe Giella

Reprinted From:
Green Lantern #6 (1961)

Feature Character(s)

• Green Lantern (last appearance in Justice League of America #4; next appearance in Justice League of America #5)

Supporting Character(s)

• Carol Ferris (last appearance in Green Lantern #5; next appearance in Green Lantern #7)
• Tom Kalmaku (last appearance in Green Lantern #5; next appearance in Green Lantern #7)
• Tomar-Re (Green Lantern of the planet Xudar, sector 9; next appearance in Green Lantern #9)

Villain(s)

• Phantoms of Aku (Kadmun and Ibr named; evil mind projections of the Citizens of Aku; no further appearances)
• Several unnamed creatures (no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Citizens of the Planet Aku (Chief scientist Ibr, Alyssha, and Cosmo named; no further appearances)

Comments:
Green Lantern consciously learns about the existance of the Guardians of the Universe in this story.

Synopsis:
The citizens of the planet Aku sleep in a state of suspended animation. Their lives are lived out through thought projections. This ability is achieved through a machine designed by chief scientist Ibr and grants them virtual immortality. However, an alarm indicates something is threatening their existance.

The alarm is heard by Green Lantern of the planet Xudar, Tomar-Re. However, his own planet is endangered by space monsters. Tomar-Re contacts the Green Lantern of his neighbor space sector 2814, Hal Jordan. Hal receives the summons for assistance via his ring. He rushes to the rescue, abandoning a date with Carol Ferris.

Hal, as Green Lantern, flys to Aku which is threatened by the projections of it’s own inhabitants. Something has turned them on their sleeping creators. They scheme to destroy the sleepers, but first they must enter the protected place where the sleepers rest. Hal arrives, but is disabled by a gravity ray. He is unable to lift himself off the ground.

Hal is contacted via telepathy by the sleeping Ibr. Ibr explains the phantoms have created a gravity hive which gives them their powers. Since he cannot free himself, Hal creates an energy duplicate of himself which is unaffected by the gravity ray. The duplicate GL damages the gravity hive and disables the phantoms.

Green Lantern frees himself by creating several other duplicates. The combined force of several power rings is able to reverse the effect of the gravity ray. Hal learns the phantoms defection was caused by two sleepers who had fallen in love. He awakens the two lovers and allows them to be the only non-phantoms on the planet.

On the planet Xudar, Tomar-Re is barely holding the space creatures at bay with his ring.. Hal arrives and adds his ring to the defense. This additional help begins to turn the creatures away, but Hal’s ring is almost out of power. Tomar-Re takes Hal to his power battery for a fresh charge. They return and finish off the monsters.

Tomar-Re explains to Hal that the power battery are distributed by the Guardians of the Universe. The Guardians live on an unknown world and contact the GL’s through the power battery. Tomar-Re was given the locations of several Green Lantern’s because his sector is so large, he occasionally requires help. Hal departs promising his friend he will help whenever needed.

Hal returns to Earth and arranges another date with Carol. She believes Hal’s disappearance was due to top secret work Hal might be doing.