Comic Title: Showcase Presents:Green Lantern Vol. 4 TPB
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: 2009
On Sale Date: June 10, 2009 Direct Market Date June 10, 2009
Source: ComicList, New Comic Book Releases List for Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Direct Market Date June 10, 2009
Source: Previews, #246

Direct Market Date June 10, 2009
Source: Previews, DC Comics Previews May 2009

Cover Price: $16.99
Page Count: 392
Editor: Sean Mackiewicz

See Also: The Guide to Graphic Novels and Collected Editions

Title: "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Earth"
Pages: 24

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

Writer: John Broome
Penciller: Gil Kane
Inker: Vince Colletta

Reprinted From:
Green Lantern #70 (1969)

Feature Character(s)

• Green Lantern (last appearance in Justice League of America #72; next appearance in Justice League of America #73)

Supporting Character(s)

• Guardians of the Universe (last appearance in Green Lantern #68; next appearance in Green Lantern #72)

Villain(s)

• Piper, Crusty, and Johno (a gang of crooks; no further appearances)
• A gravity-eater (dies in this story; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Hilar (a life-sized toy; no further appearances)
• The toymakers of planet Ghyra (no further appearances)
• Jerry Daye and Bill Knight (comedians; no further appearances)
• Mr. Garson (a department store manager; no further appearances)
• Passengers on a super-train (no further appearances)

Synopsis:
Green Lantern handles a task assigned to him by the Guardians to destroy a gravity-eater which is threatening a nearby inhabited solar system. As he returns to Earth, a runaway from the planet Ghyra sees him and follows him back to Earth. The runaway is a lifelike toy named Hilar who was defective and discarded.

Hilar arrives on Earth and seeks out help to repair his defective construction. Although he intends to make people laugh, instead he frightens them. His faulty programming also causes him to disobey laws and commands. When authorities and eventually Green Lantern try to stop him a strange radiation he gives off causes his pursuers to be repelled violently.

Crooks see Hilar on television and decide to use him to their advantage. They pretend to laugh when Hilar is around which makes the living toy happy. They then rob a train. Green Lantern recovers from his earlier encounter with Hilar and stops the crooks. Eventually he is able to use his power ring to overcome the radiation Hilar gives off. He then returns the toy to Ghyra where Hilar is repaired and can lead a life fulfilling his true purpose of creating laughter.