Abin Sur is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He was a member of the Green Lantern Corps and is best known as the predecessor of Green Lantern Hal Jordan, whom Abin Sur's power ring chose as his replacement. After the Infinite Crisis events, details of Abin Sur's past are altered, and he was revealed to be a brother-in-law of Sinestro and uncle of his daughter Soranik Natu.
Abin Sur has appeared in various media outside comics, primarily in association with Green Lantern. Peter Mark Richman, Corey Burton, and Arnold Vosloo have voiced the character in animated television series and films. Furthermore, Temuera Morrison portrays Sur in Green Lantern (2011).
Publication history
Abin Sur first appeared in
Showcase #22 and was created by John Broome and
Gil Kane.
Fictional character biography
Originally a history professor on the planet Ungara, Abin Sur is appointed Green Lantern of Space Sector 2814 in the mid-1860s. As a child, he befriends Ruch Ehr and later, by association, Munni Jah. The two were a couple and Abin secretly loved Munni, but never spoke openly of this.
In early adventures in the late 19th century and the early 20th century, Sur encounters various heroes, including Starman, Bulletman, and Martian Manhunter.[ Green Lantern vol. 2 #182 (1984)]
In later appearances, Sur appears as a spirit, while his past self is transported to the present during .[ Green Lantern vol. 3 #32-35 (November 1992-January 1993)][ Green Lantern vol. 3 Annual #7 (1998)] He undergoes the Karamm-Jeev Descent, an Ungaran form of reincarnation, and is reborn as Lagzia, the daughter of Ruch Ehr and Munni Jah.
Abin also has a son, Amon Sur, who is the leader of the Black Circle crime syndicate. Amon is angry at Abin for abandoning him for the Corps and becomes a member of the Sinestro Corps and an enemy of the Green Lanterns.[ Green Lantern vol. 4 #14 (November 2006)][ Green Lantern vol. 4 #15 (November 2006)][ Green Lantern vol. 4 #16 (January 2007)]
The Prophecy
During
Sinestro Corps War, it is revealed that Abin discovered a prophecy concerning his death and the
Blackest Night, an uprising of the Black Lantern Corps.
[ Green Lantern vol. 4 #25 (December 2007)][ Green Lantern vol. 4 #29 (March 2008)] While Sur is investigating the prophecy,
Atrocitus attacks him, leading to his death.
Blackest Night
In
Blackest Night, Abin Sur and his sister Arin are resurrected as
Black Lanterns before Hal Jordan, Sinestro, Indigo-1, and
Carol Ferris kill them. Furthermore, it is revealed that Sur helped found the
Indigo Tribe by creating their central power battery and is included in their oath.
DC Rebirth
In
DC Rebirth, Hal Jordan meets with Abin Sur in Emerald Space, an afterlife for fallen Green Lanterns.
[ Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #9 (November 2016)] Furthermore,
Jessica Cruz and
Simon Baz use Ungara as a sanctuary for Molite refugees.
[ Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #10 (December 2016)][ Green Lanterns #33-35 (2017-2018)]
Other versions
Earth-3
An alternate universe variant of Abin Sur from
Earth-Three appears in
Justice League (vol. 2) #26. This version's power ring hosted the malevolent, ancient entity Volthoom, which slowly destroys the mind and body of its bearer. Wishing to rid himself of Volthoom's influence, Sur deliberately crashes his ship on Earth and finds Joe Harrolds, a cowardly human janitor employed by
Carol Ferris. Manipulated into believing that the ring has chosen him to wield its power, Harrolds accepts it and becomes the villainous Power Ring while Sur dies of his injuries in blissful joy.
[ Justice League vol. 2 #26 (Feb 2013)]
Earth One
The corpse of an alternate universe variant of Abin Sur from Earth One appears in
Green Lantern: Earth One.
[ Green Lantern: Earth One vol. 1]
Flashpoint
An alternate timeline variant of Abin Sur appears in
Flashpoint and
Convergence. This version survived his crash landing on Earth and became a
White Lantern.
In Darkest Knight
An alternate universe variant of Abin Sur appears in the one-shot
In Darkest Knight. Following his death, this version of Sur's power ring chose Bruce Wayne as its wielder.
[ In Darkest Knight one-shot (1994)]
Multiversity
An alternate universe variant of Abin Sur appears in
Multiversity. This version possesses horns and comes from an unidentified Earth that had recently finished World War II. After taking part in a war against Vandal Savage,
[ Multiversity: Society of Super-Heroes #1 (2014)] he helps the save the multiverse from a cosmic army before joining a cross-dimensional group called Justice Incarnate.
[ Multiversity #2 (April 2014)][ Dog Days of Summer #1 (2019)]
Superman: Red Son
An alternate universe variant of Abin Sur appears in
. After his spacecraft
Roswell incident, he died shortly after. Following this, J. Edgar Hoover arranges for Sur and his ship to be hidden in Area 51, where his ring and power battery are subject to reverse engineering by
Lex Luthor that enables the creation of a "Green Lantern Marine Corps" led by Colonel Hal Jordan.
Superman: Last Son of Earth
An alternate universe variant of Abin Sur appears in
. He is shown to be indirectly responsible for a meteor crashing into Earth and wiping out all but one million human lives due to having prioritized settling a conflict between warring alien worlds in his sector.
World's Finest
An alternate universe variant of Abin Sur appears in
. This version is a longtime member of the
Justice Society who has visited Krypton many times and develops a bond with Supergirl.
Absolute Universe
An alternate universe variant of Abin Sur appears in
Absolute Green Lantern. This version appears over Evergreen, Nevada with a Green Lantern symbol. He gives Hal Jordan a black hand due to Hal's desire to become a hero.
In other media
Television
-
Abin Sur appears in the Challenge of the Superfriends episode "Secret Origins of the Super Friends", voiced by Dick Ryal. Lex Luthor travels back in time in an attempt to steal Abin's power ring before Hal Jordan can get it, but the Super Friends also travel back in time to foil his plot.
-
Abin Sur appears in the episode "In Brightest Day...", voiced by an uncredited Peter Mark Richman. This version was killed by Sinestro while his power ring chose Kyle Rayner.
-
Abin Sur appears in the Robot Chicken DC Comics Special. This version was killed by a bear.
-
Abin Sur appears in the Teen Titans Go! episode "Orangins".
Film
-
Abin Sur appears in , voiced by Corey Burton.
[ A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.] This version was caught in the explosion of a US spacecraft called the Flying Cloud while it was traveling to Mars. Due in part to Hal Jordan co-piloting the spacecraft, Abin gives his power ring to him before dying.
-
Abin Sur appears in , voiced by Richard McGonagle.
-
Abin Sur appears in , voiced by Arnold Vosloo.
-
Abin Sur appears in Green Lantern (2011), portrayed by Temuera Morrison.
-
The Flashpoint incarnation of Abin Sur makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in . This version died before he could pass his power ring on to Hal Jordan, after which the U.S. government recovers his body and spaceship in an attempt to stop the war between Atlantis and Themyscira.
-
The incarnation of Abin Sur appears in the . Following his death, this version and his ship were discovered by the U.S. government in 1967. By 1983, U.S. scientists successfully reverse-engineer Abin's ring and grant its capabilities to Hal Jordan and a small team of soldiers so they can fight the Soviet Superman.
Video games
Abin Sur appears as a character summon in
.
Merchandise
-
Abin Sur received a figure in Mattel's DC Universe Classics line as part of a two-pack with Hal Jordan. Additionally, a figure of Abin as a Black Lantern was released individually in a later wave.
-
The Green Lantern (2011) incarnation of Abin Sur received a figure in the associated tie-in toy line.
External links
