Saint Patty’s day is this week and we wanted to take the moment to highlight some of our best loved viridescent characters to celebrate! Bear with us, because this is one of our beloved colors and there are a a surprising amount of verdant tinged personas in comics history. Here’s a rundown on a few of our favorites and some reading recommends to go with:
Martian Manhunter: One of the oldest characters in the DC Universe, Martian Manhunter first appeared in 1955 and is one of the original members of the Justice League. J’onn J’onzz is a member of the Green Martian race with shapeshifting abilities that enable him to take on the human form of Detective John Jones.
Recommended Reading: Martian Manhunter: Identity
Swamp Thing: The Swamp Thing is another DC character with a ton of history and many differing backstories. One thing they have in common is that a man is killed or dying when he enters a swamp, and is then resurrected again as The Swamp Thing. Swamp Thing serves as an avatar of the life force of all plant life on Earth – “the green” and can control any form of plant life and regrows limbs at ease.
Recommended Reading: Swamp Thing by Nancy Collins
Gamora: This adopted daughter of Thanos is an elite assassin and skilled combatant who has joined forces with the good guys of the galaxy – most notably the Guardians of the Galaxy and Infinity Watch.
Recommended Reading: Gamora Memento Mori
Hulk: Probably THE iconic green character, Hulk has been around since the early 1960’s. Dr. Bruce Banner is a soft spoken, weak and unassuming scientist, but develops the alter ego of Hulk after exposure to gamma rays. Hulk is anything but weak and unassuming, and has nearly limitless strength and immense size to go with it. Their personalities dissociate from one another, and there is a constant struggle for control.
Recommended Reading: Planet Hulk
She-Hulk: Jennifer Walters is a lawyer with a famous cousin – Bruce Banner! After receiving a blood transfusion from Banner she ends up imbuing some of his powers, including that green hue and greater strength!
Recommended Reading: She-Hulk Vol 01 Law and Disorder
Totally Awesome Hulk: Rounding out the Hulk lineup, Amadeus Cho has always been exceptional – he’s a genius and branded the 7th smartest person in the world! But he launches up to another level after removing the Hulk from Bruce Banner and placing it inside himself.
Recommended Reading: The Totally Awesome Hulk Vol 01 Cho Time
There are also plenty of caped crusaders who simply wear green or are green in some interpretations, such as Poison Ivy, Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Loki and Iron Fist. If you get caught this Thursday without any emerald attire, we bet you can flash one of these books and avoid a pinch!
