10 Superhero Resurrections That Actually Worked

10. Hal Jordan/Green Lantern

Hal Jordan is one of the most beloved characters in the DC Multiverse. As Earth's OG Green Lantern, the character boasts a massive history, from taking part in the founding of the Justice League, to hitting the road with perennial best friend and verbal sparring partner Green Arrow, Hal has travelled quite a distance as a Lantern, both literally and figuratively.

He also killed the entire Lantern Corps. Like, all of them - even Killogwog - during the character's nineties phase. Driven mad by the destruction of Coast City, Hal attempted to reshape the universe in his image, and it took the entire League to stop him. Coming to his senses after going on the most horrifying murder spree in the DCU, Hal sacrificed himself to save the world from a dying sun, resurrecting Ollie Queen in the process before departing to become the spirit of vengeance itself, The Spectre.

As The Spectre, Hal would make attempts to atone for his sins, before ultimately being reborn in Geoff Johns' Green Lantern: Rebirth. Forgiven (somehow) for his sins during the events of Zero Hour, Hal was reinstated as Earth's GL and would take part in Johns' famous run on the character, one that would feature the critically lauded Sinestro Corps War among other storylines.

There are plenty of reasons why Hal's resurrection worked as well as it did, despite the fact that the other lanterns of the time - John Stewart, Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner - had each developed their own loyal fan followings. Chief among the story's success was its dissection of Hal's character prior to his notably uncharacteristic attempts to end the multiverse. It might take a leap of faith to believe that everyone - even Batman, eventually - would forgive Jordan, but the stuff that Johns did with the character after his return makes it one worth taking.