Abin Sur as depicted in Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Annual #2 (February 1986). Art by Gil Kane (penciller and inker) and Anthony Tollin (colorist).
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 1800s and early 1900s, Sur encounters various heroes, including Starman, Bulletman, and Martian Manhunter.[1] After being fatally wounded in a ship crash, Sur gives his ring to Hal Jordan.[2]
In later appearances, Sur appears as a spirit, while his past self is transported to the present during Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!.[3][4] 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.[5][6][7]
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.[11]
DC Rebirth
In DC Rebirth, Hal Jordan meets with Abin Sur in Emerald Space, an afterlife for fallen Green Lanterns.[12] Furthermore, Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz use Ungara as a sanctuary for Molite refugees.[13][14]
Other versions
Earth-3
An alternate universe variant of Abin Sur from Earth-3 appears in Justice League (vol. 2) #26. This version's power ring hosted the malevolent, ancient entity Volthoom and chose a cowardly janitor employed by Carol Ferris.[15]
Earth One
The corpse of an alternate universe variant of Abin Sur from Earth One appears in Green Lantern: Earth One.[16]
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.[17]
In Darkest Knight
An alternate universe variant of Abin Sur appears in the one-shot In Darkest Knight. This version's power ringer chose a young Bruce Wayne.[18]
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,[19] he helps the save the multiverse from a cosmic army before joining a cross-dimensional group called Justice Incarnate.[20][21]
An alternate universe variant of Abin Sur appears in Superman: Last Son of Earth. Due to conflict in another part of his sector, this version failed to save Earth from a meteor that resulted in all but one million people's deaths.
World's Finest
An alternate universe variant of Abin Sur appears in Elseworld's Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl. This version is a longtime member of the Justice Society who has visited Krypton many times and develops a bond with Supergirl.
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 Justice League: The New Frontier, voiced by Corey Burton.[22] 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 Green Lantern: First Flight, voiced by Richard McGonagle.[22][23] This version possesses a more alien appearance with horns and four-fingered hands. He was tasked by the Guardians of the Universe to work undercover in Kanjar Ro's gang after they stole the yellow element. However, one of Kanjar's underlings discovered Abin's identity and mortally wounded him. After stealing a ship, Abin crash-landed on Earth, was found by Hal Jordan, and gave his power ring to him before dying.
Abin Sur appears in Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, voiced by Arnold Vosloo.[22] Similarly to the events of "Green Lantern: Secret Origin", this version previously worked with Sinestro and was warned of his impending death and Sinestro's betrayal by Atrocitus. Additionally, his power ring was originally wielded by Avra, the first Green Lantern to use their ring to create constructs.
Abin Sur appears in Green Lantern (2011), portrayed by Temuera Morrison.[24] This version previously fought Parallax and used a starship to evacuate planets that the entity targeted. After being fatally wounded by Parallax, Abin flees in one of his starship's escape pods, crash-lands on Earth, and passes his power ring onto Hal Jordan before he dies. Abin's body is subsequently discovered and taken by the Department of Extranormal Operations (DEO), who task Hector Hammond with performing the autopsy, which results in Hammond being infected by Parallax's DNA.
The Flashpoint incarnation of Abin Sur makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. 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 Superman: Red Son incarnation of Abin Sur appears in the self-titled film adaptation. 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.
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.
^ abc"Abin Sur Voices (Green Lantern)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved June 19, 2024. 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.
