Cover: Neal Adams

Green Lantern #81

Dec 1970 · DC · 0.15 USD

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“Death Be My Destiny!”

In "Death Be My Destiny!", Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and Black Canary confront the consequences of cosmic justice when the Guardians of Oa sentence the ancient Old-Timer to exile on the overpopulated planet Maltus. As the trio journeys with him, they uncover the shocking truth behind the planet’s overcrowding and the mysterious influence of Mother Juna. Written by Denny O'Neil and illustrated with powerful precision by Neal Adams, with inks by Dick Giordano and lettering by John Costanza, this landmark issue features a cover by Neal Adams that captures the weight of destiny.

writer Denny O'Neil · artist Neal Adams · inker Dick Giordano · letterer John Costanza · cover Neal Adams

ComicBooks.com Value

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Raw (Fine) $18

CGC 9.8 · 11 in census $1,175

CGC 9.6 · 34 in census $288

CGC 9.4 · 51 in census $190

CGC 9.2 · 47 in census $164

CGC 9.0 · 39 in census $138

CGC 8.5 · 31 in census $97

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CGC 8.0 · 25 in census $73

CGC 7.5 · 12 in census $73

CGC 7.0 · 18 in census $60

CGC 6.5 · 12 in census $55*

CGC 6.0 · 8 in census $54*

CGC 5.5 · 4 in census $42*

CGC 5.0 · 4 in census $40*

CGC 4.5 · 1 in census $36*

CGC 4.0 · 2 in census $34*

CGC 3.5 · 3 in census $28*

CGC 3.0 · 2 in census $25*

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Trivia · 8 facts

Cover date: December 1970; published by DC Comics as Green Lantern Vol. 2 #81.
Story title: 'Death Be My Destiny!' — script by Denny O'Neil, pencils by Neal Adams, inks by Dick Giordano; cover pencils and inks by Neal Adams.
Editor: Julius Schwartz (confirmed from DC's editorial records).
Sixth issue of the O'Neil/Adams 'Green Lantern co-starring Green Arrow' run, which began with issue #76 (April 1970).
First issue in the run to give Black Canary (Dinah Drake Lance) a cover billing as a guest-star; she had previously appeared uncredited on covers of #78 and #79.
The story was later reprinted in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #16, and the full O'Neil/Adams run (including #81) has been collected in multiple editions: the 1984 Green Lantern/Green Arrow reprint series, a 2004 hardcover collection, subsequent Absolute and Omnibus editions, and Showcase Presents: Green Lantern Vol. 5 in black and white.
Following this issue, the book's publication frequency dropped from roughly eight times a year to bi-monthly.
Neal Adams told journalist John Wells (Back Issue #45, November 2010) that his political discomfort with the overpopulation theme was the primary reason he nearly left the series after this issue.