All-American Comics #17 (1940)

In Metropolis, Commissioner of Public Works Gorson awards a construction bid for a new library to Muller Contractors. Also vying for the contract is Alan Scott and his employer, John Hall. Hall knows that Gorson is corrupt and is secretly business partners with the disreputable Muller. Alan publicly accuses both men of being grafters and threatens to expose their racketeering schemes. Expecting some sort of retribution for his brash statements, Alan returns home and recharges his power ring. That evening, he goes for a stroll in his civilian identity only to become the victim of a drive-by shooting. Green Lantern is impervious to bullets, however, and follows the gunmen back to their hideout as Green Lantern. He follows them to the Muller Contractors and Builders complex and walks through the walls into the meeting room. He finds Gorson conspiring with Muller. Muller sends his thugs after him, but the Green Lantern uses the power of his ring to melt a pile of steel girders, intimidating the goons into retreating. As he enters Muller's office, however, Muller uses a ceiling trap door to incapacitate him. Unwittingly, Muller constructed his trap door from wood - the only thing that can defeat Green Lantern. Muller has GL bound in chains and tossed into the Metropolis Harbor. The sudden shock of cold water awakens him, and Alan uses his ring to break free. Knowing that the killers believe him dead, he flies back to their lair and pretends to be a ghost. His spectral visage threatens to haunt Gorson every night of his life unless he goes public with his underhanded business practices. Gorson is terrified and agrees to Green Lantern's demands, but Muller turns on his business partner and shoots him dead. Alan backhands Muller and telephones the police to come pick him up. The following day, John Hall reads the newspaper account of the incident and tells Alan about this mysterious Green Lantern. Alan scoffs at the notion, declaring such fantastic beings only exist in comic books.