Green Lantern #76 (1970)

Green Lantern prevents a group of street toughs from harassing an elderly man. Using his ring, he scoops the assailant up and transports him to jail. Onlookers to the incident however, including Green Arrow, show their disapproval of Green Lantern's actions. The man whom Green Lantern saved is an unscrupulous slum lord named Jubal Slade. Green Arrow gives Hal a tour of one of Slade's buildings, showing him all of the people that Slade plans on putting out into the streets after he sells the building. Shortly after, a poor, elderly black man points out how Green Lantern works for the "blue skins", i.e. the Guardians of the Universe; has helped out races with "orange skins" and "purple skins", and yet he has never bothered with the "black skins" on his own planet. After learning the truth, Hal tries to intimidate Jubal Slade, but Slade has the law on his side, and Green Lantern's threats fall on deaf ears. Enraged, Hal prepares to punch Slade, but an image of one of the Guardians appears before him, admonishing him for his conduct. The Guardians of the Universe summon Hal back to Oa. They send him on a mission to the orbit of Saturn where he is to divert a meteor shower from striking Saturn's moon, Titan. Back on Earth, Green Arrow tries to trick Jubal Slade into accepting a bribe. He arranges to have Slade's goons meet up with him later for a payoff. The thugs however, try to kill Green Arrow, but fail. Having realised that the Guardians have dispatched him on a useless mission (there is no life on Titan to be endangered by the meteor shower) and they have simply sent him somewhere to cool off and think about his actions, Hal disobeys orders and returns to Earth where Green Arrow tells him about his failure to trick Slade. They find district attorney Jeremy Tine and bring him to Slade's penthouse. Disguising himself as one of Slade's goons, Hal tricks Slade into confessing to the attempted murder of Green Arrow. After Hal reveals himself, Slade tries to escape, distracting the heroes with a hand grenade. Hal dispatches the grenade and Slade is arrested. Epilogue Afterward, the Guardians admonish Hal Jordan again for abandoning his post around Titan. It is Green Arrow who rises to Hal's defense, challenging the Guardians to come down from their perch and experience what it is to live as a normal human being. The Guardians ponder the offer and send one of their own to Earth to travel with Green Lantern and Green Arrow.