Graf Toren

Graf Toren is a fictional character featured in comic books published by DC Comics. Graf Toren is a tall humanoid alien with yellowish-orange skin, a bald head and strange alien markings on his face. He first appeared in Guy Gardner #11 (August 1993), in a story titled "Yesterday's Sins: Part 1 of 4 - Back in the Days". He was created by Chuck Dixon and Joe Staton.

Fictional character biography

Background

Graf Toren is a Karazian Light Monk. It is known that he spent most of his life fighting against the 'Spider Guild' after they entered his sector and subsequently consumed a whole planet there. This has been used as the main reason why he wields his ring like a spider weaves a web.^[1]

Green Lantern

The Green Lantern known as Graf Toren entered the Corps at an undisclosed time but he was captured while investigating a strange starship which had entered the edge of his sector the "Stromar Nebula". While investigating he was abducted by the creatures known as the Draal. He was their prisoner for months until Guy Gardner was also abducted. He used his inherent leadership skills to lead the other captured Green Lanterns who along with Gardner eventually escaped from their captors. The other captive Lanterns were Bivvix, Gpaak, RRU-9-2 and Voz. The latter one would become the Green Lantern warden.^[2]

Later on in his career as a Green Lantern he was saved by Hal Jordan during border skirmishes of space sector 2321 at this point it was revealed that he had become good friends with fellow lantern Probert. In what some regarded as the finale adventure of his career he was called to defend Oa from the then renegade Hal Jordan. Jordan made short work of Graf and added his power to his own and left him for dead.^[3]

He was later found among many dead Lanterns floating through space, his friend Probert built him a funeral pyre along with Guy Gardner and the Justice League Task Force.^[4]

Return

Graf Toren and the Lost Lanterns return

Graf was later discovered by Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner on the Manhunter homeworld of Biot, in a state of suspended animation with fellow Green Lantern Lost Lanterns Ke'Haan, Laira, Kreon, Boodikka, Jack T. Chance, and Honnu.^[5][6] These Lanterns where those which Hal Jordan had left for dead during "Emerald Twilight." Apparently at some point in time the Manhunters, in concert with Hank Henshaw, had gathered up these former Green Lanterns, put them into suspended animation, and used their energies as a battery to create more advanced Manhunters in their sector 3601.

When he was freed from suspended animation, he along with his fellow Lanterns engaged the manhunters and Hal Jordan in battle. Only the intervention of Kreon stopped them from killing him. When the battle was through he returned to Oa where he Joined the new Green Lantern Corps.^[1][7] While most of his fellow Lost Lanterns view Jordan with suspicion and hatred, Graf does not, claiming that he doesn't "Look to the past with anger and pain". When the Lost Lanterns followed Hal to Qward, Boodikka accused Jordan of being a part of the Sinestro Corps. Graf rebuffed this statement telling her that Hal has "seen the light" and wouldn't "subject himself to more sin". When the group made their way underground, Graf went with Hal and Tomar-Tu to find John Stewart and Guy Gardner.^{[8][9][10][11]}

In subsequent battles, Graf has suffered the loss of his good friends Ke'Haan and Jack T. Chance.^[12]

After learning that the rings cause damage to the underlying forces of the universe, Graf has chosen not to use his anymore. However, he still chooses to support his fellow Corps members in other ways. When a Durlan/Khund alliances threatens the Corps, Graf is part of a team that studies a captured Khund starfighter for the intelligence.^[13]

See also

• Laira
• Kreon
• Boodikka
• Jack T. Chance
• Tomar-Tu
• Ke'Haan
• Emerald Twilight

References