Jack T. Chance
Jack T. Chance is a male extraterrestrial comic character who features in DC Comics.
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Biography
Jack T. Chance was a male humanoid inhabitant of the planet Garnet that was also known as 'Hellhole' because it was one of the worst criminal worlds in existence. On numerous occasions, the Guardians of the Universe dispatched Green Lanterns to the world in hope of redeeming the world but each attempt ended in failure which usually resulted in the death of the Green Lantern. A previous agent sent was Pathavim Seth-Ottarak who was fatally wounded and used his dying breath to instruct his Power Ring to find a replacement among Hellhole's inhabitants uniquely suited to the challenges of the world. The ring chose Jack T. Chance and came to recruit him into he Green Lantern Corps. When the ring bonded with him, it created a standard Green Lantern uniform and explained his duties to him though Chance rejected the idea of a uniform, refusing to wear anything other than his own trashy clothes with a single small added badge. Chance then proceeded to hunt down the man who killed his predecessor only to find the ring had a failsafe against lethal force. Further, the ring offered no protection against his opponent's yellow bullets. Thus Chance fell back on traditional methods and used a crude firearm to shoot the man dead. This became Jack's standard methodology as he went about pacifying Garnet, wearing down his targets with the powers of the ring then delivering a killing blow with a sidearm. (Green Lantern v3 Annual #1)
When news of this reached the Guardians, Chance was quickly recalled to Oa for judgement. The Guardians decided Chance would be subjected to rigorous training and a probationary period before he was allowed to continue serving with the Green Lantern Corps. Chance in turn threatened to simply quit if forced to play by their rules and pointed out his brutal approach was the first thing that had ever worked on Hellhole. The Guardians conceded they lacked a suitable alternative candidate to serve as Garnet's Green Lantern, and had no choice but to appoint Chance as Green Lantern of his planet. Chance and the Guardians brokered a deal whereby he was restricted to his planet (other Lanterns covered whole sectors). His deeds were also subject to reviews to ensure he was not using 'questionable methods'. (Green Lantern Corps Quarterly v1 #1)
Chance continued to clash with the expectations of the Guardians. They attempted to recall him to Oa for questioning about his methods, but he openly defied them, refusing to abandon his world or alter his tactics. He argued that Garnet was unlike other planets, one so steeped in violence and lawlessness that only fear and ruthless enforcement could maintain order. During this confrontation, Chance once again demonstrated his pragmatism by supplementing his ring’s powers with his personal weaponry, unwilling to rely solely on the constructs of the Green Lantern ring. The Guardians, reluctantly recognizing the unique effectiveness of his methods on Garnet, allowed him to continue as the sector’s Lantern, though he remained an outlier within the Corps. (Green Lantern v3 #11)
During Emerald Twilight, the greatest Green Lantern Hal Jordan became possessed by Parallax, and destroyed the Green Lantern Corps. Jack T. Chance was one of many top Lanterns sent to stop him in his path to Oa, as one of the final lines of defense. Despite Jack's ruthlessness, in the emergency his ring was activated for off-planet usage. Chance pulled a gun on Jordan, and Hal beat him mercilessly, took his ring, and left him floating in space. (Green Lantern v3 #49) Hal would then go on to kill the Guardians and absorb the full energies from the Central Power Battery of Oa, causing the complete downfall of the Corps. (Green Lantern v3 #50)
Chance and the Lost Lanterns were on Oa when the planet was assaulted by the Sinestro Corps. After a valiant fight many Green Lanterns were killed, and the Sinestro Corps fled with sciencell prisoners Superboy Prime and Cyborg Superman as their newest recruits. (Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special v1 #1)
The Corps began picking up the pieces after the assault on Oa, and when Hal Jordan tried to attend to the wounded Tomar-Tu, Chance and the Lost Lanterns told him to back off. They told him they’d see one of their own die before asking him or any other human for help. Kilowog stepped in, reminding them that now was not the time to keep opening old wounds. The Lost Lanterns were sent to Qward to rescue Kyle Rayner from the Sinestro Corps. (Green Lantern v4 #21)
Overview
Personality and attributes
In appearance, Jack T. Chance was a tall, broad-shouldered humanoid from Garnet with pale blue-gray skin, a rugged face, and long black hair often tied back. He had a scruffy, unkempt look that emphasized his outlaw persona. Unlike most Lanterns, he wore a heavily modified version of the Green Lantern uniform: a tattered trench coat over the standard black-and-green design, fingerless gloves, and often a gun holstered at his side. His attire reflected his disdain for the Corps’ traditions, making him stand out visually as much as philosophically from his fellow Lanterns. (Green Lantern v3 Annual #1)
In terms of personality, Chance was portrayed as defiant, aggressive, and pragmatic. He rejected authority and made it clear that he did not view himself as a servant of the Guardians but as the only person capable of maintaining order on his homeworld. His willingness to use deadly force, his reliance on intimidation, and his disdain for conventional rules marked him as one of the most rebellious Lanterns ever chosen by the ring. At the same time, he displayed an unwavering dedication to protecting Garnet, showing that while his methods were brutal, they were rooted in a deep sense of duty to his world. This mix of ruthlessness and responsibility defined his characterization from the beginning. (Green Lantern v3 Annual #1)
Chance was said to be the only Lantern reprimanded by the Guardians more times than Guy Gardner. (Green Lantern v4 #12)
Powers and abilities
Jack T. Chance was a native of Garnet, a humanoid alien race whose physiology was broadly comparable to that of humans. He exhibited no innate superhuman traits such as enhanced strength or durability prior to gaining his ring. His toughness and endurance came from a lifetime of surviving the harsh conditions of Garnet and the violent struggles that defined its society. Physically, he was strong, capable in hand-to-hand combat, and skilled with firearms, but his true enhancement came from the Green Lantern power ring. The ring granted him the standard abilities of a Lantern: flight, energy projection, and the creation of constructs limited only by his willpower. However, Chance often supplemented these powers with conventional weaponry, making him a hybrid of ring-wielding Lantern and gunslinger enforcer. (Green Lantern v3 Annual #1)
Notes
- The Jack T. Chance was created by John Ostrander and Henry Flint where he made his first appearance in Green Lantern Corps Quarterly v1 #1 (Summer, 1992).
Appearances
- Green Lantern Corps Quarterly v1: (1992)
- Green Lantern v4:
External Links
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