Super-Intelligent Pterodactyls!

Comic books MUST be telling us true stories. Because if we live in a universe in which a planet ruled by super-intelligent pterodactyls does not exist, then nothing makes sense.

We learn about this planet in Green Lantern #30 (July 1964), in which a story written by John Broome and drawn by Gil Kane furthers our education in this vital field of knowledge. Things start out with a bang when a Forest Ranger patrol plane spots an area of prehistoric terrain near Coast City and then barely manages to escape getting tagged by a pterodactyl.

Soon, there are pterodactyls swarming all over the city, ripping down buildings and bridges while proving to be immune to gunfire and explosives.

How is all this possible? Well, it seems that there is a planet out there somewhere ruled by intelligent pterodactyls with super-mental powers. During the Age of Dinosaurs, then fired a ray of "M-Energy" at Earth, hoping to give intelligence and mental powers to the primitive pterodactyls of our world.

But an ion cloud blocks their view of Earth and presumable blocks the M-ray as well. In modern times, they are finally able to observe the Earth again, only to discover that pterodactyls are extinct and we pesky humans have overrun the planet.

Well, the super-pteros won't stand for that! Their new, modified plan is to open a time portal, zap the pteros from the past with the M-Ray and loose them on the modern world. Their mental powers can be used to give them super-strength and invulnerability, so getting rid of humanity doesn't look like it will be a problem.

Green Lantern returns from a mission in space to find out about the pterodactyl-led shenanigans. He flies off to stop the creatures, only to discover that their powers give him immunity from his power ring. Hal barely escapes with his life.

This calls for a Plan B. And, by the rules of Comic Book Logic, it is a magnificent Plan B.

First, he uses a burst of super-bright light to dazzle the pterodactyls and get them all to chase him.

Second, he opens a time portal back to the Cretaceous Age. He is counting on the hereditory fears of creatures like the T-Rex to scare the metaphorical pants off the pteros, weakening their mental powers.

When this happens, Hal is able to take down the leader. This takes out the other pteros as well, since the leader's mental energies turn out to be controling the entire flock. The day is saved and the alien pteros wash their metaphorical hands of the whole thing, giving up on conquering Earth.

I really do love G.L.'s plan. Writer John Broome takes Comic Book Logic and runs with it, coming up with a clever and entertaining solution to a unique problem. And, of course, Gil Kane's art makes it all look magnificent.

So somewhere out there in the universe, there is a planet ruled by intelligent pterodactyls with super-mental powers. There is. There really is. How can there NOT be?

Next week, we'll jump back to the relatively mundane Wild West to visit once again with the Pony Express.