What's with Green?

[qazwart]

We're not the only green generation...

Back in the 1930s and 1940s, we had a bunch of green superheroes including the Green Arrow, the Green Lantern, and the Green Hornet.

What's was with the green that made it such a great crime fighting color? And, what ever happened to Scarlet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarlet_Pimpernel)?

By the way, did anyone else notice that Jon Stewart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Lantern#John_Stewart), was the Green Lantern back in the 1970s before he hosted his MTV show and later on The Daily Show? I wonder why he gave up his life of fighting for truth and justice for a basic cable show.

[janeslogin]

It has been suggested, I recall once in a comment at verbmall.blogspot.com, that there is an excellent opportunity for a writer or graduate student to compile a comprehensive current and recent history of the meaning of green. Even onlook.com has more entries for green than for blue or red.

[Sage Rat]

Between Peter Pan, Robin Hood, leprechauns, four leaf clovers, and British Racing Green, green is the color of nature, fairies, and Britain.

Green Hornet appears to be unrelated to this. But otherwise, that's probably your explanation at least within the realm of fantasy.

[Apollyon]

Between Peter Pan, Robin Hood, leprechauns, four leaf clovers, and British Racing Green, green is the color of nature, fairies, and Britain.Which presumably explains the tie with the other two superheroes in the OP. The original, golden age, Green Lantern's power was magical (rather than high-tech indistinguishable from magic), and Green Arrow's Robin Hood / Sherwood Green connection is obvious.