This issue features Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and Black Canary in "...and a Child Shall Destroy Them" by Denny O'Neil, Neal Adams, and Dick Giordano. While walking down the street, Carol Ferris bumps into a stranger and is subsequently cursed by a young girl named Sybil, and she falls in a seizure.
A month later, Dinah Lance decides to take a job as a teacher at Meadowhill School, accompanied by her friends Oliver Queen and Hal Jordan. They are suddenly attacked by a flock of birds, requiring the men to put on their costumes to protect Dinah. When the birds are dealt with, they decide to see if her new boss knows anything about the occurrence.
They are greeted at the door by the man who Carol had bumped into earlier, who introduces himself as Grandy, the cook. He is accompanied by Sybil. The owner of the school, Jason Belmore, introduces himself, but expresses disapproval of the costumed heroes, prompting Green Arrow and Green Lantern to leave. Strangely, Mr. Belmore seems to have made them leave at Grandy's behest. Grandy directs Sybil to make the heroes sorry.
We should probably mention that Grady bears more than a passing resemblance to disgraced Vice President Spiro Agnew.
Outside, Green Arrow and Green Lantern notice Carol hanging around their car in a wheelchair. Carol has them drive her away and explains her case. She reveals that Belmore is her fiancé, but that he seems changed. Suddenly, Green Arrow loses control of the vehicle, which crashes. If not for Green Lantern's ring they might all have died. They soon realize that they have left Dinah in danger.
After dismissing her final class early, Dinah realizes that the children are oddly quiet and inanimate. Grandy appears and chastises her, ominously promising punishment for the early dismissal. Dinah returns to her room and dons her costume as Black Canary. She easily defeats a reluctant Mr. Belmore and Grandy, but Sybil's powers cause her to collapse on the floor. She is dragged to the cellar by the children, where Grandy releases angry wasps to attack her.
Green Arrow and Green Lantern arrive to save her, but they are soon incapacitated by Sybil's powers. Green Arrow uses a trick arrow to distract her, allowing them to escape and find Dinah. Green Lantern deals with the wasps, and Dinah is alive, fortunately. Green Lantern angrily confronts Grandy, who once again calls upon Sybil to punish him. This time, though, Sybil refuses, saying she wants to be like a normal child. When Grandy angrily slaps Sybil across the face, she uses her powers again – not to punish Green Lantern, but instead to bring the wing of the building down around them. Green Lantern and Green Arrow manage to escape with Mr. Belmore, Dinah, and the children, but Grandy and Sybil are trapped inside and are presumed to have perished when the wing collapses.
Before leaving, Green Lantern reveals his identity to Carol and confesses his love for her. She is unsurprised and accepts his feelings, finally. As they walk away, Sybil appears to be seen standing over Hal's discarded domino mask. Has she somehow survived? This story has been reprinted in Green Lantern/Green Arrow #4 (1984), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection Vol. 1 TPB (1992), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection HC (2001), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Vol. 2 TPB (2004), Showcase Presents: Green Lantern Vol. 5 TPB (2011), Green Lantern/Green Arrow TPB (2012), and Absolute Green Lantern/Green Arrow HC (2016).
Edited by Julius Schwartz.
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