Martin “Marty” Nodell was best known as the creator of the Golden Age superhero the Green Lantern. The origin of the character came to Nodell while he was waiting to board the New York City subway. Nodell saw a trainman waving a green lantern.

The Green Lantern, aka Alan Scott, was a train wreck survivor who discovered a magical ancient lantern formed from a green meteor. Alan Scott forged a ring from the lamp which gave him superpowers, with the rings power source being the lamp. Nodell took his character to All-American Publications, which was later absorbed by DC Comic. Green Lantern made his debut in the July 1940 issue of All American Comics #16. The character proved popular and received its own title in the fall of 1941.

The Green Lantern comic ran until its cancellation in 1949, then a new incarnation debuted in 1959, and other interpretations followed. Nodell would go on to illustrate for other publishers including Timely Comics, Marvel Comics’ predecessor. His work there included cover art for Captain America Comics #74 and Marvel Tales #93.

He also worked outside the comic book industry. According to his son, Spencer Nodell, one of his proudest achievements was working on presentations for the 1950s for the Matador surface-to-surface missile. In 1965 Nodell was an art director at the Leo Burnett Agency, where he was a member of the design team that created the Pillsbury Doughboy.

Starting in 1980, Nodell and his wife Carrie would travel to numerous comic book conventions and meet the many fans and collectors. At first they were surprised by the enthusiastic reactions they received, but they became convention regulars over the next two decades.