Speaking of new villains, Green Lantern meets Star Sapphire in Green Lantern #16 (Aug 1962). Star Sapphire happens to secretly be the beautiful and shapely Carol Ferris, Hal Jordan’s girlfriend, who has been learning to pilot her own aircraft, thanks to Hal’s teachings and fell afoul of some Zamarons (space Amazons, of course).
The Zamarons tell her she resembles their beloved and deceased queen. They grant her powers, a bathing suit with a collar, and a mask. How thoughtful. They tell her she has to defeat Green Lantern and compel her to battle him to prove to herself that all men are weaklings.
After a couple of encounters, Green Lantern finally realizes that an impenetrable barrier will prevent her powers from being fed by incoming radiation.
After Star Sapphire is defeated, the Zamarons give up, teleport Carol back to their ship, and wipe her memory of ever having been Star Sapphire. It’s nice to see the Silver Age version of Star Sapphire make her debut… the Golden Age version was fifteen years ago! Something tells me we will be seeing her again. Involving Hal’s girlfriend and keeping both characters in the dark about Carol’s involvement as this super villain is interesting, if somewhat hard to swallow. Then again, this is the era when domino masks were all that was needed!