Blair Wind
The Iron Avenger
Someone seems to be under the impression that, post-crisis, the ring is only capable of creating hard light objects. This post is here to showcase just a few examples of that hypothesis being utterly false by showcasing multiple Lanterns doing more than merely hard light constructs. I don't have time to get extremely extensive, but this post should be sufficient for those who believe otherwise.
To start, here is a great explanation of what the Green Lantern Ring is capable of.
“The ring responds to will power simple as that.” - Hal
"But what can it do?" - Tom
“Anything, everything if you will it…happens” - Hal
“It forges dreams and thoughts into matter. It reads minds. It let’s you fly, become invisible, pass through walls, teleport through space, walk through time” - Hal
“You become your imagination, there’s nothing else like it.” - Hal
http://g.imagehost.org/view/0402/GLLegacy_pg057
http://g.imagehost.org/view/0636/GLLegacy_pg058
Hal Jordan
Recreating Oa, completely
Hal’s goodside (Marty) and Tom Kalmaku (whose willpower was specifically said to be less than Hal’s early in both their careers) recreates the entire planet Oa, in all it’s glory with all it’s technology.
http://img19.photobucket.com/albums/v58/Desaad/Hal%20Jordan/Hal%20Jordan2/7eb4b638.jpg
http://img19.photobucket.com/albums/v58/Desaad/Hal%20Jordan/Hal%20Jordan2/fb4d5672.jpg
http://img19.photobucket.com/albums/v58/Desaad/Hal%20Jordan/Hal%20Jordan2/4185695e.jpg
http://img19.photobucket.com/albums/v58/Desaad/Hal%20Jordan/Hal%20Jordan2/60bec87a.jpg
Teleportation
Hal teleports Barry to him.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/Desaad/Hal%20Jordan/Hal%20Jordan2/101bed38.jpg
Kyle Rayner
For reference, Kyle's ring is actually Hal Jordan's old ring. This is told multiple times. Originally we thought it was an "new model", but was later explained that the reason he could effect yellow objects was because he had already faced his fear (as an artist, he always faces rejection). Lame excuse, but it explains why everyone thought it was different - it wasn't, Kyle was. Hal has also overcome this yellow impurity.
Cellular Transformation + Telekinesis
Kyle once gave himself Telekinesis and completely shape shifted himself when he couldnt use the Power Ring because they would know of the energy spike it gave out. The ship they were on had technology to be able to specifically detect Oan Energy, due to Amon Sur (Abin Sur's son). This was a stealth mission where the Power Ring could not be used.
Here's Amon Sur (Abin Sur's son) referring the cellular change.
http://img128.imageshack.us/my.php?image=greenlanternv2175p094cr.jpg
Here's the change itself
http://img209.imageshack.us/my.php?image=greenlantern173p027ju.jpg
http://img128.imageshack.us/my.php?image=greenlantern173p036bq.jpg
http://img209.imageshack.us/my.php?image=greenlantern173p048fj.jpg
Green Lantern v3 #171-172
Here's the power of telekinesis.
http://h.imagehost.org/view/0105/04_05
http://h.imagehost.org/view/0673/06_8
http://h.imagehost.org/view/0976/07
http://h.imagehost.org/view/0875/16_4
http://h.imagehost.org/view/0168/17_10
http://h.imagehost.org/view/0331/greenlantern172_16
Green Lantern v3 #172
Kyle can do teleportation
http://h.imagehost.org/view/0480/greenlantern172_09
Oblivion, construct of Kyle
Dark Kyle (Oblivion) Vs the JLA. Oblivion - who is merely a construct of Kyle's - casually makes a black hole and a red sun.
http://tinypic.com/r/34qtpnl/5
http://tinypic.com/r/2mm66if/5
http://tinypic.com/r/300trvk/5
http://tinypic.com/r/ng9c2b/5
http://tinypic.com/r/15nmzgn/5
http://tinypic.com/r/1e4c9s/5
http://tinypic.com/r/slnxwo/5
http://tinypic.com/r/xdv3aq/5
http://tinypic.com/r/66lwrd/5
Oblivion creates a quasar threatening to collapse the universe
http://img200.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2greenlanterncircleoffire02276.jpg
http://img313.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2greenlanterncircleoffire02289.jpg
Kyle, without realizing it, also creates a faux GLC. All of them have a power ring, one of them (Green Lightning, Ali Rayner-West) can also tap the Speed Force, and another is a full on Daxamite (Emerald Knight). All of them are sentient and can act freely without Kyle's direction (as proved by Firestorm not being able to manipulate the GL Manhunter they are also really organics). They also all think they are real and have backstories to them.
http://img335.imageshack.us/my.php?image=greenlanterncircleoffire418ik.jpg
http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=greenlanterncircleoffire423pa.jpg
http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=greenlanterncircleoffire438rp.jpg
http://tinypic.com/r/fnvfoy/5
http://tinypic.com/r/35a7uk7/5
Oblivion's explanation of who he is (Dark Kyle)
http://img430.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2greenlanterncircleoffire02203.jpg
http://tinypic.com/r/23kbygz/5
Creation of the faux Corps explained
http://img306.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2greenlanterncircleoffire02244.jpg
Proof that Oblivion is dependent on Kyle in case anyone asks.
http://tinypic.com/r/amdt06/5
http://img283.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2greenlanterncircleoffire02344.jpg
Green Lightning Speed Force Feats:
-Stealing speed and quick healing
http://img438.imageshack.us/my.php?image=glas18nastynat8ph.jpg
-Increased perception
http://img140.imageshack.us/my.php?image=glas19nastynat6wg.jpg
-Speed lending
http://img140.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2greenlanterncircleoffire02113.jpg
http://tinypic.com/r/2wnb7lc/5
-Kyle's Manhunter construct resists transmutation, proving it to be alive. This is not simply a green construct.
http://img259.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1dgreenlanternfirestormcircleo.jpg
One of the guys Kyle created was a Daxamite - with heat vision and everything.
http://img92.imageshack.us/my.php?image=greenlanternpowergirlcircleoff.jpg
http://tinypic.com/r/r01fmu/5
http://tinypic.com/r/14ipelk/5
Green Lantern V3 Annual #6
Kyle with the rings energy reserves and, with Sebastian’s help, reconstruct and reshapes a fantasy world. These are not just hard-light images.
http://h.imagehost.org/0158/GreenLantern-Annual6-43.jpg
http://h.imagehost.org/0687/GreenLantern-Annual6-44.jpg
http://a.imagehost.org/0482/GreenLantern-Annual6-45.jpg
http://a.imagehost.org/0883/GreenLantern-Annual6-46.jpg
http://h.imagehost.org/0201/GreenLantern-Annual6-47.jpg
http://h.imagehost.org/0601/GreenLantern-Annual6-48.jpg
http://h.imagehost.org/0002/GreenLantern-Annual6-49.jpg
John Stewart
John using Telepathy to communicate with Wonder Woman, Black Lightning, and the Flash's children
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t173/EndlessMike9/Green%20Lantern/gltelepathy1.jpg
Stel
Stel, using the ring, transmutes himself into anti-matter(reversed the polarity of his atoms).
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t173/EndlessMike9/Green%20Lantern/glmatterinversion.jpg
Kilowog
THIS IS IMPORTANT Mass terraforming and accelerated mutation too produce atmosphere producing life forms. Is that something a hard light construct can do?
http://g.imagehost.org/view/0177/Untitled-Scanned-07
http://g.imagehost.org/view/0524/Untitled-Scanned-20
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That should prove that Lanterns can do more than just "light constructs". I wish I had more time to dig deeper, but that should cover what is being contested.
With that said, Hal can just absorb everyone into his ring where he is basically a god. Here, Abin Sur defeats “Traitor”, a being who absorbs power from dying star-suns, absorb’s him into the planet/world/universe within his ring and then casually rebuilds an entire old west town that was reduced to rubble. (Notes: This has been done before by other Lanterns - for example, Dr. Light was trapped in a ring for a long time.)
http://img274.imageshack.us/my.php?image=legendsofthedcu21p206ic.jpg
http://img274.imageshack.us/my.php?image=legendsofthedcu21p216tk.jpg
http://img359.imageshack.us/my.php?image=legendsofthedcu21p226tm.jpg