Blackest Night
"Blackest Night" | |||
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A masked man in green and black bearing a glowing green ring leads four other cartoon superheros, one of whom is Superman. Behind them and much larger is the top half of a sinister black humanoid holding a dark green lantern, and behind him in the distance is a host of cartoon villains. "BLACKEST NIGHT" is at the top and "DC" at top left. Incentive variant cover of Blackest Night 1 (Jul 2009) Published in a 1:25 ratio Art by Ethan Van Sciver. | |||
Publisher | DC Comics | ||
Publication date | June 2009 – April 2010 | ||
Genre | |||
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Main character(s) | DC Universe | ||
Creative team | |||
Writer(s) | Geoff Johns | ||
Penciller(s) | Ivan Reis | ||
Blackest Night | ISBN 1-4012-2693-0 |
Blackest Night is an American comic book limited series published by DC Comics in 2009 and 2010, forming the basis of a crossover event between several DC publications. Written by Geoff Johns and penciled by Ivan Reis[1], Blackest Night involves a personified force of death resurrecting deceased superheroes and seeking to eliminate all life and emotion from the universe. Geoff Johns has identified the series' central theme as emotion.[2] The crossover will be published for eight months via a limited series, as well as in both the Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps comic titles. Various other limited series and tie-ins are planned.
Background
![The page depicts three desiccated hands breaking through the ground of a graveyard, one wearing a Black Lantern ring. The text reads: "Across the universe, the dead will rise. Green Lantern: The Blackest Night. Summer 2009"](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/38/Blackest_Night.jpg/220px-Blackest_Night.jpg)
The storyline was first mentioned at the conclusion of the "Sinestro Corps War" in Green Lantern vol. 4, #25. As the war between the Green Lantern and Sinestro Corps reaches its climax, the four Green Lanterns of Earth (Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart and Kyle Rayner) are told by the Guardians Ganthet and Sayd of the "Blackest Night" prophecy. According to the prophecy, the three existing Corps would be joined by four new ones, each driven by a specific emotion and empowered by a specific color of the emotional spectrum, leading to a "War of Light" that would subsequently destroy the universe. Johns says[3] the prophecy has its origins in the story "Tygers" by Alan Moore, which touches on the rising up of the Guardians' enemies, like the Weaponers of Qward, Ranx the Sentient City and the Children of the White Lobe,[4] and the destruction of the Green Lanterns, showing Sodam Yat and Mogo dying.[5] Atrocitus, however, denies the accuracy of this prophecy, suggesting that it blended Blackest Night and Sinestro Corps War with pure falsehood.[6]
Johns later revealed that Nekron was the leader of the Black Lantern Corps in an interview with IGN, though he originally intended to keep that plot element a secret. Commenting on selecting the character as the "mastermind" behind his event, Johns provided the following explanation:
"For me it honestly was never a question. If I was going to do a Green Lantern storyline about the dead rising, the character I was going to use was going to be Nekron. He's pretty obscure, but like Black Hand, Sinestro and Hector Hammond – you know, these characters that had been a little under the radar for years or even decades – he's someone I wanted to pull out and reimagine and rebuild. And again as you're seeing, Ivan has done an incredible job, along with Joe Prado, on redesigning the character."[7]
The teaser for the storyline stated that "...the armies of fear and willpower must come together, because across the Universe, the dead will rise." A decomposing hand was shown coming out of the ground with a black ring on its finger.[8] The symbol on the ring is of Green Lantern villain Black Hand.[9] Both Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver have stated that "Blackest Night" is the third part of a Green Lantern event trilogy that began with Rebirth and continued with "Sinestro Corps War".[3] In an interview with IGN, Johns stated that he has the monthly Green Lantern book plotted up until issue #55.[10] More details for the event were revealed in DC Universe #0,[11] which depicted Green Lantern villain Black Hand discovering the black power battery on the planet of Ryut.
Blackest Night #0 was released on Free Comic Book Day 2009, and portrayed a series of events directly leading into Blackest Night #1. The standalone self-titled miniseries consists of the Free Comic Book Day issue and eight monthly issues. Tie-ins include issues of both Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps starting with the issues #43 and #38; and a handful of 3 issue limited series such as Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps, Blackest Night: Superman, Blackest Night: Batman and Blackest Night: Titans.[12] Ethan Van Sciver had planned to work on the opening book as he did in the Sinestro Corps War, but because of his work on the The Flash: Rebirth mini-series he was not able to complete both effectively. However, he still created many of the designs for this storyline along with Ivan Reis.[13][14][15][16]
Plot
Prelude
Green Lanterns Ash and Saarek find the Black Central Power Battery at a reportedly classified location within Sector 666. After touching the battery, Saarek reports that their presence has awoken something. The two are killed when two monstrous hands emerge from below them to the sound of the battery calling: "flesh."[17] In Green Lantern Corps, a field of asteroids is depicted in an unknown region of space (the colors of the spectrum shown in the background). The asteroids which apparently are from the remains of the planet Xanshi, are shattered and a huge number of black power rings come through them.[18]
Blackest Night
In Gotham City, Black Hand removes Bruce Wayne's skull from his grave. While reciting his oath, Black Hand's ring begins to glow and swirl as light shines in the eyes of the skull he is holding.[19]
The Guardians of Oa observe the War of Light and realize that Ganthet and Sayd have been right, but are kept from intervening by Scar, who swiftly kills one Guardian and imprisons the rest. Thousands of black rings soon smash into the Corps' crypt. In Gotham City, while Hal Jordan and Barry Allen investigate Bruce Wayne's grave, J'onn J'onzz appears as a Black Lantern. On Oa, the Green Lanterns are met by all of the formerly deceased Lanterns now reborn as Black Lanterns. In St. Roch, Hawkgirl and Hawkman are killed by Black Lanterns Elongated Man and Sue Dibny. Black Hand appears, declaring that neither of them will be reincarnated again as the two are transformed into Black Lanterns.[20]
The Atom is invited to visit Carter Hall so they may discuss his feelings towards his deceased wife, Jean Loring. Deadman Boston Brand is revealed to be in conflict with his astral and physical self, as his spiritual essence does not want to be resurrected as a Black Lantern. In Amnesty Bay, Aquaman, Dolphin, Garth and Aquagirl are all resurrected as Black Lanterns, and Mera flees. A meeting of magical heroes is called to examine the disturbance of Boston Brand's grave, however it is interrupted by the appearance of Black Lantern Pariah. A black ring strikes The Spectre, binding the spirit while reviving Crispus Allen as a Black Lantern. The rings prove unable to resurrect Don Hall. However, his brother Hank rises. In Gotham, the Flash and Hal Jordan are confronted by Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Elongated Man, Sue Dibny, and Ronald Raymond.[21]
Hal Jordan and Barry Allen continue to fight the Black Lanterns while aided by the Atom. The Indigo Tribe suddenly appears, their staffs managing to separate the rings from Ralph and Sue Dibny's bodies. The heroes regroup at the Justice League headquarters where Mera has summoned Jason Rusch and Gehenna, who join together to become the new Firestorm. Indigo-1 reveals that the Black Lanterns feed off emotion and that the only way to stop them is to gather all seven corps together to find their source and recreate the "white light of creation" to eradicate the Black Lanterns. The Black Lanterns then break into the Hall of Justice. The Indigo Tribe departs, taking Hal with them and leaving the others to fend for themselves. The Black Lantern Firestorm separates the living Firestorm into Jason and Gen. Ronnie Raymond then turns Gen into salt. More black rings appear and revive the villains whose remains have been in storage inside the Hall of Justice.[22]
Mera, Flash and Atom battle the Black Lanterns. The Atom manages to let all three of them travel through the phone lines to escape. Flash leaves to give as many heroes as possible the information they have on the Black Lanterns, while the Atom and Mera meet up with the Justice Society of America, who are battling Black Lanterns of their late comrades and the Freedom Fighters. Jean Loring soon attacks Damage from behind, ripping out his heart and causing the Black Lanterns' battery to reach full power. Barry arrives in Coast City, where Scar has teleported in with the Black Central Power Battery. Black Hand then summons Nekron, who emerges from the ground and black rings begin to revive the residents of Coast City.[23]
On Earth, the JLA, the Titans, along two of Allen's family members, Wally West and Bart Allen, are fighting the Black Lanterns in Coast City. Bart informs his grandfather and cousin that Dove is somehow able to destroy Black Lanterns with her presence. As Scar attacks Wally West, Hal Jordan (along with Larfleeze, Atrocitus, Sinestro, Carol Ferris, Saint Walker, Indigo-1, Ganthet and Sayd) arrive to attack the undead Guardian and use their rings on the Black Power Battery. Batman's corpse is briefly reanimated as a Black Lantern. Nekron claims responsibility for the various resurrections of several heroes and that they will help him "expose the Guardians' greatest secret." At his command, the rings then attach themselves to heroes who had previously died and been resurrected in the past: Superman, Wonder Woman, Superboy, Green Arrow, Kid Flash, Donna Troy, Ice and Animal Man are all transformed into Black Lanterns. Hal Jordan and Barry Allen are similarly targeted.[24]
Allen time-travels himself and Jordan two seconds into the future. This leaves the rings with no present targets, and they deactivate. Mera and the Atom arrive. As this occurs, John Stewart warns Hal Jordan that every Black Lantern in the universe is heading for Earth. Jordan says they need the entire seven Corps to arrive and unite in order to produce the white light. While they summon the seven Corps to Earth, Ganthet duplicates the rings of each respective power of the emotional spectrum to double their efforts to halt the Black Lantern Corps until they arrive. While Ganthet himself becomes a Green Lantern, Barry Allen is chosen as a deputy Blue Lantern, Mera as a Red Lantern, Lex Luthor (who had been battling the hundreds of people he had killed over the years) as an Orange Lantern, Scarecrow as a Sinestro Corps officer, Atom as an Indigo Tribe member, and Wonder Woman as a Star Sapphire after she is broken free from the black ring's influences.[25]
Bibliography
Prelude to Blackest Night
- Green Lantern (vol. 4) #39-42 (May - July 2009)
- Green Lantern Corps (vol. 2) #33-38 (April - August 2009)
- Titans #15 (July 2009)
- Solomon Grundy #7 (November 2009)
Blackest Night
- Blackest Night #0 (June 2009)
- Green Lantern vol. 4, #43-52 (September 2009 - March 2010)[26]
- Green Lantern Corps vol. 2, #38-46 (September 2009 - March 2010)[26]
- Blackest Night: Tales Of the Corps #1-3 (September 2009)[12][26][27]
- Blackest Night: Batman #1-3 (October - December 2009)[12][28][29]
- Blackest Night: Superman #1-3 (October - December 2009)[12][28][30]
- Blackest Night: Titans #1-3 (October - December 2009)[12][28][31]
- Adventure Comics vol. 2, #4-5,7[citation needed] (January - February 2010)[32][33][34]
- Booster Gold vol. 2, #26-27 (January - February 2010)[33][34][35]
- The Doom Patrol vol. 5, #4-5 (January - February 2010)[33][34][36]
- Justice League of America vol. 2, #39-40 (January - February 2010)[33][34][37]
- The Outsiders vol. 5, #24-25 (January - February 2010)[33][34][38]
- R.E.B.E.L.S. vol. 2 #10-11 (January - February 2010)[33][34][39]
- Superman/Batman #66-67 (January - February 2010)[33][34][40]
- Teen Titans vol. 3, #77-78 (January - February 2010)[33][34][41]
- Blackest Night: Flash #1-3 (February - April 2010)[34][42]
- Blackest Night: JSA #1-3 (February - April 2010)[34]
- Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1-3 (February - April 2010)[12][34]
- The Atom & Hawkman #46[43]
- Catwoman #83 (Vol.3)[43]
- Phantom Stranger #42[43]
- The Power of Shazam! #48[43]
- The Question #37[43]
- Secret Six Vol.3 #17,18[citation needed]
- Starman #81 (Vol.2)[43]
- Suicide Squad #67[43]
- Weird Western Tales #71[43]
- Green Arrow/Black Canary #30[44]
Collected editions
The series is being collected into a number of volumes:
- Blackest Night (collects Blackest Night #1-8, 304 pages, hardcover, July 2010, ISBN 1-4012-2693-0)
- Blackest Night: Green Lantern (collects Green Lantern vol. 4 #43-51, 256 pages, hardcover, August 2010, ISBN 1-4012-2786-4)
- Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps (collects Green Lantern Corps vol. 2 #39-45, 256 pages, hardcover, August 2010, ISBN 1-4012-2788-0)
- Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps (collects Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #1-3, 172 pages, hardcover, June 2010, ISBN 1-4012-2790-2)
- Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps:
- Volume 1 (collects Blackest Night: Batman #1-3, Blackest Night: Superman #1-3 and Blackest Night: Titans #1-3, 240 pages, hardcover, July 2010, ISBN 1-4012-2784-8)
- Volume 2 (collects Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1-3, Blackest Night: JSA #1-3 and Blackest Night: Flash #1-3, 240 pages, hardcover, July 2010, ISBN 1-4012-2785-6)
- Blackest Night: Rise of the Black Lanterns (collects Power of Shazam! #48, Catwomen #83, Suicide Squad #67, Question #37, Phantom Stranger #42, Weird Western Tales #71, Atom & Hawkman #46 and Starman #81, 208 pages, hardcover, July 2010, ISBN 1-4012-2789-9)
Reception
The series has received generally positive reviews. Comic Book Resources gave the first and third issues in the series 5 out of 5 stars,[45][46] and the second received 4.5 stars.[47] IGN also reviewed the series favorably, rating the first three individual issues between 8.7 and 9.3 out of a possible 10.[48][49][50]
See also
Notes
- ^ Rogers, Vaneta (2009-02-19). "Ivan Reis: Preparing for Blackest Night". Newsarama. Retrieved 2009-04-04.
- ^ Rogers, Vaneta (2009-03-09). "The Eve of Blackest Night: Geoff Johns on...Everything". Newsarama. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
- ^ a b Rogers, Vaneta (2007-12-13). "Happy X-Mas (War Is Over) - Geoff Johns on Green Lantern #25". Newsarama. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
- ^ Reintroduced in Green Lantern Corps #6, January 2007
- ^ "Tygers" (by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill, in Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Annual #2, 1986)
- ^ Green Lantern v4 #37
- ^ George, Richard (2009-08-13). "Blackest Night's Mastermind Revealed". IGN. Retrieved 2009-08-14.
- ^ Johns, Geoff (w). Green Lantern, vol. 4, no. 25 (January 2008). DC Comics.
- ^ Spiegel, D. "(none given)". Wizard (198): 82.
[from Geoff Johns] And yes, it's Earth and that's Black Hand's symbol on the ring.
- ^ Phillips, Dan (2007-12-14). "Green Lantern: The Dawn of Blackest Night". IGN. Retrieved 2009-04-04.
- ^ Manning, Shaun (2008-02-22). "WonderCon: DC Nation Panel". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2009-04-04.
- ^ a b c d e f Rogers, Vaneta (2009-04-04). "The Road to The Blackest Night I: Where Things Stand". Newsarama. Retrieved 2009-04-04.
- ^ Mitchel, Bill (2009-07-16). "IN-DEPTH: ETHAN VAN SCIVER". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
- ^ Siuntres, John (2008-08-08). "Word Balloon: Ethan VanSciver - Flash, GL & More". Newsarama. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
- ^ Rogers, Vaneta (2008-04-25). "Ethan Van Sciver - Behind the Lanterns' Looks". Newsarama. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
- ^ http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/34701/dc-comics-explore-blackest-night DC Comics Explores the Blackest Night]
- ^ Johns, Geoff (w). Green Lantern, vol. 1, no. 42 (July 2009). DC Comics.
- ^ Tomasi, Peter (w). Green Lantern Corps, vol. 2, no. 38 (July 2009). DC Comics.
- ^ Johns, Geoff (w). Blackest Night, vol. 1, no. 0 (July 2009). DC Comics.
- ^ Johns, Geoff (w). Blackest Night, vol. 1, no. 1 (September 2009). DC Comics.
- ^ Johns, Geoff (w). Blackest Night, vol. 1, no. 2 (October 2009). DC Comics.
- ^ Johns, Geoff (w). Blackest Night, vol. 1, no. 3 (November 2009). DC Comics.
- ^ Johns, Geoff (w). Blackest Night, vol. 1, no. 4 (December 2009). DC Comics.
- ^ Johns, Geoff (w). Blackest Night, vol. 1, no. 5 (January 2010). DC Comics.
- ^ Johns, Geoff (w). Blackest Night, vol. 1, no. 6 (February 2010). DC Comics.
- ^ a b c Previews, 19 (5 (248)), May 2009
{{citation}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #1 (OF 3), DC Comics, retrieved 2009-07-26
- ^ a b c Previews, 19 (6 (249)), June 2009
{{citation}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ Blackest Night: Batman #1 (of 3), DC Comics, retrieved 2009-07-26
- ^ Blackest Night: Superman #1 (OF 3), DC Comics, retrieved 2009-07-26
- ^ Blackest Night: Titans #1 (OF 3), DC Comics, retrieved 2009-07-26
- ^ Adventure Comics #4, DC Comics, retrieved 2009-08-28
- ^ a b c d e f g h Previews, 19 (9 (252)), September 2009
{{citation}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Blackest Night's Future: December 2009, IGN, 2009-09-18, retrieved 2009-09-19
- ^ Booster Gold #26, DC Comics, retrieved 2009-08-17
- ^ Doom Patrol #4, DC Comics, retrieved 2009-08-17
- ^ Justice Leauge of America #39, DC Comics, retrieved 2009-08-17
- ^ The Outsiders #24, DC Comics, retrieved 2009-08-17
- ^ R.E.B.E.L.S. #10, DC Comics, retrieved 2009-08-17
- ^ Superman/Batman #66-67, DC Comics, retrieved 2009-08-17
- ^ Teen Titans #77, DC Comics, retrieved 2009-08-17
- ^ Renaud, Jeffrey (2009-07-26). "CCI: Geoff Johns on "All Flash"". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2009-07-27.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Renaud, Jeffrey (2009-10-13). "Starman's Back, But Not Jack Knight". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2009-10-13.
- ^ Richard George (2009-11-12). "Blackest Night's Future: February 2010". ign.com. IGN Entertainment Inc. Retrieved 2009-11-13.
- ^ Doug Zawisza (2009-07-15). "Review: Blackest Night #1". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2009-10-28.
- ^ Benjamin Birdie (2009-08-13). "Review: Blackest Night #3". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2009-10-28.
- ^ Doug Zawisza (2009-09-16). "Review: Blackest Night #2". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2009-10-28.
- ^ Jesse Schedeen (2009-07-15). "Blackest Night #1 Review". IGN Entertainment. Retrieved 2009-10-28.
- ^ Dan Phillips (2009-08-12). "Blackest Night #2 Review". IGN Entertainment. Retrieved 2009-10-28.
- ^ "Blackest Night #3 Review". IGN Entertainment. 2009-09-16. Retrieved 2009-10-28.
External links
- Blackest Night mini-site at DC Comics
- Blackest Night mini-site at IGN
- Blackest Night at the DC Database
- Blackest Night at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Rogers, Vaneta (2009-03-17). "Green Into Black: Geoff Johns on the Night to Come". Newsarama. Retrieved 2009-08-10.