Blackest Night
What would happen if dead heroes, villains, and loved ones rose to wreak havoc on the characters of the DC Comics universe? That鈥檚 the idea behind Blackest Night, a hardcover graphic novel that combines eight bestselling comic books into one of the most highly anticipated comics collection of the year.
As the story begins, we witness the dead rising by the millions, brought back to life by a black ring which flies onto their fingers. These zombies 鈥� the recipients of the black rings 鈥� are dubbed 鈥淏lack Lanterns.鈥� They quickly strike, trying to add more to their ranks. Friends and foes soon realize they must put aside their differences and join forces to overcome this legion of doom.
This story line is part of what comic fans call an 鈥渆vent鈥� 鈥� an overhyped series of books, relying on dozens of characters, that promises to be the best thing you鈥檒l read all year. Often these 鈥渆vent鈥� series are major disappointments, so it鈥檚 amazing and refreshing that 鈥淏lackest Night鈥� actually delivers. What starts out as a horror story, with one 鈥渙h no鈥� moment after another, quickly becomes a galaxy-spanning adventure that concludes in a rousing, surprise-filled finish. This truly is an 鈥渆vent.鈥�
It鈥檚 no surprise that this was accomplished by bestselling writer Geoff Johns and artist Ivan Reis. This duo previously restored the Green Lantern to his place as one of the most popular of comics heroes (so popular in fact that he鈥檚 starring in his first movie next year). Johns has taken the 鈥淟antern鈥� idea and cleverly introduced lanterns of other hues, representing an emotional spectrum, such as 鈥淵ellow Lanterns鈥� that embody fear, 鈥淏lue Lanterns鈥� that express hope, and 鈥淩ed Lanterns鈥� that exemplify rage. (鈥淕reen Lanterns,鈥� by the way, embody will.) These colored 鈥淟anterns鈥� come into play against the 鈥樷�淏lack Lanterns鈥� of 鈥淏lackest Night.鈥�
Along with all the many Lanterns, Johns and Reis juggle so many other heroes and villains it could be confusing. But Johns gives each character a distinct voice and Reis illustrates the action in a detailed yet clear and easy-to-follow style. Working together they give the tale plenty of action that packs an emotional punch and makes 鈥淏lackest Night鈥� one of the most exciting and memorable superhero epics of the last decade.
鈥淏lackest Night鈥� can also be enjoyed with an excellent companion piece aptly named Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps. The Green Lantern Corps are thousands of alien species who don green power rings that give them the ability to patrol space as an intergalactic police force 鈥� sort of a cross between 鈥�Star Trek鈥� and 鈥�NYPD Blue.鈥�
While 鈥淏lackest Night鈥� takes place mostly on Earth, this book follows the crisis from space and shows that the Black Lanterns are everywhere and that the Corps who bravely battle them face overwhelming odds. Writer Peter J. Tomasi and artist Patrick Gleason put us in the thick of spectacular space battles yet take the time to make us care for their cast of dozens 鈥� characters whom we mourn when they perish and cheer when they prevail.
Rich Clabaugh is a staff artist at the Monitor.
