Review: Darkest Night, The Dead Shall Rise

[mad-libbs]

You know what I find interesting is when Gar was comparing Terra to Rose and how Rose was accepted by the Titans now, I had to laugh. She's not really accepted, more like Dick says she has to be there so they let her. But she's not even a Titan anymore either, she left. DC writers should talk to each other more. I'll put up the GL Corps later. It wasn't a very stunning issue. More set up and Carol Ferris vs. Sinestro. That was kind of interesting.

[Marx]

Blackest Night #3

First you have Gen and Jason(aka Firestorm) are talking, mainly that Gen has been thinking of the two of them getting married and Jason isn't ready for that. We then go to Hal and Barry fighting off all the Black Lanterns, BL Firestorm especially is getting a lot of face time. Barry tries to take off the ring and sees that the rings are actually 'rooted' to the hosts.

Remember The Atom went through the phone when BL Hawkman called and we haven't seen him since? He apparently was inside Hawkman's ring, which he can tell is significantly different from Hal's. Then we have Firestorm, whose responding to a JLA call that ironically used Aquaman's code. He momentarily sees all the chaos going on all over before the feed's cut off. He's then attacked by Mera who didn't recognize him at first. Once they're okay, Mera warns Gen about getting emotional since that's what attracts the Lanterns.

Back to the fight, BL Firestorm starts picking at The Atom about Jean, making him glow compassion. He almost gets his heart ripped out when he's saved by...dun dun dunnn Indigo-1! Not to be confused with the Braniac who was a member of the Outsiders. Anyway, Indigo's staff taps into Hal's willpower and fires it at the ring, severing the connection. With the following explosion of light, all the Black Lanterns in the area's connections with their ring are severed, rending them dead again.

At that point Indigo transports them to the JLA HQ where Mera and Firestorm are. Indigo obviously knows more about what's going on than they do and gives them a little history lesson. There was darkness, then light. The darkness fought back and splintered the light into the emotional spectrum. And now the darkness is back with a vengeance to take out the homeworlds of the other corp, Earth is part of that only because we're too badass and keep stopping all the threats. The fact that it's loved and hated ones that are rising are no coincidence, it'd done specifically to make reactions that they can feed off of.

You also find out that just as the green and indigo light stopped the lanterns, any pairing of the different corp would do so. The more you have the bigger the light. Therefore they have to go on a recruiting drive. Indigo found Hal because he has a connection with most of the people in the rest of the corp(Carol, Sinestro, Atrocitus, Saint Walker, etc. in fact he's also worn almost all the rings at least once) Hal and Barry have another bromantic heart to heart and get interrupted by more Black Lanterns(I think it was the love. The man love.)

Firestorm meets his Black Lantern counterpart who splits Jason and Gem. He take an immediate liking the Gem and starts choking her. Jason, who of course doesn't have any powers without being Firestorm...that is until BL Firestorm merges with him, forcing Jason to watch as he chokes and eventually rips out her heart, putting the meter at 56.56%. Being that Jason is extremely emotional having watched and felt his girlfriend's murder, he's uber powering BL Firestorm. Meanwhile more rings are resurrecting more people, including Dr. Light, Max Lord, and Alexander Luthor.

[mad-libbs]

And apparently Geoff Johns likes writing Mera, and has big plans.

[Marx]

Doesn't surprise me. Could tell he had something planned for her just by the whole 'sole survivor' deal. Didn't really see the point in bringing back Garth and making him king just to kill him but eh, shock value I suppose.

[Stepi01]

Does anyone see this story having a happy ending, because I certainly don't.

[Marx]

They always have...relatively happy endings. I am wondering if everyone who becomes a Black Lantern will stay one. It'd be a total copout but it wouldn't surprise me.

[Marx]

Blackest Night #4

So we start it out with Barry, Mera, and The Atom having to fight the recently resurrected Lanterns by themselves as Jason is still stuck in Firestorm. Speaking of BL Firestorm, he tries to rip out Barry's heart but Jason's able to break through just enough to tell everyone that they need to run before he's taken over again. The Atom dials 911 and transports Barry and Mera through the phone line to the other side of the line.

In Gotham, Scarecrow's looking at everyone and can tell how scared they are since Azrael(whose apparently dead, unless that's someone besides Jean Paul) is slaying people left and right. Scarecrow wants to be afraid but he says nothing scares him anymore but Batman, which causes BL Azrael to just walk by. Elsewhere, Calculator tries to team up with Lex to take care of the Black Lanterns to which Lex basically says 'Screw you, I'll deal with this myself.'

Of course the 911 people are getting tons of calls and Barry says to just tell them to stay inside and that the Justice League are on it. And yes, he was referring to himself, The Atom and Mera...right... anyway, he does his inspirational speech, blah blah blah. The Atom tries to find Mr. Terrific so that he can find Alan Scott, closest thing to a Green Lantern they have. They end up transporting there through one of his T-Spheres as he and the rest of the JSA are busy with the Lanterns, while Barry pretty much informs everyone that Hal and the others are working on it, all they have to do is hold the Black Lanterns off until they can get saved. Oh and to try to fight them with light.

Oh while this is going on, Black Hand is trudging through the cemetary looking for something, BL power levels are at 97.79%. I could give you specifics on the big brawl with the JSA, but it's not important, until....dun dun dunnnnn! The Black Lanterns finally reach 100% by Jean Loring ripping out Damage's heart. Barry wigs out and orders Wally and Bart to get everyone they can and bring them to Coast City. Meanwhile Scar and everyone around the Black Battery transport there as well.

Bunch of rings come out of the Battery and I do believe that Black Hand has officially resurrected the entirety of Coast City. Oh and he also resurrected Nekron. Don't really know who he is but he has one badass scythe.

[christym]

according to wikipedia...
"Nekron is the fictional ruler of a region adjoining Hell that also seems to border on Limbo and Purgatory within the DC Universe. It is where the souls of the dead await passage to their final residence in either the Silver City or Hell. Nekron draws his power from the souls and spirits of all those who have ever died...The limitations of Nekron's powers are unknown. Geoff Johns has described him as perhaps the most powerful dark force in the universe. He has displayed the ability to raise the dead, kill with a touch, fire bolts of black lightning and grow without limit."

according to wikipedia, he is an old villain for green lantern, and geoff johns said he is the reason for the black lanterns.

and check out the scythe

[Marx]

Ooo that's pretty cool then actually. Totally makes sense. And it's not completely random, like Mandrakk. *rolls eyes* I do genuinely find myself looking forward to each issue. Kudos! And with that said...

*makes grabs for the scythe* I want it! I want it!

[mad-libbs]

No! Bad Marx! Bad! No biscuit!

[Marx]

*ponders that for a moment* English biscuit or American biscuit?
<.<
>.>
*snatches scythe and gives it to Harm*
Harm: THE POWWA!