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Amph [GLC] Blackest Night (spoilers, but please read first post before posting spoilers)

Discussion in 'Archive: SF&F: Books and Comics' started by Raven, Jul 19, 2009.

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  1. Raven

    Raven Administrator Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 5, 1998

    Spoilers
    Since comics generally come out on Wednesday or Thursday, please highlight spoilers until the Saturday after the comic has been released, to give people time to grab a copy.



    BLACKEST NIGHT has begun!

    Personally, I've been waiting since the last page of the Sinestro Corps wars for this. The first issue is now out, and it did not disappoint. It looks like Hal Jordan and Barry are the lead characters on this - mostly Hal, obviously - with the Green Lantern Corps (obviously) being secondary, and various other DCU characters in a tertiary role. I don't think that I saw Batman (Dick Grayson, we technically saw Bruce Wayne's smiling face), Superman or Wonder Woman at all.

    The first issue saw Hawkman and Hawkgirl killed, which I found surprising. It's been a rough year or two for headline DCU characters. Batman, Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, the Question, the original Superman, all toasted. The Flash has been killed a few times too I guess.

    I've got to wonder: are the characters going to stay dead at the end? Will the event be used to bring some people back on an ongoing basis?

    Also, what's the deal with Batman's skull? He's not being turned into a Black Lantern, at least not yet. My personal suspicion is that the Skull of Batman will turn out to be a MacGuffin of enormous cosmic power: better than any other major DCU character, Batman felt the full range of emotion.

    Rage? Check. Just look at any of the savage beatings he gives out when he's really pissed. Avarice? While he had it under control most of the time, you have to admit that the man horded technology, secrets, plans, etc. It wasn't a physical item he secreted away and kept to himself, but he was greedy for information and control of every situation. Fear? Batman is personified. The man felt fear every time he went out, and what he did was transfer his fears to others. He was chosen by a Sinestro Corps ring after all. Compassion? Batman was gruff, but also capable of enormous compassion, even towards his enemies. While it's not in the comic canon, I'm reminded of Amanda Waller's story of Batman in the JLU episode "Epilogue." That was perfect Batman through and through. Love? Of all kinds and forms. Batman loves fiercely, and at the end of the day he loves a lot of people. Hope? Batman is pure hope, the belief that no matter how bad it is, there's still a way to win. He refuses to accept a no-win scenario.

    Willpower? More than any character in the DCU except maybe Hal Jordan, Kyle Rainer and a very, very select few of others, Batman has willpower. I'm quite sure he could sling a ring with the best of them. In the current run of Green Lantern, he put a ring on at one point and was able to put out a fair amount of energy for a first timer, far more than Green Arrow did in Rebirth. The man is overflowing with iron hard willpower.

    Also, if God and Batman ever got into a fight, Batman would win. See Final Crisis #6.
     
  2. chiss_man

    chiss_man Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 1, 2002
    Before we all get wrapped up in the first issue, it's important to note how awesome Green Lantern #43 was. It was a tremendous character piece by Johns, establishing Black Hand as one creepy dude. It also featured amazing art by Doug Mahnke, who is the new regular artist on the title. I really like how their setting up the wider crossover. They took the formula from Secret Invasion, but they seem to be making the tie ins actually really important, instead of backstory. The wider war of light, for example, seems to be featured in the main GL title, and I was really afraid they would gloss over that in favor of the main story. Plus, Johns and Tomasi are true quality.
     
  3. Soontir-Fel

    Soontir-Fel Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 18, 2001
    I really like this approach to tie ins by DC. Limited series by high quality teams. They got Tomasi, James Robinson, Greg Rucka, along with art teams that rock.

    Also give Kyle a blue ring.
     
  4. DAR

    DAR Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 8, 2004
    All I know is that Black Lantern Elongated Man is the stuff of nightmares.
     
  5. FlareStorm

    FlareStorm Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 13, 2000
    What happened with Superboy? I thought he was going to be a BL but he's alive now? I missed something. Also, isnt Superman-2 supposed to be one?

    I agree with Batman being a MacGuffin, I think Barry Allen might be a big pivotal person too
     
  6. Soontir-Fel

    Soontir-Fel Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 18, 2001
    Hmm. Query: Where is Hector Hammond in all this? After being a pretty big part of the start of John's GL series the recent "Secret Origins", which was pretty much all back story for BN, there is no way that he isn't part of this.
     
  7. chiss_man

    chiss_man Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 1, 2002
    From newsarama's SDCC coverage:

    A Scottish fan (no nationality profiling here, he made it a point to bring up that he was Scottish) asked about plans for Hector Hammond. Johns said he'll be a major character in 2010 and 2011, and that he will be on Green Lantern for a while.

    Good news that he'll be with GL a while yet!
     
  8. Soontir-Fel

    Soontir-Fel Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 18, 2001
    [image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/fizzalumpagus/lanterns.jpg]

    Want those rings.
     
  9. chiss_man

    chiss_man Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 1, 2002
    I think we all want midriff bearing Star Sapphire Hal Jordan. :p
     
  10. Jedi Vince

    Jedi Vince Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Aug 2, 1999
    So far, so good with this series. My expectations are still high.
     
  11. darth-sinister

    darth-sinister Manager Emeritus star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 28, 2001
    Yeah, "Final Crisis: Legion Of 3 Worlds". In issue two, Brainiac 5 of New Earth reveals that he has a three part plan to defeat Superboy-Prime. Part one was the Legion of 3 Worlds. Part two was resurrecting Bart Allen as Kid Flash. Part 3 involved Starman of New Earth digging up Superboy's body and putting it in the Regeneration Matrix, which was used to revive Superman. Meanwhile a group of Legionnares went back to the Smallville of the past and took a hair sample from young Lex Luthor. This along with a sample from Superman, were used to help revive Kon-El. The damage to Kon's body was more extensive than it was for Clark. So they needed fresh samples to stablize Kon's DNA. The last thing he remembers is dying in Wonder Girl's arms. He will now star in Adventure Comics by Geoff Johns and Francis Manpaul.

    Kal-L will be a Black Lantern. He's appearing in the three issue series, "Blackest Night: Superman". Along with Kon and Pyscho Priate II.
     
  12. Sith_Sensei__Prime

    Sith_Sensei__Prime Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    May 22, 2000
    These figues were extremely difficult to obtain at the convention. First of all, the only way you could be these figures directly from Graffiti Designs booth was with a special coupon. And the only way to get a coupon was to stand in a line of about 2000 people and stick your hand in a grab bag and hope you pull out a winning green ticket to obtain the special coupon. Mind you, people started to line up around 6 in morning and the grab bag drawings didn't take place until like 9:30am. There was so many pissed off people.

    I did get a chance to attend the Blackest Night panel.

    Geoff Johns said that he wants to write for Green Lantern for a long time as well as the Flash. However, would not comment on whether there will ever be a White Lantern. He did mention how he came up with the name for Agent Orange, Larfleeze; he pick two words, which was lard (something Johns is disgusted with) and sleeze.

    Here are some slight spoilers/things you can expect in the Blackest Night series:

    Ted Kord will return and meet up with Booster Gold. Dex-Star is set to face off against Krypto in Smallville.

    [image=http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/6320/ragecat01mt6.jpg]

    Other things mention on the Blackest Night panel, was that Blackest Night: Batman is will be awesome. That the color of light will continue among the Blackest Night. The Blackest Night is not some Zombie like storyline; Johns wanted it to be clear this storyline is about the human/spectrum of emotions, that every Black Lantern rising will have an emotional effect on another character. Someone in the Q&A asked if the Black Lanterns are all just pure evil as rage/Red Lanterns are not necessarily all evil. Of course the answer was, you just have to keep reading. They did not answer the power of the Black Lantern, but did say the Black Hand symbol is the avatar of the Black Lanterns, and you don't have to be a female to be a Purple Lantern, it's just the most men aren't worthy enough to be one. At the end of the panel they asked the fans to stand up and state the Green Lantern oath.

    Here's a couple of pics I took.

    [image=http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y175/Sith_Prime/DSC03617.jpg]


    Johns signing for the fans.
    [image=http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y175/Sith_Prime/DSC03695.jpg]
     
  13. Raven

    Raven Administrator Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 5, 1998

    In brightest day, in blackest night
    No evil shall escape my sight
    Let those who worship evil's might
    Beware my power: Green Lantern's Light!

    Heh, just finished watching Green Lantern: First Flight. Slightly disappointing in that one of the good guys turned out to be not so good - really didn't see that coming, but this isn't the comics and changes can be made, and more than slightly disappointing in that nothing was really done with the yellow weakness. Still, I enjoyed the movie.


    On a different note: I think that Green Lantern has come to fill a place in the comic book consciousness that was once held by Superman. Batman is the best representation of the dark and gritty among superheroes, and it used to be Superman that filled the role as the primary polar opposite. More and more, I think that Green Lantern is filling that role.
     
  14. darth-sinister

    darth-sinister Manager Emeritus star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 28, 2001
    In what way?
     
  15. Sith_Sensei__Prime

    Sith_Sensei__Prime Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    May 22, 2000
    Well, from a certain point of view GL could be more like Superman and from another Green Lantern could be more like Batman as he has started his own Justice League in the series A Cry for Justice.

    As for First Flight, I was disappointed in the film too. I didn't get the sense of Hal Jordan's remarkable will power but rather the incompetence of the Green Lantern Corp. Additionally, there isn't any dilemma of Hal Jordan in accepting the ring (the power, the responsiblility, etc). Dude puts on the ring and utilizes it like it was a honda civic.
     
  16. darth-sinister

    darth-sinister Manager Emeritus star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 28, 2001
    How could Hal be more like Clark? You're losing me here?

    Aside from "Emerald Dawn", that's how it's always been. Hal took it up without reservations. That's why he was chosen. He could overcome fear and was practically fearless.
     
  17. Soontir-Fel

    Soontir-Fel Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 18, 2001
    Yeah, I'm not seeing it either. GL isn't exactly the opposite of grim and gritty, he's a cop and gets involved in some pretty grim stuff. Also if the opposite of grim and gritty is bright and cheerful, that's still Supes. Because he makes people better.
     
  18. Sith_Sensei__Prime

    Sith_Sensei__Prime Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    May 22, 2000
    Well, from the folks at my neighborhood comic store feel Hal Jordan will become an all powerful lantern by the end of the Blackest Night saga, a Superman-esque figure in the Lantern realm. Speculation is that Hal, through the trials and tribulations of the Blackest Night, will gain an enormous amount of wisdom and perspective on power and emotions. Thus evolving into a "White Lantern" to light the blackest of nights. Just some speculation that was being toss about, not only at the comic store but at the Blackest Night panel.

    Admittedly, I'm not a huge GL fan. I knew of him, but I really didn't follow his comic book series until two years ago during the Sinestro Corps. So, I found it odd that Hal would just fly off earth without any second thoughts or questioning the validity of the Corps or the ring.

     
  19. RogueSquadronWingnut

    RogueSquadronWingnut Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2002
    Yes...the braintrust at my software company and I agree that all of the colors technically would combine to form the white light. Its just a factor of colors forming the rainbow and about the idea that only a combination of every emotion can battle the darkness.
     
  20. darth-sinister

    darth-sinister Manager Emeritus star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jun 28, 2001
    Ah, I see. It's possible. Though it could be that the leaders of each group must pool their powers together to fight Black Hand and the mysterious Big Bad, thereby creating a beam that is white with Hal as the center point. That said, Hal is already considered the Superman of the GL's. It's why he is one of the ones that is looked up to, despite his checkered past. He replaced Sinestro as the greatest of all time.

    An interesting twist would be that it's revealed that Rainbow Girl of the Legion is Hal's decendent.

    That's why he was worthy. Why he's considered fearless. He could take risks based on his intuition. Bruce Wayne would question these things, whereas Hal Jordan would act impulsively.
     
  21. Sith_Sensei__Prime

    Sith_Sensei__Prime Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    May 22, 2000
    Well, Blackest Night Issue 2 hits the shelves tomorrow, as well as Blackest Night: Batman. Unfortuntely, I probabl won't be able to read the issues until Sunday or Monday.
     
  22. Raven

    Raven Administrator Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 5, 1998

    I picked up the Blackest Night books from this week (and potentially last week - I picked up two weeks worth of comics today, having been in New York last week). Honestly, this week disappointed me. At the end of the day, the last two books in the core storyline have boiled down to superhero fights and recruiting for the Blacks. This week felt like a rehash of last months issue, but with less interesting conflicts - last month, the Hawkman/Hawkgirl takedown was good fun, but there's no comparable moment this month, at least not in coolness and interesting-ness value.

    Hopefully, things will get back on track, but this week things veered into disappointing territory, possibly for the first time since the Sinestro Corps plotline began a few years ago.
     
  23. RogueSquadronWingnut

    RogueSquadronWingnut Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2002
    First you must build an army before you ratchet up the action/body count.
     
  24. FlareStorm

    FlareStorm Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 13, 2000
    agree with Raven. Don't need 2 out of 6 issues for buildup. The advertising did that.
     
  25. Soontir-Fel

    Soontir-Fel Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 18, 2001
    8 Issues.
     
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