The Ending Of Brightest Day Is In Sight......Thank The Lord!

I guess it's true, Blackest Night and Brightest Day really ARE as different as night and day. 

The current mini series of a brighter sensation has only eight issues left in it's run, but I find myself unable to NOT declare it one of the worse mini series within the last decade.  

Don't worry, I realize there have been some doozies out there such as Superman and Batman vs. Vampires and Werewolves, The Return of Bruce Wayne, and A Cry For Justice, but I can't see Brightest Day redeeming itself when the bulk of the series has been a confusing and utter disasterpiece.

Geoff Johns helmed the hit eight issue series, Blackest Night; DC's answer to Marvel Zombies.  In it, the dead super heroes of old and recent are risen as brain eating, heart gobbling, and mind manipulating zombies controlled by the black toned emotional spectrum harnessed within their power rings.  While much of the series used a typical Saturday morning kid's superhero show motif as its motivation, (AKA, Power Rangers and Captain Planet) Johns took Blackest Night to new depths and maturity and kept the series from falling flat on it's face.  The enjoyment of Blackest Night was amplified even more when DC announced the series' sequel, Brightest Day.

Three issues into Brightest Day, however and I was already tilting my head in bewilderment.  "What's going on?" I would ask myself, "Why am I so confused?"  I took my reaction to the first three as Johns way of building up the story; making me want to come back for more.  (That or I was just too stupid too get it.)  But now I've reached issue #18 and I still don't get what the point of Brightest Day is. I love Geoff Johns, don't get me wrong!  He's my favorite comic book writer right after Gail Simone, Alan Moore, and Neil Gaiman.  But something is certainly amiss with his current literary work within Brightest Day.

Maybe it's DC's fault.  Maybe Dan Didio and company are asking for too much and decided to overload a miniseries with so much content that the plot becomes too confusing too follow.  (Not surprising.)

Maybe it's the fans fault.  Maybe we have been asking for way too much, and Johns decided too finally deliver to his readers everything they've always asked for.  (if that's true, never listen to us again Geoff!)

Maybe it's the genre's fault.  Maybe comics, and the expectations that come with them, have reached a point of no return; sometimes an idea sounds good, but when applied to paper...it just doesn't work out the way you had hoped.  (Poor James Robinson, one day something will work out for you.)

Maybe it's Jim Lee's Fault..........................NAAAHHH!

The fact of the matter is that Brightest Day has really hit a low point and is beyond redemption.  I'll still pick up each issue till the end, but I'll do so with a bitter taste in my mouth.  Geoff Johns is great, probably one of the greatest things that's ever happened to comics, but every great writer has his or her flops right?

Now, let's see, what's coming to my local comic book shop tomorrow?  No Brightest Day...Nothing by Grant Morrison...Nothing by James Robinson....Sweet!  This week will be a good week for comics.

Comic Book Review: Action Comics #890

Book Information Written by Paul Cornell
Art by Pete Woods
Colored by Brad Anderson
Lettered by Rob Leigh
Cover by Finch & Steigerwald

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion
Is anyone else cheering for the fact that Lex Luthor is in the spotlight? I honestly wasn’t sure how DC was going to top their Nightwing and Flamebird extravaganza, but I think they nailed it on the head! With great titles such as the Suicide Squad and the Secret Six, villain headlined comics are something I wish for more of. Action Comics has now tumbled to the dark side giving Luthor the center stage. Wielding a power ring has made Luthor more power hungry than ever been before as he begins his quest to locate and harness the energy which powered the black rings. But Luthor hits a little snag when a strange band of hit men come after Luthor with a bag tricks and a slimy surprise inside.

Obsession has always been a defining feature of Lex Luthor. But more importantly, his obsession with Superman is what drives his lust for power; his desire to fly above the heads of mere humans and take over as an all powerful entity with which everyone would fear and obey has never left his thoughts since first setting foot into the DCU. Action Comics #890 reminds us of that obsession and adds the fact that he has already experienced what it’s like to be a superman. This odd combination of admiration and hatefulness that Luthor has towards Superman is such an interesting study brought to life by the incredible Paul Cornell. Luthor is so proud of himself that his pride cannot be tarnished by the common and “despicable” working man who takes it upon him or herself to put Luthor in his place. His urge to be so much like Superman does not allow him to accept the fact that he is mortal and can bleed. Cornell can write for Action Comics all he wants in my humble opinion!

I enjoyed the conversation Luthor has with cyborg Lois Lane (that I didn’t realized existed until now!) and how she was the only one who can successfully counter any idea that Luthor brought to the table. I guess it takes a robotic sex slave (which I’m sure she is) to keep Luthor humble as possible. (Which isn’t necessarily very humble right?)

Pete Woods is up and down for me; he’s a talented artist, but if he doesn’t get the right colorist, the effect doesn’t come off right. Strong pencils don’t necessarily equal great art. However, with that being said, that last page of Mister Mind ripping through the pilot’s skin was nothing short of awesome!

My Profoundly Climactic Conclusion
This is so much fun to read and nice to look at, nothing could have pleased me more this month than having Action Comics turn into a villain book, even if it is probably temporary. This means Superman will not inhabit this title for sometime as the headliner, which is great! Keep Superman in his own book and leave Action Comics for the other “super” characters!

Ratings
Writing: 10
Themes: 10
Art: 9
Overall: 9.33 out of 10

Comic Book Review: Green Lantern Corps #47

Book Information

Written by Peter J. Tomasi

Art by Patrick Gleeson

Inked by Rebecca Buchman

Colored by Randy Mayor

Lettered by Steve Wands

My All-Inspiring Opinion

Blackest Night is over.  Everything is destroyed.  The Corps must now rebuild itself from the bottom up.  Gardner, Rayner and a handful of other Lanterns take a stand against the Guardians and their newly established Book of Oa laws.  Vath wakes up with a pair of foreign legs, and Kilowog makes a life altering decision that could have a huge effect on the future of the Corps.   Tomasi brings in all the stops as he bids farewell to a comic book series that has been defined by his unremarkable ability to tell engrossing and angst driven tales.

In the past few months, this title has been quite focused on the one plot and not contaminated with a plethora of multi-purpose stories.  That has been my only major criticism about Tomasi’s work on the GL Corps as my brain always bounced around in the 22 paged comic from one plot to the next on a monthly basis.  This always took me for a loop and I was constantly going back rereading certain parts of each monthly installment due to my lost and confused state of mind.  With #47, Tomasi reverts back to that multi-plot style, but aligns each story as one cohesive unit.

This is an issue all about rebuilding relationships, renewing one’s faith, and making choices to help better your life as a whole.  Every character finds themselves in situations where they must come to terms with their inner demons, forcing them to make choices which they may or may not like.  Vath is hit hardest with this concept as he wakes up to a set of new legs which once belonged to his friend, Isamot.  After a brutal debate session between the two, they come to terms with each other and recognize that they can only work through everything that has happen to them as a team.  The sacrifice Isamot makes for Vath is a symbol of the reconstruction all the Lanterns must endure in order to survive the coming years.

Likewise, many of the title’s character are taking stances against the guardians that have not been taken before.  However, this wasn’t just some honorable attempt by Rayner and Gardner to give them license to date fellow coworkers; it was a lecture, teaching the Guardians that the Corps they have been in charge of for so long will be changing with or without Guardian approval.  Rayner’s bit of public oratory was a testament to the heart and soul of the galactic police force and that denying a Lantern the ability to love will ultimately ruin the Corps forever.  His inspiring speech branched out into the stubborn heart of Salaak, who gave the Guardians the ultimate third degree.  Nothing could have declared what the future of the Corps will be like more than that moment.  The Guardians are going to have to make a lot of changes, or they can kiss their jobs goodbye.

Pat Gleeson has a knack for instilling emotionally driven visuals, always keeping each character in line with their personalities and character traits.  Gardner always has that “tougher than shit” look while Rayner has that assertive yet humble demeanor, always hoping people will listen to reason.  The detail in this issue is amazingly well done and truly hit right on the mark.

My Profoundly Climactic Conclusion

This could not have been a better way of biding Tomasi farewell from the Green Lantern Corps title.  Much like when Geoff Johns left the Justice Society of America, and certainly what it will feel like when Gail Simone is finally done with Wonder Woman, we can only hope that the new writer can make the title just as exciting.

Ratings

Writing: 10

Themes: 10

Art: 10

Incentive Point: 3

Overall: 10 out of 10

Comic Book Review: Green Lantern #53

Book Information

Written by Geoff Johns

Art by Doug Mahnke

Inked by Christian Alamy

Colors by Randy Mayor

Cover by Mahnke and Mayor

Plot

We now step into a much brighter side of the Green Lantern mythos as Brightest Day begins, cementing into our minds that brighter and happier days are ahead…or is it?  With new issues revolving around the different corps, and Jordan discovering a new threat to the world, Brightest Day could be pretty dim.

My Thoughts

Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps have been so engulfed in the Blackest Night arc that very little time was spent on Hal Jordan.  The bulk of the last year has been spent establishing the different corps’ and what their role would be in the future of the DC universe.  Sadly, this means Hal Jordan had to be taken out of the spot light to allow more time in delving into the history and mythology of each corps.  While it was fun and exciting the whole way through, I am glad to see Johns giving the Green Lantern title back to Jordan.

Writing

Johns has written some of the most fluid stories I’ve ever read in comics.  This issue gives off a wonderfully tense vibe as it transitions from lover’s quarrel to dark and sinister battle scenes.  The opening pages present some wonderful foreshadowing of the events to come.  If anything were to keep me reading this title, that opening would definitely do it! 

I was a derailed a little on how Sinestro decided to get Jordan’s attention.  If the truce still stands between the corps, why would Sinestro ram right through the jet Jordan was in?  This was never explained and seemed to be out of place since the so-called truce was so new and recently agreed upon. 

Towards the end I did feel as if I was reading an issue of the Green Lantern Corps with the toggle from Green Lantern, to Orange Lantern, to Red Lantern story lines.  I’m sure Johns was taking advantage of advertising for the upcoming Emerald Warriors mini and the upcoming conflict that Jordan and Gardner will undoubtedly have, but I felt as if this should have been saved for The Green Lantern Corps title.

Rating: 8.5

Themes

Jordan is arguably DC’s best Green Lantern soldier.  Being the original, it’s hard to see him has anything less than the fan favorite.  But now, John’s is attempting a new turn in the life of Jordan by way of bringing Carol Ferris back into the mix.  The connection these two share has always been quite distant while still being intimate.  They both have strong feelings for each other, but feel conflicted about acting on those feelings.  The most interesting part of the whole book was their inability to converse while face to face. They had to be in separate jets, in the sky, talking to each other through radio devices.  Jordan has always been a little hesitant when it comes to commitment and lacks in his people skills.  It’s a testament to the American mindset; we do our best communication when we can’t see the other person, completely separated, confined, or untouchable by the other party.  I enjoyed this little interaction via military jet, but the emotional disconnect definitely stuck out, causing a slight distraction.

Both Larfleeze and Atrocitus are interesting characters.  The dislike for the two of them is quite strong, yet I feel no pity for Larfleeze at all.  Larfleeze wants every bit of power the ring has to offer; no doubt he willing takes part in the dominating power the ring grants him.  Atrocitus on the other hand seems to be trapped in a suit of red rage, unable to calm his pain and put his mind at peace.  I couldn’t help but feel and incredible amount of pity for the alien and wonder if Atrocitus will be released from his red ring and be free down the road.

Rating: 8.5

Art

If Alfred Hitchcock has taught us anything, it’s that the most terrifying scenes in a story are the ones we can’t see.  I can only assume to know who the hooded creature is, but it terrifies me to see his short body, shackled with green chains.  It was interesting to see yellow word balloons coming from the creature’s mouth while he was floating around with green shackles on his ankles, clearly displaying his relationship with the yellow power and conflict with the green. The entire display was so dark and gothic that it went beyond what Mahnke did with the zombie lanterns, creating an unknown world that seems to be centered around the emotional spectrum.

The rest of the book was quite good, artistically.  I can only imagine how difficult it must be to create scenes with no visible humans, and still make it emotionally tense and compliment the dialogue. 

Rating: 10

Overall

A great read, one of the best for April. 

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Next Issue Coming May 26

BRIGHTEST DAY shines its light on the "New Guardians" who have been forced to make Earth their new home! Why? You'll have to read it to believe it. While Hal is forced to deal with Larfleeze and his newfound appreciation for Earth culture, Sinestro uncovers the mystery behind Parallax's disappearance.

Top Ten Comics For March

10. Action Comics #887 (7)

Written by Greg Rucka and Eric Trautmann

Art by Pere Perez

Honestly guys, if you don't like what's going on with Flamebird and Nightwing then read something else. But to be frank, I think the whole storyline is great.  This issue may not be the best, but it's still a fantastic arc.

9. Blackest Night #8 (7.5)

Written by Geoff Johns

Art by Ivan Reis

Don't let the number 9 ranking fool you, it's still completely worth reading, I just wasn't sure about the ending.  It's still an amazing ending, but I felt a little out of place when I got there.

8. Secret Six #19 (8)

Written by Gail Simone

Art by J. Calafiore

Talk about cliff hangers!  This was a lot fun fun, humorous and clever, not to mention scary as hell!

7. Supergirl #51 (8)

Written by Sterling Gates

Art by Jamal Igle

I sure hope Supergirl and Mon-El hit it off!

6. Green Lantern Corps #46 (8.5)

Written by Peter J. Tomasi

Art by Patrick Gleeson

Ended rather abruptly, but all in all, a very colorful and tense storyline.

5. Green Hornet #2 (9)

Written by Kevin Smith

Art by Jonathan Lau

Kevin Smith, please bring this to the big screen!

4. 

Green Hornet #1 (9)

Written by Kevin Smith

Art by Jonathon Lau

Definitely NOT one of Smith's flops.

3. Justice Society #37 (9)

Written by Bill Willingham

Art Jesus Merino

Classic, Nazi hating, silver age storytelling...what more could you ask for?

2. Green Lantern #52 (9.67)

Written by Geoff Johns

Art by Doug Mahnke

This is a bang up issue!  So detailed and rich in artistry and a well written script.

1.Batman #697 (10)

Written by Tony Daniel

Art by Tony Daniel

Nothing can express in words how awesome this issue was. If Tony Daniel hasn't proven himself as a writer with this comic, then I don't know what else he can do.  Perfection is how I would describe this book...complete perfection!

Comic Book Review: Brightest Day #0

Book Information

Written by Geoff Johns & Peter J. Tomasi

Art by Fernando Pasarin

Plot

With the power of foreshadowing, DC takes us on a journey of what is to come by jumping from one end of the globe to the next.  The artist formerly known as Deadman, or Boston Brand, becomes and unwilling victim to this perplexing trek across continents, trying to decipher why he and the other twelve risen heroes and villains have returned and what their purpose is.  It is as the thesis of this issue states…

“Once dead, twelve heroes and villains were resurrected by a white light expelled deep from within the center of the Earth. Deemed a miracle by many and a sign of the apocalypse by other, the reasons behind their rebirths remain a mystery.  But it will not be a mystery for long.  This is Brightest Day!

My Thoughts

Geoff Johns might very well be DC’s greatest tour guide in history as we go from page to page of wonderfully written literary excursions through the past while remaining conflictingly in the present.  The plan for Brightest Day seems to have a very clear and focused agenda which we don’t see in comics to often. Most of the time plots are driven by poetic dialogue, prose and beautiful artwork…oh, and then the plots resolve and no one knows how.  I can tell Johns and Tomasi has put a lot of work and planning into this series and I’m sure Johns is going to flop on his bed and sleep for a whole week from the exhausting efforts Blackest Night and Brightest Day require of DC’s most popular writer.

Writing

Typically, I don’t like comics with an issue number of zero.  It isn’t necessarily because the stories are bad, weird or ridiculous attempts to bleed more money out of their readers; there are enough of those out there without being labeled with a zero.  No, zero issues are typically nothing more than reminders of what has happened in the past in order to propel us into future issues, and for me, it’s an unnecessary purchase.  But with Brightest Day #0, that wasn’t the case. To be honest, there was really no need to make this issue #0, but I guess DC has to make this stick out more I guess.

There isn’t too much to complain about here, with exception to the complete idiocy of characters constantly using the phrase “Flash Fact.”  It sounds more like the title of a weekly opinion piece to a local news program…

“And it’s time for Flash Facts with your host Barry Allen!” 

“Well thank you Jim!  Today’s topic…what the hell does ‘Flash Fact’ actually mean?  Are villains talking to me or are they unsuccessfully trying to make themselves look smarter?”

The problem with Johns continually jumping Aliveman (heh heh, sorry, couldn’t resist) around at sporadic moments, going from place to place with no revealed agenda makes it difficult to for me to review all the events.  Boston Brand sees everything while no one sees him.  The white ring bestowed on Brand seems to have a knack for popping in at the most inappropriate time, especially during Mera’s skinny dipping scene along the beach, and the birdie-nookie scene shared by our lovely Hawks.  But not only that, Brand finds himself discovering Maxwell Lord lying a kiddie pool filled with Ice Cubes, (possibly Lazarus Cubes?) a lovers green lovers triangle, and a very unexpected union of two experienced Firestorm Matrix users.  I liked the flawless transitions from scene to scene, giving us enough information to stay intrigued while not revealing too much about what lies ahead.

Rating: 9

Themes

I find the title of this series, Brightest Day, to be interesting when the first page shows a baby bird falling from its nest, cracking open its skull.  Along with this follows a series of events that seem to only point to more disaster and despair.  No one seems to be happy, and everyone portrays a sense of confusion, ambiguity, and depression.  How do you tell a man you’re sorry for killing his wife?  What should you do when someone you loved comes back into your life while you’re in love with someone else, but you still retain feelings for that long lost lover?  How does someone so strong move past the uncertainty he has about himself?  So much of this story seems to deal with these very questions, and I have a feeling the next phase of evolutionary changes within the DCU will be based on how these questions are answered.

With the exception of a few risen characters, this issue’s focus seemed to be on the relationships.  Hawkman and Hawkgirl.  Kyle, Jade and Natu. Aquaman and Mera. Hawk and Dove. Ronnie and Jason and the connection they share.  Everything revolves around the intimate relationships of the risen ones and I can only deduce that this will play a significant part in the progression of the series.

To top everything off, can anyone tell me if they saw that ending coming?  Because I sure didn’t.  I know DC has continually been making claims that Star City will become the most important geographic location on the DCU map, but I wasn’t expecting that importance to begin like this.  The explosion of Star City was in a perfect star formation.  Coincidence…I think not!

Rating: 10

Art

Apart from the cover being absolutely amazing, Fernando Pasarin puts together a set of absolutely stunning visuals that I was not expecting from him.  While I typically find his wooden, stiff approach to drawing people quite boring at times, the emotional impact is far from lacking on every page.  We have positive moments that we all would love to wake up too…

Dark and disturbing images that would scare the shit out of us in real life…

Incredibly nostalgic scenes in that sepia toned color…

And painfully gruesome portrayals of pain and torment…

Nothing but the best from Mr. Pasarin.

Rating: 10

Rating: 9.67 out of 10 stars

Next Issue Coming May 5, 2010

BRIGHTEST DAY continues, but in ways you can't possibly expect! What does BRIGHTEST DAY mean to the DC Universe? Is everything from here on out going to be bright and shiny? No, BRIGHTEST DAY means something else entirely, something we can't tell you...yet. But we can tell you our heroes will need to rise up more than ever to combat the forces of evil, and a select few will uncover a secret that binds them ALL.

Comic Book Review: Green Lantern #52

Book Information

Written by Geoff Johns

Art by Doug Mahnke

Plot

Blackest Night reaches the climax as Sinestro gets his hands on a white ring, becoming the very first White Lantern.  Through Sinestro, we are given a brief run through of the history of each entity and its foundations, revealing some major possibilities for the future of the Green Lantern Corps.  It is now a battle between life and death, and Nekron takes full advantage of Sinestro’s distracted mind…but will it be enough against the power of the white light?

My Thoughts

This issue of Green Lantern starts off after the events that occurred in Blackest Night #7, and Geoff Johns pushes everything forward with no lingering literary obstructions to drag it down.  #52 is nothing if not a positive push towards the future of Green Lantern and everything tied with it.  The continued progress made by Johns on this title has been phenomenal, but this month’s installment officially brought Green Lantern to the next level, boosting itself into the non-comic book fan’s eye and allowing it that opportunity to become as well know as DC’s big three.

Writing

I felt this entire issue was one big poetic prose, combing the influences of Edger Allen Poe and Oscar Wilde and giving it a Geoff Johns twist.  The constant militaristic task force jargon is often interrupted by poetic and gothic dialogue which no real person would use in everyday speech. 

As Sinestro embraces the power of the white light, he reflects on a new found past that the ring is obviously flushing throughout his mind.  But the Poe approach is very surely present in the voice of Nekron as he slices Sinestro down the middle with his staff sized sickle. 

Of course much of the dialogue used in this issue is in different forms of already regurgitated sentences from past issues, claiming the dead will rule and the living will be no more.  Mostly I read how darkness will dim the light, no one can delay the coming of the black, etc.  It’s all very entertaining, well written and comes off quite powerfully, but it isn’t anything we haven’t read before since Blackest night began.

Rating: 9

Themes

Geoff Johns takes the scientific theory known as “The Big Bang” and places into the mythological world of DC.  This approach by Johns establishes the emotional spectrum of each Corps as the creator and founder of the planet Earth, and a wandering light searching for a home.

“I see your birth, your violent entrance into the barren and endless space.  Sent here by accident or with purpose, Krona does not even know.  Casting your presence across the entire universe, light fighting back darkness by creating the stars and planets.  Creating your shelter, Earth, at the very spot you were thrust into the universe.”

Johns is a master at pushing that religious button, first with the Justice Society, now with Green Lantern, further giving people a reason to doubt their upbringing and learn to accept the fact that what you thought you knew may not be true.  However, Johns does pull out certain aspects of Christianities creation story as the brief glimpse of a snake in an apple tree points to the story of Adam and Eve right before the interaction with the sadistic and manipulative snake. 

It seems Johns also uses a worldwide religious take on the telling of this story as the entities seem loosely based on the Chinese Zodiac when circling Sinestro’s violet skull.  I’m very interested to see where Johns plans to take this new development in the world of the Green Lantern Corps as how this will influence its future.  I’ve heard arguments that the Corps, each one in fact, could become much more of a religious sect rather than a galactic police force.

Rating: 10

Art

I think if you bought this issue purely for the art and nothing else, you got a sweet deal.  The quality of the art by Doug Mahnke is worth more than $2.99.  Consider yourselves lucky, you purchasers of Green Lantern, you have gold in your collection.

As I am one of the most non-religious Christians I know, I have always loved angelic imagery depicted in Churches, museums, and in other artistic genres.  Seeing Sinestro plummet from above, with the white entity behind him, stretching its silvery wings in a glorious spread in a downward attack on Nekron was one of the most inspiring images in comics I’ve seen to date.  I felt like I should have stood up at that moment and drive to the closest church and thank God for creating Doug Mahnke and blessing us with his talents.

The contrasting colors are quite good as well.  The purple skin of Sinestro against the white background was a nice touch, as well as the violet, green and blue energy beams coming from different lanterns shooting down on the horde of Black Lanterns below in the city.  And of course the multicolored explosive moment as the Black Lantern connection was severed and John Stewart zooming away is a poster framing image.

Rating: 10

Overall

This is without a doubt the best issue in the Blackest Night series.  It’s the penultimate moments in a story which are the best and the Johns/Mahnke team produces nothing less than the most satisfying Blackest Night installment out of the whole series.

Rating: 9.67 out of 10 stars

Next Issue Coming April 21^st, 2010

A BRIGHTEST DAY tie-in! Exploding out of BLACKEST NIGHT comes the next exciting chapter in the Green Lantern mythos: "New Guardians"! Forced together during the rise of the Black Lanterns, Hal Jordan, Sinestro, Carol Ferris, Saint Walker, Atrocitus, Indigo-1 and Larfleeze must agree to disagree if their next mission is to succeed. But when one of the strangest beings from Green Lantern's past returns, the future of the Lanterns and the universe at large once again falls into question.

Comic News: Birds of Prey and Brightest Day...no rhyme intended

I'm so happy to see that the new secret members that were cleverly hidden in shadow of the Birds of Prey was revealed at long last!  What's most interesting is the fact that it seems as if the Birds of Prey will induct a male into their ranks...go figure!  Gail Simone, as I'm sure everyone reading has figured out, is at the helm of this highly  anticipated title.  Her departure from Wonder Woman was a low blow to myself and many other Simone fans, but this new writing project she is taking on is a more than acceptable replacement for her.  The icing on the cake is that Ed Benes will be joining her as the artist!  My favorite comic writer and my favorite comic artist on the same book, it's almost like I've died and gone to Colorado...oh wait....

With this new revelation of Hawk and Dove joining the feathered females, I've also come to realize that Brightest Day will be playing into the first issue of Bird of Prey.  In addition, Johns revealed that the reasons for the rebirth of the dead heroes will become known in Brightest Day.  I had originally given Blackest Night #8 a rating of 7.5 merely based on the fact that so many question were left unresolved; that Brightest Day is simply a change in the title "Blackest Night" and the story won't be completed for a while yet.  But it is comforting to know that Johns has had a plan for this entire event from the beginning.

Now, with the return of these heroes, springs some new and revived titles.  Obviously Birds of Prey will be at the head of this "soon to come" titles, and The Flash (Barry) takes new strides with Geoff Johns managing the literary side of things.  The Justice League: International will also be returning to stores in April in a mini series called "Generation Lost," where Fire, Ice, Booster Gold and Captain Atom go on the hunt for Maxwell Lord. I'm wondering how long it will take before Aquaman gets his own title back as well as Firestorm.  And what of Deadman?  Why has he been given a chance at life once again?  Another mini series in the works possibly?  Only time will tell what DC is going to do.  One thing we can count on is Brightest Day is the ultimate remapping for the DC Universe that anyone could ask for.

Comic Book Review: Blackest Night #8 (of 8)

Book Information

Written By Geoff Johns

Art By Ivan Reis

Plot

White Lantern Sinestro brings everything to the table in the battle against Nekron.  With the newfound light of life, the former leader of the Sinestro corps attempts to fulfill his self-proclaimed destiny as the greatest Lantern of all time and destroy Nekron.  But how do you kill someone who’s already dead?  Never again will the DC Universe be the same after the events in this concluding issue of Blackest Night.

My Thoughts

A lot was riding on this issue as this series was the most read and anticipated event in comic history.  Johns took a lot of material and jammed into a single book with more success than I initially thought he could.  But I found myself wondering if I should be satisfied with the ending to the magnificent miniseries or not.

One thing that I do become frustrated with more often than not is how comics never actually end a story arc; they only give it more to go off of for the next arc.  As I’m sure every hard-core comic book junkie is aware of, Brightest Day is set to hit comic book stores here in two weeks.  Already anticipating a continuation of Blackest Night, this miniseries doesn’t give us a true ending.  Sure the bad guy dies and his major henchmen are defeated and humiliated, but so many more unresolved situations come up in issue.  In a way, the Brightest Day series is nothing more than Blackest night with a more uplifting tone and different title.  This series may have had its final issue, but it’s far from over.

My biggest beef with this entire series, however, is the resurrecting of already dead heroes.  This is one of the most common themes within DC and comics in general and is overplayed.  The heroes’ die but return to life because of popular demand by fans.  BN #8 gives us the return of many deceased heroes like Martian Manhunter, Firestorm, Aquaman, and ironically Deadman.  Now even though the implications of some of these heroes’ returns are quite interesting, the reason for their return to the land of the living is nonexistent.  Why did Johns see the need to bring all of these heroes back to life other than the fact that it’s “freaking awesome?”  At least it was explained in much greater detail as to why these dead heroes were becoming apart of the Black Lantern Corps, but nothing showed me why Ronnie Raymond, Maxwell Lord, Hawk and Jade has returned from the grave.  I certainly hope Brightest Day expands on these plot twists. And I wasn’t sure I saw the point in having Sinestro as a White lantern only to be defeated right away, but it was an interesting transition.

As much as it frustrates me to have everyone back and kickin, it will be interesting to see how it all plays out.  The first half of the issue deals with the battle against Nekron and concludes everything involving Black Hand, while the second half takes time to delve into the emotional side of the whole event.  The most emotionally moving moment in the whole book for me was when Aquaman and Mera embrace each other, closely followed by the passionate kiss our two Hawk’s share with each other.  I’m most anticipating how being alive will affect Deadman’s future as his powers came from actually being dead.  How will everyone handle having the deceptive Maxwell Lord back on the villain market, and what is Kyle Rayner going to do now that a love triangle is before him in full force?  And I must admit, I am happy to see Martian Manhunter and Ronnie Raymond back in action seeing as how they never should have died in the first place.  Now DC has the opportunity to utilize the Manhunter in way they didn’t before he died.  He’s such a great character; DC needs to take advantage of that fact.

If Ivan Reis was looking for his breakthrough, Blackest Night is certainly his ticket there.  Ed Benes will always be the BEST artist in my opinion, but Reis has definitely boosted his way into my top five.  The color scheme in the whole book was a genius piece of work.  It starts out as a dark and gothic depiction of life and becomes a white symbol of purity.  The explosion of white power centralized within the temporary “White Lantern Corps” coming after Nekron was one of the more impressive pieces of work I’ve seen in comics for a while.

Overall

Without a doubt, Blackest Night will go down in history as the greatest comics event to ever come around.  The emotional impact it took was more than I think anyone could have expected, with more twists and turns than most stories contain in a two-year span.  However, without having a real conclusion the distractions were increased a lot more.

7.5 out of 10 stars

Next Issue Coming April 14, 2010

The biggest event in comics continues as BRIGHTEST DAY burns back the BLACKEST NIGHT from the writing team behind GREEN LANTERN and GREEN LANTERN CORPS – Geoff Johns and Peter J. Tomasi! And don't miss the exciting DC Comics debut of red hot cover artist David Finch (New Avengers, Ultimatum)! The effects that the already classic BLACKEST NIGHT will have on the DC Universe will be felt for years to come and this issue not only sets the stage for the new ongoing biweekly DC Universe book BRIGHTEST DAY, but also the next exciting era of the DC Universe!

Top Ten DC Comics For February 2010

10. Batman #696

Written By Tony Daniel

Art By Tony Daniel and Sandra Florea

I think Tony Daniel is rocking Batman.  He is one of the few individuals with  whom I'd trust to write and draw a successful comic book series.  I can only imagine how much time that must be taking him to do though.  Applause to you Mr. Daniel.

9. Wonder Woman 41

Written By Gail Simone

Art By Chris Batista & Dagino

Not one of Simone's better Wonder Woman stories, but still worth reading about.

8. Green Lantern Corps #45

Written By Peter Tomasi

Art By Patrick Gleeson and Tandy Mayor

Not bad at all, Red Lantern Guy Gardner was pretty damn epic.  With the work Tomasi did on #46, this title could very well be one of the better ones being published by DC.

7. Secret Six #18

Written By Gail Simone & John Ostrander

Art By Jim Calafiore

I can't describe the incredibly awesome story telling that Simone brings to this series.  Clearly this is one of the most underrated comic books being published by DC, I certainly hope it will be made available through the subscription service soon.

6. Justice League of America #42

Written By James Robinson

Art By Mark Bagley

Robinson finally delivered a Justice League story that felt like a Justice League story.  Granted he isn't near as bad as Dwayne McDuffie, but he certainly hasn't boosted the JLA rep until now.

5. Action Comics #886

Written By Greg Rucka & Eric Trautmann

Art By Pere Perez

Mythology at its best!  This issue was an outstanding piece of work that Rucka should be proud to call his!

4. Justice Society of America Annual #2

Written By Keith Giffen & Matthew Sturges

Art By Tom Derenick & Rodney Ramos

Typically the annuals are reserved for the new and upcoming writers and artists.  This book however was given to some heavy hitters, and it paid off.  Very well written and drawn, I can't picture a better comic than this one with exception of the next three.

3. Blackest Night #7

Written By Geoff Johns

Art By Ivan Reis

Geoff Johns certainly delivered a stellar issue.  The ending wasn't what I expected and it was met with much criticism, but in the end this comic certainly deserves the number three spot.

2. Justice Society of America #36

Written By Bill Willingham

Art By Jesus Merino

I loved the old school feel to this book.  Bill Willingham took the old, campy comic book story and gave it a fresh new look.  I've been tempted to drop this title, but if Willingham continues to deliver top notch story lines, I might just stick with it.

1. Power Girl 39

Written By Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray

Art By Amanda Conner

WOW! This comic was quite possibly the best thing to come my way in a long time.  Amanda Conner gives so much depth and character to the people in this book, especially to Power Girl.  It's so sad that she, along with her writing counter parts, will be leaving by issue #12.

Gray and Palmiotti want to torture Power Girl, I'm sure of it.  They throw every bad thing at her, from some stalker kid taking photos of her from afar to her running out completely nude right into the line of sight of an old man.  Nothing good happens to Power Girl here...and it's so much fun to see!