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Blackest Night: Collected Editions
Blackest Night: Rise of the Black Lanterns
This essential Blackest Night tie-in title is written by event architect, Geoff Johns along with collaborator James Robinson, Peter J. Tomasi and others.
Eight classic titles from DC's past return for stories featuring characters from their original runs dealing with the events unfolding in the DC Universe which show the amazing reach of this mega-crossover event.
Collecting: Power of Shazam! 48, Catwoman 83, Suicide Squad 67, The Question 37, Phantom Stranger 42, Weird Western Tales 71, Atom and Hawkman 46, & Starman 81
Eight classic titles from DC's past return for stories featuring characters from their original runs dealing with the events unfolding in the DC Universe which show the amazing reach of this mega-crossover event.
Collecting: Power of Shazam! 48, Catwoman 83, Suicide Squad 67, The Question 37, Phantom Stranger 42, Weird Western Tales 71, Atom and Hawkman 46, & Starman 81
208 pages, Hardcover
First published July 27, 2010
About the author
Geoff Johns
2,592 books2,313 followersGeoff Johns originally hails from Detroit, Michigan. He attended Michigan State University, where he earned a degree in Media Arts and Film. He moved to Los Angeles in the late 1990s in search of work within the film industry. Through perseverance, Geoff ended up as the assistant to Richard Donner, working on Conspiracy Theory and Lethal Weapon 4. During that time, he also began his comics career writing Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. and JSA (co-written with David S. Goyer) for DC Comics. He worked with Richard Donner for four years, leaving the company to pursue writing full-time.
His first comics assignments led to a critically acclaimed five-year run on the The Flash. Since then, he has quickly become one of the most popular and prolific comics writers today, working on such titles including a highly successful re-imagining of Green Lantern, Action Comics (co-written with Richard Donner), Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, Infinite Crisis and the experimental breakout hit series 52 for DC with Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid. Geoff received the Wizard Fan Award for Breakout Talent of 2002 and Writer of the Year for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well as the CBG Writer of the Year 2003 thru 2005, 2007 and CBG Best Comic Book Series for JSA 2001 thru 2005. Geoff also developed BLADE: THE SERIES with David S. Goyer, as well as penned the acclaimed “Legion” episode of SMALLVILLE. He also served as staff writer for the fourth season of ROBOT CHICKEN.
Geoff recently became a New York Times Bestselling author with the graphic novel Superman: Brainiac with art by Gary Frank.
His first comics assignments led to a critically acclaimed five-year run on the The Flash. Since then, he has quickly become one of the most popular and prolific comics writers today, working on such titles including a highly successful re-imagining of Green Lantern, Action Comics (co-written with Richard Donner), Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, Infinite Crisis and the experimental breakout hit series 52 for DC with Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid. Geoff received the Wizard Fan Award for Breakout Talent of 2002 and Writer of the Year for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well as the CBG Writer of the Year 2003 thru 2005, 2007 and CBG Best Comic Book Series for JSA 2001 thru 2005. Geoff also developed BLADE: THE SERIES with David S. Goyer, as well as penned the acclaimed “Legion” episode of SMALLVILLE. He also served as staff writer for the fourth season of ROBOT CHICKEN.
Geoff recently became a New York Times Bestselling author with the graphic novel Superman: Brainiac with art by Gary Frank.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
February 10, 2017
I did like reading some relatively unknown titles (to me), but none of them had quite as much impact upon me as the core DC group.
With one exception. I really loved the Atom storyline. He's just interesting enough to make me want to hunt down his other comics. Goofy Ray Palmer from the Arrow tv series isn't that interesting, but the one on the page might make up for that.
And no, he's not just an Ant-Man redux! ;) I swear, the more I read of both DC and Marvel, the less I give a shit about who started what or took from whom. Story is king. Whoever pulls off the best storyline wins.
DC isn't perfect, but there's been an awful lot of depth to their stories. Truly fascinating.
With one exception. I really loved the Atom storyline. He's just interesting enough to make me want to hunt down his other comics. Goofy Ray Palmer from the Arrow tv series isn't that interesting, but the one on the page might make up for that.
And no, he's not just an Ant-Man redux! ;) I swear, the more I read of both DC and Marvel, the less I give a shit about who started what or took from whom. Story is king. Whoever pulls off the best storyline wins.
DC isn't perfect, but there's been an awful lot of depth to their stories. Truly fascinating.
March 26, 2012
This Blackest Night trade is quite a mishmash. The idea was to bring back several canceled series from the dead for the event, publishing a single issue of each to tie in to the Black Lantern Corps storyline. Some of them are better than others, and I could swear the quality started to decline as I got deeper into the book. (The Catwoman story, while good, is also available in one of the Gotham City Sirens books, so I had already read it.) The Green Arrow story (from his perspective while his body is being controlled by the black ring) was actually a pretty good read, even though I'm not really a fan of the the Green Arrow family. The Superboy story, which is virtually identical in setup, wasn't nearly as successful for me. The Atom and Starman (really more Shade) stories were also pretty good reads. The rest of the collection was inoffensive, but nothing great. The description here on Goodreads describes this trade as being essential to the Blackest Night storyline. It's not.
January 27, 2019
I'll start off with this: The Green Arrow issue was phenomenal. If every other issue in this bind up was straight-up horrible, I still would've felt like this was worth the read solely for that issue alone. Honestly, quite a few of the other issues were horrible (I'm looking at you, Weird-ass Western Tales #71), but the Green Arrow story with Dinah and the kids - wow. Just... wow.
Alrighties, now that I've got that out of my system, a little more detail. This add-on to the Blackest Night event shows us what was going on with some of our heroes - and villains - who weren't included in the main bind-up or didn't get much "screen time". That being said, the big exception is the first issue where we see The Atom and Indigo-1 trying to contact her home world to help save the universe.
We started off well, and then it was a bit of a roller coaster. Some issues were fantastic all around, and others were sorely lacking in plot, dialogue, art, or all three.
The Good: Again, L-O-V-E-D the Green Arrow issue. Still in shock. It didn't pull any punches, and reading Ollie's inner turmoil was absolutely heart-breaking. I displayed every colour on the emotional spectrum (minus Avarice) while reading that amazing creation. Epic. Also I honestly enjoyed the Superboy/Wonder Girl issue waaayyy more than I thought I would. They also brought in Krypto, which will always be a plus for me. I'm not huge on a lot of romance in DC comics, but they wrote it well here. I liked seeing the values and trust between them instead of mindless 'ohmygod I love him sooooo much, s/he's so attractive I can't even concentrate'. Imagine that last bit in a Valley Girl voice, in case you really needed to be told. Good plot, good execution. Solid. I also liked The Atom issue; that dude is pretty damn awesome and I need to read more of him. The Black Adam issue was a complete surprise, but it left a really good taste in my mouth to close off the volume. That kid had my heart in his hands by the end there, gah. So heartbreaking, but so damn excellent.
The Bad: Hoo boy. I'm gonna start off with the Starman issue because I have no freaking idea who let that happen. I get really nervous publicly hating comics, but this was just bad to me. The writing was wooden and ridiculous, the art frankly looked unfinished (I know, art is subjective), and there was absolutely nothing in this that I could claim as a redeeming feature. Nothing. The "romance" was painful to read, and I just couldn't get through this fast enough. However, it somehow still managed to be better than the aforementioned Weird-ass Western issue. I'll be honest - I couldn't get through this. About 3/4 of the way through this I quit and skipped to the end and I don't even feel guilty because the every second I spent reading that 3/4 felt like an utter waste of my time. Our cowboy is a grade-A jackass and misogynist, and I get that that's his character, but frankly he was so insufferable I couldn't stand reading it. And I honestly didn't give a shit about the plot either, so yeah. Hard pass on that one.
Everything else falls into the "Meh" category. I will say that I managed to care about Catwoman for maybe 10 seconds, which is impressive because I straight-up hate that woman (sorry Sarah). It was good writing and it got real dark and twisted, which I always appreciate. I liked the Question issue too, because Montoya is both badass and incredibly attractive (I might have a crush), but Tot was an utter tool in that story and that dragged it down.
Anyway, this was worth the read, but like most of the other additions to the Blackest Night event, a bit of a mixed bag.
And seriously though. That Green Arrow issue...
Alrighties, now that I've got that out of my system, a little more detail. This add-on to the Blackest Night event shows us what was going on with some of our heroes - and villains - who weren't included in the main bind-up or didn't get much "screen time". That being said, the big exception is the first issue where we see The Atom and Indigo-1 trying to contact her home world to help save the universe.
We started off well, and then it was a bit of a roller coaster. Some issues were fantastic all around, and others were sorely lacking in plot, dialogue, art, or all three.
The Good: Again, L-O-V-E-D the Green Arrow issue. Still in shock. It didn't pull any punches, and reading Ollie's inner turmoil was absolutely heart-breaking. I displayed every colour on the emotional spectrum (minus Avarice) while reading that amazing creation. Epic. Also I honestly enjoyed the Superboy/Wonder Girl issue waaayyy more than I thought I would. They also brought in Krypto, which will always be a plus for me. I'm not huge on a lot of romance in DC comics, but they wrote it well here. I liked seeing the values and trust between them instead of mindless 'ohmygod I love him sooooo much, s/he's so attractive I can't even concentrate'. Imagine that last bit in a Valley Girl voice, in case you really needed to be told. Good plot, good execution. Solid. I also liked The Atom issue; that dude is pretty damn awesome and I need to read more of him. The Black Adam issue was a complete surprise, but it left a really good taste in my mouth to close off the volume. That kid had my heart in his hands by the end there, gah. So heartbreaking, but so damn excellent.
The Bad: Hoo boy. I'm gonna start off with the Starman issue because I have no freaking idea who let that happen. I get really nervous publicly hating comics, but this was just bad to me. The writing was wooden and ridiculous, the art frankly looked unfinished (I know, art is subjective), and there was absolutely nothing in this that I could claim as a redeeming feature. Nothing. The "romance" was painful to read, and I just couldn't get through this fast enough. However, it somehow still managed to be better than the aforementioned Weird-ass Western issue. I'll be honest - I couldn't get through this. About 3/4 of the way through this I quit and skipped to the end and I don't even feel guilty because the every second I spent reading that 3/4 felt like an utter waste of my time. Our cowboy is a grade-A jackass and misogynist, and I get that that's his character, but frankly he was so insufferable I couldn't stand reading it. And I honestly didn't give a shit about the plot either, so yeah. Hard pass on that one.
Everything else falls into the "Meh" category. I will say that I managed to care about Catwoman for maybe 10 seconds, which is impressive because I straight-up hate that woman (sorry Sarah). It was good writing and it got real dark and twisted, which I always appreciate. I liked the Question issue too, because Montoya is both badass and incredibly attractive (I might have a crush), but Tot was an utter tool in that story and that dragged it down.
Anyway, this was worth the read, but like most of the other additions to the Blackest Night event, a bit of a mixed bag.
And seriously though. That Green Arrow issue...
February 14, 2024
This was the last of the Blackest Night volumes, and I liked this one too. It's basically a series of one shots starring various DC characters, and DC came up with the idea of numbering each issue as the "next" issue of several cancelled DC titles. Some of my favorite characters were featured in this volume, and overall I thought it worked.
In hindsight I have to say Blackest Night was one of the best big event crossover series I've ever read. The tie in issues all seemed relevant, and it did feel like one big story rather than a main story with a lot of different branches. I highly recommend Blackest Night.
In hindsight I have to say Blackest Night was one of the best big event crossover series I've ever read. The tie in issues all seemed relevant, and it did feel like one big story rather than a main story with a lot of different branches. I highly recommend Blackest Night.
August 29, 2011
Yes, I'm still working my way through the Blackest Night collections (the thing that has probably made me swear off event comics-Marvel had just about done that all ready) and this volume could have gotten a higher score if they had done two things-included the Gail Simone and John Ostrander issues I expected to be in this trade. 1) I usually like Ostrander's and Simone's writing, and Ostrander's Suicide Squad issue fit the theme here 100% (new issues of canceled series). James Robinson seems much more in his pre-Hollywood form on the Starman tale (that feature The Shade and not Jack Knight). The reason being Robinson is back hitting emotional character/storytelling points again. Near misses are the Denny O'Neil/Greg Rucka team effort on The Question (going back more to O'Neil desire for philosophy to be part of the storytelling) and the Osiris tale. For me the Atom and Green Arrow stories were utter fails.
October 30, 2016
This is the first time reading anything in Blackest Night and considering this is considered the weakest set of comics in the event, I'm looking forward to reading the rest. I loved seeing them take old series and giving them one more issue by bringing them into the saga of the Black Lanterns. I think it fits the whole theme of it really well. The biggest complaint I saw about this collection was that it didn't have any flow. To me that's stupid, because it's not one story, it's multiple stories that are only tied in to the event, not actually flowing events that happen in order. The purpose was to show how it was affecting both the DC Universe and the world it takes place in. It was well written with great art and I highly recommend it.
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November 3, 2016The book is part of the blackest night series of the green lantern saga. When reading this the stories that were being told had no reason with the rest of the other stories. The stories were about heroes that were being controlled by the black lanterns. These heroes could be dead or alive it did not matter.http://www.batmanytb.com/comics/title... This shows the art style of the comic. This page was probably my favorite of the stories. The art style was very dramatic earthy and rough. The comic was full of characters that didn't change due to the fact that they were being controlled or dead.
June 6, 2011
A mixed bag, but worth reading for the Green Arrow story alone.
October 15, 2011
Lacks narrative coherence, but a fun way to sample diffrent titles, writers and artists.
September 28, 2019
A handful of really excellent issues elevate the whole collection of one-shot Blackest Night tie-ins.
Ray Palmer has seen some shit, and the Blackest Night has been an especially tough experience for him, but it also lets his compassion and true value as a hero really shine through. The Atom’s issue made me really interested in a hero I knew of but had no desire to know more about, and I don't know that I can give much higher praise than that. Really great.
A lot happen in The Stranger’s issue. I've seen the character appear in past events, still not sure what he’s about. But the enigma appears to be a large part of the character, and I can respect that. He seems like a bit of a deus ex persona at times, but the quick pace of his single issue keeps that from being too grating.
Considering my opinion on the art in the main Blackest Night books, I do not say the following lightly: Lying to Myself, the Green Lantern tie-in issue, is the best-looking issue in the event. I was awe-struck at every page, particularly the coloring. It is also one of the stronger tie-ins in terms of emotional impact, even though the way they get to that impact seems a bit of an asspull (did GA always have thought-communicating arrows?). Pretty great regardless.
Superboy’s issue may not have been the most memorable to me personally, but I did enjoy how Tony Bedard pushed two incredibly powerful heroes to solve the Black Lantern problem creatively and not just with force. Connor also seems to enjoy a positive turning point for his character, which, while I may not be particularly invested, was nice to see.
I know literally nothing about anyone in the Starman issue, but this Shade guy seems pretty cool. I liked it.
Some weird stuff happens in The Question’s issue, but Renee Montoya is a really compelling character who’s great at rolling with the punches. It’s features a relatively low-stakes conflict, and another instance of characters solving their zombie problem creatively (in a way that makes sense for what I know of them). It’s good.
The Catwoman issue has some great art, but really seems more meaningful for what it sets up for the character’s future than anything that happens in the issue itself. It was fine.
Weird Western Tales. What.
Osiris may be one of the most tragic characters I know of in the DCU. I don't want to spoil anything if you haven't read this 10-year-old event’s C-tier character tie-in, but I'm really happy with the direction they chose, even if I'm not some Osiris stan.
A better overall collection than I would have expected, especially given that none of the events are especially critical to the main BL story. I do, however, really wish they had ordered the issues chronologically rather than... whatever this was.
Unexpectedly great.
P.S. Kindle formatting bad.
Ray Palmer has seen some shit, and the Blackest Night has been an especially tough experience for him, but it also lets his compassion and true value as a hero really shine through. The Atom’s issue made me really interested in a hero I knew of but had no desire to know more about, and I don't know that I can give much higher praise than that. Really great.
A lot happen in The Stranger’s issue. I've seen the character appear in past events, still not sure what he’s about. But the enigma appears to be a large part of the character, and I can respect that. He seems like a bit of a deus ex persona at times, but the quick pace of his single issue keeps that from being too grating.
Considering my opinion on the art in the main Blackest Night books, I do not say the following lightly: Lying to Myself, the Green Lantern tie-in issue, is the best-looking issue in the event. I was awe-struck at every page, particularly the coloring. It is also one of the stronger tie-ins in terms of emotional impact, even though the way they get to that impact seems a bit of an asspull (did GA always have thought-communicating arrows?). Pretty great regardless.
Superboy’s issue may not have been the most memorable to me personally, but I did enjoy how Tony Bedard pushed two incredibly powerful heroes to solve the Black Lantern problem creatively and not just with force. Connor also seems to enjoy a positive turning point for his character, which, while I may not be particularly invested, was nice to see.
I know literally nothing about anyone in the Starman issue, but this Shade guy seems pretty cool. I liked it.
Some weird stuff happens in The Question’s issue, but Renee Montoya is a really compelling character who’s great at rolling with the punches. It’s features a relatively low-stakes conflict, and another instance of characters solving their zombie problem creatively (in a way that makes sense for what I know of them). It’s good.
The Catwoman issue has some great art, but really seems more meaningful for what it sets up for the character’s future than anything that happens in the issue itself. It was fine.
Weird Western Tales. What.
Osiris may be one of the most tragic characters I know of in the DCU. I don't want to spoil anything if you haven't read this 10-year-old event’s C-tier character tie-in, but I'm really happy with the direction they chose, even if I'm not some Osiris stan.
A better overall collection than I would have expected, especially given that none of the events are especially critical to the main BL story. I do, however, really wish they had ordered the issues chronologically rather than... whatever this was.
Unexpectedly great.
P.S. Kindle formatting bad.
September 2, 2022
I've been reading through the Blackest Night Event, and this is one of the last ones I had to read, according to the order I was following. However although I'm nearing the end I really don't want to as I've loved nearly every single book I've picked up and read and this one is no different.
There are 8 single issues from different characters showing what they are dealing with during the Blackest Night Event. As some other have already mentioned some stories are more powerful than others, such as the Green Lantern one absolutely heart breaking, plus given he is one of my more favourite DC characters I was feeling this more.
I don't feel bad saying this but if you want to skip the western issue as like the comic line it came from is just plain weird, and I've no real idea what it was all about if I'm honest. Only knew 2 characters in it - Jonah Hex and The Ray.
Because the issues are from different character stories and run, the art and story telling is different in each issue. This can be a little jarring as you might really like the style and it completes changes it the next one. However it does give you a good idea of what the series would be like, so if you liked the one issue you can go back and pick up the rest.
There are 8 single issues from different characters showing what they are dealing with during the Blackest Night Event. As some other have already mentioned some stories are more powerful than others, such as the Green Lantern one absolutely heart breaking, plus given he is one of my more favourite DC characters I was feeling this more.
I don't feel bad saying this but if you want to skip the western issue as like the comic line it came from is just plain weird, and I've no real idea what it was all about if I'm honest. Only knew 2 characters in it - Jonah Hex and The Ray.
Because the issues are from different character stories and run, the art and story telling is different in each issue. This can be a little jarring as you might really like the style and it completes changes it the next one. However it does give you a good idea of what the series would be like, so if you liked the one issue you can go back and pick up the rest.
May 28, 2024
This will serve as my review for all of the "Blackest Night" graphic novels as a collection.
I feel that someone needs to do a list of in what order to read all of this. Because . . . it's a lot. And when you read the individual stories from the various points of view, there are chapters missing that are filled in by reading a different story. Only when you've read the entire collection can you see how all the pieces fit together, and that wasn't super fun for me. But it's still a fun read. I almost decided to call these "comic books" but there was enough depth and commentary on the human condition that I think they qualify as "graphic novels." The idea that there are these 7 emotions present in basically all sentient life across the universe I find interesting, as well as the idea that combining the emotions all together is, in the end, the healthiest way to exist.
Of note were three individual stories that I found myself moved by:
1. The story of Saint Walker becoming the first blue lantern moved me quite a bit. The "religion" he espouses is a little cliche, but I was glad to see it represented. He may be a fictional character, but that attitude of "all will be well" is one that I still aspire to.
2. The story of Wonder Girl having to kill the Black Lantern versions of her dead husband and dead infant son was heartbreaking.
3. The story of Wonder Woman and the guardians at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington was pitch perfect. Those two soldiers, wearing dress uniforms and with no real weaponry, absolutely would stand up and continue to guard the Tomb against all of the risen Black Lanterns from the rest of Arlington National Cemetery and yes, would be pure will.
Enjoyed the series. Might enjoy a re-read now that I have all the parts (and I did go back to re-read some of it, and yes it made more sense with all the puzzle pieces). 4 stars overall.
I feel that someone needs to do a list of in what order to read all of this. Because . . . it's a lot. And when you read the individual stories from the various points of view, there are chapters missing that are filled in by reading a different story. Only when you've read the entire collection can you see how all the pieces fit together, and that wasn't super fun for me. But it's still a fun read. I almost decided to call these "comic books" but there was enough depth and commentary on the human condition that I think they qualify as "graphic novels." The idea that there are these 7 emotions present in basically all sentient life across the universe I find interesting, as well as the idea that combining the emotions all together is, in the end, the healthiest way to exist.
Of note were three individual stories that I found myself moved by:
1. The story of Saint Walker becoming the first blue lantern moved me quite a bit. The "religion" he espouses is a little cliche, but I was glad to see it represented. He may be a fictional character, but that attitude of "all will be well" is one that I still aspire to.
2. The story of Wonder Girl having to kill the Black Lantern versions of her dead husband and dead infant son was heartbreaking.
3. The story of Wonder Woman and the guardians at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington was pitch perfect. Those two soldiers, wearing dress uniforms and with no real weaponry, absolutely would stand up and continue to guard the Tomb against all of the risen Black Lanterns from the rest of Arlington National Cemetery and yes, would be pure will.
Enjoyed the series. Might enjoy a re-read now that I have all the parts (and I did go back to re-read some of it, and yes it made more sense with all the puzzle pieces). 4 stars overall.
March 27, 2023
During the Blackest Night event, DC did a really cool thing that outshines any editorial deicison I've seen since. They ressurected a bunch of recently cancelled titles and had the original artists and writers craft one more story, attached to Blackest Night that also gave some resolution to the characters.
It was a baller move, and while none of the titles blew me away, they were all as solid as the titles they were resurrecting.
Apart from Starman and Green Arrow, I hadn't read any of these series at the time, so I wasn't the intended audience but I thought they were all fairly easy to follow, and I absolutely loved the Green Arrow issue (Starman was ok).
Is this necessary for people reading the Blackest Night event? Not at all. Should you read it, if you weren't into DC continuity in the early 21st century? Probably not. But it's a winner of a concept, and a fun bit of continuity for those who were invested in all things DC at the time.
It was a baller move, and while none of the titles blew me away, they were all as solid as the titles they were resurrecting.
Apart from Starman and Green Arrow, I hadn't read any of these series at the time, so I wasn't the intended audience but I thought they were all fairly easy to follow, and I absolutely loved the Green Arrow issue (Starman was ok).
Is this necessary for people reading the Blackest Night event? Not at all. Should you read it, if you weren't into DC continuity in the early 21st century? Probably not. But it's a winner of a concept, and a fun bit of continuity for those who were invested in all things DC at the time.
May 22, 2023
A surprisingly compelling collection of event tie-ins. A very cool idea, Rise of the Black Lanterns adds one more issue to previously concluded runs from classic eras all over the DC spectrum. In cheeky Blackest Night fashion, the writers "resurrect" these old comic series as they resurrect heroes and villains with Black Lantern rings. This gives an opening for fans of the older stuff to engage with the event in a way they maybe hadn't previously. Not every one of these issues was a total homerun, but overall they were minimum decent and contained important details to the story. Shining star issues were The Power of Shazam 48, for fans of 52 deuteragonist Osiris, The Phantom Stranger 42 for obvious reasons, and The Atom and Hawkman 46 - arguably the best of these issues - which covered Ray Palmer's deputization into the mysterious Indigo Lantern Tribe. You won't be incredibly lost reading through Blackest Night if you skip past this, but it is a good read and worth your time if you feel like sparing it.
March 11, 2017
4 stars for most of the artwork and 3 stars for most of the writing. Peter Tomasi and Geoff Johns get the obvious thumbs up for me as I am a big fan of their writing, some of the other entries however...well, theres a reason why some of their series were cancelled. What Rise of the Black Lanterns does is it shows a glimpse of various other series characters in the DC universe and how they approach the introduction of the Blackest Night and how it will eventually feed back up into the Green Lantern Corp.
The Blackest Night is one of my favorite Green Lantern/DC storylines as its often dark and menacing and in order to do so, the artwork must be spot on which in most cases it is here. A solid intro to a great overall epic storyline.
The Blackest Night is one of my favorite Green Lantern/DC storylines as its often dark and menacing and in order to do so, the artwork must be spot on which in most cases it is here. A solid intro to a great overall epic storyline.
January 3, 2022
This 3 stars almost exclusively comes from the Green Arrow and Superboy issues in the compilation. Other than that it is very forgettable. The Green Arrow issue is one of the best single comics I have ever read and truly inflates the rating.
August 7, 2023
A bunch of one-shots that don't add anything relevant to the overall story of Blackest Night and frequently contract the lore of how the Black Lantern rings function. Save yourself some money and avoid this one.
November 20, 2017
More of the same in the Blackest Night collection. It's time to move on.
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June 6, 2023Backlog.
February 29, 2024
Gran introduccion a black hand, hace que me lo tome en serio
October 18, 2018
Excellent. I have to admit these Blackest Night stories are a magnificent tie-in to the events of the main story. Though its a bit confusing. I imagine all these stories together would be the size of a textbook. But its still good to read them nevertheless.
This collection of the Black Lantern Corps takes its involvement with the Black Lanterns striking in several major places. St. Roch, Star City, Metropolis, The Fortress of Solitude, Opal City, Gotham City, etc. Each containing a major confrontation with members of the Black Lanterns versus someone they wish to claim.
The first being Ray Palmer as he deals with the onslaught of his ex-wife Jean Loring. With the memory of Identiy Crisis still a potent memory, there is no doubt that the murder of Sue Dibny has yet to be forgotten. All the while Ray fights for his newest Lantern Corps in keeping the Black Lanterns at bay.
Phantom Stranger is next to deal with a fellow traveler in Boston Brand and the Spectre. Its truly is an amazing battle, especially considering how Spectre ended up fighting Hal Jordan afterwards.
Oliver Queen's possession by a Black Lantern ring brings on a confrontation between him and his beloved family. Dinah, Mia, Conner even Bart and Hal endure Ollie's vindictive persona.
Cassandra Sandsmark also deals with her beloved in Superboy. But yet his love of her helps her to defeat him. A bit simplistic here and I wish was dealt with more strength of love between the two but its still very good.
The original Starman returns as he wreaks havoc against Shade all while the latter begins to deal with his feelings for his girlfriend.
The original Question comes back to assault Lady Shiva and his successor Renee Montoya.
Black Mask returns to wreak havoc upon the woman that murdered him; Catwoman. Though he doesn't want her to die, but to suffer. Yet Bruce Wayne is supposedly dead. So he strikes where it can still hurt her, her sister Maggie. Yet Selina turns to her best criminal friends to save the day. Definitely a great read.
This then turns to the Wild Wild West but with the trappings of the present day as Joshua Turnbull, descendant of Jonah Hex villain Jonah Turnbull attempts to stop the Blackest Night by tapping into a Black Lantern Ring and reversing the effect, thus creating a White Light Life Effect that has been present in some who can repel the Black Lanterns. But Joshua is no saint and as his old town is furnished by no one but himself and Old West reenactments. Jonah is desperate, greedy and vicious as his new benefactor Simon Stagg. As old west cemeteries bring forward legions as the dead rise and turn a victory.
Finally a resurrected Amon Tomaz and Sobek wreak havoc in the city that once heralded them as champions. Memories of the 52 comeback to the surface.
All this and more just makes me love the Blackest Night Saga. An awesome collection of stories. A
This collection of the Black Lantern Corps takes its involvement with the Black Lanterns striking in several major places. St. Roch, Star City, Metropolis, The Fortress of Solitude, Opal City, Gotham City, etc. Each containing a major confrontation with members of the Black Lanterns versus someone they wish to claim.
The first being Ray Palmer as he deals with the onslaught of his ex-wife Jean Loring. With the memory of Identiy Crisis still a potent memory, there is no doubt that the murder of Sue Dibny has yet to be forgotten. All the while Ray fights for his newest Lantern Corps in keeping the Black Lanterns at bay.
Phantom Stranger is next to deal with a fellow traveler in Boston Brand and the Spectre. Its truly is an amazing battle, especially considering how Spectre ended up fighting Hal Jordan afterwards.
Oliver Queen's possession by a Black Lantern ring brings on a confrontation between him and his beloved family. Dinah, Mia, Conner even Bart and Hal endure Ollie's vindictive persona.
Cassandra Sandsmark also deals with her beloved in Superboy. But yet his love of her helps her to defeat him. A bit simplistic here and I wish was dealt with more strength of love between the two but its still very good.
The original Starman returns as he wreaks havoc against Shade all while the latter begins to deal with his feelings for his girlfriend.
The original Question comes back to assault Lady Shiva and his successor Renee Montoya.
Black Mask returns to wreak havoc upon the woman that murdered him; Catwoman. Though he doesn't want her to die, but to suffer. Yet Bruce Wayne is supposedly dead. So he strikes where it can still hurt her, her sister Maggie. Yet Selina turns to her best criminal friends to save the day. Definitely a great read.
This then turns to the Wild Wild West but with the trappings of the present day as Joshua Turnbull, descendant of Jonah Hex villain Jonah Turnbull attempts to stop the Blackest Night by tapping into a Black Lantern Ring and reversing the effect, thus creating a White Light Life Effect that has been present in some who can repel the Black Lanterns. But Joshua is no saint and as his old town is furnished by no one but himself and Old West reenactments. Jonah is desperate, greedy and vicious as his new benefactor Simon Stagg. As old west cemeteries bring forward legions as the dead rise and turn a victory.
Finally a resurrected Amon Tomaz and Sobek wreak havoc in the city that once heralded them as champions. Memories of the 52 comeback to the surface.
All this and more just makes me love the Blackest Night Saga. An awesome collection of stories. A
April 19, 2015
The Blackest Night cross-over event was a big deal in the DC Universe. Obviously, they couldn't fit all of DC's stars into the main series, so Rise of the Black Lanterns collects Black Night stories that appeared in some of their other regular series. We get issues of The Atom & Hawkman, Catwoman, Phantom Stranger, The Power of Shazam, The Question, Starman, Weird Western Tales, Green Arrow, and Adventure Comics. Some of these stories help to fill in some of the gaps in the main Blackest Night series, such as the Atom & Hawkman and Green Arrow stories, but most of them seem like DC's way of cashing in on the Blackest Night for their other series. Weird Western Tales shows us Jonah Hex, who has no part in the real series and isn't even mentioned. Some of these super heroes/villains I was unfamiliar with, but I still like the Darkest Night aura enough to enjoy them. Some of the art wasn't to my taster, but was probably characteristic of the series. I have read of heard of Starman and I found his issue to be particularly ugly, but the story was interesting. None of the stories are very long; this is just a collection of single issues from other series that did a Blackest Night issue. Are these deep, involved stories? No, but they are fun little one-offs that help show just how far reaching the effects of Blackest Night are. The Phantom Stranger may not be a big star in the DC Universe and he may not even play a role in the bigger story of Blackest Night, but this collection shows that even the C and D-List guys are being effected. In no way is this vital to the Blackest Night; I would even hesitate to call it a supplement to it. It is a totally unnecessary, but fun collection that gives you just a little more time in the Blackest Night saga.
August 3, 2012
Rise of the Black Lanterns is essentially the tie-in collection book. While the other volumes (save perhaps Tales of the Corps) of Blackest Night have a story line, this volume is made up of nine comics that tied into the main Blackest Night story, specifically:
Atom and Hawkman 46, Catwoman 83, Phantom Stranger 42, The Power of Shazam 48, The Question 37, Starman 81, Weird Western Tales 71, Green Arrow 30, and Adventure Comics 7.
As it's a collection book, it's hard to judge the book as a whole but instead comic by comic. For me, the standouts are definitely Atom and Hawkman, Catwoman, Green Arrow and Adventure Comics. The others aren't bad, but either I'm less familiar with the characters (Starman, Shazam) or I didn't care too much (Weird Western Tales, though seeing zombie Jonah Hex was amusing).
What's most interesting is that this volume alters some of my understanding of Blackest Night. You get to see inside the minds of Green Arrow and Superboy who were turned into Black Lanterns, so you can see them fighting the ring's influence. I also was intrigued by the Question being unable to see his targets if they suppressed emotion (since Black Lanterns see individuals highlighted by their primary emotional color).
All in all, it's a great collection, and some even used the event as a jumping point for a future plotline (Catwoman especially). Atom and Hawkman even ties in directly to the main book (as do Green Arrow and Adventure Comics to a lesser degree). Good read.
Atom and Hawkman 46, Catwoman 83, Phantom Stranger 42, The Power of Shazam 48, The Question 37, Starman 81, Weird Western Tales 71, Green Arrow 30, and Adventure Comics 7.
As it's a collection book, it's hard to judge the book as a whole but instead comic by comic. For me, the standouts are definitely Atom and Hawkman, Catwoman, Green Arrow and Adventure Comics. The others aren't bad, but either I'm less familiar with the characters (Starman, Shazam) or I didn't care too much (Weird Western Tales, though seeing zombie Jonah Hex was amusing).
What's most interesting is that this volume alters some of my understanding of Blackest Night. You get to see inside the minds of Green Arrow and Superboy who were turned into Black Lanterns, so you can see them fighting the ring's influence. I also was intrigued by the Question being unable to see his targets if they suppressed emotion (since Black Lanterns see individuals highlighted by their primary emotional color).
All in all, it's a great collection, and some even used the event as a jumping point for a future plotline (Catwoman especially). Atom and Hawkman even ties in directly to the main book (as do Green Arrow and Adventure Comics to a lesser degree). Good read.
March 22, 2015
I was underwhelmed by the Blackest Night mini-series, but it seems some of the most interesting stories were told on the periphery – but even then, Rise of the Black Lanterns is a mixed bag.The idea that Nekkron had a hand in guiding 'dead' superheroes back to life makes a virtue of one of comics' most annoying, and Rise wisely ignores the guff from the main series about how the heroes "would've managed it anyway". Tony Bedard's Superboy piece makes similarly fun use of complex comic continuity to ask, "Just who is dead right now?"
Diogenes Neves's artwork on the Green Arrow segment is the standout, showing us events from the internal perspective of the possessed Oliver Queen and the external view of those trying to stop him. When the stories don't work, they're uninteresting meditations on the nature of characters who didn't sell – Alan Moore was right when he said much comic book writing is still stuck in the mid-80s. Sadly, those unnecessary pieces outweigh the good, but if you can borrow a copy – or even pick up the individual issues – the Green Arrow and Superboy pieces are worth your time.
Diogenes Neves's artwork on the Green Arrow segment is the standout, showing us events from the internal perspective of the possessed Oliver Queen and the external view of those trying to stop him. When the stories don't work, they're uninteresting meditations on the nature of characters who didn't sell – Alan Moore was right when he said much comic book writing is still stuck in the mid-80s. Sadly, those unnecessary pieces outweigh the good, but if you can borrow a copy – or even pick up the individual issues – the Green Arrow and Superboy pieces are worth your time.
July 27, 2013
Pretty much a mop-up of what else was left in the Blackest Night storyline that hadn't made a collection yet.
Highlights for me: Green Arrow, decent story, Ollie trying to fight off the Black Ring with his 'family' trying to save him.
Atom and Hawkman, because Atom was just kick ass in this Event, and I want to read more about him now.
Phantom Stranger: Stranger, Boston Brand (Deadman), Blue Devil and more! I like the quirky ones on the edges of reality.
Question: Not bad, Lady Shiva and Vic Sage duel it out alongside Renee Montoya
Shazam: Osiris' story gets fleshed out, and he will appear in a more prominent point as well...
Weird Western Tales: Jonah Hex Zombie, and yet, he's the good one? Love it.
Didn't really care much for the Catwoman, Starman, or Adventure Comics (I found all the Adventure Comics story stuff thrown in at the back of other collections as just not needed.)
Non-essential, mild amusement, but not necessary to the whole storyline, though some decent stuff.
Highlights for me: Green Arrow, decent story, Ollie trying to fight off the Black Ring with his 'family' trying to save him.
Atom and Hawkman, because Atom was just kick ass in this Event, and I want to read more about him now.
Phantom Stranger: Stranger, Boston Brand (Deadman), Blue Devil and more! I like the quirky ones on the edges of reality.
Question: Not bad, Lady Shiva and Vic Sage duel it out alongside Renee Montoya
Shazam: Osiris' story gets fleshed out, and he will appear in a more prominent point as well...
Weird Western Tales: Jonah Hex Zombie, and yet, he's the good one? Love it.
Didn't really care much for the Catwoman, Starman, or Adventure Comics (I found all the Adventure Comics story stuff thrown in at the back of other collections as just not needed.)
Non-essential, mild amusement, but not necessary to the whole storyline, though some decent stuff.
July 5, 2015
I really don't like to give overly negative reviews, but I can't help it in this case. You can skip this collection and not miss a damned thing in The Blackest Night Saga. This is a prime example of a money grab. I understand the desire to rope in the entire DCU for an epic event like The Blackest Night, but this was a completely useless collection for me. Unless you're a fan of the titles, I don't see a reason to pick this one up. That said, I can even see those fans being annoyed at the 1 issue interruption of their own story arcs.
Unless you're like me and really want to read all the books in The Blackest Night, there's no reason for this collection. If you're interesting, here are the titles included here (1 chapter per character):
The Atom and Hawkman
The Phantom Stranger
Green Arrow
Adventure Comics
Starman
The Question
Catwoman
Weird Western Tales
Power of Shazam
Unless you're like me and really want to read all the books in The Blackest Night, there's no reason for this collection. If you're interesting, here are the titles included here (1 chapter per character):
The Atom and Hawkman
The Phantom Stranger
Green Arrow
Adventure Comics
Starman
The Question
Catwoman
Weird Western Tales
Power of Shazam
April 18, 2013
I'm not a big fan of the Blackest Night event. I think it takes some big imagination to try and pull all the different timeline pieces and continuity messes that DC has made over the years. However, it's still a weak overall effect and the anthology comics contained in this volume just feel gimicky to generate more dollars.
Most of the art is superb and it's nice to have all of the different cross-overs contained in one volume. Unfortunatly, most of the stories lack as the writer is handcuffed with trying to fit their current series storeline into an overall larger meta-arc.
If you are a Blackest Night enthusiast, I'm sure this volume will be a happy addition to your collection. If not, then I would suggest that your dollars are better spent on other material.
Most of the art is superb and it's nice to have all of the different cross-overs contained in one volume. Unfortunatly, most of the stories lack as the writer is handcuffed with trying to fit their current series storeline into an overall larger meta-arc.
If you are a Blackest Night enthusiast, I'm sure this volume will be a happy addition to your collection. If not, then I would suggest that your dollars are better spent on other material.
July 6, 2015
I read Blackest Night, Blackest Night: Rise of the the Black Lanterns, and Blackest Night: Green Lantern concurrently, skipping from one to the other to keep the story in chronological order, more or less. It was a decent story, with some nice character moments. The expanded color lantern corps were interesting. I really cared for any of the Green Lanterns when I actively read comic books and this didn't want me go read any more. There were some real moments with Green Arrow, Flash, Atom, and Firestorm that were touching. I am now more interested in the Phantom Stranger. It was nice seeing the Scarecrow take the spotlight for a bit as well. I wonder what parts I missed not having access to the Green Lantern Corp issues.
November 12, 2010
Because I inadvertently started reading in media res, I'm not sure what to think about this graphic novel in which black rings of power bring various DC superheroes (including the Spectre--ridiculous!) back from the grave as "Black Lantern" zombies. Perhaps in the context of what came before and what follows, this makes more sense and is more enjoyable, but it doesn't do much as a stand-alone volume. Sadly, this is the only portion of the saga that the local library network owns, and so I'll only get to experience it on its own terms.
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