"The Blackest Night" Talkback Thread (Spoilers)

[JME2]

I'm off to read the new GL now.

It's the best issue of GL in a while as the War of Light gets a full showcase.
Spoiler

Lots of great little bits, from the flashbacks to Sinestro's early days, Larfleeze's "Yuh-oh", and the revelation that Nekron and Scar have no idea as to the whereabouts of the Indigo Tribe.

[Superboy]

I agree, that issue was amazing.
Spoiler

The Larfleeze "yuh-oh" moment was great. I wonder if all of his victims rising will somehow affect his ability to control their stolen identities. He'll probably be pissed that the black rings stole the identities from him. At least it helps out Ganthet and Sayd since Agent Orange will probably be too distracted to keep fighting them. It doesn't seem like they were in any real danger from the black rings around their planet, since they were pretty helpless without any dead to raise.

There was an interesting bit from the Star Saphires about how they need Carol to control The Predator. I hope he makes an appearance soon.

[JME2]

Spoiler

There was an interesting bit from the Star Saphires about how they need Carol to control The Predator. I hope he makes an appearance soon.

Spoiler

He should. In fact, I would be very much surprised if Ion, Parallax, and the remaining entities don't put int an apperance before the end of TBN.

[JME2]

It's also worth noting that there's a potential hint to the outcome of TBN within this week's Flash: Rebirth # 4:
Spoiler

The previous issue ended on a cliffhanger with the apparent return of Eobard Thawne AKA Professor Zoom - a resurrection which I've already vented about in the JL forum and won't repeat here. Anyway, remember that Barry snapped his neck just prior to COIE and says so. Thawne cryptically replies, "I have a ressurection of my own in the days to come, thanks to a good friend of yours, Barrry."

Now, there are two issues left and we may still see the mechanics behind the resurrection. But here's another thought. Unless I'm mistaken, Thawne's body is buried in the Rogues' secret graveyard. What if Thawne rises alongside Golden Glider, the Top, and Mirror Master I? And, as we've speculated, what if Hal stumbles on a way to restore the Black Lanterns to life by the end of TBN. Because of his status as a time traveler, Thawne could then easily travel back to the timeframe of Flash: Rebirth. Just a thought, anyway.

[Manus Celer Dei]

"YOU THINK I HAVE TIME TO WASTE ON THIS?"
Sinestro is, as ever, awesome. I hope he plays at least some role in the main TBN series later on.

Spoiler

There was an interesting bit from the Star Saphires about how they need Carol to control The Predator. I hope he makes an appearance soon.

Spoiler

He should. In fact, I would be very much surprised if Ion, Parallax, and the remaining entities don't put int an apperance before the end of TBN.

Spoiler

I'm still sort of hoping the big final confrontation of TBN will be Nekron vs all the different Avatar entities, however unlikely that'll be.

[avatarxprime]

"YOU THINK I HAVE TIME TO WASTE ON THIS?"
Sinestro is, as ever, awesome. I hope he plays at least some role in the main TBN series later on.

I loved Sinestro throughout that entire fight, especially his little analysis of Hal and the Hal-shaped construct.

Spoiler

I'm still sort of hoping the big final confrontation of TBN will be Nekron vs all the different Avatar entities, however unlikely that'll be.

Spoiler

Well I think Nekron would hope Black Hand doesn't turn against him, so it should be 7 vs Nekron + Black Hand

[JME2]

Spoiler

I'm still sort of hoping the big final confrontation of TBN will be Nekron vs all the different Avatar entities, however unlikely that'll be.

Spoiler

Well I think Nekron would hope Black Hand doesn't turn against him, so it should be 7 vs Nekron + Black Hand

Hmmm.
Spoiler

The entity battle, or at least all the major Generals of the Corps (Atrocitus, Larfleeze, Sinestro, Hal, Walker, Indigo-1, and Carrol) is probably a likelihood. As for Black Hand turning on Nekron...well, given his fixation on death, I don't see it coming, but Johns may have a twist down the road, so we'll see...

And yes, Sinestro is awesome; I'm really, really hoping he (and Larfleeze, for that matter) doesn't bite it during TBN.

[TimothyC]

A Few Silly questions:

1. We know this is during the New Krypton Arc, buw when, or will we find out later.

2. The Cry For Justice series seems to be a prequel to TBN (given Prometheus comments in the issue that came out today Spoiler

about how for certain individuals just putting on spandex makes death a revolving door

, have I just missed the official word as to what he timeline is?

[JME2]

A Few Silly questions:

1. We know this is during the New Krypton Arc, buw when, or will we find out later.

2. The Cry For Justice series seems to be a prequel to TBN (given Prometheus comments in the issue that came out today Spoiler

about how for certain individuals just putting on spandex makes death a revolving door

, have I just missed the official word as to what he timeline is?

1. Hmm, yes the timing is tricky, especially given the recent events of the "Codename: Patriot" crossover. I'm sure James Robinson will address it's setting within time.

2. Cry for Justice takes place immediately following the end of Final Crisis and given the working relationship between Johns and James Robinson, it's possible he slipped in a few references to TBN like that one.

[TimothyC]

2. Cry for Justice takes place immediately following the end of Final Crisis and given the working relationship between Johns and James Robinson, it's possible he slipped in a few references to TBN like that one.

Ah. Thank you. One issue with that - by issue Three you've got Spoiler

Kara being on earth in secret, which puts issue 3 sometime during the New Krypton Arc

It help explain the Hal-Ollie interaction in DCU: Decisions though.

I need some advil for this headache.

[JME2]

2. Cry for Justice takes place immediately following the end of Final Crisis and given the working relationship between Johns and James Robinson, it's possible he slipped in a few references to TBN like that one.

Ah. Thank you. One issue with that - by issue Three you've got Spoiler

Kara being on earth in secret, which puts issue 3 sometime during the New Krypton Arc

It help explain the Hal-Ollie interaction in DCU: Decisions though.

I need some advil for this headache.

Part of the problem is that CFJ was supposed to be an ongoing series and was solicited to launch either immediately after Final Crisis. However, delays with both series pushed the launch date back and so the internal timeline is seriously out of whack. Robinson will probably have it synch up once he takes over on JLA.

[JME2]

A reminder to everyone that GLC # 40 will go on sale this week. As usual, IGN has uploaded their preview and I'm still loving what I'm seeing.

[JME2]

I also forgot about TBN Batman# 2 this week; my bad. I'm liking this one more than I thought I would; it segues nicely out of TBN # 2.

[JME2]

So, my thoughts on GLC # 40
Spoiler

Overall, a nice continuation of the Black Lantern assault on Oa.

* Undying Love? nope: Glad to see Kyle not falling at the hands of Black Lantern Jade; we can only hope Alan Scott doesn't suffer a similar fate.

* From Cradle to Grave: A nice follow-up from GL # 45 on what happened to Kryb after the Sinestro Corpsmen sprang her. I like it because it again shows how closely linked GL and GLC still are, even with both tied into the TBN narrative. I'm also intrigued as to what happened to the children she abducted; this may explain their presence on that page from "Origins and Omens" a few months back.

* Hail Our New Insect Overlord: I've got to admit, Bzzd was one of my favorite characters to emerge in GLC and this is one of the few Black Lanterns that's actually creeping me out (alongside Donna's baby). Too bad Guy squashed him...

* Law and Order: Wow, you know things are bad when Salaak, ie Mr. Consummate Bureaucrat loses his patience and cool with the Alpha Lanterns. I loved seeing him put the Alphas in their place and really hope he survives TBN.

* Lanterns AWOL: I'm really glad Vath and Isamot are back in the spotlight; I've been annoyed that they got shunted off to the side during the TBN buildup within GLC over the last year. I'm especially glad that Vath was the first to notice Scar was AWOL; good for the Raanian.

[LadyTevar]

I saw in passing a Blackest Night that had BeastBoy being kissed by Terra/Tara. What was that one about?

[TimothyC]

I saw in passing a Blackest Night that had BeastBoy being kissed by Terra/Tara. What was that one about?

She's a Black Lantern and was sucking the Emotional spectrum out of him to power the Central Black Lantern Power Battery. I think.

[Steve]

Rather she was getting his emotions to a complete peak so she could rip his heart out and then fuel the power battery. Apparently the more intense the emotion of the one being killed, the more a Black Lantern enjoys it (and perhaps the more power it supplies the Lantern).

[Steve]

Was browsing the "Rage of the Red Lanterns" Talkback thread from 11 months ago and stumbled upon a discussion with Havok over the nature of "black", and I found he'd said this:

Yeah, I know how it works. I'm just trying to figure how the comic is going to play it. Darkness and black are not the same thing, and since they are called that Black Lanterns and not the Dark Lanterns, I figure they are going to go with the whole absorbing all the other colors to make the Black Lanterns and not the absence of light. But then again, I am probably just over thinking it.

Given what we now know about what the Black Lanterns are doing, this statement is quite interesting to see.

[JME2]

A reminder to everyone that TBN# 3 is on sale today.

[JME2]

Was browsing the "Rage of the Red Lanterns" Talkback thread from 11 months ago and stumbled upon a discussion with Havok over the nature of "black", and I found he'd said this:

Yeah, I know how it works. I'm just trying to figure how the comic is going to play it. Darkness and black are not the same thing, and since they are called that Black Lanterns and not the Dark Lanterns, I figure they are going to go with the whole absorbing all the other colors to make the Black Lanterns and not the absence of light. But then again, I am probably just over thinking it.

Given what we now know about what the Black Lanterns are doing, this statement is quite interesting to see.

Yeah, especially with the revelations of issue 3...

[TimothyC]

It certainly explains "As All Light Dies".

[Steve]

If only we could take TBN and make it into a baseball bat, hitting Grant Morrison with it enough might make him better at writing these kinds of stories.

And yes, TBN #3 was fraggin' awesome.
Spoiler

But poor, poor Gen...

[avatarxprime]

TBN #3 was a good issue, and made the idea of the various Black Lantens playing around with their targets nice and clear so everyone should understand why J'onn and Kal-L aren't running around at superspeed killing everything in sight. Also it was nice to finally get some more info on the Indigo Tribe. I look forward to TBN #4, we'll finally get some of the real Big Bads into the fight.

[JME2]

So, my thoughts on issue 3:
Spoiler

Second Act Syndrome: We're getting near the halfway point and while the series is still going strong, next issue's really going to make or break it. After all of the related disappointments of the last few years, I very much want TBN to end as strong as it began ala SCW.

* The Inside Man: I'm glad Ray Palmer didn't get offed...at least not yet, anyway.

* Tribal Warfare: I still think the Indigos are going to conclude it's compassionate to help the dead achieve peace and backstab the living Corps, but we'll see. I'm glad they've finally made their full appearance into the mini-series. It's especially interesting to see the emotional spectrum's origins fleshed out a little more; it really cements this is an almost primordial battle rather than the culmination of 5 years of build-up, but I like it. Light vs. darkness; simple, yet epic (much better than 'the day evil won', anyway... )

Villains United: We finally get payoff from the seed planted in issue 1 as the villains rise. However, I'm hoping this is the last of the major resurrections for a while, or at least once we hit 100% and Nekron rises. I know this is central to the event and it's happening in every tie-in, but we don't want a burn-out ala the Skrull reveals.[/quote]

[JME2]

A friendly reminder to everyone that TBN: Superman # 2 goes on sale today. IGN has uploaded their usual preview and I again maintain, oh poor Smallville...