"The Blackest Night" Talkback Thread (Spoilers)

[JME2]

IGN has posted previews for TBN: JSA # 1 and GL # 49. The former should be a nice expansion of the JSA battling the 1940's mystery men -- that and Robinson writing the Society again. The latter looks very interesting, more so as John Stewart hasn't quite been getting the attention he should be in both TBN and in the GL books, at least IMO.

[JME2]

So, my thoughts on this week's tie-ins...
Spoiler

TBN: JSA # 1
I liked seeing the JSA take on their comrades on arms as well as little bits, like Jesse Quick's guilt over her role in recruiting Damage into the JSA during "The Next Age". Interesting, but not surprising, to see threads from TBN: Superman carry over.

GREEN LANTERN # 49
I'm somewhat sick of John's focus and defining characteristic (architect) being ignored in favor of the JLU US Marine retcon. Still, nice to see John finally make peace with Xanshi and overcome the Black Lanterns' Hannibal Lecture. Not too crazy about Ed Benes' art.

Trial & Error: Was anyone reminder of "Encounter at Farpoint" with this backup and the Black Lanterns essentially putting life on trial??

Okay, so, let's assume that Black Lantern Jean was telling the truth and not bullshitting us.

If so, then the darkness/Black is eternal and the light is a fluke and an aberration. As the first living beings, the Guardians are the invaders. The Manhunters and the GLC have been an attempt to control the universe rather than police it. Nekron is also our collective personification of the Black.

This is a SERIOUS retcon to COIE and the GLC -- not to mention Nekron's original apperance in the '80's. It will probably fall under New Earth continuity.

But this has serious dramatic potential. It adds new elements to their attempts to prevent the Blackest Night and their refusal to believe the Ysmault Prophecies. No wonder Atrocitus prophesied Hal would turn on them. This tops every shit move the Guardians have made and might be enough to get the entire Lantern Corps to force them out.

This raises more questions still -- beyond whether Ganther and Sayd knew the truth. I mean, we've assumed that the Black was responsible for the Manhunter's malfunction.

But what if it was the other way around? We know that Scar's divination was a more refined version of Atrocitus' rituals. What if the Guardians knew the latter and Massacre of Sector 666 was an attempt by the Guardians to prevent anyone from tapping into the Black. What if the Black was manipulating the Inversions, and in turn Abin, Sinestro, Hal, and everybody else through visions designed to bring about the Blackest Night? Atrocitus' presence on Earth set William Hand on the path that transformed him into Black Hand and Herald of the Black, after all.

I am also, heh, dead certain that the Indigo Tribe is going to turn on everybody by siding with the Black -- if they haven't already.

And Deadman followed them in...interesting; his presence may end up being a major plot point...

[Superboy]

The Blackest Night #6 got leaked early, so for those of you who like spoilers:

Spoiler

It's damn awesome. The biggest thing to happen this issue is the induction of various superheroes in the different corps. Barry Allen joins the Blue corps, Wonder Woman becomes a star sapphire (which frees her from the black ring and seems to bring her back to life, Ray Palmer joins the indigo tribe, Jonathan Crane joins the Sinestro Corps (about time), Mera get's a red ring and Lex Luthor gets an orange one. Oh, and Ganthet starts wielding a green ring.

Meanwhile, Indigo-1 goes off to unite all of the corps members from every single corps. Apparently all of their power in needed together in order to destroy the Black Lantern power battery.

Earth is pretty screwed as it's revealed that every single Black Lantern across the universe is headed there.

I don't know if this had been mentioned in an earlier issue and I missed it, but apparently a Green Lantern is required to make the final killshot on any Black Lantern. I was under the impression that it could be any two corps or more working together, but apparently the Green light is needed.

[JME2]

Spoiler

Barry getting a Blue Ring was set up in GL # 44. Luthor with an Orange Ring makes sense, as does Mera with a Red Ring (considering everything she and Atlantis have endured over the last decade). And Crane finally getting a yellow ring was awesome; I want a TBN Scarecrow figure when this over..

Also, Green being needed for the killshot was introduced in TBN # 3.

Man, it's going to be hard to wait until February due to the one-month break.

[JME2]

A reminder to everyone that TBN # 6 is on sale today.

[The Grim Squeaker]

A reminder to everyone that TBN # 6 is on sale today.

TBN 6 Spoilers! Spoiler

The Blue Lantern goes to Barry Allen and not Superman? Dammit! Superman should have a Blue and a Green ring, and you all damn well know it .
Orange Lantern Luthor was awesome .
Since when do Guardians even need rings? They're living power batteries!

[JME2]

Since when do Guardians even need rings? They're living power batteries![/spoiler]

Spoiler

They're also fighting in a war for existence itself; they need every advantage they can muster.

So, we're nearing the end and it's still going strong. And now we see how GLC -- and by extension Kyle and Guy -- will flow back into the main event. The two month break is going to suck.

In the meantime, Johns has conducted not one, but two interviews on the eve of said break. There are a couple of interesting points.

* The "Blackest Knight" arc in Batman & Robin will pick up on the fate of Black Lantern "Batman"'s skull.

* We may see a Larfleeze Christmas Special next year.

* Primary fall-out will be limited to the GL books, though there may be other avenues of post-TBN exploration.

* There's an interesting point Johns makes about Black Hand and Nekron. With the revelations thus far, we know now that the Black and by extent Nekron, is not inherently good nor inherently evil. Nekron is half-justified, evne though his actions have crossed the line as Barry observed. The Black is the absence of life, peace, and totality. This is what Nekron desires -- a return to what he believes is the natural order.

Black Hand believes it's the natural order too. But Nekron's desire is borne out of a desire for peace. William Hand, by contrast, is a sadistic and malicious prick. They've worked in tandem thus far, but it goes back somewhat to the question of whether or not Scar would turn on her master.

I don't think Nekron is going to, heh, see the light or reach a compromise with the Corps, but it's possible. And that would be unacceptable to Black Hand. It may even prompt him to turn against his Guardian. We know he's going to do something in the penultimate issue due to the end of this chapter.

[Bedlam]

Spoiler

Well Defently better than Final Crisis but this issue seemed to be running on the spot alot, if you look at it not much actually happens. The rings get cloned and various heros join each corp thats about it, the over all plot doesn't seem to move on much. I think it could probably have been done better as a 6 or even 4 part series but it might suprise me in the next few months.

I'd agree that Superman would be a better blue than Barry, I also disagree that Wonder Woman is an avatar of Love, she mostly seems a quite hardened warrior to me, it seems to be a sort of Women are special think. I'd have thought that Ice would have made a better Violet or Indigo lantern.

[Steve]

I'm not sure you can say 6 was running in place. It slowed a bit compared to the last few issues, sure, but I think that was to set up the climax to come in #7 and #8. Overall TBN has IMO maintained a decent pace.

Oh, the fact that it's kicking ass on a level Final Crisis utterly failed at is another thing to consider.

[Styphon]

How am I the first person reporting this? Biweekly follow-up announced!

[JME2]

How am I the first person reporting this? Biweekly follow-up announced!

I was at work.

I have...reservations about this, albeit financially rather than story-wise. Johns proved himself to be up to this kind of challenge with 52, but this coming on the cost of the TBN event and in the current economy...I'm excited, but a tad weary.

[Styphon]

Lucky for me to have the day off then.

Now, I'm a little behind on The Blackest Night itself (mostly I come here and spoil things for myself and at some point I'll go round up everything since The Blackest Night #2 and get properly caught up), so my apologies if this isn't news at all, but... Spoiler

that symbol in my link... could that be confirmation on the whole White Lantern thing?

[GuppyShark]

Seems pretty clear to me too Styphon.

[Steve]

Sometimes I love being right....

I also recall predicting the JLU finale would bring back Darkseid months before the episodes aired.

[JME2]

Seems pretty clear to me too Styphon.

Or at the very least, a symbol representing the entire emotional spectrum.

[GuppyShark]

$5 says that if there IS an organisation of people wielding the combined power of the emotional spectrum, they will NOT be called White Lanterns.

[JME2]

$5 says that if there IS an organisation of people wielding the combined power of the emotional spectrum, they will NOT be called White Lanterns.

It'll probably be the New Guardians based what Johns has said about the post-TBN arc in GL and, well, said arc's title of "New Guardians"...

[Darth Fanboy]

Seems pretty clear to me too Styphon.

Or at the very least, a symbol representing the entire emotional spectrum.

Makes sense since the symbol appears to have seven "rays" representing ROYGBIV.

[Tsyroc]

Seems pretty clear to me too Styphon.

Or at the very least, a symbol representing the entire emotional spectrum.

Makes sense since the symbol appears to have seven "rays" representing ROYGBIV.

So now we're going to find out that Marvel's Doctor Spectrum is actually the most powerful lantern of them all?

[GuppyShark]

I remember from my days of playing VSCCG that Dr. Light is pretty awesome...

[JME2]

Seems pretty clear to me too Styphon.

Or at the very least, a symbol representing the entire emotional spectrum.

Makes sense since the symbol appears to have seven "rays" representing ROYGBIV.

It's also symbolic as it does resemble a sunrise and thus, the "Brightest Day".

[avatarxprime]

Spoiler

Since when do Guardians even need rings? They're living power batteries!

Spoiler

Ganthet gave up influence over Willpower in exchange for wielding Hope. He needs the ring now to be able to use Willpower again.

So now we're going to find out that Marvel's Doctor Spectrum is actually the most powerful lantern of them all?

Spoiler

Based on what's going on in the comics it looks like Halo will be the embodiment for the White.

Dr. Light (both of them) and The Ray both seem to wield White light. We know the Doves wield it too. Any other heroes anyone can think of? Odds are the living amongst that list will all become bearers of the White light when the various Corps manage to get it re-ignited.

[JME2]

A reminder to everyone that GL# 50 and TBN:JSA #2 are out this week. The former looks interesting -- though if the tease is correct, I'm not exactly crazy about the return of the Giant Yellow Fear Bug 'o Doom.

On a sour side note, Batman & Robin#7 is also out this week and will see Dick investigating the fate of Black Lantern Batman's body. This arc will hopefully answer what the hell the Mad Scotsman was thinking regarding Bats' fate.

In regards to recent releases I haven't covered...
Spoiler

* TBN: Wonder Woman # 2: Decent expansion of the fight between Mera and Black Lantern

* TBN: The Flash # 2: Not crazy about the Saint Barry sequences, but I loved the Black Lantern Rogue War.

* GLC#44: Well, that takes care of the Black Lanterns on Oa; looking forward to seeing Guy either taken down by Kyle and company or being turned loose on the Black Lanterns at Earth.

* Starman #81: Robinson writing Opal City and Shade especially again = win.

[JME2]

Whoops, almost forgot about The Atom & Hawkman #46 being on sale today and which will focus on the now Indigo Tribesman Ray Palmer.

[TimothyC]

TBN:JSA#2 generated a massive OH FUCK! at the end from me.