BLACKEST NIGHT #5 REVIEW

Walt Kneeland · #1 November 28th 2009, 07:16 PM

Review by: Walt Kneeland (walt.kneeland@gmail.com )
Quick Rating: Very Good
Story Title: Blackest Night

Having sought out the black battery and found it missing, Hal and his representatives of the various Corps follow it to Earth, where the heroes have their hands full, and Nekron has a nasty surprise to unveil.

Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Ivan Reis
Inks: Oclair Albert with Joe Prado
Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Letterer]: Nick J. Napolitano
Assoc. Editor: Adam Schlagman
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Cover: Reis, Albert, Sinclair (variant by Rodolfo Migliari)
Publisher: DC Comics

Though this issue technically picks up from Green Lantern #48, it can be enjoyed just as well without that issue. As Saint Walker, Sinestro, Hal Jordan, Atrocitus, Carol Ferris, Indigo-1, and Larfleeze realize that they've arrived where the Black Lantern central battery once WAS, they power up their rings, reciting their respective oaths, as they prepare to head out in pursuit of the Black battery. Meanwhile, the Flashes--Wally and Barry--take on Nekron, Black Hand, and the Black Lanterns, as the cavalry arrives--many of the major DCU super-beings. While that assembled might of the DCU takes on the Black Lanterns, Hal & co. arrive and take on Scar--the Guardian that helped faciliate the rise of the Black Lanterns. Shortly after, in a double-page spread, we witness the rise of a very specific character everyone has expected since the Black rings first showed up, though the role that is played has a bit of a welcome twist. Finally, Nekron pulls a trick that seems far more worthy to me of the tagline "The Day Evil Won" than Final Crisis.

As usual, the art is top-notch. It's great seeing so many of these characters within these pages, even if relatively few of them get much of a spotight. Reis & co. make this a great book to look at, which is a very positive thing for a comic, adding a great deal to the story itself. There's a great double-page spread early in the book (as the Hal & co. charge their rings) that gives us our first look at at least one of the Corps' oaths, and is very poster-worthy as a single image even without the oaths.

On the writing side, Johns continues to craft an engaging story, though a lot of the excitement I had for it early on has faded as the story expands and builds. Nekron does not seem like the same character at all that was in prior appearances...but still comes off as quite the mean individual.

The finale/cliffhanger of this issue was not something I expected, though it makes perfect sense in hindsight, and really serves to amp up the stakes in this event...and presumably set the stage for imminent tie-ins and minis; it also explains what I presumed was a spoiler in solicitation text released recently regarding at least one DC title. This twist at the end was a definite "oh, crap!" moment, and offhand would seem to be that main, memorable moment that'll be the defining point of the issue as we move forward.

We're over the hump so to speak, as far as this core series is concerned...however, I believe January will be a "skip month" on this mini, with the "resurrected titles" standing in, but we're very certainly into the heart (pun intended) of the Blackest Night. Chances are you're already either into this event or avoiding it. If you're already following it, this issue is certainly not to be missed.

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**Mark Blicharz** · #2 November 28th 2009, 08:24 PM

******* awesome issue. Great twist at the end.

Magnus2k · #3 November 28th 2009, 11:43 PM

Awesome read.

For those that were a little upset that this was moved from a GL event to a universe event, now you see why.

I challenge you to complain about it now!