Blackest Night

Blackest Night #3

I'm not a fan of a lot of his work, but man. Geoff Johns can be such a heavy hitter. For such a big event, I love that he isn't skimping on the little moments that hold everything together. Barry going in on Hal for saying death is overrated was a beautiful scene.

Blackest Night- Batman 2

It's a little weird seeing Damian so expressive. So much Bat trauma with parents, ow.

Blackest Night- Superman 2

Kara turning against her father when he's acting so differently is awesome.

Blackest Night- Titans 2

The nature of comic book deaths are perfect for this type of event. Using Donna's dead son and husband to target her is lethal.

Green Lantern Corps #40

Real wartime energy here. Also enjoying this B-plot between the Star Staphire and Sinestro Corpsman that will almost surely end in betrayal. I like how unusual circumstances can bring out unexpected qualities in characters. 

Green Lantern #46

Sinestro. Ugh, stupidly well written. I love that for all his arrogance, ego, and need for control, that he does have the qualities of a good leader. Worthy of the title "Best Green Lantern." It was cool how this issue was centered around him. I like how Blackest Night involves more than just "Strongest/Most Popular Heroes vs Newest/Super Evil Villains"

Solomon Grundy #7

Pretty sad/painful issue. I love the contemplation surround good and evil, forgiveness and redemption. Great issue, reminded me how much I love the Phantom Stranger. Love the art here too, the inking is especially well done.

Adventure Comics (2009) #4

Not super invested, and therefore interested, in Legion stuff but I could tell Geoff loves them and that love made for a good read regardless. Superboy-Prime meta stuff is always fun because man people really did hate him and I think it's cool how that real world perception influences his stories.

Adventure Comics (2009) #5

"Hope." Unfortunately I do have a soft spot for Superboy-Prime that makes me feel bad for him. Those panels of him in the dark were just sad man.

Phantom Stranger (1969) #42

Wasn't big on this issue. Just felt like things jumped from plot point to plot point without deeper tension or emotion.

Catwoman (2002) #83

Forced tie-in felt forced. Most of the Blackest Night tie-ins that have to do with grounded characters just do not work because of how the scale of the situation has to change. I did like the narration, it felt very noiresque.

Weird Western Tales (1972) #71

This just felt random. The new Turnbull was a scumbag so his death didn't matter, and we don't know any of these other characters enough to truly care that he lets them die for his own benefit. I kinda get the style of pure loss (in a sorta karmic way) that attempted here, but it missed the mark.

Blackest Night #4

All Flashes are just so inspirational. He is an acceptable aura-farmer. Grant's death hit like a truck, even though I'm not super familiar with the character. Every time there's a burst of hope, things come crashing right back down again.

Green Lantern Corps #41

All action, no breaks. I love how this issues the characters of all these different Green Lanterns. It reminds you of all their histories and the crazy worldbuilding given to this space force.

Green Lantern #47

Really love how Sinestro is being utilized. There's real depth to him. I like seeing the other emotions being expressed by the main ringbearers. 

Blackest Night: Batman #3

Decent for what it is.

Blackest Night: Superman #3

Common tie-in stuff, a little corny. I will never get tired of seeing the different emotional makeup of characters though.

Blackest Night: Titans #3

This was killer. The Titans having to swallow down their feelings and try to destroy their old loved ones...only for them to come back? Brutal. I was surprised because I thought they were really gonna show Donna killing her child. Dawn being the beacon of hope and purity because of course she is. Just a great step forward.

Blackest Night: The Flash #1

What a dope cover. Captain Cold cool as always, cringey pun unintended. I didn't know Barry had such a connection to Solovar. His view on their friendship furthered the impact of his undeath.

Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1

Love this expression of love from Diana. Not overly passionate and burning, but forceful and stable. Presenting itself powerfully all the same.

Blackest Night: JSA #1

Feels like an issue that's pretty insular and focused on the JSA which I like.

Green Lantern Corps #42

A lot going on, after this huge moment I hope there's a little more time to breathe.

Green Lantern #48

This issue man....That's what sauce is. Seeing how everyone is so defined by loss: Sinestro, Atrocitus, Saint Walker, even Hal. Influenced them to the point of shaping them into the ringbearers they are now. I find that super beautiful really.

The change in size for the text when Atrocitus said "we did nothing." That's powerful. I also loved seeing Saint Walker and Atrocitus sharing their experiences.

Doom Patrol (2009) #4

If I read this from a Doom Patrol perspective and not a tie in one, maybe I would have enjoyed it.

R.E.B.E.L.S. #10

Wow. A lot of lore to digest. Big fan of the art and character designs, I love when space comics really go all in with the sci-fi.

Booster Gold (2007) #26

Great issue. The depressed/failing side of Booster Gold makes him such a fascinating hero. It's examined in a great way here. from his origins to the toll of Ted's death.

Superman/Batman #66

Bizarro is often annoying, but fun. I like Man-Bat.

The Outsiders (2009) #24

It is so funny how Tara is almost intrinsically evil. Like time and time again it has been shown that even without Deathstroke she was messed up. Looks like they accidentally used the color for avarice on Metamorpho instead of compassion.

Blackest Night #5

From rise to die. I like how this plays with comic book history so much, especially the moments that (typically) have the most impact. Black Hand's  journal is crazy. So intensely creepy.

Teen Titans (2003) #77

This was a nice tie-in. A family reunion. I like how the theme of Deathstroke alienating himself from the ones he loves and how death surrounds him was built. Now he's with all his (dead) loved ones and Rose who currently hates him. Interesting stuff.

Justice League of America (2006) #39

The Zatanna reversal part was pretty funny. Highlight of an otherwise whatever issue.

Doom Patrol (2009) #5

Eh.

R.E.B.E.L.S. #11

This looks really cool, I have to get involved with the story at some point. The Tin Man does have a heart (of some sort.) Liked seeing Vril and Lyrl's relationship.

Booster Gold (2007) #27

Woah, not sure I knew that Rip was Booster's son. The montage + speech to Jamie was cute.

Justice League of America (2006) #40

Wasn't too impressed but I think there was a decent job done highlighting the tragedy of it all. That end page shows how this wasn't just a whatever experience for them, which I think made for a good conclusion.

Green Lantern Corps #43

This was a good issue. I like the different ways that Soranik and Guy were in denial over Kyle's death. The Kryb resolution was disappointing after so much time was given to her.

Superman/Batman #67

Sad issue.

The Outsiders (2009) #25

I like the characters that are chosen to possess some abilities of the white light.

Green Lantern #49

I'm not the biggest fan of John's later characterization--the stoic soldier--but Geoff did a good job bridging the gap between activist John and soldier John. 

Teen Titans (2003) #78

The twisted family dynamic where there was still real love was nice. I like how it also didn't magically make Rose forgive Slade and forget about all he's done. Pretty nice tie-ins here.

Blackest Night #6

Awesome cover. The different characters becoming Lanterns is such a grand event moment, I love it. Ganthet welcoming himself to the Green Lantern Corps was also a big standout moment.

Suicide Squad (1987) #67

Cute moment with Scandal and Bane.

Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #2

That was nearly so traumatic for Diana. I have to say, it being all a creation by Aphrodite does feel too much of a cop-out for me. I understand the importance of Diana being freed by her own love though, I just think that exact execution wasn't the best. 

"In darkness, love must survive."

"It must do more...It must triumph."

Awesome.

Secret Six (2008) #17

Felt this was mostly just okay.

Blackest Night: The Flash #2

Really love how hopeful Barry is. It's great seeing his spirit of hope and belief that things will be better. Good issue. 

Blackest Night: JSA #2

I was going to be a bit disappointed that Damage of all people could resist the programming, especially when we've seen so many betrayals from the Black Lanterns already, so that small twist was nice. It was a good plan.

Green Lantern Corps #44

Gotta love Mogo.

Green Lantern #50

"I never wanted children." Cold. Love the touch of the Red Lantern Corps symbol in her pupils.

The art here is next level. Hal fusing with Parallax again is another highlight of this event. The coolness factor there cannot be understated.

Green Arrow/Black Canary #30

Dang...This was a really sad issue. They didn't hold back with showing the worst of Ollie, and using that to hurt his loved ones. The way his internal struggle was depicted was awesome. It felt like it was a real struggle just for him to change the course of events ever so slightly. I love that he wasn't able to overcome it fully, or even in a truly significant way.

Blackest Night: JSA #3

Jesse reverting back to her younger self and running with her father was both slightly cute and devastating. Even the way she instantly changed her costume to his last issue made me feel for her.

The Atom and Hawkman #46

I love Geoff's ability to frame comic book history. The part about The Atom retreating due to Jean was so fascinating. Great issue.

Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #3

Best part of the issue was seeing how Wonder Woman operated off love and narrated the experience of having a ring. I have to say, the design does not do the level of writing for her justice. I don't care that it's meant to be sexy but it's just so over the top that it looks tacky. 

Blackest Night: The Flash #3

Loooove this cover. I think Blue Lantern Flash looks so good and fits so well. Owen's death made me sad. This issue (and overall story) did a great job at depicting the similarities and huge contrast between The Flash and Captain Cold. Allowing yourself to be guided by emotions vs swallowing them down and moving forward despite them.

Adventure Comics (2009) #7

I liked the Green Arrow take on this similar concept better.

Secret Six (2008) #18

Just a decently fun issue, wrapped everything up.

Green Lantern Corps #45

Again, Mogo is just that guy. Sweet moments here.

Green Lantern #51

A lot of hugeness and entities this issue. It was cool seeing Atrocitus try to turn the Spectre into a Red Lantern. I like how his motives are pretty pure here.

Blackest Night #7

This art is just awesome. Perfectly matches the level of spectacle. Sinestro forcing his way to being the White Lantern is such a great direction for his character.

Green Lantern Corps #46

Tomasi is going hard. Cool stuff. 

Green Lantern #52

That cover....Aura.

Sinestro talking about being one with Life and going through how the emotional entities were formed reminded me of the scene in All-Star Superman where Lex Luthor experiences life from Superman's point of view. Both great scenes. John with the RIP to Xanshi, like Kyle had his RIP to Alex. It's nice to rehash these old personal events and give another layer of closure years later.

This is really such an epic and awesome moment for Sinestro.

Blackest Night #8

This was crazy good for event standards. I normally dislike the "everyone united with same powers and matching costumes!" trope that's very prevalent in the endings to big events, but it felt earned and logical here. "We all choose life when given the chance." pretty much sums up what makes the narrative that drove this event so powerful. Great read. 

Untold Tales of the Blackest Night 

Decent scraps, but still scraps.