mrswhiteinthelibrary 's review for:

Blackest Night by Geoff Johns

4.0

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Blackest Night is the sort of story arc that proves the merit of comic books. Spanning the entire DC Universe, this tale is the culmination of events that have been brewing in the DC since Identity Crisis. It ties strongly into other major recent developments, such as the Batman RIP arc, but thanks to the swift writing of Geoff Johns, never, like many similar arcs, gets too bogged down in continuity, setting the stage quickly before diving into events, and so can appeal to first time readers and those not up to speed. The story itself is grandiose and yet its strength lies in its simplicity at the same time. The Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, and his best friend Barry Allen, also known as the Flash, have both recently been resurrected, and the dark forces in the universe are not happy. In an effort to restore balance to the constantly shifting body count, Black Rings emerge with one goal- bringing the dead to life in order to ensure the total death of the universe and thus correct the "mistake" of the dead returning. Neither the Green Lantern Corps nor the Justice League can hold back a foe as intangible as death, and the only thing that can pierce the blackest night is the unprecedented union of all of the Lantern Corps. In the midst of all of this is an earnest examination of the nature of death- it's inevitability and the strength of hope, which comes across effortlessly and never bogs down the action, another sign of Johns' proficiency as a writer. I would not call Blackest Night, despite the quandary of death, particularly deep, though it does address many high themes, it does not truly go beyond the most basic of metaphor here which can be broken down to color coordination, which is truly a virtue for the medium, one that no other can quite accomplish. And by the same token, it is by no means mindless, and every page is gripping as new terrors rise up and twist and mutilate the characters we have come to know and love and new drama arises. At the heart of this also are two very well crafted characters in Barry and Hal, who compliment each other beautifully and have a wonderful "bromantic" dynamic between them that keeps their interactions and dialogue sharp and witty. Carrying the story are some absolutely stunning visuals, vibrant colors that bring the highly detailed pencils to life, and dynamic vertical and slash panels that emphasize the drama and contrast between light and dark. This is a story that will hold far reaching effects on the entire DC Universe, yet manages, thanks to its subject matter and balanced writing, to be one of the most accessible crossovers in comic book history, perfect for first time readers and absolutely stunning for the more well versed. A wonderful, forceful effort and one of DC's finest story arcs.