OneMetal.com book REVIEW:
Blackest Night

Blackest Night devastated the DC Universe, assembling superheroes and villains in a massive showdown against the resurrected. Geoff Johns forefronts the event in which life and death are “overrated” … at least until the good guys pull the punches.

The day that Superman died has changed from one of mourning to remembrance, but as Coast City gathers to honor the heroes and innocents who have fallen, evil forces converge. The first of the Black Lanterns, Black Hand, has risen and stolen the buried skull of Bruce Wayne, whose remains Alfred Pennyworth buried alongside those of his parents. Hungry for flesh, black rings swarm momentarily unnoticed, latching onto deceased victims and their memories. As Black Hand’s army grows in number, the Justice League and the other six Lantern factions take heed, especially when the rings start claiming living hosts.

Scripting a comic that involves the DCU’s best and mightiest, writer Geoff Johns throws quite the party. Though he handles the numerous characters quite well, giving them their due respect while denying them unfair attention, the act of simply rallying them together consumes most of the page count. Keeping track of all the characters and troubled relationships is enough to give readers a sizable headache, but once the battle finds more even ground, the story heats up fast.

In the melodrama of comics, the dead have a tendency to scramble back into the world of the living. Commendably, Johns turns that idea on its head by making their return a part of evil’s master plan. Mostly (but not always, and particularly not toward the book’s finish), the writer avoids the sappiness that could have easily accompanied so many character moments. He patches together relationships while others break apart, and by the end sheds clarity on Batman’s demise.

Of course, there are a few exceptions to Johns’ otherwise unwrinkled storytelling, and granting Lex Luthor and the Scarecrow Lantern powers is one of them. This unnecessary sidetrack only hinders the overall plot, while others (like Sinestro’s upstaging) add an interesting twist.

Penciller Ivan Reis, colorist Alex Sinclair, and the inkers (Oclair Albert along with Rob Hunter, Julio Ferreira, and John Prado) have their work cut out for them, as well, illustrating more characters than even savvy readers can name.

For its price, the Blackest Night hardcover features some extras: a variant cover gallery, director’s commentary, and a few deleted script scenes and character sketches.

Bottom Line

Blackest Night marks its page in the DCU's history books, but the sheer grandeur of it all will spin the reader's head a bit. After a slight crawl, the comic flares into overdrive.