Posts Tagged Geoff Johns
Green Lantern – Issue #44
Posted by Ryan Brewer in Green Lantern on September 5th, 2009
Green Lantern Issue 45
This is one of the first issues released since the Blackest Night #1. And it picks up right where Hal and Barry left off in that issue, standing over the defiled grave of Bruce Wayne. They are then confronted by a mummified looking Martian Manhunter who tells them they should both be dead. As J’onn’s black ring scans Green Lantern and Flash it shows Hal in a halo of green for will and Barry in a blue haze that says hope. Hal’s ring reports that J’onn has negative life signs and he then wastes no time trying to take J’onn down, but the Martian Manhunter has something to say about this.
We get into an all out brawl at this point! J’onn pulls out all his old powers showing that he truly isn’t just a dead minion. Shapeshifting, intangibility, flight, heat vision and mind control all get thrown at Hal and Barry who barely escape getting their hearts ripped out by J’onn. At one point J’onn makes a comment (as he’s ripping a building off its foundation) “I’m as powerful as Superman. Why does everyone forget that?”
We then are brought back to Oa where Scar has his fellow guardians wrapped up in black bile and floating in space viewing the raging war of light that is spreading across the universe. The Guardians ask Scar why he is betraying them. To which Scar replies, “I am simply carrying out the mission we began together billions of years ago: I am brining order to the universe… it’s time for a new army to save the universe.” As the black lanterns continue to rip open peoples chests Scar is receiving reports of the rising black power levels.
We then are back in Gotham where J’onn influences Barry’s mind and forces him to attack Hal. We are treated to a great two page spread with the Flash landing a killer left hook across the jaw of Green Lantern. Hal flashes Barry in the face with his ring and snaps him out of the mind control. J’onn then smashes Hal with a right hand knocking him towards the bat signal on top of the police station and then turns and bitch slaps Barry into a pile of sewage. Telling Barry “Justice is dead” as Barry slowly slips under the surface.
Our final two pages take us to space sector 1313 where John Stewart is sitting on an asteroid remembering his own failure and mistakes which resulted in the destruction of Xanshi. While John sits and tortures himself mentally a horde of black rings come whizzing by him and smash into the remains of the planet Xanshi… commanding it to rise!
- Issue: 44
- Story Arch: Only the Good Die Young
- Writer: Geoff Johns
- Pencils: Doug Mahnke
- Inks: Christian Alamy
- Color: Randy Mayor
- Letters: Rob Leigh
Blackest Night – Issue #1 of 8
Posted by Ryan Brewer in The Blackest Night on August 29th, 2009
The Dead Shall Rise
It has begun. The War of Light is raging and the dead shall rise. This issue is nothing but a thrill ride of horror from beginning to end. An action packed A-List of heroes and villains are all lined up to make this truly a summer blockbuster event. I think that Geoff does a great job in this issue of not making this a “Green Lantern” story arc. Obviously the main theme is Green Lantern related, the henchman of death is a Guardian, a bunch of zombie like creatures are now wearing power rings… but beyond that you see very quickly that this is going to go far beyond anything strictly Oan. If for some reason you weren’t planning on picking up this series… change your mind now. This is going to be a gory roller coaster ride from beginning to end.
We kick off the issue with Black Hand in the grave yard digging up an unmarked grave next to Martha and Thomas Wayne. Then we jump to an explosion of black power rings that erupts within Space Sector 666. Like a swarm of flies they are coming and they are seeking flesh! We then jump to Coast City on the anniversary of the day that everyone thought Superman died. This day has been declared a National Day of Mourning… since Superman returned it’s become a day to remember Super-Beings who gave their lives protecting the world; and the innocents they failed to save. The Green Lantern crew consisting of Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner ignite a “No Fear” memorial in the center of Coast City as Hal comments on the loved ones he has lost in his days a Green Lantern.
As the emerald flames shine on the faces of the people of Coast City we see flashes of people across the world mourning those they have lost. In Smallville Conner, Clark and their Ma Kent are at the grave of Jonathan Kent. Pittsburgh shows us the grave of Ronnie Raymond the first Firestorm. San Francisco the Teen Titans view the memorials of their comrades. Even the Flash’s own Central City hosts the Hidden Graveyard of Rogues. And we hear the debate over Arthur Curry and his being buried on land when he has a magnificent tomb waiting for him under the sea. Then in Gotham City Alfred discovers the grave of the man he raised has been dug up, defiled and remains stolen.
Green Lantern – Issue #43
Posted by Ryan Brewer in Green Lantern on July 26th, 2009
Green Lantern Issue 43
Well it’s finally here! After five or six issues of “Preludes” to The Blackest Night running in both the Green Lantern and Green Lantern: Corps titles we now have the official Prologue to Blackest Night. The events in this issues all take place before Blackest Night #0 (which was given away on free comic book day some weeks ago.) In this story narrated by William “Black” Hand we finally see the origin of the first Black Lantern.
We learn that young William Hand is the middle child of a man who runs the Hand Mortuary. Williams first memories are of his father at “work” and since that day William has had a disturbing fascination with death that makes him very misunderstood by his family. After killing and stuffing the family dog William is forced into therapy. After working with half a dozen therapist William finally learns what these shrinks want to hear and creates a facade to mask enough of the twisted thoughts inside him to make him known simply as the “Black Sheep” of the Hand family.
As a young adult William receives the Cosmic Diving Rod from Atrocitus during a battle with Hal Jordan and Sinestro. With a device in hand that has the ability to absorb the emerald energy from the Green Lantern ring William’s obsession with extinguishing green light begins. Obsessed with putting out the green light that keeps him awake William fashions a uniform out of a body bag from his fathers mortuary and so is born Black Hand.
We get a summary of Black Hand’s rise to power and his seemingly never ending battles with multiple Green Lanterns. And how one day he begins to see death everywhere and can hear it calling his name. Brining us back to the present; Death leads him to the unmarked grave of none other than Bruce Wayne. Leaving the grave yard Black Hand returns to his family home where he promptly uses the Cosmic Diving Rod to obliterate his entire family. Sitting at the family dinner table with the slaughtered bodies of his family all lying around Death speaks to William, “You’re not finished. One more Death.” Placing the rod to right temple William Hand blows his brains out with emerald energy. Read the rest of this entry »