Green Lantern Hal Jordan and Flash Barry Allen continue to face off against former friend and Justice Leaguer J'onn J'onzz, but their story plays second fiddle as Blackest Night shifts its focus to the Aquaman family.
Blackest Night #2 by Green Lantern Writer Geoff Johns and Artist Ivan Reis
The issue opens with Ray Palmer (the shrinking hero known as The Atom) trying to apologize to Hawkman for a former argument. Unknown to Palmer, Hawkman has already been killed and resurrected as a Black Lantern. Atom accepts an invitation to visit before the issue shifts its focus to Gotham City, where former Batgirl and current information broker Oracle (Barbera Gordon) and her father, Comissioner Gordon, have lit the Bat-Signal, if only to give themselves a glimmer of hope. Barbera expains that "no matter how dark the night gets, the sun still rises in the morning," possibly summing up the idea behind Blackest Night. Their conversation is interrupted by Green Lantern falling into the Bat-Signal.
As Green Lantern and The Flash attempt to use J'onzz's former weakness of fire against him, Tempest (formerly Aqualad) and Mera (Aquaman's widow) arrive on land at the place where Aquaman was buried, intent on bringing his body back to Atlantis in order to help the underwater nation move on and accept Tempest as their new leader. Aquaman's grave sits empty, and the pair are attacked by an undead Aquaman Black Lantern, along with the reanimated Black Lantern corpses of Aquagirl and Dolphin, both former loves of Temptest. Shockingly, Temptest has his heart ripped out and becomes a Black Lantern, leaving Mera to fend for herself.
In another side story, Deadman Boston Brand fails to keep his corpse from rising, and is joined by the corpse of current Spectre Crispus Allen and former Hawk Hank Hall (Don Hall, the former Dove, is unaffected by the black rings, as his soul is completely at peace). The issue ends with Mera on the run and The Flash and Green Lantern facing off against a number of undead Justice Leaguers.
The Last Word on Blackest Night #2 by DC Comics
This just keeps getting better and better. A Black Lantern with the power of the Spectre, another major player in the DCU having their heart ripped out and a chance for Mera, a relatively unknown character outside of the Aquaman franchise, to shine. This was a great issue, and should keep readers craving more. A few clues are given, such as Don Hall being seemingly immune to the rising power of the black rings (a first in the series). The perfect final touch on the comic is the first few pages of The Book of The Black: The Burned In Thoughts of William Hand. Readers are able to get a glimpse into the ramblings of the man who seemingly started everything: the Green Lantern villain Black Hand.
Oh, and Aquaman uses his powers to attack Atlantean troops with a bunch of zombie sharks. Zombie. Sharks.
Just read this comic, ok?
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