Blackest Night

ARTISTS

Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Ivan Reis
Inkers: Oclair Albert, Joe Prado
Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Letterer: Nick J. Napolitano
Editor: Eddie Berganza

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CHARACTERS & SETTINGS

heroes: Akrillo, Animal Man, Aquaman, Arisia, Atom II, Atom Smasher, Atrocitus, Beast Boy, Bedovan, Black Canary II, Bleez, Blue Devil, Booster Gold, Brother Hynn, Brother Warth, Captain Marvel II, Carol Ferris, Cyborg, Deadman, Doctor Mid-Nite II, Donna Troy, Dove II, Fatality, Fire, Firestorm V, Firestorm VI, Flash I, Flash II, Flash III, Ganthet, Graf Toran, Green Arrow I, Green Lantern I, Green Lantern III, Green Lantern IV, Green Lantern V, Hannu, Hawkgirl II, Hawkman I, Ice, Indigo-1, Karu-Sil, Kayb, Kid Flash II, Kilowog, Maash, Martian Manhunter, Mera, Metamorpho, Miri Riam, Mister Terrific II, Morro, Munk, Murr the Melting Man, Power Girl, Race, Ratchet, Robotman II, Romat Ru, Saint Walker, Sayd, Sinestro, Sister Sercy, Skallox, Slushh, Soranik Natu, Starfire III, Stargirl, Steel III, STRIPE, Superboy III, Supergirl III, Superman, Tekik, Tomar-Tu, Tri-Eye, Uncle Sam, Wonder Girl II, Wonder Woman, Zilius Zox
villaines: Agent Orange, Anti-Monitor, Black Hand, Cha-Ara, Evil Star, Khufu, Kultonius, Lex Luthor, Maxwell Lord, Nekron, Qull, Qurr, Worz
supporting: Skeets II

Setting: 21st-century Coast City, DCU, USA

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ISSUE SUMMARY

Cover Description: There are multiple covers to this issue: the most common cover depicts Sinestro as the White Lantern chasing colored rings as other heroes disperse behind him. An alternate cover features Green Lantern Hal Jordan. (No cover includes Booster Gold.)

Brief Synopsis: The heroes unite for a last stand against the Black Lantern Corp.

Costume Worn: MARK I.v2 power-suit

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ISSUE ANNOTATIONS

Page 10, panel 1
Booster Gold and Skeets join the assembled colored lantern corps in battle against the Black Lantern Corps of Nekron in Coast City. Heroes and villains identifiable include the heroes of Earth (Atom Smasher, Beast Boy, Black Canary, Cyborg, Dove, Fire, Flash I, Flash III, Green Lantern I, Mr. Terrific, Power Girl, Robotman, Starfire, Uncle Sam, Wonder Girl), Black Lantern Corps (Animal Man, Aquaman, Black Hand, Chay-Ara, Donna Troy, Evil Star, Firestorm VII, Green Arrow, Hawk, Hawkgirl, Hawman, Ice, Khufu, Kultonius, Martian Manhunter, Maxwell Lord, Nekron, Qull, Qurr, Superman, Wonder Woman, Worz), Blue Lantern Corps (Brother Hynn, Brother Warth, Flash II, Ganthet, Saint Walker, Sayd), Green Lantern Corps (Arisia, Graf Toran, Guy Gardner, Hannu, John Stewart, Killowog, Morro, Kyle Rayner, Soranik Natu, Stel, Tomar-Tu), Indigo Lantern Corps (Atom II, Indgio-1, Munk), Orange Lantern Larfleeze, Red Lantern Corps (Atrocitus, Bleez, Mera, Ratchet, Skallox, Zilius Zox), Sinestro Corps (Akrillo, Bedovan, Karu-Sil, Kayb, Maash, Murr the Melting Man, Romat Ru, Slushh, Tekik), and Star Sapphire Corps (Carol Ferris, Fatality, Miri Riam, Race). This battle is titanic, including nearly 100 identifiable characters, the largest collection of super-powered individuals that Booster Gold has appeared with on-panel up to this point in his career. This surpasses the previous on-panel high, fittingly another Green Lantern-related event, the funeral of Hal Jordan in Green Lantern, Volume 3, #81. This is also Booster's first meeting with a majority of these characters.

Page 15, panel 3
Booster Gold is seen in the background amidst the chaos beside S.T.R.I.P.E. fighting some indistinct Black Lanterns. Also present during the battle but off panel are the Anti-Monitor, Blue Devil, Captain Marvel, Kid Flash, Metamorpho, Sister Sercy, and Superboy.

Page 33, panel 6
As the dust settles on the battle's aftermath, Booster gold joins the survivors, including Jason Rusch, Steel, and Tri-Eye. Also present but off panel are Deadman, Dr. Mid-Night, Stargirl, and Supergirl.

Page 35, panel 1
Booster is a mute witness to the confrontation between the assembled leaders of the colored lantern corps, including the Guardians of the Universe and their old foe Sinestro, over the fate of Lex Luthor. This is Booster Gold's last appearance in this issue.

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ISSUE REVIEW

Boosterrific Review: What did I say about issue 1? "I suspect that this story will bog down in drawn-out emotional hand-wringing and pointlessly bloody horror, but at least the first issue is a well-crafted story." I'll say it just this once: I was right. I'm hugely disappointed at the unexplained conclusion to this story. (SPOILER WARNING: They brought several sociopathic murderers back to life and they didn't bring back Ted Kord or Tim Drake's father? Seriously?)

Looks great, less filling. And at the end of the blackest night, I still hate zombie stories. (Now I'm looking at both of you, Marvel and DC.)

Boosterrific Rating:

• Currently 3.0/5 Stars.

Average Fan Rating:

• Currently 1.5/5 Stars.

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