Overview:
Blackest Night is a highly impactful storyline within the DC Universe. Written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Ivan Reis, this epic event was published in 2009. Set in the aftermath of the events of the Sinestro Corps War, Blackest Night introduces a horrifying threat that plunges the DC Universe into darkness.
The story focuses on the emergence of the Black Lantern Corps, led by the dark entity known as Nekron. Blackest Night explores the emotional spectrum of the DC Universe, as the dead rise and heroes and villains alike are forced to confront their pasts. The narrative delves deep into the psychological and emotional struggles of the characters, providing a thought-provoking exploration of the human condition.
The critical reception for Blackest Night was overwhelmingly positive, with critics praising its dark and intense storyline, intricate character development, and stunning artwork by Ivan Reis. The event received numerous accolades and is often regarded as one of the standout stories in the DC Universe.
Fans also embraced Blackest Night wholeheartedly, with its impact reverberating throughout the DC fandom. The event had significant consequences on the DC Universe, affecting numerous characters and leaving a lasting impact on their respective ongoing series. It also introduced new characters and concepts that continue to be explored to this day.
Background Reading:
Related Guides
Best Way To Read:
Blackest Night Omnibus (10th Anniversary)
Collects: Adventure Comics #4, 5, 7; Blackest Night #0-8; Blackest Night: Batman #1-3; Blackest Night: The Flash #1-3; Blackest Night: JSA #1-3; Blackest Night: Superman #1-3; Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #1-3; Blackest Night: Titans #1-3; Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1-3; Catwoman (vol. 3) #83; Green Arrow (vol. 4) #30; Green Lantern (vol. 4) #43-53; Green Lantern Corps (vol. 2) #39-47; Phantom Stranger (vol. 2) #42; Starman (vol. 2) #81; Suicide Squad #67; The Atom and Hawkman #46; The Power of Shazam! #48; The Question #37; Untold Tales of Blackest Night #1 and Weird Western Tales #71
Alternative Collections
Main Story
- Blackest Night
- Collects: Blackest Night #0–8
- Blackest Night Saga (DC Essential Edition)
- Collects: Blackest Night #0-8
- Absolute Blackest Night
- Collects: Blackest Night #0-8, select pages from DC Universe #0 and Green Lantern (vol. 4) #44-48, 50–52
- Geoff Johns Omnibus vol. 2
- Collects: Green Lantern vol.4 #26-52, Blackest Night #0-7, DC Universe #0, Untold Tales of Blackest Night #1, Blackest Night Tales of the Corps #1-2
Tie-Ins
- Blackest Night: Green Lantern
- Collects: Green Lantern (vol. 4) #43–52
- Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps
- Collects: Green Lantern Corps (vol. 2) #39–47
- Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps
- Collects: Tales of the Corps #1–3 and stories from Green Lantern (vol. 4) #49 and Adventure Comics (vol. 2) #4–5
- Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume One
- Collects: Blackest Night: Batman #1–3, Blackest Night: Superman #1–3, and Blackest Night: Titans #1–3
- Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume Two
- Collects: Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1–3, Blackest Night: JSA #1–3 and Blackest Night: The Flash #1–3
- Blackest Night: Rise of the Black Lanterns
- Collects: The Atom and Hawkman #46, The Question #37, Phantom Stranger (vol. 2) #42, Starman (vol. 2) #81, The Power of Shazam! #48, Catwoman (vol. 3) #83, Weird Western Tales #71, Green Arrow (vol. 4) #30, and Adventure Comics (vol. 2) #7
For crossover and significant events, I typically only read the main story the first time I encounter it. Trying to read all of the tie-ins with the story tends to make them increasingly convoluted and are not crucial to the main narrative. However, I think they are important to read, as many series-shifting plotlines can happen.
For the tie-in issues, I only read them as they come up in the reading guide that I am working through. This can become problematic because the tie-in issues are not always included in collected editions of the event. So you may need to hunt for them.
Reading Order:
| Title | Importance | Collected |
|---|---|---|
| Green Lantern #39-42 | Prelude | Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Green Lantern Corps #29-38 | Prelude | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Blackest Night: Tales of the Green Lantern Corps #1 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Blackest Night: Tales of the Green Lantern Corps #2 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Blackest Night: Tales of the Green Lantern Corps #3 | Core Tie-in | Titans #15 |
| Titians #15 | Prelude | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Green Lantern (2005) #43 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Green Lantern Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Blackest Night #0 | Main Story | Blackest Night Omnibus Absolute Blackest Night Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Blackest Night #1 | Main Story | Blackest Night Omnibus Absolute Blackest Night Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Green Lantern Corps (2006) #39 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps |
| Green Lantern (2005) #44 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Green Lantern Absolute Blackest Night Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Blackest Night #2 | Main Story | Blackest Night Omnibus Absolute Blackest Night Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Blackest Night: Batman #1 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume One |
| Blackest Night: Superman #1 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume One |
| Blackest Night: Titans #1 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume One |
| Green Lantern (2005) #45 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Green Lantern Absolute Blackest Night Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Green Lantern Corps (2006) #40 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps |
| Blackest Night: Batman #2 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume One |
| Blackest Night #3 | Main Story | Blackest Night Omnibus Absolute Blackest Night Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Adventure Comics (2009) #4 | Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps |
| Adventure Comics (2009) #5 | Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps |
| Justice League of America (2006) #38 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Justice League of America (2006) #39 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Justice League of America (2006) #40 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Solomon Grundy #7 | Prelude | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Blackest Night: Superman #2 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume One |
| Blackest Night: Titans #2 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume One |
| Green Lantern (2005) #46 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Absolute Blackest Night Blackest Night: Green Lantern Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Blackest Night: Batman #3 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume One |
| Green Lantern Corps (2006) #41 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps |
| Blackest Night: Superman #3 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume One |
| Blackest Night: Titans #3 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume One |
| The Outsiders (2009) #23 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| The Outsiders (2009) #24 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| The Outsiders (2009) #25 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Superman/Batman #66 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Superman/Batman #67 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| R.E.B.E.L.S (2009) #10 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Green Lantern (2005) #47 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Absolute Blackest Night Blackest Night: Green Lantern Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| R.E.B.E.L.S (2009) #11 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| R.E.B.E.L.S (2009) #12 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Blackest Night #4 | Main Story | Blackest Night Omnibus Absolute Blackest Night Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Blackest Night: The Flash #1 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume Two |
| Justice League of America (2006) #39 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Justice League of America (2006) #40 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Doom Patrol (2009) #4 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Doom Patrol (2009) #5 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Booster Gold (2007) #26 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Booster Gold (2007) #27 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Teen Titans (2003) #77 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Teen Titans (2003) #78 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Weird Western Tales #71 | Tie-in | Blackest Night: Rise of the Black Lanterns |
| Starman vol.2 #81 | Tie-in | Blackest Night: Rise of the Black Lanterns |
| Power of Shazam! #48 | Tie-in | Blackest Night: Rise of the Black Lanterns |
| The Question #73 | Tie-in | Blackest Night: Rise of the Black Lanterns |
| Catwomen vol. 3 #83 | Tie-in | Blackest Night: Rise of the Black Lanterns |
| Phantom Stranger #42 | Tie-in | Blackest Night: Rise of the Black Lanterns |
| Suicide Squad #67 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Secret Six (2008) #17 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Secret Six (2008) #18 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Blackest Night: JSA #1 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume Two |
| Green Lantern Corps (2006) #42 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps |
| Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume Two |
| Green Lantern (2005) #48 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Absolute Blackest Night Blackest Night: Green Lantern Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Blackest Night #5 | Main Story | Blackest Night Omnibus Absolute Blackest Night Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Green Lantern Corps (2006) #43 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps |
| Green Lantern (2005) #49 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Green Lantern Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Blackest Night #6 | Main Story | Blackest Night Omnibus Absolute Blackest Night Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Green Arrow and Black Canary #30 | Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Rise of the Black Lanterns |
| Adventure Comics (2009) #7 | Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Rise of the Black Lanterns |
| Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #2 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume Two |
| Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #3 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume Two |
| Blackest Night: The Flash #2 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume Two |
| Green Lantern Corps (2006) #44 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps |
| Blackest Night: The Flash #3 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume Two |
| The Atom and Hawkman #46 | Blackest Night: Rise of the Black Lanterns | |
| Green Lantern (2005) #50 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Absolute Blackest Night Blackest Night: Green Lantern Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Blackest Night: JSA #2 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume Two |
| Blackest Night: JSA #3 | Core Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Volume Two |
| Green Lantern (2005) #51 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Absolute Blackest Night Blackest Night: Green Lantern Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Green Lantern Corps (2006) #45 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps |
| Blackest Night #7 | Main Story | Blackest Night Omnibus Absolute Blackest Night Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Green Lantern Corps (2006) #46 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps |
| Green Lantern (2005) #52 | War of Light Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Absolute Blackest Night Blackest Night: Green Lantern Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
| Blackest Night: #8 | Main Story | Blackest Night Omnibus Absolute Blackest Night |
| Green Lantern Corps (2006) #47 | Tie-in | Blackest Night Omnibus Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps |
| Action Comics #890 | Tie-in | Uncollected with Blackest Night |
| Untold Tales of Blackest Night #1 | Tie-in | Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus vol.2 |
Publications Impact
- Follow-up
- Leads into the Brightest Day, a bi-weekly series that ran for 12 months
- Action Comics #890-900 follow Blackest Night, focusing on Lex Luthor’s quest to discover the energy of the Black Lantern Corps.
References:
Feature Image Blackest Night #2 Cover art by Alex Sinclair, Ivan Reis, and Oclair Albert
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