First a little history. The history of comics has been broken down into approximately 3 "Ages". The Golden Age, with the masked heroes of WWII, the Silver Age, starting with Barry Allen as the Flash in Showcase, and the "Modern Age", for lack of a better term, starting somewhere in the 1980's or there about since this is open to much debate. In the DC Universe, these Ages also used to mark a difference in universes.
The Golden Age heroes and heroines belonged on Earth-2. There Alan Scott found a magical lantern, Jay Garrick inhaled hard water vapors, Carter Hall was the reincarnation of an Egyptian prince, and Al Pratt fought crime to prove his worth after being teased about his height. Together they joined Kal-El, Superman, the only survivor of Krypton, Bruce Wayne as Batman, and Wonder Woman, to fight Nazis and other threats as part of the Justice Society of America. These heroes retired a short time after World War Two.
The Silver Age took place on Earth-1. There Hal Jordan became a member of the Green Lantern Corps, Barry Allen was struck by lightening, Katar Hol, a policeman with a winged suit, journeyed to Earth following a criminal, and Ray Palmer used White Dwarf matter to become sub-atomic. Together they joined with Kal-El, his cousin Supergirl, Batman and Wonder Woman to fight invasions and other threats in the Justice League of America.
Despite their similar code names, Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkman, and the Atom, to name just a few, these were different people and their origins were more likely to be science fiction in nature. Only DC's big three remained essentially the same. Bruce Wayne was still Batman, Clark Kent was Superman and Diana Prince was still Wonder Woman.
The Modern Age came into existance (for the sake of arguement) around the time of DC's Crisis on Infinite Earth's, which did away with the multiple realities and made one Earth, with both Green Lanterns, Flashes, Hawkmen and Atoms, the difference being that there was one generation of heroes during WWII and after they were in Limbo (literally in another dimension where time did not pass, thus explaining why they are not as old as they should be), modern heroes took the same name. But still only one Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman.
With the death of Hal Jordan, we see a very different heroic landscape in the DC universe. Except for the same Big Three, almost every heroic code name belongs to a different person. Green Lantern is some kid named Kyle, the Flash is Wally West, the Atom, while still Ray Palmer has been deaged to age 18, and Hawkman has been turned into an avatar of the Hawkgod at last check. Hal's death closes the door finally on the Silver Age of comics. If there was ever any doubt, we are firmly in a New Age.
In fact, I suggest that Hal's death marks the end of the Modern Age, a short age, but one characterized by companies who insisted on turning their heroes into monsters. The trend was towards meaner and meaner heroes, the type we saw emerge in Kingdom Come. And the fans demanded it. I have read letters to magazines like Wizard advocating that heroes like Spiderman should become murderers! Luckily the Modern Age has been short.
There seems, at DC at least, a move back towards the softer, more human heroes and stories, and Final Night helped bring that forward. There will always be the cynical, dark side, Batman telling Superman that Hal died unrepentant, and still a villain in his eyes, but there is also the light. Superman saw in Hal the sacrifice and with his eternal optimism saw hope for Hal's redemption. Final Night also brought into its fold the new Legion, or at least the part of it that is trapped in the past. These young heroes exemplify what I hope to be the new trend. No bulging muscles, no breasts like beach balls, but people, who have hopes, who dream of a better way of life, but are not naive. Ferro, a hero for only a few days, and hopefully the new Legion member, saw how much hope the heroes bring. Mark Waid, writing in the Flash, touched on the strength that the heroes draw from people, almost the way a god might draw power from belief.
Last fall, we saw the heroes tempted in Underworld Unleashed. We saw them lust for their wildest dreams. Although a few like Blue Devil and Triumph were willing to sell their soul, all the heroes realized the cost that brought with it. This fall, we saw the heroes band together with their enemies to save a planet. Even Luther had some redeeming qualities. Through the whole series, there was an optimism that no matter what happened, the heroes could fix it. There was fear, but tempered with hope.
I hope that this change in attitude marks the beginning of the fourth age of comics.
Well, nothing much really happens in this first issue unless you count all of Earth's heroes banding together and the sun actually disappearing from the sky. Sarcasm mode off.
Actually, this is a really good issue of a series where everyone knows what the premise is. We get to see Dusk land and warn the earth, and all of the heroes use their basic gut reaction to fix the problem. After transporting it with a boom tube fails, their reaction is to use all of their energy powers to lure the sun eater away. But no go. They use up their own energy to the point where even Superman is collapsing. And so the sun vanishes.
Overall, a very good book. It was nice to see the reactions of people who are used to winning handily fail. And of course it was good to see their reactions to failure. But what really makes the book is the lush art of Immonen, inked here by Jose Marzan Jr with Lee Loughridge on colors. Their use of shadows really highlights the characters.
The Verdict? Ok, so you know they'll save the day, but for a ride full of sacrafice and heroics, this series can't be beat.
Well, things are certainly getting darker for our little corner of the universe. The sun eater has has blocked all light and heat and the Earth is freezing. The heroes are really working at keeping order, but they just can't win.
Perhaps the scariest scene was watching Superman slowly losing power and not being able to do anything about it. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't leave the planet. He barely stops bullets from hitting Batman.
The best scenes however go the the villain. Watching Luthor work with the temporarily temporally displaced Legion was classic. Poor Brainiac 5, I worry about his 12th level mind; he is constantly being upstaged by other inventors. Two other scenes deserve mention. Saturn Girl losing contact with Green Lantern who is probing the Sun Eater, perhaps a bit of foreshadowing. Secondly, watching the Ray reunite a woman with her family and then nearly die trying to heat their town.
And finally, we see the debut of the long awaited Ferro. If you know your Legion history, you can guess at his role in this story, and if you don't, well, I won't spoil it. Suffice it to say that if there is any trace of the Pre-Zero Hour, Pre-Crisis Ferro Lad in Ferro, this will be a grudge match.
The Verdict? Buy the comic. Sure, its a month of hype, but this is a strong read with great art. And if you're the kind to get all choked up at acts of heroism and noble sacrifice, better buy some tissues.
It's down to the wire, and things are getting pretty dark. But at least we get a little better idea why the Earth didn't freeze solid as quickly as it should have. It only makes sense that the heroes with magical/elemental powers should be best equipped to counter the physics of the situation.
One thing I hadn't thought of, mainly because I try to look at comics as science fiction and not the fantasy stories they are (yes, a generalization, write to me if you want to argue about it. ;)), was the Demon's offer. It especially makes sense because this time last year the Underworld Unleashed crossover was going on, and this just extends the offer to the planet. *Very* rough translation from the Pope's Latin: This changes nothing.
Some highlights include the page centering on Ted Knight. I really liked how Immonen layed out the scene, zoomed into the watch, then panned around to Ted. He and Luther, of all people, play up the contrasts between the metas and the norms. The norms are essentially doing the grunt work, the raw thinking and using the metas as tools and natural resources. A very interesting idea. The other good scene was Superman's return to say good bye to his parents. I got a kick out of seeing the Supermobile again. I even had a toy of this little vehicle in the seventies. And finally, Dusk gets taken on a tour of humanity persevering courtesy of the Phantom Stranger. It was a bit cliched, but not overly so. The disaster genre requires some piece like this, showing how people rise above their self interests to help each other.
Overall, this series continues to be a solid story. The art and moody coloring really bring out the blackness.
Ok up front I am going to warn readers that this review contains spoilers. Do not read any further if you don't want to know what happens.
We start at the Source Wall, an appropriate place to find Hal, since his biggest sin seems to have been hubris, overwhelming pride. He has already tried to recreate the universe to bring back Coast City, and the Source Wall represents all the Gods that tried to break through and become part of the Source. Marz says their sin was arrogance, but while that is debatable, it is not Hal's sin. Whether you hate the transformation he has undergone or not, he has never been arrogant, which implies a disdain for others. His sins have all grown out of his need to help and restore the city he protected. If I remember corrently, during Zero Hour, he tried to convince Superman to let him recreate the universe by telling him that this time, Krypton would not die. His sin was that he thought he could be like a god, a benevolent diety to be sure, but always a bad thing for a human to try to do.
But he seems to have realized that, and become more resigned to his fate. The book as very much an air of someone who is going aroung and tieing up all the loose ends of his life. The Cyborg is disposed of, peace is made with Guy, John is made whole, and I won't spoil the rest.
Ultimately, we know that Hal will help, even though he feels he is an outcast. Only one question remains: What will be the price? I want to say that simply, I do not know, but DC has been saying that the cover of the Hal tribute issue will be just like the cover of the Superman tribute issue from Funeral for a Friend. Now we all now what happened to Superman. The question is, how much of a Parrallel will there be, and where did Ganthet go? Yes, I'm being purposely coy, but all plot devices are in place for either ending to happen.
Ok it's a three tissue tear jerker filled with noble sacrafices by an innocent young boy and a jaded old man. But what did you expect? The world is coming to an end. And what else can the heroes do but be heroes.
I loved the look on Luther's face when Batman suggests that with Kyle's dissappearance, Luther is the logical choicce to man the spaceship. And the dark panel immediately after that of the big four, Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman and the Flash, shrouded in darkness was wonderful. Immonen has some of the lushest art colored with an almost velvet like blackness by Mulvihill. This is one book where the colorist, often overlooked, really makes the art and story come alive.
Of course no review would be complete with out mention of the ultimate sacrafice. Batman was wrong. Hal went out a hero, and I still believe that's what he was and may still be. Never give up hope.
My biggest beef lies with the person who made the decision to cut short Hal's oath, not once, but twice. When Hal is absorbing the Sun Eater, know that he will die, he says his oath, but does not get to finish it. He had to. Would it have killed DC to let him go out as Green Lantern?
The Verdict?
In Brightest Day In Darkest Night
No Evil Shall Escape My Sight
Let Those Who Worship Evil's Might
Beware My Power...
GREEN LANTERN'S LIGHT