| Black Lantern Corps | |
|---|---|
 Interior artwork fromBlackest Night 1 (July 2009) Art byIvan Reis | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Green Lantern (vol. 4) #43 (January 2008) |
| Created by | Geoff Johns (writer) Ethan Van Sciver (artist) |
| Roster | |
| See: (below) | |
TheBlack Lantern Corps is asupervillainousorganization ofcorporealrevenants (resembling intelligentzombies orjiangshi) appearing in comic books published byDC Comics, related to the emotional spectrum. The group is composed of deceased fictional characters in zombie form that seek to eliminate all life from theDC Universe.
Prior to theBlackest Night event,Black Hand (the "leader" and first member of the Black Lantern Corps) had already been established as a villain within the pages ofGreen Lantern. Writer Geoff Johns revisited his origin and expanded upon certain aspects of it during theGreen Lantern: Secret Origin story arc (2008).[1] During the arc, Hand's energy-absorbing weapon (previously thought to be an original invention) is revealed to have been constructed byAtrocitus, enemy of theGuardians of the Universe and future founder of theRed Lantern Corps.[2] Atrocitus comes to Earth and approaches Hand, recognizing him as a "doorway to the black" that possesses the power to bring about the Blackest Night. Hand manages to escape and pockets the weapon as he flees.[3][4] The possession of this weapon soon leads him to become an enemy of the Green Lantern Corps, as he now feels a need to extinguish the light of the emotional spectrum.[5]
While being transported to prison, Black Hand experiences a sudden power surge that kills his captors. He roams the desert, hearing a voice instructing him to reclaim the souls of characters who were reanimated.[6] Hand murders his family and commits suicide. The GuardianScar arrives, and creates the first black power ring, which reanimates Black Hand. She reveals that Hand is the physical embodiment of death, and serves as theavatar of the Black Lantern Corps in the same manner thatIon,Parallax, and the Predator are for willpower, fear, and love respectively.[5] Hand later digs upBruce Wayne's corpse, removes his skull, and recites the Black Lantern oath for the first time. Soon after, black power rings descend upon the universe and begin reviving the deceased as Black Lanterns that attack both the heroes and the villains of the DC Universe.[7]
InBlackest Night #3,Indigo-1 describes the premise behind the Black Lantern Corps' relationship with the universe. She explains that the darkness in existence before the creation of the universe is what powers the Black Lanterns. Banished at the dawn of time by the white light of creation, its fighting back causes the white light to be fractured into the emotional spectrum. The events transpiring throughout the titles ofBlackest Night are a result of the darkness fighting back against creation. She goes on to describe how a combination of all seven lights can restore the white light of creation and bring an end to the Black Lanterns. Throughout theBlackest Night event, each time a Black Lantern successfully removes the heart of one of their victims, a black, lantern-shapedspeech balloon depicts an ever-rising power level increasing in increments of 0.1 percent.[8] InBlackest Night #4, the power meter is filled and Scar is able to summonNekron.
After being introduced into a primary role within theBlackest Night event, Indigo-1 recruitsHal Jordan to gather a team capable of recreating the white light of creation (chosen for having a personal connection to the most powerful members of the five remaining Corps).[9] The story unfolding inGreen Lantern depicts Jordan and Indigo-1 recruitingCarol Ferris,Sinestro,Atrocitus,Larfleeze, andSaint Walker, to their purpose.[10] InBlackest Night #5, the team assaults the Black Central Power Battery with the opposite results intended. Nekron is strengthened and able to recruit living characters reanimated from death to his Black Lantern Corps. Although the seven Corps representatives attempt to summon aid by recruiting temporary deputies until the rest of their Corps arrive - Ganthet joins the Green Lantern Corps,Barry Allen joins the Blue Lanterns,Lex Luthor is inducted into the Orange Lanterns, theScarecrow joins the Sinestro Corps, theAtom joins the Indigo Tribe,Mera joins the Red Lanterns, andWonder Woman is saved from her Black Lantern identity to join the Star Sapphires - they are nearly thwarted when Nekron attempts to kill theLife Entity, the first life in the universe. After Sinestro attempts and fails to merge with the entity, Hal takes control of the Entity himself, noting that the heroes still chose to return to life even if Nekron gave them the opportunity. With this behind him, Hal merges with the entity and frees the reanimated heroes from Nekron's hold, creating theWhite Lantern Corps in the process, and subsequently reanimates Black Hand and theAnti-Monitor to deprive Nekron of his tether in the living world and his power source. The White Lanterns use the power of the White Light to vanquish Nekron and the Black Lanterns.[11]
Though seemingly destroyed, an aspect of the Black Lanterns returns withinFirestorm (Ronnie Raymond), claiming the nameDeathstorm.[12] While Deathstorm intends to destroy the White Lantern power battery to kill all life in the universe, a voice commands him not to do so. Instead, it orders Deathstorm to bring it an army so it can command the power of life itself. The White Lantern Power Battery in conjunction with Deathstorm creates Black Lantern versions of the twelve heroes and villains who were resurrected at the end ofBlackest Night.[13] After Deathstorm steals the White Lantern, he and Firestorm are transported toQward by the Anti-Monitor, revealed to be behind the return of the Black Lanterns. However, the Black Lanterns are destroyed by Firestorm.[14]
AtSan Diego Comic-Con in 2009,Geoff Johns discussed his reasoning behind choosing Black Hand as the leader of the new Corps, the character properties of the Black Lanterns, and his own goals in writing their depictions. Commenting on the characters being chosen to reanimate duringBlackest Night, Johns said:
The black rings aren't about who's dead; the black rings are about who's alive. So, scenes likeElongated Man andSue Dibny taking on Hawkman and Hawkgirl is kind of the beginning of that emotional conflict and terror that you'll see throughoutBlackest Night. So the black rings are, again, seeking out the dead that matter to our heroes.[15]
During the creation ofBlackest Night, Johns (not being interested in, or frightened by,zombies) wanted to bring back the deceased characters in a way that seemed horrifying and emotionally disturbing to the living characters they encountered. To accomplish that effect, the Black Lanterns have personalities and actively seek out those who will be most affected by their appearance.[16] A prime example of Johns' use of personality distortion with the Black Lanterns is the Elongated Man (typically depicted as being a "light" character that uses his detective skill to "smell" when something is not right) looking upon his victims and remarking to his undead wifeSue Dibny: "I smell a mystery."[8][16] Johns identifies the power of the Black Lanterns as not necessarily being evil, but not being good either.[16]
During his initial creation of the new Corps, Johns drew from information he had collected on light while taking physics classes. With the Corps of the emotional spectrum personifying life, he knew that this Corps would need to represent death. Black being an absence of light, he chose Black Hand as the leader of the Corps both for the character's name and also because of how much he enjoyed revamping villains while writing forFlash. Like the other members of the Black Lantern Corps, Johns wanted to take a different approach in his portrayal of Black Hand. Whereas other villains may have a particular motivation, Hand is meant to be depicted as a character who is clearly insane and whose presence makes others uncomfortable.[16]
InBlackest Night #2, multiple black power rings attempt to reanimate the body ofDove (Don Hall), only to be prevented from disturbing his grave by an invisible barrier. Hall is stated to be at peace in death and unable to be resurrected.[17] In an interview with IGN, Johns provides an explanation behind Dove's immunity to the black power rings: "You'll learn more about this as we go forward. But really it speaks to the nature of Don Hall. He can't be desecrated by the likes of these things. He's untouchable in death and at total peace more than any other being in the universe."[18]
InBlackest Night: Batman #1, the spirit ofDeadman is unable to prevent a black power ring from reviving his remains. Deadman attempts to possess his own corpse, but is unable to control it.[19] During theBlackest Night panel at San Diego Comic-Con in 2009, Geoff Johns was asked whether the revived corpses of the Black Lanterns were speaking for themselves or if they were being controlled by an outside force. Johns declined to answer, implying that the question would be answered during theBlackest Night storyline.[16] Similarly, while being overcome by a black power ring, theSpectre declares that he "will not be used."[17] Prior to the Spectre's conversion, Black Hand makes note ofShadowpact membersZatanna andBlue Devil being surrounded by an aura of life. Upon scanning thePhantom Stranger, Black Hand remarks that the Stranger is "neither living nor dead", and notes him as of interest to his Corps.[17]
As with the other Lantern Corps, Black Hand devised an oath for the Black Lanterns:
The Blackest Night falls from the skies,
The darkness grows as all light dies,
We crave your hearts and your demise,
By my black hand, the dead shall rise!
— Black Lantern Corps oath
While the Black Lantern Corps are powered by the black emptiness of space which represents death and therefore does not belong to the Emotional Spectrum, Black Hand is revealed to be the physical embodiment for these corps, in the same manner thatIon is the embodiment of willpower for the Green Lantern Corps. During the climax ofBlackest Night #8,Boston Brand tells the Corps' leaders that Black Hand is the "tether keepingNekron within our world", and that as the avatar of Death he is also the only key to defeating the Black Lanterns permanently. Using the White Lantern power of Life,Hal Jordan commands"William Hand of Earth - Live", resurrecting Black Hand and removing him as the Black Lantern Corps' primary power source - which deals a crippling and eventually fatal blow to the Black Lanterns.[11]
Hidden within the vaults of Oa is a massive black tome known asThe Ultimate Facilitator of the Blackest Night. Written in corrupted blood by the traitorous Guardian of the Universe, Scar, the book contains prophecies. The prophecies indicate which Earth heroes have the abilities to weather the Blackest Night and ensure the survival or destruction of the universe. Also within its pages is all the forbidden history of the Guardians of the Universe.[23]
The Black Lanterns are corpses reanimated by black power rings, which are fueled by the power of death. Corpses reanimated by black power rings are reconstructed if damaged, keeping the body in working order at all times.[24] Black power rings are capable of regenerating typically fatal injuries inflicted upon their users (including the complete dissolution).[19][25] The rings generate black tendrils to "root" themselves into the corpses, making it impossible to remove them by physical force.[9]
The first black power rings possess no charge, but each time a Black Lantern kills someone and removes their heart, .01 percent power is restored to every ring in the Corps.[8][26] InBlackest Night #3, Indigo-1 solidifies this theme by explaining that those who rise feed off emotion. Even at low power levels, black rings enable their user to fly and create black energy constructs. They are also unaffected by magic.[18] The bite of a Black Lantern induces a slow-actingnecrosis that eventually turns the victim into a Black Lantern.[27]
Nekron uses theAnti-Monitor as a physical power source within the Black Power Battery. It is implied that the Anti-Monitor's desire for the end of humanity made him the primary candidate to become the Battery's power supply following his betrayal and subsequent murder at the hands ofSuperboy-Prime during theSinestro Corps War. In a climactic battle with the Lantern Corps, the Anti-Monitor is nearly freed from the Power Battery and revealed to have only succumbed partially to Nekron's influence, demanding that he be freed so that he could exact revenge on Nekron for his imprisonment.[29][30] As part of the final 'coup de grace' against the Black Lantern Corps, the Entity frees the Anti-Monitor from the Black Power Battery, destroying it in the process. It was the Anti-Monitor's physical corpse, coupled with Black Hand's presence as the entity of Death, that served as the full source of the Black Lantern Corps' power.
Black Lanterns are able to read the emotions as colored auras that correlate to the emotional spectrum.[8] Multiple emotions read as a multi-colored aura, while unreadable emotions come out as white.[31] Furthermore, demonic and underworld dwellers (such asEtrigan the Demon) are read with a black aura, apparently unreadable due to their undead nature. A state of profound suspended animation is enough to fool a Black Lantern by making the target of suspended animation invisible to the senses of the Black Lantern.[32] Emotionless hearts such as the Scarecrow's render their bearers equally invisible to the Black Lanterns.[21] When facing beings with warped mental states, or otherwise addled minds (such asBizarro), the correlation between the emotion detected and the actual color that the Black Lanterns see is inverted.[33] In addition to the abilities granted to them by the rings, Black Lanterns retain any skills and superpowers they may have had in life.[8]
Black Lanterns are vulnerable to white light and a combination of green light with another Corps' light.
Once a black power ring is destroyed, the corpse it animates becomes inert.[9]
Doctor Light andHalo can completely destroy Black Lanterns using their light-based powers.[34][35]Conner Kent usedPsycho-Pirate's Medusa Mask to destroy two Black Lanterns by forcing them to experience the full force of the emotional spectrum, irritating their black power rings enough that they remove themselves from their bearers.[36] The Black Lanterns are also vulnerable toWonder Woman'sLasso of Truth.[37] The "touch" of a Black Lantern, typically used to remove their victims' hearts and drain them of emotional energy, can also sever the connection between other Black Lanterns and their black power ring.[38] Barry Allen was able to deactivate the black rings that were 'targeting' him and Hal Jordan by using time travel, jumping two seconds into the future so that the rings would shut down when they could not sense their 'assigned' wearers.[39]
One common way of stopping a Black Lantern is to injure them faster than their ring is able to regenerate their body (such as a Red Lantern's plasma, a mutatedpitcher plant with strong digestive liquids, or the intense heat ofMogo's core).[40][41]
Others that have proven resistant to the Black Lantern rings are either those who have wielded a power ring before or generally otherworldly beings such as Etrigan, who lacks a human heart and emotions; Atrocitus, whose heart was replaced by his ring; theShade, who is truly immortal and thus cannot die; andOsiris, whose magical nature allowed him some semblance of control over the ring. Dove (Don Hall) was immune to recruitment into the Black Lantern Corps as he was at peace in death, destroying the Black Lantern Rings that attempted to recruit him.
In theFlashpoint universe, the successful murder ofWilliam Hand at the hands ofAtrocitus freedNekron from imprisonment long before several of the different colored Lantern Corps and the long-prophesied "War of Light" erupted. Shortly after being released, Nekron used his dark powers to create the Black Lantern Corps using the corpses of the Green Lanterns and countless other lifeforms that have fallen before him.
In the possible future ofFutures End set five years later,Krona is reanimated as a Black Lantern and leads his Black Lanterns against Hal Jordan and Relic.[42] Additionally,Sinestro obtains a Black Lantern Power Ring and uses it to reanimatehis Corps as Black Lanterns.[43]
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