Story arc
Blackest Night Reading Order
The dead rise as Black Lanterns, and every Corps on the spectrum has to fight together.
- Creators
- Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Peter J. Tomasi, Patrick Gleason, Doug Mahnke
- Publisher
- DC Comics
- Years
- 2009 to 2010
Black rings fall across the universe and raise the dead as Black Lanterns, led by Nekron and his herald, Black Hand. Fallen heroes and villains return to tear out the hearts of the living, and the only way to stop them is for every Corps on the emotional spectrum to fight side by side.
It's the payoff to everything Geoff Johns had built since Rebirth, and the event that introduced the White Light of life. The main series and the two Green Lantern books tell the core story. The tie-ins are optional.
Reading list
Blackest Night (2009)
Issue 0 • May 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Ivan Reis
Free Comic Book Day prologue.
Green Lantern (2005)
Issue 43 • Jul 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Doug Mahnke
The origin of Black Hand.
Blackest Night (2009)
Issue 1 • Jul 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Ivan Reis
Green Lantern Corps (2006)
Issue 39 • Aug 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi • Art: Patrick Gleason
Green Lantern (2005)
Issue 44 • Jul 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Doug Mahnke
Blackest Night (2009)
Issue 2 • Aug 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Ivan Reis
Green Lantern (2005)
Issue 45 • Aug 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Doug Mahnke
Green Lantern Corps (2006)
Issue 40 • Sep 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi • Art: Patrick Gleason
Blackest Night (2009)
Issue 3 • Sep 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Ivan Reis
Green Lantern (2005)
Issue 46 • Sep 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Doug Mahnke
Green Lantern Corps (2006)
Issue 41 • Oct 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi • Art: Patrick Gleason
Blackest Night (2009)
Issue 4 • Oct 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Ivan Reis
Green Lantern (2005)
Issue 47 • Oct 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Doug Mahnke
Green Lantern Corps (2006)
Issue 42 • Nov 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi • Art: Patrick Gleason
Green Lantern (2005)
Issue 48 • Nov 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Doug Mahnke
Blackest Night (2009)
Issue 5 • Nov 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Ivan Reis
Green Lantern Corps (2006)
Issue 43 • Dec 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi • Art: Patrick Gleason
Green Lantern (2005)
Issue 49 • Dec 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Ed Benes, Marcos Marz
Blackest Night (2009)
Issue 6 • Dec 2009 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Ivan Reis, Rodolfo Migliari
Green Lantern Corps (2006)
Issue 44 • Jan 2010 • Single issues
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi • Art: Patrick Gleason
Green Lantern (2005)
Issues 50 and 51 • Jan 2010 to Feb 2010 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Doug Mahnke, Jim Lee
Green Lantern Corps (2006)
Issue 45 • Feb 2010 • Single issues
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi • Art: Patrick Gleason
Blackest Night (2009)
Issue 7 • Feb 2010 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Ivan Reis, Rodolfo Migliari
Green Lantern Corps (2006)
Issue 46 • Mar 2010 • Single issues
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi • Art: Patrick Gleason
Green Lantern (2005)
Issue 52 • Mar 2010 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Doug Mahnke
Blackest Night (2009)
Issue 8 • Mar 2010 • Single issues
Writer: Geoff Johns • Art: Ivan Reis
Green Lantern Corps (2006)
Issue 47 • Apr 2010 • Single issues
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi • Art: Patrick Gleason
Covers and issue details from ComicVine.
Corps involved
Death
Black Lantern Corps
Nekron's army of the dead, and the threat at the heart of Blackest Night.
Willpower
Green Lantern Corps
The Guardians' intergalactic police force, two Lanterns per sector.
Fear
Sinestro Corps
Sinestro's answer to the Green Lanterns: order through fear.
Rage
Red Lantern Corps
Atrocitus' army of the furious, powered by blood and rage.
Avarice
Orange Lantern Corps
A Corps of one: Larfleeze and everything he has ever taken.
Hope
Blue Lantern Corps
Ganthet and Sayd's Corps of hope, built to back up the Green Lanterns.
Compassion
Indigo Tribe
Former killers and criminals, forced to feel what their victims felt.
Love
Star Sapphires
The Zamarons' Corps of love, and Carol Ferris' calling.
Life
White Lantern Corps
The light of life itself, made from every color of the spectrum.
Key characters
Hal Jordan
Green Lantern Corps
Sinestro
Thaal Sinestro • Sinestro Corps
Atrocitus
Red Lantern Corps
Larfleeze
Agent Orange • Orange Lantern Corps
Saint Walker
Blue Lantern Corps
Indigo-1
Iroque • Indigo Tribe
Carol Ferris
Star Sapphire • Star Sapphires
Black Hand
William Hand • Black Lantern Corps
Nekron
Black Lantern Corps
John Stewart
Green Lantern Corps
Guy Gardner
Green Lantern Corps
Kyle Rayner
Ion • Green Lantern Corps
Kilowog
Green Lantern Corps
Ganthet
Blue Lantern Corps
Dex-Starr
Red Lantern Corps