jepson_brown's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
crookedtreehouse's review against another edition
4.0
The Blackest Night books are a mixed bag.
While I enjoyed the main story when I read it fourteen years ago, I remember that my interest in the side stories depended on my interest in the main titles. Therefore, the Batman story should be , and was, my favorite. It's from the era where Dick Grayson was Batman, Damien Wayne was Robin, and Tim Drake was Red Robin, and they were still figuring out how to be a Batfamily without Bruce Wayne. The atual Blackest Night part of the story, where each Robin/former Robin has to battle their dead parents was very silly and ineffective, but I liked the larger story around it, and watching their interactions.
I was expecting to be less thrilled with the Superman books, as I barely ever care about Clark Kent and his extended family, but this was a solid, brief story where Martha Wayne gets to kick a little ass, and we see Krypton through the eyes of Supergirl instead of Superman.
The Titans story was over my head. I need to go back and read the Teen Titans/Titans from the 90s and 2000s, as I dipped out in the 80s for no good reason. So while I wasn't engaged, I don't blame the creative team.
If you're reading the main Blackest Night book, and are looking for a side book or two to add to it, this might be the one for you. Particularly if you're a Batman or Superman fan.
While I enjoyed the main story when I read it fourteen years ago, I remember that my interest in the side stories depended on my interest in the main titles. Therefore, the Batman story should be , and was, my favorite. It's from the era where Dick Grayson was Batman, Damien Wayne was Robin, and Tim Drake was Red Robin, and they were still figuring out how to be a Batfamily without Bruce Wayne. The atual Blackest Night part of the story, where each Robin/former Robin has to battle their dead parents was very silly and ineffective, but I liked the larger story around it, and watching their interactions.
I was expecting to be less thrilled with the Superman books, as I barely ever care about Clark Kent and his extended family, but this was a solid, brief story where Martha Wayne gets to kick a little ass, and we see Krypton through the eyes of Supergirl instead of Superman.
The Titans story was over my head. I need to go back and read the Teen Titans/Titans from the 90s and 2000s, as I dipped out in the 80s for no good reason. So while I wasn't engaged, I don't blame the creative team.
If you're reading the main Blackest Night book, and are looking for a side book or two to add to it, this might be the one for you. Particularly if you're a Batman or Superman fan.
darylnash's review against another edition
3.0
The Superman and Batman series were only so-so (rating 2) but the Titans series was rather good (rating 4).
ria_mhrj's review against another edition
4.0
I was a bit worried about the series diverting from Lanterns into more established stories with other familiar DC names, but it worked well as a way of continuing the Darkest Night story.
The Batman issues were probably my favourite, as Dick, Tim and Damian deal with the trauma of lost parents, in the face of an unrelenting onslaught as Gotham is under siege. The Superman issues were fine, but nothing especially memorable apart from Martha Kent showing herself to be the smartest person in this series yet. I struggled a little with major storylines from the past clearly playing a role (Kal-L? Whoever the weird Lois zombie was?), but it still served to propel the story forward and Psycho Pirate was an interesting addition.
I should have loved the Titans section best, as it certainly packed the biggest emotional punch. However, I did struggle with the depiction of the female Titans - especially if they are indeed teens! The young women were drawn in an overly sexualised way, and it put me off from the story, which is a shame because the threads with Dove and Gar in particular were great. I've been spoiled by Babs Tarr's Batgirl in my expectations for what a female superhero can and should look like.
Still, an excellent entry to this continuing saga, and I look forward to finding out what happens next.
The Batman issues were probably my favourite, as Dick, Tim and Damian deal with the trauma of lost parents, in the face of an unrelenting onslaught as Gotham is under siege. The Superman issues were fine, but nothing especially memorable apart from Martha Kent showing herself to be the smartest person in this series yet. I struggled a little with major storylines from the past clearly playing a role (Kal-L? Whoever the weird Lois zombie was?), but it still served to propel the story forward and Psycho Pirate was an interesting addition.
I should have loved the Titans section best, as it certainly packed the biggest emotional punch. However, I did struggle with the depiction of the female Titans - especially if they are indeed teens! The young women were drawn in an overly sexualised way, and it put me off from the story, which is a shame because the threads with Dove and Gar in particular were great. I've been spoiled by Babs Tarr's Batgirl in my expectations for what a female superhero can and should look like.
Still, an excellent entry to this continuing saga, and I look forward to finding out what happens next.
the_rox13's review
5.0
Wow, this was way better than I expected it to be. I don't know why I didn't think it was going to be that great, considering I think that Blackest Night is one of the most solid DC events ever. I'm just going to go through and give my thoughts on each story for Batman, Superman and Titans.
Batman: My least favorite of the three, though that's not to say it wasn't good. The inclusion of Deadman was the best part for me. He's such an interesting character and he fits extremely well into this event. I thought Tim Drake was a bit irritating in this story - it's like, come on, Tim, these are not your parents, dude. As always, it's cool to see Dick Grayson in the Batman suit, though there were times when I honestly forgot that Dick was behind the cowl and not Bruce.
Superman: So, the art in this story was real weird for me. Sometimes the faces of Superman and the people in Smallville look really creepy and scary. There's this barber on the first page of issue #2 and oh my god, he looks like the Joker or something. Other than the art, I enjoyed it. Earth-2 Kal-L and Lois are formidable Black Lanterns. Psycho Pirate was also a Black Lantern and I was just like, jeez, I would not want to fight that match up. Martha Kent and Krypto have some things to do here that show that they are capable in their own right. Good stuff.
Titans: Titans is admittedly the one out of the three I know the least about. My knowledge of the Titans is pretty much the extent the the cartoon and various bits and pieces of information I've picked up about it over the years. But damn, this story was brutal, the most brutal out of the three. Even though, these aren't characters I'm super attached to, I felt for them. I was shook when Donna Troy's dead baby came back as a Black Lantern and then she smashes his head between her hands. Like DAMN. And Beast Boy is over here crying over having to kill fucking Black Lantern Terra. Hey, man, at least you didn't have to kill your BABY. Dove's sister being murdered by Black Lantern Hank Hall was also savage as hell. They really didn't pull any punches with Titans. Honestly, this was my favorite of the three.
Batman: My least favorite of the three, though that's not to say it wasn't good. The inclusion of Deadman was the best part for me. He's such an interesting character and he fits extremely well into this event. I thought Tim Drake was a bit irritating in this story - it's like, come on, Tim, these are not your parents, dude. As always, it's cool to see Dick Grayson in the Batman suit, though there were times when I honestly forgot that Dick was behind the cowl and not Bruce.
Superman: So, the art in this story was real weird for me. Sometimes the faces of Superman and the people in Smallville look really creepy and scary. There's this barber on the first page of issue #2 and oh my god, he looks like the Joker or something. Other than the art, I enjoyed it. Earth-2 Kal-L and Lois are formidable Black Lanterns. Psycho Pirate was also a Black Lantern and I was just like, jeez, I would not want to fight that match up. Martha Kent and Krypto have some things to do here that show that they are capable in their own right. Good stuff.
Titans: Titans is admittedly the one out of the three I know the least about. My knowledge of the Titans is pretty much the extent the the cartoon and various bits and pieces of information I've picked up about it over the years. But damn, this story was brutal, the most brutal out of the three. Even though, these aren't characters I'm super attached to, I felt for them. I was shook when Donna Troy's dead baby came back as a Black Lantern and then she smashes his head between her hands. Like DAMN. And Beast Boy is over here crying over having to kill fucking Black Lantern Terra. Hey, man, at least you didn't have to kill your BABY. Dove's sister being murdered by Black Lantern Hank Hall was also savage as hell. They really didn't pull any punches with Titans. Honestly, this was my favorite of the three.
phoenixvibrancy's review
4.0
Complimentary side-stories to Blackest Night involving Batman, Superman, and the Teen Titans.
First time reading this and it was a feels trip. Heroes dealing with the pain of loss for their deceased love ones and the sadness they experienced being weaponized against them.
While I don't think its an "Essential" part to Blackest Night it does give the reader more insight into the event and how the various heros of earth dealt with undead on their own turf.
First time reading this and it was a feels trip. Heroes dealing with the pain of loss for their deceased love ones and the sadness they experienced being weaponized against them.
While I don't think its an "Essential" part to Blackest Night it does give the reader more insight into the event and how the various heros of earth dealt with undead on their own turf.
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