Blackest Night

At a glance

Why read it?

Black rings raise the dead and use familiar faces against the living. Hal Jordan and Barry Allen confront a crisis built around grief, while rival Lantern factions must decide whether they can cooperate. The horror depends on relationships as much as on the scale of the threat.

Watch for: the difference between an emotional connection and a weapon that imitates one. Knowing every deceased DC character is unnecessary, but brief familiarity with Hal, Barry and the spectrum helps. The event contains death, bodily horror and bereavement.

Choose how much to read

If the ring colors are new to you, start with the emotional spectrum guide or Blackest Night #0. For the buildup in comics, read Sinestro Corps War, Rage of the Red Lanterns, and Agent Orange.

• The main event. The eight chapters of Blackest Night #1–8 take you from the start of the crisis to its conclusion. DC’s #1 listing marks the beginning of the miniseries.
• Hal’s side of the event. Add Green Lantern (2005) #43–52 if you’re following the Johns run or want to spend more time with the rival Corps. Issue #43 gives Black Hand his own prologue. Use the issue-by-issue order to switch between titles.
• The battle on Oa. Add Green Lantern Corps (2006) #39–47 for Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, and the other Lanterns defending Oa. Issue #39 opens this front and #47 follows the main event’s finale.
• Other tie-ins. Pick a viewpoint you want more of. Blackest Night: The Flash #1–3 follows Barry’s side of the crisis, while Tales of the Corps gathers short stories about the different ring factions. You can finish the miniseries on its own.

Which collection should you pick?

Main event in one paperback

Blackest Night Saga (DC Essential Edition), ISBN 9781401290917, includes #0–8 and the Black Hand prologue from Green Lantern #43. If you add Hal’s tie-in paperback, you’ll have #43 in both books.

Add Hal or the Oa chapters separately

The Blackest Night: Green Lantern paperback, ISBN 9781401229528, collects Hal’s #43–52. Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps, ISBN 9781401228057, collects the Oa story through #47. Pair either paperback with the main event.

All three routes and a wider crossover in one hardcover

The Blackest Night Omnibus (10th Anniversary), ISBN 9781401291198, covers all three routes and adds tie-ins such as Batman and Wonder Woman. Before moving on to Brightest Day, check whether your copy already includes Hal’s #53. Penguin Random House lists #43–53, while DC’s listing ends at #52. See the omnibus in the book picks.

Already own Geoff Johns Omnibus Vol. 2?

ISBN 9781401255268 covers Hal’s #43–52. Check your printing for Blackest Night #8 before buying the main event again. The Geoff Johns buying guide explains the difference between the publisher’s list and the indexed printing.

Looking at the Absolute or the announced compendium?

Absolute Blackest Night (2026 edition), ISBN 9781799507970, contains the main event and skips #49 in Hal’s #43–52 run. Green Lantern: Blackest Night Compendium, ISBN 9781799515289, is announced for March 2027. Check the final contents before planning around a specific tie-in.

What to read next

For Hal, follow Green Lantern (2005) #53–62. For the wider DC aftermath, choose the separate Brightest Day #0–24. Check which issues you already own if your Blackest Night collection includes the beginning of Hal’s next arc.

People to follow

Hal JordanConnects the competing Lantern factions. Black HandA recurring Hal Jordan enemy central to the black rings. SinestroAn enemy whose interests now overlap with Hal’s. Saint WalkerHope in an increasingly desperate alliance.