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Saturday, April 30, 2011

Brightest Day #24 - June 2011

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Comics Weekend "Brightest Day" by Geoff Johns, Peter J. Tomasi, Scott Clark, Ivan Reis, and more.

This final, extra-length issue of Brightest Day opens with the ersatz "zombie" Swamp Thing running amok, and our four elementals fighting to keep him from getting to The Green.

The White Lantern energy enters the husk of Alec Holland, bringing him back to life. He then becomes one with the Earth and battles the evil Swamp Thing. After defeating it, the darkness is purged, and with that bringing Aquaman, Firestorm, and the rest back to life:
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Swamp Thing vows to watch over the Earth, and "eradicate anyone and anything that puts it jeopardy."

The White Lantern energy disappears, still leaving lots of questions unanswered, simply reminding them all to "embrace life."

A short time later, in Miami:
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...uh-oh, looks like Vulko has some 'splaining to do!

Brightest Day ends with Swamp Thing doing what he promised, strangling the executive board of BP Oil. Or something like that.


I have to say, I found this final issue a bit anti-climactic. After such a long build-up, bringing Swamp Thing at the very end to sort of mop up feels like a bit deus ex machina-y. Its like reading a whodunnit only for a new character to come in during the last chapter and be the murderer.

That said, I'm just happy Aquaman's back--the first time he's been "alive" in the official DCU almost since the Shrine began--and has Mera with him. That final panel sets up what I can only imagine will be a major story thread in the the new Aquaman series, debuting later this year.


It's been fun following this series, watching with bated breath every two weeks to see where the story was taking the Sea King. There's going to be a lot of Aquaman this Summer, before we even get to the new book, and of course the Shrine will be covering it all!

5 comments:

JD said...

Anti-climactic indeed, and sort of worrisome after Geoff Johns claimed recently that he wasn't going to go all extremist environmentalist but apparently has anyway. Although can't complain too much with Arthur, Mera, Swamp Thing, and even John Constantine being brought back to prominence in the DCU proper. Still I'm really hoping that militant environmentalism doesn't become a regular thing for Arthur or Swampy in their upcoming books.

Anonymous said...

Black Manta appearing in Smallville ?

Smallville Episode 20 "Prophecy" Trailer Online, First Look At Solomon Grundy, Captain Cold & Black Manta!
http://comicbookmovie.com/fansites/SuperGamer/news/?a=36228

Saranga said...

I'm rly pleased about arthur and mera, but extremely pissed off about sheira.
grrr. for all my enjoyment of indiviudla issues, i don't really see what the point of this series has been.

Russell said...

I'm with Saranga. All of this could have been in HALF the issues it finally took to tell this story (and I use the word "story" loosely, as does Johns!!).
I'm majorly annoyed that Shiera is not back (yet), but we did get five of the six back...remember, Deadman is back, too!

Wings1295 said...

Don't get why Shiera was left "dead". Just seems mean, to me, to do that to her fans.

Glad Aquaman and Mera are back, though, and hopefully this is all behind them, for good! Can't wait for their future!