REVIEW: Brightest Day #10

Our discussion of DC Comics’ Brightest Day series continues with issue #10. Lots of Firestorm. Lots of Aquaman. Also included is a discussion of the possible coolness of Black Manta and obvious lameness of Deathstorm.

Spoilers to follow.

PTB: A very misleading cover this time around. Deadman doesn’t even appear in the book. Aqualad doesn’t appear to be a villain, but I’m getting the impression something may change when his powers kick in.

Still, it’s a nice looking cover.

KevinMLD: I agree it’s a nice cover but the Black lantern Firestorm from a few issues back would have made WAY more sense here.

PTB: Agreed. Lots of Firestorm in this issue. I like the backstory that the matrix is connected to the big bang. It adds a dimension to the characters and the power set that I’m assuming is new?

KevinMLD: Yeah. This is totally a retcon/revamp to try to make him an interesting character.

PTB: I thought the tie between Ronnie and Jason’s emotional state and the destabilization of the matrix was hokey at first, but then we see the emergence of the Black Lantern that’s within them (Deathstorm). His assessment of the emotions they’re emitting makes it all work. The question I have is whether the matrix’s emotional component is what allowed the Black Lantern to bond to it, or does it have an emotional component because the Black Lantern is bound to it. I’m also assuming that the Black Lantern was able to survive by pulling the two boys out of the matrix and keeping it for himself. There have been other indications that this Black Lantern is special and this may be why.

KevinMLD: Yeah it’s interesting that Deathstorm, if that’s what they’re calling him, exists without the black ring. We’ll see where it all goes.

PTB: I do not like his use of the word “righteous.” That along with all this talk of the matrix had me hearing Ted Theodore Logan every time the Black Lantern spoke.

KevinMLD: But you were OK with him saying, “This gonna be so boss!”?

PTB: Not at all. The first page with Black Manta’s attack (in full, we see his glowing eyes in the rear view mirror on the page before) is just spectacular. The artwork in this section was rock solid, but that page stands out to me. There’s a high probability for Black Manta to not look cool most of the time.

KevinMLD: They’re definitely making Black Manta seem kind of interesting. The neck strength he must have from years of wearing that helmet has to be ridiculous.

PTB: Aquaman showing up is kind of cool to, but it’s Aquaman…

KevinMLD: The first full image of Aquaman looks awesome. But the pouty face he makes on the same page while breaking the arrow in half just looks silly.

PTB: So that is supposed to be Mera giving Black Manta’s baby over to his foster family, correct?

KevinMLD: That’s how I read it.

PTB: Any thoughts on who his mother might be? or what Manta means when he says “you made him like you” to Siren (Mera’s sister)?

KevinMLD: I have no idea. I don’t even know any candidates beyond Mera and Siren.

PTB: I’m thinking it might be a Jango/Boba Fett clone situation.

KevinMLD: Could be.

PTB: Any guesses as to what’s in the chest?

KevinMLD: The Aqualad costume and some crystals he can use to form a giant arctic fortress and talk to his long dead father.

PTB: It’s clear these new/enriched backstories are being created by Johns in an effort to set these characters up for stories beyond Brightest Day. Where are these characters going after the series wraps up? I’d consider reading a JLA book with these characters by Johns, but I’m not going anywhere near solo ongoings for any of them.

KevinMLD: There have been rumors of every resurrected character who survives Brightest Day getting their own book. Nothing official though. So far Aquaman is the only one that really deserves a book… But this Firestorm story is starting to come together. Hawkman and Hawk and Dove? No. Just no. One thing we do know is that the books will be priced at $2.99 though!

I gotta say this was one of the stronger issues of the title so far. They should just drop the Hawk and Dove and Hawk People stories entirely and focus on what’s working creatively. Maybe they could even replace them with a Larfleeze subplot. I know he wasn’t dead during Blackest Night or resurrected, but he’s the best new DC character in years.

Read our thoughts on:
Brightest Day #9 / Brightest Day #11

More on the series can be found at our Brightest Day hub.