Finally, the preliminaries are out of the way, and the Darkest Night has arrived. Or at least the prologue.This issue provides the backstory for Black Hand, a longtime Green Lantern villain who is at the heart of the upcoming crossover event.
In his original incarnation as created by (I believe) John Broome and Gil Kane, Black Hand was a quirky villain, but not a particularly memorable one. He had a device that allowed him to siphon GL's emerald energy, but that's about it.
More recent stories by Geoff Johns have related the story behind Hand's weapon and its true origins. We've also seen Hand become a much deadlier and more deranged bad guy - and nowhere is that more evident than in this issue.
This is really more of a horror story (which is to be expected when you're talking about raising the dead and all), and there are some truly horrific images in this issue, not suitable for very young readers.
The art by Doug Mahnke is outstanding, and he gets to present a pile of characters, all of whom will no doubt be a key part of the upcoming event. He also has a great touch for horror.
The issue does an excellent job setting the stage for the dark drama ahead.
It's safe to say that this series will be landing at the top of the "read now" pile for the next few months.
Grade: A-
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