Since this is an “off week” of sales we have only one review we have to do.  So, today we’ll be providing an extended review for this issue as well as a “secret” comic we decided to check out (check back in a few hours for that one).

Plot: The battle with Nekron and the Black Lanterns continues and is not going well.  Every Black Lantern is on their way to Earth and the Lanterns need some back up to unlock the white light and finally defeat Nekron.  To hold off the swarm of undead each Lantern Corps. has picked a new champion to help fight off the tide.  Enter seven new Lanterns to join the battle.

Story: The time has never looked more desperate as the rings are now not only animating the dead but also the resurrected.  Geoff Johns continues to up the action and keeps the feeling of dread coming.  His surprise moment towards the end of the issue is a scene just so cool to see as seven new lanterns are created to enter the fight.  Johns has also been able to tie this mini-series into the greater DC universe and history without weighing it down in continuity that’d make the series opaque for new readers.  We’ve got to more issues to go, and with an incoming swarm and the final confrontation with Black Hand and Nekron to go, expect the action to keep on coming.  Rating: 8.75

Art: Ivan Reis is knocking it out of the park when it comes to this series with amazing action scenes that make you want to linger and check out every fine detail of the page.  From John Stewarts amazing double page spread to the final spread of the new Lanterns this issue is pure eye candy.  Rating: 9

Overall: There’s good reason we’ve declare Blackest Night the event of the year.  Not only is the story fun and cool (it’s not a simple dead rising story) but the art is simply amazing.  There’s a feel of great history and continuity in this issue but it’s also accessible to new readers.  With two issues to go, I’d expect there’s a good chance this event may not be just the event of 2009 but also 2010.  Overall Rating: 9

Recommendation: Buy