DC has been teasing since Friday that a big piece of news will be dropped this Monday, and here it is: when Blackest Night ends in April, a new series will arise from it’s ashes entitled The Brightest Day. Slated as a 26 issue bi-weekly book, the book will be written by Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi (the authors behind Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps respectively). Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps will both continue as scheduled, with both authors working regularly on both books and each title featuring a Brightest Day banner. It all kicks off with Brightest Day #0, featuring art by Fernando Pasarin.
Looks like “All Will Be Well” after all, eh? This was something we’ve all speculated on lightly, so having confirmation on a lot of our beliefs is pretty cool. Of course, one can’t help but notice the “white lantern” logo, which is very similar to that of the Black Lantern’s banner. Perhaps those who have “returned” will not come back to life, but will become White Lanterns? Or perhaps we have yet to see the rise of the White Lanterns, and they will be our deus ex machina at the end of Blackest Night? Only time will tell, and April is not that far away.
Those aren’t all the announcements planned for today, though, so stick to this post as we update it throughout the day with all the new information provided.
UPDATE #1: We’ve added all the new information after the jump, which includes the first announced series to be part of the Brightest Day: The Flash.
UPDATE #2: We’ve added the new information in regards to the next “new” title: TITANS.
UPDATE #3: We’ve added the information given on the upcoming Justice League of America #44.
UPDATE #4: The last update of today is a simple one: David Finch will be providing all of the covers to the Brightest Day series. My take (David): Not surprising really. They also dropped the nugget that the follow up arc to Blackest Night of Green Lantern will be titled “New Guardians”. Interesting.
Update #1
Following the end of Blackest Night, the DCU is essentially going through a “Rebirth,” in a manner of speaking. There will be several new on-going titles, all of which will provide insight into the new DCU as well as the entire storyline of Brightest Day.
And the first title? You guessed it! Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul’s THE FLASH.
With this book, Geoff and Francis are really bringing Barry Allen back into the spotlight and cementing him as the premiere Flash in the DCU in his own monthly. It’s no secret that I’ve been waiting a long time to see this. I’ve always been a huge Barry fan, and I can say that Geoff and Francis are reinvigorating him as a character in much the same way Geoff did with Hal Jordan. Should be fun.
There has been a lot of speculation as to the state of the Flash book recently. Our writer David even posted an article all on his thoughts towards what little we knew. With some actual concrete information now (though no explanation of the disappeared Wally West and Bart Allen stories), I can say I’m even more excited for this book than I previously was.
Update #2
The second Brightest Day book will be the current on-going title, Titans, which will now star Deathstroke!
TITANS is another series that will fall directly under BRIGHTEST DAY, with Eric Wallace and Fabrizio Fiorentino coming on board, starting with the TITANS: VILLAINS FOR HIRE SPECIAL and then the regular series. We loved the work the two of them did on INK, so we’re excited to see them build a new team of Titans, under the leadership of none other than Deathstroke, the Terminator.
The team will also feature the Tattooed Man (in events spinning directly out of Final Crisis Aftermath: Ink), Cheshire, and assumedly Jericho (spinning out of Teen Titans #78) as regular members. I read Ink. It wasn’t bad, but I wasn’t crazy about it. On a more positive note, though, I am excited that Deathstroke will be a central figure in the book, and I’m glad that my reading Ink actually will pay off in the future and I continue to read Titans. I’m a fairly big fan of the Teen Titans/Titans, and ever since Final Crisis each issue has simply been a one-shot character piece. Now that I know where it’s all going, I’m more excited for the future of the book.
Continued belowUpdate #3
The Justice League of America will also be part of the Brightest Day storyline, starting with issue #44, written by James Robinson with art by Mark Bagley.
Not much information was given, and the “new line-up” of the JLA post-Blackest Night couldn’t be revealed, but we do know something. Mon-El will be replacing Superman and Donna will be the new Wonder Woman. Assumedly Dick Grayson will still be Batman as April marks the start of the return of Batman but not the actual return. However, one can’t help but notice the large amount of JSA members present on the cover, as well as Cyborg and Congorilla. With Donna coming in from the Titans, I think it’s safe to say Cyborg will be a full time member as well.
But who is that on the cover?
