Blackest Night #2 (2009)

In Ivy Town, the Atom calls Hawkman, trying to talk to him about the recent death of Jean Loring. Despite what Jean did during the Identity Crisis, Ray still loves her and is still having trouble letting go of her. Listening, Hawkman tells Ray that he should come over so they can talk. But Hawkman is not entirely himself... In Gotham City, Commissioner Gordon and Barbara Gordon are at the roof of the GCPD headquarters with the Batsignal, waiting for Batman to show up. The Commissioner is on edge, as it seems to have somehow gotten darker. Barbara tells her that while she was in rehab after the Joker paralyzed her, there was a sign at the rehab center which said that the sun will always come up, and she's going to wait with her father until sunrise. Suddenly, Green Lantern Hal Jordan crashes into the Batsignal. In Amnesty Bay, Tempest and Mera lead a group of Atlantean soldiers who are to escort Aquaman's body to a tomb in Atlantis. Mera disagrees with the decision, saying Arthur would have been prefered to be buried next to Thomas Curry, but she understands that it will strengthen Garth's position as King of Atlantis, which is something Aquaman would have wanted. When they reach the grave, however, they find it unburied. However, they also find the Black Lantern Aquaman there as well, who says that he would rather have been buried in the mud than under the sea. Aquaman then attacks the Atlanteans. In Gotham City, Deadman lies before his grave, hearing Black Hand's sick oath, and begging his body to stay dead. His pleas fall on deaf ears, and his body rises, a Black Lantern. In Washington D.C., a pair of Black Lantern Rings head for the graves of Hank and Don Hall, the original Hawk and Dove. The Rings try to recruit them, but the ring sent for Dove is unable to raise him, as he is at peace. There is no such problem for Hank Hall, however. In Amnesty Bay, Aquaman continues his assault on the Atlanteans, using his telepathic abilities to commune with sea life to summon sharks to kill the soldiers. However, Aquaman additional help—in the form of Tula and Dolphin, Garth's deceased former lovers. The two women attack Garth, blaming him for their respective deaths, while bickering with each other over who Garth loved more. Tempest is able to freeze Dolphin's head with his magic, and Mera shatters it, but Dolphin regenerates. Aquaman then strikes Mera, throwing her into a parking lot. Tula then manages to overpower Garth and rip out his heart, killing him. A Black Lantern Ring then converts him into a Black Lantern. Realizing she is outnumbered, Mera flees. At the Gotham City cemetery, the Phantom Stranger has assembled the Spectre, Blue Devil, and Zatanna to investigate Deadman's. For once, even the Stranger is at a loss to explain what is going on. Zatanna notes that several other graves have been defiled. Suddenly, a Black Lantern shows up. It is Pariah, from the First Crisis, who then sends a Black Lantern Ring for Crispus Allen. The ring attaches to Allen, supressing the Spectre and converting Allen into a Black Lantern. Black Hand observes this, noting that even the Wrath of God is no match for the Guardian of Death. At Gotham City police headquarters, Hal Jordan regains consciousness and asks to borrow Commissioner Gordon's car, having already instructed his ring to download everything that happened with the Martian Manhunter into Oracle's PDA. Meanwhile, Flash Barry Allen continues to fight the Black Lantern J'onn J'onzz in a chemical plant. He continues to fight J'onn, then tells his dead friend that he's been mixing and matching the chemicals inside. Hal then drives the Commissioner's car into the plant, causing it to explode, while Barry runs around it to keep the fire from spreading. Barry asks if Hal knows what is going on, but Hal still cannot communicate with Oa, as the Green Lantern Corps is fighting for its life against the Black Lanterns on Oa. However, Hal and Barry have more immediate problems. J'onn's body survived the explosion, and he brought some friends—Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Elongated Man, Sue Dibny, and Firestorm...forming his own Black Lantern Justice League...