BRIGHTEST DAY VOLUME 3 HARDCOVER
The Brightest Day maxi-series follows 12 resurrected characters from the Blackest Night event. The entity within the White Lantern reveals that it is dying and a replacement must be chosen and each of the 12 have returned to protect Earth until the arrival of its new protector. Series co-writer Geoff Johns explains that this series is about second chances and some will work out while others will not. The various subplots within Brightest Day will intertwine with one another and present an overall comprehensive story.
DEADMAN
Boston Brand returns to the land of the living after Blackest Night and happens to be the only one with the White Lantern ring. He struggles to find meaning in his resurrection which leads him to observing the other 11 characters. His ring finally answers his question of ‘What were we brought back to do?’…..Help Me Live. We had a confrontation between the Deadman and the villain from Crisis of Infinite Earths, the Anti-Monitor. The battle is short-lived as the Anti-Monitor blasts him and Deadman falls into a safety net created by his ring.
Deadman meets up with Hawk and Dove and travels with them to find their purpose. His purpose is to find a bearer for the White Ring. Both Resurrection Man and Batman were candidates however the chosen one will come to Deadman. Shortly after visiting his grandfather, his white ring is recharging for an unknown purpose.
AQUAMAN
AQUAMAN
Aquaman is trying to struggle why he is telepathically linked to only dead sea life. He is consoled by his wife Mera who is also worried about the revelation that he controls them. Aquaman’s return has also instigated the return of his archnemesis, Black Manta.
Aquaman and Mera travel to the Bermuda Triangle to plug a leak on one of the offshore oil rigs. One of the Secret Society of Super Villains Siren attacks and Aquaman and Mera retreats. Mera later reveals that she was sent from her world to kill Aquaman. Mera describes her underworld as a penal colony called Xebel. Formed when a group of separatists was banished from one of the civil wars of Atlantis in the Bermuda Triangle. When an opening occurred her father asked Mera to kill the king of Atlantis however she fell in love with Arthur Curry. Now Siren the younger sister of Mera leads the Xebel soldiers.
The White Lantern reveals to Aquaman to find the new Aqualad who happens to be Black Manta’s son. After finding Aqualad, Aquaman convinces him to stop Mera’a people from escaping from the Bermuda Triangle.
FIRESTORM
Both Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch are separated from the Firestorm matrix. Professor Stein tells Ronnie that it is imperative that both Ronnie and Jason do not combine to form Firestorm due to the impending explosions that will result. We also learn that there is a third entity within the Firestorm matrix. The third entity is the Black Lantern Firestorm now calling himself Deathstorm.
Firestorm finds help with the Justice League while Deathstorm having both the Ronnie Raymond’s father and Professor Stein as hosts takes the White Lantern for a delivery to his master.
MARTIAN MANHUNTER
MARTIAN MANHUNTER
Martian Manhunter realizes that he may not be the only one of his species who was teleported to Earth by Professor Erdel. While the other Martian is loose committing murders J’onn goes to Oracle for help in solving mysterious murders by another Martian and asks the Teen Titans the whereabouts of Miss Martian. He travels to Australia
HAWKMAN AND HAWKGIRL
HAWKMAN AND HAWKGIRL
Hath-Set collects the corpses of the various incarnations of Hawkman and Hawkgirl for an unknown purpose. Using a Star Sapphire and the Claw of Horus, both Hawkman and Hawkgirl track down Hath-Set. However Hath-Set uses the corpses to open a portal to Hawkworld and both Hawkman and Hawkgirl follow through to hunt down Hath-Set. We discover that Hawkworld is a bridge between planets Earth and Thanagar.
The White Lantern reveals to Hawkman to “Stop the Queen” while Hawkgirl is warned there is no more resurrection if Hawkman dies. We find out that the queen is really Shiera’s mother, who is working with Hath-Set. Hawkman fights his way towards his beloved Shiera while her mother reveals how she moved from Egypt
HAWK AND DOVE
HAWK AND DOVE
After the battle with the Anti-Monitor, Deadman appears before Hawk and Dove. Hawk realizes that Deadman has a white ring that could bring things to life. Hawk and Dove bring Deadman to the grave of Hawk’s brother, Donald Hall the first Dove. Donald Hall is at peace so they try to resurrect Holly Granger the second Hawk only to end up with a Black Lantern. The White Lantern reveals to Hank Hall to “Catch the Boomerang” pertaining to Captain Boomerang’s weapon.
SERIES HIGHLIGHTS
- The Predator entity finds a new host within Queen Khea on the Planet Zamaron
- Carol Ferris reveals to free the Predator from the host you must make it feel love
- Hawkgirl frees her mother from the Predator and taken into the Sapphire Lantern
- The White Lantern proclaims to the Hawks: Mission Accomplished - Life Returned
- The Aquawar has begun and Black Manta cuts off Aquaman’s right hand
- The White Lantern reveals he opened the portal within the Bermuda Triangle
- The introduction of the new Aquagirl Lorena arrives joining the Aquawar
- Aqualad uses his electrical touch to cauterize Aquaman’s wound
- Mera uses her powers to control to ocean to remove Siren and her Xebel soldiers
- Aquaman summons the dead-sea creatures to hold back the Xebel soldiers
- Aqualad imprisons Black Manta, Siren and her forces within the Bermuda Triangle
- Aquaman completes his mission for the White Lantern and
- Martian Manhunter captures D’Kay and takes her into the Sun to be destroyed
- The White Lantern returns life to J’onn J’onzz before Deadman arrives and takes it
- Black Lantern Deathstorm delivers the White Lantern to his master the Anti-Monitor
- The Anti-Monitor uses the White Lantern to create life so he can consume
- Firestorm battles the Anti-Monitor who splits them into Ronnie and Jason
- Deathstorm turns Professor Stein into salt and disintegrates into nothing
- The White Lantern destroys Black Lanterns and sends Firestorm back to Earth
- Deadman arrives to reclaim the White Lantern from Firestorm
- The Dark Avatar arrives in the form of a Black Lantern Swamp Thing
- Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Firestorm, and the Hawks return as elements
- The tree within Star City
- The origin of Swamp Thing is retold from The Saga of Swamp Thing #21 by Alan Moore
- Captain Boomerang completes his part for the White Lantern
- Boston Brand sacrifices himself so Alec Holland can live to transform into Swamp Thing
- Alec Holland defeats the Black Lantern Swamp Thing who believes it is Nekron
- Boston Brand is absorbed into the Green and returns as Deadman
- The heroes return from becoming Elementals except for Shiera
- The White Lantern reveals the parts Jade, Maxwell Lord, and Osiris played
- Aquaman discovers the weapons used by the Xebel rebels were Atlantean
- Jason Rusch discovers Firestorm will detonate in ninety days
- The final page reveals another Vertigo character entering the DC Universe: John Constantine
This hardcover collects
Brightest Day #17-24
RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5
