kirby101

I can't remember the Green Lantern/Parallax One Shot that well ... perhaps someone here can.

Okay, according to Lone Star's listing, I am reading the crossover issues that I do have to go with Final Night in this order.

Detective Comics #703
Final Night #1
Green Lantern #80
Final Night #2
Final Night #3
Parallax: Emerald Night #1
Final Night #4
Robin #35
Takion #6
Green Lantern #81

Detective Comics #703
Dixon/Nolan/Hanna

Four nights now Gotham has been in darkness. And of course the lesser of good citizens are out taking advantage of the others. And the story is "narrated" by a DJ with a very negative attitude about humanity. So while he's not expecting citizens to stand up for one another, and for Gotham to plunged into the dark ages again, we get to see Batman, Robin and Huntress foiling various crimes and protecting citizens. Even the very DJ that is accosted at the end after leaving the station, who had no faith in humanity.

Fairly basic issue. I guess in a prelude type fashion it is okay. But it, was a title I was getting monthly at the time, so it wasn't really that I thought it would add much to the Final Night series. Same with Robin and GL. Takion I got for the awesome cover, and the Parallax issue seemed important to the mini series, so I got it.

I also forgot the Final Night mini was all in one month. So Karl Kessel and Stuart Immonen cranked out four 32 page books in one month/ Ron Marz and Mike McKone doing the Parallax special.

Edit:
Final Night 1-4
Green Lantern #80
Parallax: Emerald Night #1

In GL, Kyle finds out Dr Light has been trapped in his battery, but "the other one" (which I take to mean Alan Scott) was the one who did it. And Dr Light escapes with new powers and intends to prove his new powers make him more formidable. But all Kyle is trying to do is explain to him Earth's situation. When Dr Light finally listens, Kyle tries to enlist his help, but Light is only interested in saving his own ass. However something he said makes Kyle think that he might have an idea of something that will help fix Earth's sun.

The Parallax issue is probably the most unnecessary of all to read. While I like Ron Marz writing, the Parallax issue is nothing but Hal trying to convince himself and others (that he transports to visit) that he is still a hero after his atrocities before Kyle (and the reason that) becomes the new Green Lantern. I've never been a Hal fan, even when trying to read him, in hindsight to Kyle being GL. He's got this complex that he knows what is right for everyone, and he knows better than them. (Not that that flaw isn't in other heroes.) And it shows as he going posturing to all the people that will tell him want he wants to know, even going so far as to heal John Stewart whose crippled when serving as Darkstar by Grayven. Why doesn't he appear before Batman and ask him what he thinks of him? Anyway, I read it, and of course after Earth's pep squad all boost Hal's ego he's ready to play the hero again.

Final Night turned out pretty good, for me forgetting most of it after all this time. It was pretty easy to tell it was four 32 page issues pumped out in one month by the story. Not necessarily dumping that on Kessel's shoulders, but the story didn't seem like there was much to it. The threat to the Earth's sun came just as soon as the solution. And that solution seemed just as rushed as the rest of the story. Or maybe it was DC's quickly thrown together excuse to bring back Hal and make him a hero again. I wouldn't know the history behind the issues themselves, but that seemed the case to me. The Sun-Eater (even in name) was just some generic entity that ate suns, like DC's solar Galactus, but with none of the thought and back story that Galactus has.

I still enjoyed the four issues, as I would some random creature feature movie that I might watch. But this one, I would necessarily suggest, unless one just likes to see DC's heroes come together and defeat a common foe. Though I guess this really wasn't any less "generic" that Cosmic Odyssey, in ends as quickly as it began. Or the solution seemed easier than the appearance of the antagonist. Differnce is CO had Starlin and Mignola. Not to say that in four 32 page issues Immonem's art ever took a dip. I am not per say, a fan of his art, but I can recognize that it kept it his best through the whole story.

So if you find any in the dollar bins somewhere and you just like DC hero team-ups, then I'd say they are worth it at that price. Also unless you are a Hal fan, skip the Parallax issue all together. It gets painful have to read that many pages of Hal tooting his own horn.

Okay, okay, my Hal rant is at an end.

The best comics DC put out in the '90s were those based on the Warner Bros. animated series: Batman [and Robin] Adventures, Superman Adventures, and Adventures in the DC Universe. I also love several series already mentioned, including Gaimin's Sandman, Starman, Spectre, Sandman Mystery Theatre, Power of Shazam, the Mike Parobeck-drawn JSA, and Final Night (one of the few "event" comics of the decade still in my collection). I liked Morrison's JLA, too, despite the horrible Howard Porter art. Conversely, Kingdom Come is beautiful to look at but the story feels terribly dated.

Cei-U!
I summon the last time I gave a rat's rump about DC!