View source for Black Lantern Corps


{{redirect-distinguish|Black Lantern|Black Lamp (disambiguation){{!}}Black Lamp}}
{{Infobox comics organization
|image= Black Lantern Corps.jpg
|imagesize= <!-- numeral only, defaults to 250 -->
|caption= {{Descript-inner-art|Blackest Night||1|July 2009|art=[[Ivan Reis]]}}
|publisher=[[DC Comics]]
|debut=''[[Green Lantern]]'' (vol. 4) #43 (January 2008)
|creators=[[Geoff Johns]] (writer)<br />[[Ethan Van Sciver]] (artist)
|type=
|business=
|organisation=
|organization=
|owners=
|employees=
|fullroster=([[#Prominent members|below]])
|subcat=DC Comics
|hero=
|villain=y
|sortkey=Black Lantern Corps
}}
The '''Black Lantern Corps''' is a <!--Do not add "fictional" as it is tautological; supervillains (and characters in general) are by definition implied to be fictionalized to some extent.-->[[Supervillain|supervillainous]] [[organization]] of [[wikt:corporeal|corporeal]] [[revenant]]s (resembling intelligent [[zombie]]s or [[jiangshi]]) appearing in comic books published by [[DC Comics]], related to the emotional spectrum. The group is composed of deceased fictional characters in zombie form that seek to eliminate all life from the [[DC Universe]].

==Publication history==
Prior to the ''[[Blackest Night]]'' event, [[Black Hand (character)|Black Hand]] (the "leader" and first member of the Black Lantern Corps) had already been established as a villain within the pages of ''Green Lantern''. Writer Geoff Johns revisited his origin and expanded upon certain aspects of it during the ''[[Green Lantern: Secret Origin]]'' story arc (2008).<ref>''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) issues #29-35 (May - November 2008). DC Comics.</ref> During the arc, Hand's energy-absorbing weapon (previously thought to be an original invention) is revealed to have been constructed by [[Atrocitus]], enemy of the [[Guardians of the Universe]] and future founder of the [[Red Lantern Corps]].<ref name="gl32">''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #32 (August 2008). DC Comics.</ref> Atrocitus comes to Earth and approaches Hand, recognizing him as a "doorway to the black" that possesses the power to bring about the Blackest Night. Hand manages to escape and pockets the weapon as he flees.<ref name="gl33">''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #33 (September 2008)</ref><ref name="gl34">''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #34 (October 2008). DC Comics.</ref> The possession of this weapon soon leads him to become an enemy of the Green Lantern Corps, as he now feels a need to extinguish the light of the emotional spectrum.<ref name="gl43">''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #43 (September 2009). DC Comics.</ref>

While being transported to prison, Black Hand experiences a sudden power surge that kills his captors. He roams the desert, hearing a voice instructing him to reclaim the souls of characters who were reanimated.<ref name="gl35">''DC Universe'' #0 (June 2008). DC Comics.</ref> Hand murders his family and commits suicide. The Guardian [[Scar (comics)|Scar]] arrives, and creates the first black power ring, which reanimates Black Hand. She reveals that Hand is the physical embodiment of death, and serves as the [[Incarnation|avatar]] of the Black Lantern Corps in the same manner that [[Ion (DC Comics)|Ion]], [[Parallax (character)|Parallax]], and the Predator are for willpower, fear, and love respectively.<ref name="gl43" /> Hand later digs up [[Bruce Wayne]]'s corpse, removes his skull, and recites the Black Lantern oath for the first time. Soon after, black power rings descend upon the universe and begin reviving the deceased as Black Lanterns that attack both the heroes and the villains of the DC Universe.<ref name="bn0">''Blackest Night'' #0 (June 2009). DC Comics.</ref>

In ''Blackest Night'' #3, [[Indigo Tribe#Prominent members|Indigo-1]] describes the premise behind the Black Lantern Corps' relationship with the universe. She explains that the darkness in existence before the creation of the universe is what powers the Black Lanterns. Banished at the dawn of time by the white light of creation, its fighting back causes the white light to be fractured into the emotional spectrum. The events transpiring throughout the titles of ''Blackest Night'' are a result of the darkness fighting back against creation. She goes on to describe how a combination of all seven lights can restore the white light of creation and bring an end to the Black Lanterns. Throughout the ''Blackest Night'' event, each time a Black Lantern successfully removes the heart of one of their victims, a black, lantern-shaped [[speech balloon]] depicts an ever-rising power level increasing in increments of 0.1 percent.<ref name="bn1" /> In ''Blackest Night'' #4, the power meter is filled and Scar is able to summon [[Nekron]].

After being introduced into a primary role within the ''Blackest Night'' event, Indigo-1 recruits [[Hal Jordan]] to gather a team capable of recreating the white light of creation (chosen for having a personal connection to the most powerful members of the five remaining Corps).<ref name="bn3">''Blackest Night'' #3 (November 2009). DC Comics.</ref> The story unfolding in ''Green Lantern'' depicts Jordan and Indigo-1 recruiting [[Carol Ferris]], [[Sinestro]], [[Atrocitus]], [[Larfleeze]], and [[Saint Walker]], to their purpose.<ref>''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #46-48 (November 2009-January 2010). DC Comics.</ref> In ''Blackest Night'' #5, the team assaults the Black Central Power Battery with the opposite results intended. Nekron is strengthened and able to recruit living characters reanimated from death to his Black Lantern Corps. Although the seven Corps representatives attempt to summon aid by recruiting temporary deputies until the rest of their Corps arrive - Ganthet joins the Green Lantern Corps, [[Barry Allen]] joins the Blue Lanterns, [[Lex Luthor]] is inducted into the Orange Lanterns, the [[Scarecrow (DC Comics)|Scarecrow]] joins the Sinestro Corps, the [[Atom (Ray Palmer)|Atom]] joins the Indigo Tribe, [[Mera (character)|Mera]] joins the Red Lanterns, and [[Wonder Woman]] is saved from her Black Lantern identity to join the Star Sapphires - they are nearly thwarted when Nekron attempts to kill the [[Life Entity]], the first life in the universe. After Sinestro attempts and fails to merge with the entity, Hal takes control of the Entity himself, noting that the heroes still chose to return to life even if Nekron gave them the opportunity. With this behind him, Hal merges with the entity and frees the reanimated heroes from Nekron's hold, creating the [[White Lantern Corps]] in the process, and subsequently reanimates Black Hand and the [[Anti-Monitor]] to deprive Nekron of his tether in the living world and his power source. The White Lanterns use the power of the White Light to vanquish Nekron and the Black Lanterns.<ref name="bn8">''Blackest Night'' #8 (March 2010). DC Comics.</ref>

===The rebirth of the Black Lantern Corps===
Though seemingly destroyed, an aspect of the Black Lanterns returns within [[Ronnie Raymond|Firestorm]] (Ronnie Raymond), claiming the name [[Deathstorm]].<ref>''Brightest Day'' #10 (September 2010). DC Comics.</ref> While Deathstorm intends to destroy the White Lantern power battery to kill all life in the universe, a voice commands him not to do so. Instead, it orders Deathstorm to bring it an army so it can command the power of life itself. The White Lantern Power Battery in conjunction with Deathstorm creates Black Lantern versions of the twelve heroes and villains who were resurrected at the end of ''Blackest Night''.<ref>''Brightest Day'' #11 (October 2010). DC Comics.</ref> After Deathstorm steals the White Lantern, he and Firestorm are transported to [[Qward]] by the Anti-Monitor, revealed to be behind the return of the Black Lanterns. However, the Black Lanterns are destroyed by Firestorm.<ref>''Brightest Day'' #22 (March 2011). DC Comics.</ref>

==Prominent members==
At [[San Diego Comic-Con]] in 2009, [[Geoff Johns]] discussed his reasoning behind choosing Black Hand as the leader of the new Corps, the character properties of the Black Lanterns, and his own goals in writing their depictions. Commenting on the characters being chosen to reanimate during ''Blackest Night'', Johns said:
{{quote|The black rings aren't about who's dead; the black rings are about who's alive. So, scenes like [[Elongated Man]] and [[Sue Dibny]] taking on Hawkman and Hawkgirl is kind of the beginning of that emotional conflict and terror that you'll see throughout ''Blackest Night''. So the black rings are, again, seeking out the dead that matter to our heroes.<ref name="sdcc1106">Johns, Geoff. [http://dccomics.com/media/podcasts/DCComics_2009-07-25_Green_Lantern_The_Blackest_Night_at_SDCC_2009.mp3 DC Comics: Green Lantern: Blackest Night (11:06)] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002054110/http://dccomics.com/media/podcasts/DCComics_2009-07-25_Green_Lantern_The_Blackest_Night_at_SDCC_2009.mp3 |date=October 2, 2009 }}. San Diego Comic Con 2009. San Diego Convention Center, San Diego CA. 25 July 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2009.</ref>}}

During the creation of ''Blackest Night'', Johns (not being interested in, or frightened by, [[zombies]]) wanted to bring back the deceased characters in a way that seemed horrifying and emotionally disturbing to the living characters they encountered. To accomplish that effect, the Black Lanterns have personalities and actively seek out those who will be most affected by their appearance.<ref name="sdcc2930">Johns, Geoff. [http://dccomics.com/media/podcasts/DCComics_2009-07-25_Green_Lantern_The_Blackest_Night_at_SDCC_2009.mp3 DC Comics: Green Lantern: Blackest Night] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002054110/http://dccomics.com/media/podcasts/DCComics_2009-07-25_Green_Lantern_The_Blackest_Night_at_SDCC_2009.mp3|date=October 2, 2009}}. San Diego Comic Con 2009. San Diego Convention Center, San Diego CA. 25 July 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2009.</ref> A prime example of Johns' use of personality distortion with the Black Lanterns is the Elongated Man (typically depicted as being a "light" character that uses his detective skill to "smell" when something is not right) looking upon his victims and remarking to his undead wife [[Sue Dibny]]: "I smell a mystery."<ref name="bn1">''Blackest Night'' #1 (September 2009). DC Comics.</ref><ref name="sdcc2930" /> Johns identifies the power of the Black Lanterns as not necessarily being evil, but not being good either.<ref name="sdcc2930" />

During his initial creation of the new Corps, Johns drew from information he had collected on light while taking physics classes. With the Corps of the emotional spectrum personifying life, he knew that this Corps would need to represent death. Black being an absence of light, he chose Black Hand as the leader of the Corps both for the character's name and also because of how much he enjoyed revamping villains while writing for ''[[The Flash (comic book)|Flash]]''. Like the other members of the Black Lantern Corps, Johns wanted to take a different approach in his portrayal of Black Hand. Whereas other villains may have a particular motivation, Hand is meant to be depicted as a character who is clearly insane and whose presence makes others uncomfortable.<ref name="sdcc2930" />

In ''Blackest Night'' #2, multiple black power rings attempt to reanimate the body of [[Hawk and Dove|Dove (Don Hall)]], only to be prevented from disturbing his grave by an invisible barrier. Hall is stated to be at peace in death and unable to be resurrected.<ref name="bn2">''Blackest Night'' #2 (October 2009). DC Comics.</ref> In an interview with IGN, Johns provides an explanation behind Dove's immunity to the black power rings: "You'll learn more about this as we go forward. But really it speaks to the nature of Don Hall. He can't be desecrated by the likes of these things. He's untouchable in death and at total peace more than any other being in the universe."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=George |first=Richard |date=August 14, 2009 |title=Geoff Johns: Inside Blackest Night - Part Two |url=http://comics.ign.com/articles/101/1014315p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090817180725/http://comics.ign.com/articles/101/1014315p1.html |archive-date=August 17, 2009 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref>

In ''Blackest Night: Batman'' #1, the spirit of [[Deadman (character)|Deadman]] is unable to prevent a black power ring from reviving his remains. Deadman attempts to possess his own corpse, but is unable to control it.<ref name="bnbat1">''Blackest Night: Batman'' #1 (October 2009). DC Comics.</ref> During the ''Blackest Night'' panel at San Diego Comic-Con in 2009, Geoff Johns was asked whether the revived corpses of the Black Lanterns were speaking for themselves or if they were being controlled by an outside force. Johns declined to answer, implying that the question would be answered during the ''Blackest Night'' storyline.<ref name="sdcc2930" /> Similarly, while being overcome by a black power ring, the [[Crispus Allen|Spectre]] declares that he "will not be used."<ref name="bn2" /> Prior to the Spectre's conversion, Black Hand makes note of [[Shadowpact]] members [[Zatanna]] and [[Blue Devil (DC Comics)|Blue Devil]] being surrounded by an aura of life. Upon scanning the [[Phantom Stranger]], Black Hand remarks that the Stranger is "neither living nor dead", and notes him as of interest to his Corps.<ref name="bn2"/>

==List of Black Lanterns==
<!--The characters have been organized by appearance, and the issues organized by publication date.-->

===Current members===
* [[Black Hand (character)|Black Hand]]&nbsp;– Referred to as "the black incarnate", the avatar of the Black Lanterns.<ref name="gl43"/>
* [[Batman]] – Killed in the invasion of the Dark Knights from the [[Dark Multiverse]], Bruce Wayne was resurrected by a Black Lantern ring.<ref name="Dark Nights: Death Metal #5">''Dark Nights: Death Metal'' #5. DC Comics.</ref>

===Former members===
;Leadership
* [[Nekron]]<ref name="bn4">''Blackest Night'' #4 (November 2009). DC Comics.</ref>&nbsp;– Leader of the Black Lantern Corps
* [[Scar (comics)|Scar]]<ref name="ac0">''Adventure Comics'' (vol. 2) #0 (February 2009). DC Comics.</ref>&nbsp;– Guardian of the Corps and keeper of ''The Book of the Black''

;''Blackest Night'' #1 (September 2009)
* [[Katma Tui]]
* [[Martian Manhunter]]
* [[Elongated Man]]
* [[Sue Dibny]]<!--
:Cameos
the Phantom Lady (Dee Tyler)
the Black Condor (Ryan Kendal)
the Human Bomb (Roy Lincoln)
the Top (Roscoe Dillon)
the Golden Glider (Lisa Snart)-->

;''Blackest Night'' #2 (October 2009)
* [[Aquaman]]&nbsp;– Named in issue #1, but not shown in costume
* [[Deadman (character)|Deadman]]&nbsp;– Also featured in ''Blackest Night: Batman'', which shipped the same week
* [[Hank Hall|Hawk (Hank Hall)]]
* [[Aquagirl#Tula|Aquagirl (Tula)]]
* [[Dolphin (character)|Dolphin]]
* [[Pariah (character)|Pariah]]
* [[Crispus Allen]]
* [[Garth (comics)|Tempest (Garth)]]
* [[Ronnie Raymond|Firestorm]]&nbsp;– Named in issue #1, shown in issue #2
* [[Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders)]]&nbsp;– Killed in issue #1, shown in issue #2
* [[Hawkman (Carter Hall)]]&nbsp;– Killed in issue #1, shown in issue #2
<!--
Cameos:
Black Condor (Ryan Kendal)
Captain Boomerang (Digger Harkness)
Golden Glider (Lisa Snart)
Human Bomb {Roy Lincoln)
Phantom Lady (Dee Tyler)
Top (Roscoe Dillon)-->

;''Blackest Night: Batman'' #1 (October 2009)
* [[Abattoir (comics)|Abattoir]]
* [[Blockbuster (DC Comics)#Roland Desmond|Blockbuster (Roland Desmond)]]
* [[Deacon Blackfire]]
* [[KGBeast]]
* [[King Snake]]
* [[Magpie (character)|Magpie]]
* [[Trigger Twins#Tom and Tad Trigger|Trigger Twins]]
* [[Ventriloquist (character)|Ventriloquist (Arnold Wesker)]]
* [[Flying Graysons|John and Mary Grayson]]
* [[Jack Drake]]
* Janet Drake

;''Green Lantern Corps'' (vol. 2) #39 (October 2009)
* [[Jack T. Chance]]&nbsp;– Shown, but not named, in ''Blackest Night'' #1
* [[Tomar-Re]]
* [[Jade (DC Comics)|Jade]]&nbsp;– Named in ''Blackest Night'' #1, but not shown in costume.

;''Blackest Night: Superman'' #1 (October 2009)
* [[Superman (Earth-Two)]]
* [[Lois Lane#Golden Age|Lois Lane (Earth-Two)]]
* [[Zor-El]]

;''Blackest Night: Titans'' #1 (October 2009)
* [[Terra (character)#Tara Markov|Terra (Tara Markov)]]
* [[Lilith Clay|Omen]]

;''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #45 (October 2009)

* Hal Jordan

* [[Amon Sur]]
* [[Larfleeze#Known members|Blume]]
* Xanshi; as a Mogo analogue
* [[Larfleeze#Known members|Glomulus]]<!--
Cameos:
Laira-->

;''Solomon Grundy'' #7 (November 2009)
* [[Solomon Grundy (character)|Solomon Grundy]]

;''Green Lantern Corps'' (vol. 2) #40 (November 2009)
* [[List of Green Lanterns#Bzzd|Bzzd]]&nbsp;– Shown, but not named, in ''Blackest Night'' #1

;''Blackest Night'' #3 (November 2009)
* [[Alexander Luthor Jr.]]
* [[Copperhead (DC Comics)#John Doe|Copperhead ("John Doe")]]
* [[Doctor Light (Arthur Light)]]
* [[Madame Rouge]]
* [[Maxwell Lord]]<!--
Cameos:
Weasel (John Monroe)
Killer Frost (Crystal Frost)
Black Bison (John Ravenhair)-->

;''Blackest Night: Superman'' #2 (November 2009)
* [[Psycho-Pirate#Roger Hayden|Psycho-Pirate (Roger Hayden)]]&nbsp;– Shown, but not named, in ''Blackest Night'' #3

;''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #46 (November 2009)
* Khufu
* Chay-Ara
* [[Abin Sur]]&nbsp;– Named in ''Blackest Night'' #2, but not shown in costume
* Arin Sur

;''Blackest Night: Titans'' #2 (November 2009)
* Terry Long
* [[Lord Chaos (DC Comics)|Robert Long]]
* [[Hawk and Dove|Hawk (Holly Granger)]]
* [[Pantha]]

;''Blackest Night: Batman'' #3 (December 2009)
* [[Tony Zucco]]
* [[Captain Boomerang#George "Digger" Harkness|Captain Boomerang (Digger Harkness)]]&nbsp;– Named in ''Blackest Night'' #1, but not shown in costume

;''Green Lantern Corps'' (vol. 2) #41 (December 2009)
* [[List of Green Lanterns#Ermey|Ermey]]
* [[Ke'Haan]]&nbsp;– Shown, but not named, in ''Blackest Night'' #1
* Fentara Rrab
* Marata Rrab
* Santara Rrab

;''Blackest Night'' #4 (December 2009)
* [[Jean-Paul Valley|Azrael (Jean-Paul Valley)]]
* [[Atom (Al Pratt)]]&nbsp;– Named in issue #1, shown in issue #4
* [[Jean Loring]]

;''Blackest Night: Titans'' #3 (December 2009)
* [[Baby Wildebeest]]&nbsp;– Shown, but not named, in issue #2

;''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #47 (December 2009)
* [[Laira (comics)|Laira]]&nbsp;– Named in issue #45, shown in issue #47
* Qull – Named in issue #45, shown in issue #47
* Roxeaume

;''Doom Patrol'' (vol. 5) #4 (January 2010)
* [[Celsius (character)|Celsius]]
* [[Joshua Clay|Tempest (Joshua Clay)]]
* [[Valentina Vostok|Negative Woman]]
* [[Robotman (Cliff Steele)|Cliff Steele]]'s original body

;''Booster Gold'' (vol. 2) #26 (January 2010)
* [[Ted Kord|Blue Beetle (Ted Kord)]]

;''R.E.B.E.L.S.'' (vol. 2) #10 (January 2010)
* [[L.E.G.I.O.N.#List of characters|Stealth]]
* [[Harbinger (DC Comics)|Harbinger]]

;''Adventure Comics'' (vol. 2) #4 (January 2010)
* [[Breach (character)|Breach]]
* [[Bushido (character)|Bushido]]
* [[Killer Moth|Charaxes]]
* [[Element Lad]]
* [[Geist (DC Comics)|Geist]]
* [[Bloodlines (comics)#New Bloods|Razorsharp]]
* [[Sun Boy]]

;''Outsiders'' (vol. 4) #24 (January 2010)
* [[Katana (DC Comics)|Katana]]'s dead husband and children:
** Maseo Yamashiro
** Yuki Yamashiro
** Reiko Yamashiro

;''Blackest Night'' #5 (January 2010)
* [[Damage (DC Comics)|Damage]]
* a [[Batman and Robin (comic book)#"Blackest Knight" (issues #7-9)|clone of Bruce Wayne]]
* [[Animal Man]]
* [[Ice (character)|Ice]]
* [[Wonder Woman]]
* [[Superman]]
* [[Conner Kent|Superboy (Kon-El)]]
* [[Bart Allen|Kid Flash (Bart Allen)]]
* [[Green Arrow]]
* [[Donna Troy]]

;''Justice League of America'' (vol. 2) #39 (January 2010)
* [[Vibe (character)|Vibe]]
* [[Zatara]]

;''Teen Titans'' (vol. 3) #77 (January 2010)
* [[Ravager (DC Comics)#Grant Wilson|Ravager (Grant Wilson)]]
* [[Ravager (DC Comics)#Wade LaFarge|Ravager (Wade LaFarge)]]
* [[Wintergreen (comics)|William Wintergreen]]
* [[Adeline Kane|Adeline Wilson]]

;''Blackest Night: The Flash'' #1 (February 2010)
* [[Eobard Thawne|Reverse Flash]]
* [[Solovar]]

;''Justice League of America'' (vol. 2) #40 (February 2010)
* [[Commander Steel#Hank Heywood III|Steel (Hank Heywood III)]]&nbsp;– Shown, but not named, in issue #39

;''Blackest Night: JSA'' #1 (February 2010)
* [[Sandman (Wesley Dodds)]]
* [[Charles McNider|Doctor Mid-Nite (Charles McNider)]]
* [[Mister Terrific (Terry Sloane)]]
* [[Johnny Quick (Johnny Chambers)|Johnny Quick]]

;''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #49 (February 2010)
* [[List of Green Lanterns#Driq|Driq]]

;''Suicide Squad'' #67 (March 2010)
* [[Fiddler (comics)|Fiddler]]
* [[Psi (comics)|Psi]]
* [[Ravan (comics)|Ravan]]
* [[Atom (character)#Adam Cray|Atom (Adam Cray)]]

;''Weird Western Tales'' #71 (March 2010)
* [[Scalphunter (DC Comics)|Scalphunter]]
* [[Super-Chief]]
* [[Bat Lash]]
* [[Jonah Hex]]
* [[Quentin Turnbull]]

;''Catwoman'' (vol. 3) #83 (March 2010)
* [[Black Mask (character)|Black Mask]]

;''The Power of Shazam!'' #48 (March 2010)
* [[Osiris (DC Comics)#Amon Tomaz|Osiris (Amon Tomaz)]]
* Sobek

;''Secret Six'' (vol. 3) #17 (March 2010)
* Yasemine Soze

;''Blackest Night: The Flash'' #2 (March 2010)
* [[Mirror Master#Sam Scudder|Mirror Master (Sam Scudder)]]
* [[Golden Glider]]
* [[Rainbow Raider]]
* [[Top (character)|Top]]
* [[Trickster (DC Comics)#James Jesse|Trickster (James Jesse)]]

;''Starman'' (vol. 2) #81 (March 2010)
* [[Starman (DC Comics)#David Knight|Starman (David Knight)]]

;''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #50 (March 2010)
* [[Aquababy]]
* [[Bug-Eyed Bandit]]
* [[Hal Jordan|Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)]]

;''The Question'' #37 (March 2010)
* [[Question (character)|Question (Victor Szasz)]]

;''Blackest Night: The Flash'' #3 (April 2010)
* [[Captain Boomerang#Owen Mercer|Captain Boomerang (Owen Mercer)]]

;''Blackest Night'' #7 (April 2010)
* [[Air Wave|Air Wave (Harold Jordan)]]

;''Green Lantern Corps'' (vol. 2) #46 (May 2010)
* [[Alexandra DeWitt]]
* [[Anti-Monitor]]

;''Brightest Day'' #23 (April 2011)
* [[Swamp Thing]]

;''Green Lantern'' (vol. 5) #20 (May 2013)
* [[Hal Jordan]]

;''Dark Nights: Death Metal #5'' (November 2020)
* [[Air Wave#Larry Jordan|Air Wave]] (Larry Jordan)
* Animal Man
* [[Anthro (comics)|Anthro]]
* Atom (Al Pratt)
* Bat Lash
* [[Black Condor#Ryan Kendall|Black Condor]] (Ryan Kendall)
* [[Blue Beetle (Dan Garrett)]]
* [[Claw the Unconquered]]
* [[Dan the Dyna-Mite]]
* Dove (Don Hall)
* [[Enemy Ace]]
* [[Jared Stevens|Fate]] (Jared Stevens)
* Hawk (Holly Granger)
* [[Hourman (Rex Tyler)]]
* [[Human Bomb]] (Roy Lincoln)
* Johnny Quick (Johnny Chambers)
* [[Johnny Quick (Crime Syndicate)|Johnny Quick]] (Earth-Three)
* [[Liberty Belle (comics)|Liberty Belle]]
* [[Red Bee (character)|Red Bee (Richard Raleigh)]]
* [[Ma Hunkel|Red Tornado (Ma Hunkel)]]
* [[Red Tornado|Red Tornado (android)]]
* Sandman (Wesley Dodds)
* [[TNT (character)|TNT]]
* [[Ultraman (DC Comics)|Ultraman]]

;''Dark Nights: Death Metal'' #6 (December 2020)
* Blue Beetle (Ted Kord)
* [[The Batman Who Laughs]]' original body

==Oath==
As with the other Lantern Corps, Black Hand devised an oath for the Black Lanterns:
{{quote|<poem>''The Blackest Night falls from the skies,''
''The darkness grows as all light dies,''
''We crave your hearts and your demise,''
''By my black hand, the dead shall rise!''</poem>|source=Black Lantern Corps oath}}

==Entity==
{{Main|Black Hand (character)}}

While the Black Lantern Corps are powered by the black emptiness of space which represents death and therefore does not belong to the Emotional Spectrum, Black Hand is revealed to be the physical embodiment for these corps, in the same manner that [[Ion (DC Comics)|Ion]] is the embodiment of willpower for the Green Lantern Corps. During the climax of ''Blackest Night'' #8, [[Deadman (character)|Boston Brand]] tells the Corps' leaders that Black Hand is the "tether keeping [[Nekron]] within our world", and that as the avatar of Death he is also the only key to defeating the Black Lanterns permanently. Using the White Lantern power of Life, [[Hal Jordan]] commands ''"William Hand of Earth - Live"'', resurrecting Black Hand and removing him as the Black Lantern Corps' primary power source - which deals a crippling and eventually fatal blow to the Black Lanterns.<ref name="bn8"/>

==''The Book of the Black''==
Hidden within the vaults of Oa is a massive black tome known as ''The Ultimate Facilitator of the Blackest Night''. Written in corrupted blood by the traitorous Guardian of the Universe, Scar, the book contains prophecies. The prophecies indicate which Earth heroes have the abilities to weather the Blackest Night and ensure the survival or destruction of the universe. Also within its pages is all the forbidden history of the Guardians of the Universe.<ref>''Green Lantern - Emerald Warriors'' #1. DC Comics.</ref>

==Powers and abilities==
{{Main|Power ring (weapon)|l1=Power ring}}
[[File:Black Lantern power ring.jpg|150px|right|thumb|William Hand's black power ring]]

The Black Lanterns are corpses reanimated by black power rings, which are fueled by the power of death. Corpses reanimated by black power rings are reconstructed if damaged, keeping the body in working order at all times.<ref name="JohnsonBN">Montgomery, Lauren (Director). Johns, Geoff (Commentator) (2009). ''[[Green Lantern: First Flight]]'' (''Behind the Scenes of Blackest Night''). [animated film/DVD]. Warner Home Video. Warner Bros Animation. DC Comics.</ref> Black power rings are capable of regenerating typically fatal injuries inflicted upon their users (including the complete dissolution).<ref name="bnbat1"/><ref name="glc41">''Green Lantern Corps'' (vol. 2) #41 (December 2009). DC Comics.</ref> The rings generate black tendrils to "root" themselves into the corpses, making it impossible to remove them by physical force.<ref name="bn3" />

The first black power rings possess no charge, but each time a Black Lantern kills someone and removes their heart, .01 percent power is restored to every ring in the Corps.<ref name="bn1"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=George |first=Richard |date=July 25, 2009 |title=IGN: SDCC 09: Blackest Night Consumes Comic-Con |url=http://comics.ign.com/articles/100/1007531p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090729233116/http://comics.ign.com/articles/100/1007531p1.html |archive-date=July 29, 2009 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> In ''Blackest Night'' #3, Indigo-1 solidifies this theme by explaining that those who rise feed off emotion. Even at low power levels, black rings enable their user to fly and create black energy constructs. They are also unaffected by magic.<ref name=":0" /> The bite of a Black Lantern induces a slow-acting [[necrosis]] that eventually turns the victim into a Black Lantern.<ref name="bnt3">''Blackest Night: Titans'' #3 (December 2009). DC Comics.</ref>

[[File:Black lantern powers and abilities.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Superman displaying a wide spectrum of emotions (will, fear, rage, hope, and love).<ref name="bns1">''Blackest Night: Superman'' #1 (October 2009)</ref>]]
Nekron uses the [[Anti-Monitor]] as a physical power source within the Black Power Battery. It is implied that the Anti-Monitor's desire for the end of humanity made him the primary candidate to become the Battery's power supply following his betrayal and subsequent murder at the hands of [[Superboy-Prime]] during the [[Sinestro Corps War]]. In a climactic battle with the Lantern Corps, the Anti-Monitor is nearly freed from the Power Battery and revealed to have only succumbed partially to Nekron's influence, demanding that he be freed so that he could exact revenge on Nekron for his imprisonment.<ref>''Blackest Night'' #7 (February 2010). DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Green Lantern Corps'' (vol. 4) #46. DC Comics.</ref> As part of the final 'coup de grace' against the Black Lantern Corps, the Entity frees the Anti-Monitor from the Black Power Battery, destroying it in the process. It was the Anti-Monitor's physical corpse, coupled with Black Hand's presence as the entity of Death, that served as the full source of the Black Lantern Corps' power.

Black Lanterns are able to read the emotions as colored auras that correlate to the emotional spectrum.<ref name="bn1" /> Multiple emotions read as a multi-colored aura, while unreadable emotions come out as white.<ref name="bnt2">''Blackest Night: Titans'' #2 (November 2009). DC Comics.</ref> Furthermore, demonic and underworld dwellers (such as [[Etrigan the Demon]]) are read with a black aura, apparently unreadable due to their undead nature. A state of profound suspended animation is enough to fool a Black Lantern by making the target of suspended animation invisible to the senses of the Black Lantern.<ref name="bnbat3">''Blackest Night: Batman'' #3 (October 2009). DC Comics.</ref> Emotionless hearts such as the Scarecrow's render their bearers equally invisible to the Black Lanterns.<ref name="bn4" /> When facing beings with warped mental states, or otherwise addled minds (such as [[Bizarro]]), the correlation between the emotion detected and the actual color that the Black Lanterns see is inverted.<ref>''Superman/Batman'' #66 (November 2009). DC Comics.</ref> In addition to the abilities granted to them by the rings, Black Lanterns retain any skills and superpowers they may have had in life.<ref name="bn1" />

===Vulnerabilities===
Black Lanterns are vulnerable to white light and a combination of green light with another Corps' light.

Once a black power ring is destroyed, the corpse it animates becomes inert.<ref name="bn3"/>

[[Doctor Light (Kimiyo Hoshi)|Doctor Light]] and [[Halo (DC Comics)|Halo]] can completely destroy Black Lanterns using their light-based powers.<ref>''Justice League of America'' (vol. 2) #40 (December 2009). DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Outsiders'' (vol. 4) #25 (December 2009). DC Comics.</ref> [[Conner Kent]] used [[Psycho-Pirate]]'s Medusa Mask to destroy two Black Lanterns by forcing them to experience the full force of the emotional spectrum, irritating their black power rings enough that they remove themselves from their bearers.<ref name="bns3">''Blackest Night: Superman'' #3 (December 2009). DC Comics.</ref> The Black Lanterns are also vulnerable to [[Wonder Woman]]'s [[Lasso of Truth]].<ref>''Blackest Night: Wonder Woman'' #1 (January 2010). DC Comics.</ref> The "touch" of a Black Lantern, typically used to remove their victims' hearts and drain them of emotional energy, can also sever the connection between other Black Lanterns and their black power ring.<ref>''Teen Titans'' (vol. 3) #78 (February 2010). DC Comics.</ref> Barry Allen was able to deactivate the black rings that were 'targeting' him and Hal Jordan by using time travel, jumping two seconds into the future so that the rings would shut down when they could not sense their 'assigned' wearers.<ref name="bn6">''Blackest Night'' #6 (February 2010). DC Comics.</ref>

One common way of stopping a Black Lantern is to injure them faster than their ring is able to regenerate their body (such as a Red Lantern's plasma, a mutated [[pitcher plant]] with strong digestive liquids, or the intense heat of [[Mogo]]'s core).<ref>''Catwoman'' (vol. 3) #83 (January 2010). DC Comics.</ref><ref>''The Phantom Stranger'' #42 (January 2010). DC Comics.</ref>

Others that have proven resistant to the Black Lantern rings are either those who have wielded a power ring before or generally otherworldly beings such as Etrigan, who lacks a human heart and emotions; Atrocitus, whose heart was replaced by his ring; the [[Shade (character)|Shade]], who is truly immortal and thus cannot die; and [[Osiris (DC Comics)|Osiris]], whose magical nature allowed him some semblance of control over the ring. Dove (Don Hall) was immune to recruitment into the Black Lantern Corps as he was at peace in death, destroying the Black Lantern Rings that attempted to recruit him.

==Other versions==
In the ''[[Flashpoint (comics)|Flashpoint]]'' universe, the successful murder of [[Black Hand (character)|William Hand]] at the hands of [[Atrocitus]] freed [[Nekron]] from imprisonment long before several of the different colored Lantern Corps and the long-prophesied "War of Light" erupted. Shortly after being released, Nekron used his dark powers to create the Black Lantern Corps using the corpses of the Green Lanterns and countless other lifeforms that have fallen before him.

===''The New 52: Futures End''===
In the possible future of ''[[The New 52: Futures End|Futures End]]'' set five years later, [[Krona (character)|Krona]] is reanimated as a Black Lantern and leads his Black Lanterns against Hal Jordan and Relic.<ref>''Green Lantern: Futures End'' #1. DC Comics.</ref> Additionally, [[Sinestro]] obtains a Black Lantern Power Ring and uses it to reanimate [[Sinestro Corps|his Corps]] as Black Lanterns.<ref>''Sinestro: Futures End'' #1. DC Comics.</ref>

==In other media==
*[[Blackest Night]]-inspired Black Lantern skins for [[Batman]], [[Hawkgirl (Shiera Hall)|Hawkgirl]], [[Superman]], the [[Barry Allen|Flash]], and [[Doomsday (DC Comics)|Doomsday]] appear in ''[[Injustice: Gods Among Us]]''.
*A Black Lantern skin for [[Hal Jordan|Green Lantern]] appears in ''[[Injustice 2]].''
*A Black Lantern skin for Batman appears in ''[[Batman: Arkham Origins]]''.
*A Black Lantern skin for Superman and [[Wonder Woman]] appear in ''[[MultiVersus]]''.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Green Lantern}}
{{Justice League characters}}
{{Justice Society of America}}
{{Teen Titans}}

[[Category:Characters created by Ethan Van Sciver]]
[[Category:Characters created by Geoff Johns]]
[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 2008]]
[[Category:DC Comics extraterrestrial characters]]
[[Category:DC Comics demons]]
[[Category:DC Comics supervillain teams]]
[[Category:DC Comics undead characters]]
[[Category:Fictional cannibals]]
[[Category:Fictional characters with death or rebirth abilities]]
[[Category:Fictional mass murderers]]
[[Category:Fictional zombies]]
[[Category:Green Lantern characters]]
[[Category:Undead supervillains]]
[[Category:Zombies in comics]]

{{Wikipedia attribution|original_title=Black Lantern Corps|access_date=2026-02-27}}