Alan Moore Inspired Blackest Night and Sinestro Corps War
I didn’t realize until very recently that Alan Moore inspired much of the Sinestro Corps War and Blackest Night stories. I had no idea! Turns out that Moore wrote a short story entitled “Tygers” in Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Annual #2 back in 1986. This 12-page story featured the creation of many of the elements that play heavily into the Sinestro Corps War and Blackest Night. Only Alan Moore could influence so many future Green Lantern comics with so few pages. Obviously this short story resonated tremendously with Geoff Johns, enough so that he incorporated nearly all of it into his Green Lantern run. Here is a rundown of the items Alan Moore created for this short story that resurfaced again during Geoff Johns tenure on the series:
- Sodam Yat (a.k.a. Ion)
- Ysmault (Home world of the Red Lanterns)
- The Five Inversions (of Ysmault)
- A tremendous war in which the Green Lanterns are devastated (possibly the Sinestro Corps War or Blackest Night)
- Ranx the Sentient City
- Children of the White Lobe
- The Empire of Tears
- An explanation for why Abin Sur was flying a spaceship when he died (also touched upon in the recent Green Lantern Secret Origin)
Below is one page from that story. This one page represents a large majority of Alan Moore’s creations that play into recent Green Lantern storylines. Click the image to enlarge.
You can find the entire 12-page story reprinted in the trade paperback, Green Lantern: In Brightest Day. This is a good one to get because Geoff Johns selected all the stories in the trade and provided commentary on each. A great companion piece to the Blackest Night storyline.
Huh. I actually remember that story, particularly from the reference to Mogo. Moore had created Mogo previously, in a short called “Mogo Doesn’t Socialize.” At the time, it wasn’t clear if the story was true or if Tomar-Re was just pulling Arisia’s leg.
When I read this story, I was a little disappointed to see the direct reference to Mogo as a planet. I’d preferred it being left ambiguous. Hadn’t realized Moore had written this one as well.
That’s pretty neat. I love when new writers reference old/obscure stuff from a character’s distant past (ie Morrison on Batman.)
I’m going to start looking for this one in the back issue bins.