Blackest Night as a character study

Whilst reading Blackest Night #6 it occured to me that Geoff Johns is doing excellent work in bringing both less well known, or well used, characters to the forefront.  He is also defining and revitalising other characters.

Take Mera for instance.  I have read a lot of Aquaman stuf but not much has featured Mera - mostly because the stuff I have read takes place after their son has died and Mera and Arthur have separated.  At the start of Blackest Night we see that Mera has the strength, skill and intelligence to outwit Garth, Arthur, their son, and the Aquaguards.  Later on she is one of the first to realise that the Black Lanterns feed off emotion and the key to getting away is to have the emotional strength to keep your feelings under tight control.  She also knows when  it is best to run and when it is best to fight.  She is an absolute powerhouse, unafraid of anything and a highly proficient fighter.

The one and only time she has let her emotions show is in Blackest Night #6, where she is fighting Black Lantern Wonder Woman and she finally lets her rage out.  I don't know if Mera and Diana have an antagonistic history, but I read this as Mera finally giving vent to her rage at the existence of the Black Lanterns and everything they are trying to achieve.

And remember, that I've got all this from just a few appearances in 6 comic books.  the Scarevrow has even less panel time -he featured in Blackest Night #6 for just a few pages that led to him becoming inducted as a member of the Sinestro Corps.  Here we are shown the full extent of his psychosis.  He is a warped, pained, obsessive and distrubed man.  As a villain he has beocme absolutley compelling.

Another underused character that has been brought to prominence is Dove.  She has her greatest panel time within the Blackest Night: Titans mini, which is written by J.T.Krul and not Geoff Johns, but I have high hopes that she will be used in the main books.  Since their incarnation, this new Hawk and Dove haven't really had a whole lot of appearances in the DCU.  As underused characters Johns could do a lot with them, and considering Dove's white light and it's ability to destroy the Black Lanterns I really hope she'll be used in the conclusion of this event.

In a a bizzare coincidence, after I wrote this I saw excerpts of an interview with Geoff Johns over at The Aquaman Shrine.  He talks about Mera so head on over and take a peek.