Published in 1996, The Final Night is a DC Comics crossover event written by Karl Kesel with art by Stuart Immonen. For a change, it was not about a Super-Villain fighting the Heroes, but about an extraterrestrial entity called the Sun-Eater that envelopes and extinguishes the Sun, causing Earth to freeze and wither into ecological collapse. It’s an End of the World scenario in which heroes, villains, and everybody else had to work together to surmount the impossible.
Here is the official synopsis: In The Final Night, the heroes and citizens of Earth face the impending end of the universe. When a cosmic force of nature known as the Sun-Eater extinguishes the Sun, Earth is thrust into its final night. Deprived of the massive star’s illumination and heat, the world experiences a catastrophe of epic proportions.
But even in a situation devoid of hope, the world’s greatest champions struggle on against the inevitable. Featuring many of the heroes of the DC Universe, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, and Aquaman, this book graphically illustrates the true definition of a hero, as Hal Jordan, the former Green Lantern, makes the ultimate sacrifice to save the world.
What to Read Before The Final Night?
The Final Night is a self-contained event, but you may want to be familiar with the character of Parallax to have a better understanding of his decisions in this story. First, the famous Emerald Twilight storyline (Green Lantern Vol. 3 #48–50), collected in:
- Green Lantern: Kyle Rayner Vol. 1
Collects Green Lantern #48-57, New Titans #116-117, and R.E.B.E.L.S. #1.
Second, the event “Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!” You can find our reading order here.
The Final Night Reading Order: Collected Editions
For now, not all the tie-ins have been collected. But you can still find the main miniseries and two Green Lantern-related issues in:
- The Final Night
Collects The Final Night Preview, The Final Night #1-4, Parallax: Emerald Night #1, and Green Lantern #81.
The Final Night Reading Order: Issue by Issue
- The Final Night Preview
- Final Night #1
- Green Lantern Vol. 3 #80
- Power of Shazam #20
- Sovereign Seven #16
- Superman Vol. 2 #117
- Final Night #2
- Adventures of Superman #540
- Batman #536
- Green Arrow Vol. 2 #114
- Supergirl Vol. 4 #3 (FYI, #4 is not an official tie-in, but takes place at the moment of the conclusion of the event)
- Final Night #3
- Action Comics #727
- Aquaman Vol. 5 #26
- Detective Comics #703
- Superboy Vol. 4 #33
- Parallax: Emerald Night #1
- Flash Vol. 2 #119
- Hitman #8
- Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 4 #86
- Robin Vol. 4 #35
- Spectre Vol. 3 #47
- Superman: The Man of Steel #62
- Takion #6
- Final Night #4
- Green Lantern Vol. 3 #81
After The Final Night?
The Final Night was not a crisis that changed the DC Universe drastically. In fact, after its conclusion, it was business as usual for most of the characters. Except for Superman who remained powerless and had to develop new, energy-based powers, see Superman Blue Vol. 1.
Hal Jordan reappeared in 1999 during the Day of Judgment storyline but he was not alive. To see him returned to life and being reinstated as Earth’s Green Lantern, you’ll have to look at Geoff John’s Green Lantern run.