History ComicBook / TheBlackRing

'''Superman: The Black Ring''' was an arc in ''ComicBook/ActionComics'' taking place following the events of ''ComicBook/BlackestNight''. While {{Superman}} and his allies struggled against a revived Doomsday in ''Reign of Doomsday'', {{archenemy}} LexLuthor took Superman's place as the star of ''Action Comics'', for an eleven issue run that included two crossovers with ''SecretSix'' and an annual.

* ComicBookFantasyCasting: Lex Luthor's assistant Spalding is modelled on Creator/DavidTennant, complete with the Tenth Doctor's "clever specs". LampshadeHanging is provided by the Joker who, when taking credit for killing Spalding, claims "He reminded me so much of that actor, [[TheNthDoctor I wanted to see if he'd turn into someone else]]!"

* GrandFinale: Issue #900 of ''Action Comics'' was this for the arc and Post-Crisis Luthor himself, sending him off with a bang.

* IneffectualSympatheticVillain: Toyed with. Mister Mind is portrayed this way, yet Luthor never lets himself forget that Mind nearly ended the multiverse one time, and is far more than the harmless {{butt monkey}} he appears to be.

During the events of ''Blackest Night'', Luthor had briefly served as an Orange Lantern. Infected by the Orange Light of Avarice, Luthor finds himself unstable and unsatisfied without the [[GreenLanternRing power ring]], and sets out on a quest, not to regain what he has lost, but to gain a greater power still, by tapping into the energies of the Black Lantern Rings. His quest takes he and his allies around the world, as they seek the energy spheres containing the rings' power, and come into conflict with foes including, but not limited to, [[{{Shazam}} Mister Mind]], ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}}, [[TheFlash Gorilla Grodd]], {{Vandal Savage}}, TheJoker, [[Franchise/GreenLantern Larfleeze]], {{Brainiac}}, and even [[{{Sandman}} Death herself]]. The arc explored Luthor's relationships with these other villains, doing its best to define the Post-Crisis, Pre-New 52 Luthor as a character, and as a major figure within the DC Universe as a whole.

'''Superman: The Black Ring''' was an arc in ''ActionComics'' taking place following the events of ''BlackestNight''. While {{Superman}} and his allies struggled against a revived Doomsday in ''Reign of Doomsday'', {{archenemy}} LexLuthor took Superman's place as the star of ''Action Comics'', for an eleven issue run that included two crossovers with ''SecretSix'' and an annual.

* ShoutOut: The story arc gives Lex Luthor a sidekick who bears a striking resemblance to Creator/DavidTennant. Lampshaded when the Joker claims (falsely) to have killed him: "He reminded me so much of that actor, I wanted to see if he'd turn into someone else!"

* {{Deconstruction}}: Of Luthor himself. He claims he's doing it because he wants to save humanity from Superman and other superheroes who are keeping mankind back. Some of the other villains don't seem to buy it. [[spoiler: Through the entire arc it is shown that Luthor does not have humanity's best interests at heart despite his lofty goals; he is only after power and has an intense dislike for authority other than his owns but insists, even to himself, that he is the hero of the story. Yet he allows people to get killed as pawns, shoots an employee so that he can't be used against him as a hostage and whenever anyone turns their back on him he [[BerserkButton flips out]]. He does not believe that Superman empathizes with humanity at all and it is possible he's projecting this trait on Superman. Darkseid says he only wants to rule others and be "the biggest fish". Brainiac outright states that he is doing it for power and mocks his lack of introspection. Even Superman is surprised that Luthor's first act as a physical god is to come after him. Only the Joker believed he had any real potential to do good and feared this as he needs to believe that life is pain and has no meaning. Superman and Mr Mind attempt to reason with him by appealing to his desire to do good but his need to destroy Superman destroys his chances to do any real good as he promised himself he would. All this underscores just how much of a [[CutLexLuthorACheck wasted opportunity]] Lex Luthor's life was. Mr Mind's parting words are more than apt: "I'll leave you to your tragedy."]]

* {{Deconstruction}}: Of Luthor himself. He claims he's doing it because he wants to save humanity from Superman and other superheroes who are keeping mankind back. Some of the other villains don't seem to buy it. [[spoiler: Through the entire arc it is shown that Luthor does not have humanity's best interests at heart despite his lofty goals; he is only after power and has an intense dislike for authority other than his owns but insists, even to himself, that he is the hero of the story. Yet he allows people to get killed as pawns, shoots an employee so that he can't be used against him as a hostage and whenever anyone turns their back on him he [[BerserkButton flips out]]. He does not believe that Superman empathizes with humanity at all and it is possible he's projecting this trait on Superman. Darkseid says he only wants to rule others and be 'the biggest fish'. Brainiac outright states that he is doing it for power and mocks his lack of introspection. Even Superman is surprised that Luthor's first act as a physical god is to come after him. Only the Joker believed he had any real potential to do good and feared this as he needs to believe that life is pain and has no meaning. Superman and Mr Mind attempt to reason with him by appealing to his desire to do good but his need to destroy Superman destroys his chances to do any real good as he promised himself he would. All this underscores just how much of a [[CutLexLuthorACheck wasted opportunity]] Lex Luthor's life was. Mr Mind's parting words are more than apt: "I'll leave you to your tragedy."]]

* {{Deconstruction}}: Of Luthor himself. He claims he's doing it because he wants to save humanity from Superman and other superheroes who are keeping mankind back. Some of the other villains don't seem to buy it. [[spoiler: Through the entire arc it is shown that Luthor does not have humanity's best interests at heart despite his lofty goals; he is only after power and has an intense dislike for authority other than his owns but insists, even to himself, that he is the hero of the story. Yet he allows people to get killed as pawns, shoots an employee so that he can't be used against him as a hostage and whenever anyone turns their back on him he [[BerserkButton flips out]]. He does not believe that Superman empathizes with humanity at all and it is possible he's projecting this trait on Superman. Darkseid says he only wants to rule others and be 'the biggest fish'. Brainiac outright states that he is doing it for power and mocks his lack of introspection. Even Superman is surprised that Luthor's first act as a physical god is to come after him. Only the Joker believed he had any real potential to do good and feared this as he needs to believe that life is pain and has no meaning. Superman and Mr Mind attempt to reason with him by appealing to his desire to do good but his need to destroy Superman destroys his chances to do any real good as he promised himself to. When Mr Mind gives up trying to reason to him he says: "I'll leave you to your tragedy."]]

* BigBad: From Luthor's perspective, Brainiac and the Zone Child are this, trying to use him for their own ends, and standing at the ends of two schemes aimed at destroying him. From everyone else's perspective, Luthor himself is filling this role.

* GambitPileup: The Zone Child is trying to manipulate Luthor, through Mister Mind, into setting it free. Brainiac is trying to manipulate Luthor, through the "Lois" robot, into showing him the way to ultimate power. Vandal Savage is out to force Luthor to fullfill a prophecy that he will bring Savage ultimate happiness. Grodd is looking to exploit the black energy spheres for his own gain. And of course, there's Luthor himself, who incorporates all of their respective gambits into his own as he aims for godhood.

During the events of ''Blackest Night'', Luthor had briefly served as an Orange Lantern. Infected by the Orange Light of Avarice, Luthor finds himself unstable and unsatisfied without the [[GreenLanternRing power ring]], and sets out on a quest, not to regain what he has lost, but to gain a greater power still, by tapping into the energies of the Black Lantern Rings. His quest takes he and his allies around the world, as they seek the energy spheres containing the rings' power, and come into conflict with foes including, but not limited to, [[{{Shazam}} Mister Mind]], ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}}, [[TheFlash Gorilla Grodd]], {{Vandal Savage}}, TheJoker, [[GreenLantern Larfleeze]], {{Brainiac}}, and even [[{{Sandman}} Death herself]]. The arc explored Luthor's relationships with these other villains, doing its best to define the Post-Crisis, Pre-New 52 Luthor as a character, and as a major figure within the DC Universe as a whole.

* {{Greed}}: Having been an Orange Lantern, Luthor finds that his avarice has gone completely out of control, and he cannot shake his need for more. Larfleeze also shows up, though once he discovers what Luthor is really after he declares it is the one thing he does not want.

It all culminated in a massive, 92 page special in ''Action Comics #900'', that revealed Luthor as the mastermind behind ''Reign of Doomsday'', saw him finally attain the godlike power he had sought for so long, and contained his last, epic confrontation with Superman prior to the ''New 52'' reboot. Written by Paul Cornell and illustrated by Pete Woods, ''The Black Ring'' served as a final sendoff to the Post-Crisis world's greatest supervillain.

* VillainProtagonist: Lex Luthor, of course.

'''Superman: The Black Ring''' was an arc in ''ActionComics'' taking place following the events of ''BlackestNight''. While Superman and his allies struggled against a revived Doomsday in ''Reign of Doomsday'', {{archenemy}} LexLuthor took Superman's place as the star of ''Action Comics'', for an eleven issue run that included two crossovers with ''SecretSix'' and an annual.

During the events of ''Blackest Night'', Luthor had briefly served as an Orange Lantern. Infected by the Orange Light of Avarice, Luthor finds himself unstable and unsatisfied without the [[GreenLanternRing power ring]], and sets out on a quest, not to regain what he has lost, but to gain a greater power still, by tapping into the energies of the Black Lantern Rings. His quest takes he and his allies around the world, as they seek the energy spheres containing the rings' power, and come into conflict with foes including, but not limited to, [[{{Shazam}} Mister Mind]], ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}}, [[TheFlash Gorilla Grodd]], {{Vandal Savage}}, TheJoker, {{Brainiac}}, and even [[{{Sandman}} Death herself]]. The arc explored Luthor's relationships with these other villains, doing its best to define the Post-Crisis, Pre-New 52 Luthor as a character, and as a major figure within the DC Universe as a whole.

* EvilVsEvil: Luthor is a bad, bad man, and ''The Black Ring'' makes no bones about it. However, he's up against a veritable buffet of the DC Universe's worst of the worst, including Mister Mind, Grodd, Vandal Savage, and Brainiac, making it hard not to cheer for him.

During the events of ''Blackest Night'', Luthor had briefly served as an Orange Lantern. Infected by the Orange Light of Avarice, Luthor finds himself unstable and unsatisfied without the [[GreenLanternRing power ring]], and sets out on a quest, not to regain what he has lost, but to gain a greater power still, by tapping into the energies of the Black Lantern Rings. His quest takes he and his allies around the world, as they seek the energy spheres containing the rings' power, and into conflict with foes including, but not limited to, [[{{Shazam}} Mister Mind]], ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}}, [[TheFlash Gorilla Grodd]], {{Vandal Savage}}, TheJoker, {{Brainiac}}, and even [[{{Sandman}} Death herself]]. The arc explored Luthor's relationships with these other villains, doing its best to define the Post-Crisis, Pre-New 52 Luthor as a character, and as a major figure within the DC Universe as a whole.

During the events of ''Blackest Night'', Luthor had briefly served as an Orange Lantern. Infected by the Orange Light of Avarice, Luthor finds himself unstable and unsatisfied without the [[GreenLanternRing power ring]], and sets out on a quest, not to regain what he has lost, but to gain a greater power still, by tapping into the energies of the Black Lantern Rings. His quest takes he and his allies around the world, as they seek the energy spheres containing the rings' power, and into conflict with foes including, but not limited to, [[{{Shazam}} Mister Mind]], DeathstrokeTheTerminator, [[TheFlash Gorilla Grodd]], {{Vandal Savage}}, TheJoker, {{Brainiac}}, and even [[{{Sandman}} Death herself]]. The arc explored Luthor's relationships with these other villains, doing its best to define the Post-Crisis, Pre-New 52 Luthor as a character, and as a major figure within the DC Universe as a whole.