Continuing our journey through the emotional spectrum on the way to Blackest Night #1, this week we take a look at the Red Lantern Corps and their potential role in the upcoming DC event.

Emotion: Rage

Home Planet: Ysmault

Creation: When the Manhunters revolted against their creators the Guardians of the Universe, they proceeded to brutally massacre nearly every living thing within space sector 666, aside from five beings that would become known as the Five Inversions, whom included Parallax and future leader of the Red Lanterns, Atrocitus. While in isolation on Ysmault, Atrocitus used his rage and the blood of the other Inversions to create the Red Power Battery, from which emerged the Red Power Rings. And of course, he vowed vengeance on those whom he blamed for the slaughter of his sector - the Guardians and the former Green Lantern who had imprisoned him, Sinestro. Wishing to build an army, Atrocitus sent Red Rings across the universe in an attempt to recruit the most rage filled beings imaginable.

Key Players: Atrocitus, Vice, Bleez, Dex-Starr

Powers/Weakness:  While the Red Power Rings do provide flight and force field protection like most other Corps rings, the Red Lanterns do not use typical constructs like other Lanterns of the emotional spectrum. Instead, when the Red Power Rings takes over a beings body, their blood is essentially forced from their bodies and replaced by a napalm substance, which they can then use as a projecticle weapon through their mouths. Unfortunately for those who allow their bodies to be taken over by the Red Light, its position on the outside of the emotional spectrum often causes them to be loose cannons, so to speak. They do not typically speak for themselves, and are relegated more to the role of beasts that cannot be reasoned with. In all respects, they are reverted to their most basic animal instincts.

Potential Role in Blackest Night: The Red Lanterns are truly the wild card in the Blackest Night saga. In the "Rage of the Red Lanterns" story arc, Atrocitus led his Lanterns to capture the daughter of Sinestro, as the new leader of the Sinestro Corps was the Green Lantern that had imprisoned him so long ago. This is interesting because though Atrocitus blames the Guardians for similar crimes against him, he is also out for vengeance against the Green Lantern Corps' primary rivals. The dicohotomy this forms is such that major lines in the sand could be drawn at some point down the road, depending on which side Atrocitus leads his Lanterns to defend in the War of Light. The Red Lanterns currently hold the swing vote in terms of the endless battle between the Green Lanterns and Sinestro, and it should prove to be quite an epic venture throughout the course of Blackest Night.