Despite the heavy violence, I've never found Johns to be dark and cynical. There was always a positive theme to it. I mean, Forever Evil is a book about villains fucking each other up, but it never felt dark or cynical. More of a "people change" theme. It's honestly Johns belief that the best heroes fight their way back from the bleakest of scenarios. He does a good job with that. In fact, Blackest Night into Brightest Day is the most literal way of saying that conceivable while also being an event comic.
