It was the greatest superhero event of all time, a multiversal crisis. Black Hammer, Abraham Slam, Golden Gail, Barbalien, Colonel Weird, and even Madame Dragonfly they united to take down Anti-God, the ultimate evil, on the streets of Spiral City.
For ten years, the former heroes have been living in exile. But a new arrival from the main timeline brought new hope. And maybe, finally, its time for them to relaunch . . .
Writing/Story
This issue seems to start with a lot of random events. A character being teleported away, Abraham being brought in about the what happened to the Sheriff, and Lucy’s continued quest for answers. Everything feels a bit all over the place with when this is happening until it clicks on when these events are suppose to happen. Also, the drama between Abraham and Tammy doesn’t feel as hard hitting as it should given what plays out. Overall this seems much less intense than previous issues and unfortunately it requires a second read to really understand what all went down. Though this leaves the issue feeling less than perfect, writer Jeff Lemire finds a way to bring it all home with a final page which will leave the reader on bated breath for the next issue to come around.
Pencils/Inks
Dean Ormstron’s artwork is fantastic. He employs detailed line work to show the concern and aging of different characters. The look he gives characters when they heard depressing and shocking news helps to connect with their reaction.
Colors
The colors by Dave Stewart are on point. Vibrant when they need to be and down to earth during the less intense moments. All of it helps to set the tone the series is known for.
Lettering
The different changes in style help to show who when Lucy as the narrator takes over and when the dialogue is meant to represent a regular conversation. This impressive display is all thanks to Letterer Todd Klein.
Conclusion
This issue feels like the calm before the storm for Black Hammer. Big things are about to explode and if you haven’t taken the time to check out this series you will soon regret it.
