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shane_tiernan's review
4.0
More great retro-coolness and great characters. It's a winning combination, for me at least. The strange thing about the graphic novel is that it doesn't include issue #12. The other strange thing is that it ends with issue 13 on a cliffhanger, but then the "new" series "Age of Doom" starts with #1 right from where it left off.
Anyway, all that is irrelevant, just read the damn thing and thank me later.
Anyway, all that is irrelevant, just read the damn thing and thank me later.
zorpblorp's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
howardtaftmd's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
jrreads1012's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
joshgauthier's review
5.0
One would think I would get to a point where I expect this sort of emotional trauma from Lemire's work--but apparently it still hits fresh every time.
Continuing the story of a small "family" of heroes trapped on a rural farm in an undetermined reality, "Black Hammer" draws heavily from classic comics while also crafting a character-driven story of family, regret, longing, and responsibility. The mystery deepens in vol. 2 as a new arrival to the farm raises questions and stirs things into motion--for good or ill.
Lemire and the creative team strike an excellent balance in tone and style--embracing the "golden age" of heroes while setting it against a much more grounded reality. The art is excellent, and Lemire's superb writing brings the reader into the emotional core of these character who--against all odds--just want to find where they belong.
Continuing the story of a small "family" of heroes trapped on a rural farm in an undetermined reality, "Black Hammer" draws heavily from classic comics while also crafting a character-driven story of family, regret, longing, and responsibility. The mystery deepens in vol. 2 as a new arrival to the farm raises questions and stirs things into motion--for good or ill.
Lemire and the creative team strike an excellent balance in tone and style--embracing the "golden age" of heroes while setting it against a much more grounded reality. The art is excellent, and Lemire's superb writing brings the reader into the emotional core of these character who--against all odds--just want to find where they belong.
ostrava's review
5.0
I liked it, but this tease is insane. I want answers, like NOW.
But at least everything is set into motion now. Let's see how an entire second chapter was needed apparently for the writer to get himself out of this one...
But at least everything is set into motion now. Let's see how an entire second chapter was needed apparently for the writer to get himself out of this one...
some_okie_dude27's review
5.0
I suppose what I like the most about Black Hammer is that it takes its own path in a litany of superhero deconstructions/alternate takes. Lemire isn't explicitly trying to deconstruct the myth of superheroes like Moore or Ennis or trying to reconstruct them like Cooke or Busiek, but is making his own splash and showing us another way to explore superheroes in a relatively grounded manner.
Lemire takes the right notes from Moore in that making your heroes grounded doesn't necessarily mean that they need to be especially grim or gritty, though Lemire doesn't have Moore's penchant for tapping into logical extremes. His superheroes are just as flawed, conflicted, and human as any of us, but they aren't quite as broken or as psychologically tormented as The Crimebusters. Lemire's deconstruction is more natural, less grand and politically motivated, and more emotionally resonant in tone. Lemire knows as well as anyone that being a good person isn't always easy, but it's the thought and efforts of being good which counts in the end.
Black Hammer continues strongly, the core mystery and characterization are consistently excellent. Lemire's biggest strength continues to be in the quieter, character driven moments that define a story like this, and I found that much of those were more profound and memorable to me than the core mystery of the series, which is interesting enough as it is. I'm also surprised by the bits of light humor that Lemire puts into Black Hammer, which is a welcome brevity from the more melancholic tone of the story.
Lemire's nods to comics of past aren't as grand as Moore or Cooke's, but are more reminiscent of Busiek's nods in Marvels, where the references to past comics come in to move along the development of the plot and characters, while also giving nods to the fans of said comics. Lemire also takes nods from Busiek in that his self awareness does not allow him to stoop into cynicism. Lemire believes in the common humanity in these characters, even in the alien character Barbalien and is never afraid to show that despite their failings, they are still capable of the goodness that we've come to expect from superheroes.
Ormston's art also continues to be excellent, his style being reminiscent of Jack Kirby's offbeat yet dynamic style while bringing his own melancholic, reflective style to the mix. Lemire lamented that he chose Ormston because he wanted an art style that distinguished itself from other superhero titles, and I can say that Ormston's style is consistently shown to be idiomatic, but also paying tribute to the superhero comic artists that came before him such as Kirby.
I remain apprehensive though, I hope that we aren't being given too much of a good thing and then we'll see it stomped in front of our eyes. I hope that it doesn't deflate its world with neat exposition like Mignola's Hellboy. Black Hammer does show the potential to be great, and the thing is that I actually think that Lemire and Ormston can pull it off.
Let us hope that Black Hammer continues on this path, and that its answers will be just as intriguing as its mysteries and that it won't become an ambling soap like Who, The X Files, or the later arcs of The Walking Dead.
Lemire takes the right notes from Moore in that making your heroes grounded doesn't necessarily mean that they need to be especially grim or gritty, though Lemire doesn't have Moore's penchant for tapping into logical extremes. His superheroes are just as flawed, conflicted, and human as any of us, but they aren't quite as broken or as psychologically tormented as The Crimebusters. Lemire's deconstruction is more natural, less grand and politically motivated, and more emotionally resonant in tone. Lemire knows as well as anyone that being a good person isn't always easy, but it's the thought and efforts of being good which counts in the end.
Black Hammer continues strongly, the core mystery and characterization are consistently excellent. Lemire's biggest strength continues to be in the quieter, character driven moments that define a story like this, and I found that much of those were more profound and memorable to me than the core mystery of the series, which is interesting enough as it is. I'm also surprised by the bits of light humor that Lemire puts into Black Hammer, which is a welcome brevity from the more melancholic tone of the story.
Lemire's nods to comics of past aren't as grand as Moore or Cooke's, but are more reminiscent of Busiek's nods in Marvels, where the references to past comics come in to move along the development of the plot and characters, while also giving nods to the fans of said comics. Lemire also takes nods from Busiek in that his self awareness does not allow him to stoop into cynicism. Lemire believes in the common humanity in these characters, even in the alien character Barbalien and is never afraid to show that despite their failings, they are still capable of the goodness that we've come to expect from superheroes.
Ormston's art also continues to be excellent, his style being reminiscent of Jack Kirby's offbeat yet dynamic style while bringing his own melancholic, reflective style to the mix. Lemire lamented that he chose Ormston because he wanted an art style that distinguished itself from other superhero titles, and I can say that Ormston's style is consistently shown to be idiomatic, but also paying tribute to the superhero comic artists that came before him such as Kirby.
I remain apprehensive though, I hope that we aren't being given too much of a good thing and then we'll see it stomped in front of our eyes. I hope that it doesn't deflate its world with neat exposition like Mignola's Hellboy. Black Hammer does show the potential to be great, and the thing is that I actually think that Lemire and Ormston can pull it off.
Let us hope that Black Hammer continues on this path, and that its answers will be just as intriguing as its mysteries and that it won't become an ambling soap like Who, The X Files, or the later arcs of The Walking Dead.
dessa's review
4.0
My review is that I’m really flipping mad that the next volume isn’t out until January of next year.
crookedtreehouse's review
2.0
Earlier today, I was having a conversation with a customer about why I didn't enjoy Sergio Aragones's "Groo".
"It's just the same story over and over again." I said.
"That's why it's great!" He replied. "It's familiar and comforting."
I imagine he'd love this series. Black Hammer is across the board unchallenging. It's a derivative superhero story with stand-ins for Shazam, Thor, Martian Manhunter, and more. I've seen a few reviews and blurbs about how this series has "Golden Age heroes with modern day problems". But that's just not true. They're Golden Age hero stand-ins with one very boring problem that they don't bother to try and solve: they're trapped in a very limited dimension.
Despite all the time they're together, they haven't accrued any interesting interpersonal issues, just very basic surface issues. Hero trapped in the body of a young girl acts spoiled because she is treated as a child, Martian is outsider (the modern twist is that he's also queer! ugh) who has problems interacting with virtually everyone, hero who resembles robot hates being treated like robot, old man superhero wants to be loved and needed.
I've read all of these characters before, and they are often written with better dialog, and more complex personalities than in this book.
I recommend this for people who enjoy reading Superman comics that are exactly like every other Superman comic they've ever read, people who start their day with plain oatmeal and unbuttered toast, and people who think The Watchmen is edgy literature.
"It's just the same story over and over again." I said.
"That's why it's great!" He replied. "It's familiar and comforting."
I imagine he'd love this series. Black Hammer is across the board unchallenging. It's a derivative superhero story with stand-ins for Shazam, Thor, Martian Manhunter, and more. I've seen a few reviews and blurbs about how this series has "Golden Age heroes with modern day problems". But that's just not true. They're Golden Age hero stand-ins with one very boring problem that they don't bother to try and solve: they're trapped in a very limited dimension.
Despite all the time they're together, they haven't accrued any interesting interpersonal issues, just very basic surface issues. Hero trapped in the body of a young girl acts spoiled because she is treated as a child, Martian is outsider (the modern twist is that he's also queer! ugh) who has problems interacting with virtually everyone, hero who resembles robot hates being treated like robot, old man superhero wants to be loved and needed.
I've read all of these characters before, and they are often written with better dialog, and more complex personalities than in this book.
I recommend this for people who enjoy reading Superman comics that are exactly like every other Superman comic they've ever read, people who start their day with plain oatmeal and unbuttered toast, and people who think The Watchmen is edgy literature.