Everything continues to fall apart.
Creative Staff:
Story: Jeff Lemire
Art: Malachi Ward
Colors: Bryce Davidson
Letterer: Nate Piekos of BLAMBOT
What They Say:
A multiversal nightmare unfolds as hordes of demonic hellamentals attack Spiral City, while dark heroes congregate in hell fearful of another onslaught by the world destroyer Anti-God.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Black Hammer works through more of what’s going to be the final series of this little intriguing universe to a close and it does so with a great team. Lemire’s got a knack of expanding and introducing things while playing off the core material – and the classic comics of decades from long ago – and that makes for an intriguing turn of events. For this series, Black Hammer has Malachi Ward and Bryce Davidson on the art duties and it provides its own distinctiveness to it. It still feels very much in the world of Black Hammer as established previously, but it also is its own thing in some really good ways. Ward’s layouts look good but I really dig the character placement and movement of the camera around situations in order to deliver a really good experience as a reader.
As the series gets closer to its end, everything is picking up more. Part of this is reminding me of the old original Crisis days as more and more characters are coming into play, and more variations, but I’m struggling to remember who is who. Which is fine, though I was frustrated that I forgot about the Unteens until they used their name. We’ve got so many variations from across the timelines here and a frustration about them with what they’re facing that it’s an enjoyable kind of chaos. Especially as they realize that they don’t really have what it takes to fight the Anti-God that’s now here and the culmination of all that it’s doing. Of course, some of the older heroes and villains are showing up as well and calling them out for not being as hyped as they should be, making it a generational difference thing, but it’s a natural feeling when you see events playing out as they do.
While all of this unfolds in Spiral City and around there, the book also spends time back at the Farm with Lucy finding Barbie and talking with him. It’s tense in the right ways as Barbie has left so much behind – and tells her to stop calling him that, which she agrees to but doesn’t actually stop doing. There’s so muhc to be said but so few willing to say it, or wanting to hear it. But it all breaks loose when Gail returns, having been reminded of who she was her anger is intense and lashing out at everyone. That spills into Sherlock seeing Barbie in his original form briefly and a lot of inter-family anger going on as well. At least until they realize that one child isn’t there because Inspector Insector stole a truck and she’s driving it so the two of them can find this world’s Randall Weird. It’s all coming together well in this kind of mishmash that’s going to blow up in all their faces and I’m ready for it to hit.
In Summary:
You can feel all the events coming together and some pieces that have been laid out for a long time activating in a new way because of the way the varied cast is interacting. It’s not exactly too big but it also doesn’t have something where you’ve known these characters for years and years and read so many stories about them that you’re so connected. But it’s effective in managing this and creating a good sense of drama and tension as the end of everything is almost here and they all react in ways that are honest and natural. I loved seeing how the situation with Gail gets handled and just the way the kids in general are dealing with this as all the secrets of the adults are finally being laid bare and nobody is ready to handle it. Some solid stuff that has me eager to see more of hoe the end is really going to play out.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: October 25th, 2023
MSRP: $3.99
