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owlgoddess's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
forsidious's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This is some fun insight into what Lucy and Sherlock Frankenstein were up to before they entered into the main story. Fun villains, both creepy and silly.
My only complaint is surprisingly the art. A lot was great, but the faces, ugh. Especially Lucy's. They look so weird and out of place with the rest of the style with big uneven eyes and dark thick lines for face details. It's like they drew the comic except the faces, then let an amateur draw those. It really brought me out of the story at times.
C - 9, A - 6, W - 9, P - 9, I - 10, L - 8, E - 8
My only complaint is surprisingly the art. A lot was great, but the faces, ugh. Especially Lucy's. They look so weird and out of place with the rest of the style with big uneven eyes and dark thick lines for face details. It's like they drew the comic except the faces, then let an amateur draw those. It really brought me out of the story at times.
C - 9, A - 6, W - 9, P - 9, I - 10, L - 8, E - 8
nichole1988's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
dantastic's review against another edition
4.0
When the heroes of Spiral City disappeared fighting the Anti-God, Lucy Weber, the Black Hammer's daughter, was left fatherless. Now, fresh out of journalism school, Lucy tries to track down her father's greatest foe, Sherlock Frankenstein, for answers...
I was wondering how Lucy eventually showed up on The Farm and this goes part of the way toward explaining it. Lucy goes tracking down her father's enemies in an effort to figure out if he survived the battle with the Anti-God. Her trail leaders her to super villains like Cthu-Lou and the Metal Minotaur before finally meeting Sherlock Frankenstein. It was pretty cool.
The background of Spiral City is further fleshed out as Lucy plays detective. Analogues of The Shadow, Doc Savage, and Tarzan are touched upon, and various super villains are introduced. Sherlock Frankenstein's look reminds me of Mr. Freeze from Batman: The Animated Series if he lived in Victorian times. Part zombie, part mad scientist, Sherlock Frankenstein proved to be an interesting antagonist, for what little screen time he actually had.
I didn't know what to think of David Rubin's art at first but I wound up liking it quite a bit, far from typical super hero art. It was cartoony and had a retro-horror vibe at times.
Much like Kurt Busiek has done with Astro City, Jeff Lemire mines the human side of a world of superheroes for some interesting stories. Four out of five stars.
I was wondering how Lucy eventually showed up on The Farm and this goes part of the way toward explaining it. Lucy goes tracking down her father's enemies in an effort to figure out if he survived the battle with the Anti-God. Her trail leaders her to super villains like Cthu-Lou and the Metal Minotaur before finally meeting Sherlock Frankenstein. It was pretty cool.
The background of Spiral City is further fleshed out as Lucy plays detective. Analogues of The Shadow, Doc Savage, and Tarzan are touched upon, and various super villains are introduced. Sherlock Frankenstein's look reminds me of Mr. Freeze from Batman: The Animated Series if he lived in Victorian times. Part zombie, part mad scientist, Sherlock Frankenstein proved to be an interesting antagonist, for what little screen time he actually had.
I didn't know what to think of David Rubin's art at first but I wound up liking it quite a bit, far from typical super hero art. It was cartoony and had a retro-horror vibe at times.
Much like Kurt Busiek has done with Astro City, Jeff Lemire mines the human side of a world of superheroes for some interesting stories. Four out of five stars.
dogfood's review
3.0
Sherlock Frankenstein ist der erste Ableger aus dem Black Hammer-Universum, abseits der Hauptstory gewesen. Autor Lemire kümmert sich in diesen vier Heften um die Entstehungsgeschichte des profiliertesten Superschurken von Spiral City.
Auch wenn Lemire rund um Frankenstein einige Subtilitäten einstreut, kommt die Charakterzeichnung nicht an die Qualität von Black Hammer dran. Zu bekannt und zu berechenbar sind die Versatzstück, die Lemire verwendet, um Sherlock Frankenstein als Collage zusammenzusetzen. Abseits von Frankenstein, sind alle anderen Figuren sogar noch platter. Das gilt auch für Lucy Weber, die hier als Handlungsträger für den roten Faden sorgt, aber nur ein blasser Abklatsch bleibt.
David Rubin schlägt sich zwar als Zeichner besser als bei seinem furchtbaren Colonel Weird-Intermezzo in der Hauptserie. Aber auch bei ihm gilt: wenig Subtilität in den Charakteren. Und dieser Hauch von Steampunk, der rund um die Genesis von Frankenstein liegt, kommt in seinem Zeichenstil nicht gut rüber.
Wer will, kann sich also das Geld sparen und nach der Entstehungsgeschichte von Sherlock Frankenstein googlen – er verpasst mit diesem Band nichts Essentielles.
Auch wenn Lemire rund um Frankenstein einige Subtilitäten einstreut, kommt die Charakterzeichnung nicht an die Qualität von Black Hammer dran. Zu bekannt und zu berechenbar sind die Versatzstück, die Lemire verwendet, um Sherlock Frankenstein als Collage zusammenzusetzen. Abseits von Frankenstein, sind alle anderen Figuren sogar noch platter. Das gilt auch für Lucy Weber, die hier als Handlungsträger für den roten Faden sorgt, aber nur ein blasser Abklatsch bleibt.
David Rubin schlägt sich zwar als Zeichner besser als bei seinem furchtbaren Colonel Weird-Intermezzo in der Hauptserie. Aber auch bei ihm gilt: wenig Subtilität in den Charakteren. Und dieser Hauch von Steampunk, der rund um die Genesis von Frankenstein liegt, kommt in seinem Zeichenstil nicht gut rüber.
Wer will, kann sich also das Geld sparen und nach der Entstehungsgeschichte von Sherlock Frankenstein googlen – er verpasst mit diesem Band nichts Essentielles.
scarcella_josh's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
tuufa's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
nafiza's review
4.0
An earth changing event known as the cataclysm, a daughter searching for the truth behind her father's disappearance, a world where superheros and villains are commonplace. It's a classic comic setup but told with a heart that I've rarely seen. A stubbornly strong black female lead jumping down the rabbit hole as she tracks down the last baddie that saw her father alive. What's not to love? The plot is simple but not boring or condescending. Art style in Sherlock Frankenstein is quality without the over polished look of the DC/Marvel tradition and features crisp coloring, wonderful shade complements. I''m not a big superhero person with my comics. I prefer darker themes, slice of life, drama....but Lemire really pulled me in with this one.
joshgauthier's review against another edition
4.0
While the story of Sherlock Frankenstein does supplement and expand the world of Black Hammer, it is also a fully developed story on its own--though familiarity with Black Hammer does benefit the reading.
I wasn't always as big a fan of the artwork this time around--though there are some excellent stylistic choices, and the change in style does fit the shift in focus. Mostly though, I enjoyed the opportunity to see more of Lemire's growing Spiral City universe. He blends classic superhero tropes with a little grittiness and a flair for the comically absurd--and the result is a world that feels both familiar and fresh in equal measure.
And within all the flash and drama of a complex world of heroes and villains, Lemire continues to display his ability to convey rich emotion and sincere, flawed, dynamic characters. "Sherlock Frankenstein" provides a look into a new part of Black Hammer's world, and I was not disappointed by what I found there.
I wasn't always as big a fan of the artwork this time around--though there are some excellent stylistic choices, and the change in style does fit the shift in focus. Mostly though, I enjoyed the opportunity to see more of Lemire's growing Spiral City universe. He blends classic superhero tropes with a little grittiness and a flair for the comically absurd--and the result is a world that feels both familiar and fresh in equal measure.
And within all the flash and drama of a complex world of heroes and villains, Lemire continues to display his ability to convey rich emotion and sincere, flawed, dynamic characters. "Sherlock Frankenstein" provides a look into a new part of Black Hammer's world, and I was not disappointed by what I found there.