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tophat8855's review against another edition
5.0
I really liked this and would really like to keep reading this series. Solid comic book style with a group of random super heroes, which is what we all love.
albertico66's review against another edition
5.0
Love this book --- Essex County meets Silver Age superheroes. Jeff Lemire's writing is just so fluid, and the character interactions are just lovely to read. Dean Ormston's art is perfect for the story --- reminds me of Frank Quitely.
unladylike's review against another edition
3.0
This wasn't quite as amazing as some of the hype would have you believe, but it was pretty good. Definitely along the lines of Watchmen in a few regards, but with Jeff Lemire's countryside writing style oriented around relationships and solitude. Like Watchmen, Black Hammer begins not with an origin story, but after the fall of a group of superheroes. The heroes are mostly direct facsimiles of certain DC characters (this book is published by Dark Horse): the most interesting so far being Mark Markz, a Martian shapeshifter obviously modeled after J'onn J'onnz, but this one is a closeted gay man as well, and doesn't seem to have the telepathy powers of Martian Manhunter; a 55-year-old trapped in the body of a 10-year-old girl who formerly had an origin and power set based on Shazam (fka the original Captain Marvel and family); and a witch called Madame Butterfly whose style and nature is based on the early horror comics by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson (which means there's a Swamp Thing character ripoff included! yay!). The patriarch of this odd "family" of heroes might be based more on an old wartime soldier comic - a predecessor of the superpowered Steve Roger types who started frail but pumped iron a lot to serve his country. He fits in the best with Lemire's debut graphic novel, Essex County, which was created not long before Lemire started conceiving this story. Then there's a somewhat disembodied astronaut whose mind is skipping throughout time and space via a limbo dimension, and a robot called Talky Walky who so far hasn't really provided anything but minor comic relief.
The pacing and focus of each issue in this first volume is superb, but it should be noted that the titular Black Hammer character is almost nowhere to be seen in the whole book. The "Black" in his name refers not to the color of his hammer but of his skin, leading me to believe he's somewhat an homage to John "Steel" Henry (one of the four guys that replaced Superman when he died in '92), as well as the earliest examples of black superheroes, most of whom were straight up given names starting with Black. In this story, he and his family seem to be the only people of color in existence, and yet he only gets a couple of panels and lines in the book, and they're not good ones. Having started in on the second volume already, I have some faith that his late introduction proper has a reason and his story will be revealed in due time.
I'm not such a big fan of the art, but the coloring and similarity to Jeff Lemire's own illustration style seem to save it somewhat.
The pacing and focus of each issue in this first volume is superb, but it should be noted that the titular Black Hammer character is almost nowhere to be seen in the whole book. The "Black" in his name refers not to the color of his hammer but of his skin, leading me to believe he's somewhat an homage to John "Steel" Henry (one of the four guys that replaced Superman when he died in '92), as well as the earliest examples of black superheroes, most of whom were straight up given names starting with Black. In this story, he and his family seem to be the only people of color in existence, and yet he only gets a couple of panels and lines in the book, and they're not good ones. Having started in on the second volume already, I have some faith that his late introduction proper has a reason and his story will be revealed in due time.
I'm not such a big fan of the art, but the coloring and similarity to Jeff Lemire's own illustration style seem to save it somewhat.
joelmk's review against another edition
Decided to re-read this volume. Still holds up the second time around.
erincataldi's review against another edition
4.0
This was similar to Watchmen in that it's not about superpowers and superheroes, it'a about the people behind the mask. It's set up very well and it's no trouble to follow the story line with all the flashbacks and dialogue. The illustrations are amazing and the characters are bad ass. I really can't wait to see where this series goes and I'll definitely be keeping up with it. The premise is a bunch of superheroes have been stuck on a farm in this small town unable to leave. They keep their powers hidden from the townsfolk, but after 10 years it's wearing them all down. Their trying to escape, but even if they can, what is left for them out there? All around awesome!
cwebb's review against another edition
4.0
Hm, okay, it wasn't bad, but it's not quite at the level that I had hoped for after looking at some of the reviews. I do see potential for the series to really take off, though, so I'm definitely looking forward to #2.
ryan_oneil's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting take on superheroes from someone who has written a lot of really good superhero stories for DC.
It's a mostly sad story about heroes living in small farm town they can't leave. Most of the characters are just trying to deal with it, one wants desperately to leave, and one actually likes it there. It makes for interesting character dynamics. The characters themselves and their stories are fascinating.
It's a mostly sad story about heroes living in small farm town they can't leave. Most of the characters are just trying to deal with it, one wants desperately to leave, and one actually likes it there. It makes for interesting character dynamics. The characters themselves and their stories are fascinating.
dantastic's review against another edition
4.0
Spiral City's seven greatest heroes disappeared in battle ten years ago and awoke in a small town they couldn't leave. Will they ever find their way back home?
I've been hearing about Black Hammer for the last couple years and finally decided to give it a shot. I wish I would have been on board at the very beginning because this is some good shit.
Basically, analogues of Captain America, Mary Marvel, Martian Manhunter, Adam Strange/Captain Comet, Madame Xanadu, and Robby the Robot from Lost in Space are stranded in a bizarre town and unable to leave. Black Hammer, the Thor analogue of the group, has vanished. When the book begins, they've been stranded for ten years.
This omnibus introduces the heroes and their plight. Abraham Slam, the Captain America analogue, spends his days working on the farm and pining over Tammy Trueheart, the waitress at the local diner. Golden Gail is a seventy year old in the body of a super powered nine year old girl. Barbalien struggles with being an alien outsider and also being gay. Madam Dragonfly keeps herself apart from the rest of the family at her mysterious cabin. Talky-Walky, the robot, resents being the housekeeper and will probably snap sometime in the future. And Colonel Weird spends most of his time muttering and going in and out of the para-zone, the bizarre space between dimensions.
Most of the characters have origin stories in this volume. Much like [b:Astro City, Vol. 1: Life in the Big City|72111|Astro City, Vol. 1 Life in the Big City|Kurt Busiek|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1468008741s/72111.jpg|97133], there's a tremendous sense of history to the universe Lemire has created, like there's a stack of old Black Hammer comics in a musty basement someplace I've never read.
Dean Ormston's art has a moody, gloomy feel, perfect for a book depicting super heroes trapped in a town they can't escape. The town's origin is hinted at and possible salvation arrives only to have its legs cut out from under it.
Black Hammer: Secret Origins has whet my whistle for the rest of the series. If you're into super hero stories that are more than guys in spandex punching each other, give it a read. Four out of five stars.
I've been hearing about Black Hammer for the last couple years and finally decided to give it a shot. I wish I would have been on board at the very beginning because this is some good shit.
Basically, analogues of Captain America, Mary Marvel, Martian Manhunter, Adam Strange/Captain Comet, Madame Xanadu, and Robby the Robot from Lost in Space are stranded in a bizarre town and unable to leave. Black Hammer, the Thor analogue of the group, has vanished. When the book begins, they've been stranded for ten years.
This omnibus introduces the heroes and their plight. Abraham Slam, the Captain America analogue, spends his days working on the farm and pining over Tammy Trueheart, the waitress at the local diner. Golden Gail is a seventy year old in the body of a super powered nine year old girl. Barbalien struggles with being an alien outsider and also being gay. Madam Dragonfly keeps herself apart from the rest of the family at her mysterious cabin. Talky-Walky, the robot, resents being the housekeeper and will probably snap sometime in the future. And Colonel Weird spends most of his time muttering and going in and out of the para-zone, the bizarre space between dimensions.
Most of the characters have origin stories in this volume. Much like [b:Astro City, Vol. 1: Life in the Big City|72111|Astro City, Vol. 1 Life in the Big City|Kurt Busiek|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1468008741s/72111.jpg|97133], there's a tremendous sense of history to the universe Lemire has created, like there's a stack of old Black Hammer comics in a musty basement someplace I've never read.
Dean Ormston's art has a moody, gloomy feel, perfect for a book depicting super heroes trapped in a town they can't escape. The town's origin is hinted at and possible salvation arrives only to have its legs cut out from under it.
Black Hammer: Secret Origins has whet my whistle for the rest of the series. If you're into super hero stories that are more than guys in spandex punching each other, give it a read. Four out of five stars.