Scan barcode
tophat8855's review
5.0
Again, I really like the Black Hammer universe. I’ve been reading them in order, but this was bumped up to the front since it was a free borrow on Hoopla. Barbalien is a great character and it’s good to have good queer superheroes (him and Dr. Day at the hospital). This takes place in a fictional city during the 80s AIDS crisis, before antivirals were able to make HIV undetectable and untransmittable, at least for people who have access to the medications. So yeah, content warning for AIDS crisis- how people with HIV have been and currently are treated is reprehensible and damns us as a society.
brandonadaniels's review
4.0
A solid superhero book that tackles the aids crisis about as deftly as a superhero book can. It’s a little clunky in the beginning and a little rushed in the end, but the emotional core is strong and comes across as quite sincere. The art team is great as always, but they do feel like they may have been miscast.
hellocookie's review
5.0
One of the most important books on shelves right now. This tells such a vital and REAL story, hidden within a superhero comic book. Tate Brombal writes with such an incredible passion and fierceness that comes through in every single panel on the page. Gabriel Walta and Jordie Bellaire are the DREAM TEAM with their art and colours. I stopped regularly just to take in all the subtleties of their work that brings Brombal's story to life on the page. And Aditya Bidikar's lettering is brilliant - from the alien language to the every day dialogue and bright word pops of Dr. Day and the Sunlight Sisters. Everyone poured their heart and soul into this story and you can tell.
This book is perfect in every way and it is a MUST read.
This book is perfect in every way and it is a MUST read.
cristinao's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
s4peace's review
4.0
Very interesting story based in the 80s during the aids crisis. There are so many heartbreaking parallels between the martians struggle and the homophobia that perpetrated through the aids epidemic. Superpowers are a metaphor for the frustration one feels of not being able to deal with the oppression and discrimination the world shoves at you. It's easier to blast a laser beam at a biggot than to live in a world where the bigot has power and gets to decide the world you live in.
Very raw and emotional depiction. Good read!
Very raw and emotional depiction. Good read!
captaincymru's review
adventurous
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
haddocks_eyes's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
gsroney's review
5.0
Riffing on Martian Manhunter's mythology by having him explore his identity and sexuality during the height of the AIDS epidemic? This was honestly really perfect.
myqz's review
4.0
Really happy to see Barbalien’s story fleshed out. Examining lgbtq identity and gay liberation through an alien perspective is a tightrope walk, but one that Brombal and Lemire pull off with grace. Some issues with pacing and editing that didn’t quite make this a clean read for me, but there’s a lot of power, beauty, and pain in the story (Barbie’s “you act as if anger cannot be just” in the face of his oppressor gave me chills). Special book, and I look forward to reading more from Brombal.