I always strive to read something new during the start of a new year, and this week, I'm dipping my toes in a series that I've always been curious about. THE THEME: For this edition of Five Comics, I'm reading titles set in the world of Black Hammer, an acclaimed superhero series written by Jeff Lemire and published by Dark Horse. I've heard a lot of high praise for this comic, but I don't actually know much about it other than it's a superhero series that also serves as a commentary on the genre as a whole. Hopefully what I have here will help me become more familiar with what Black Hammer has to offer. THE COMICS: ![]() BLACK HAMMER #1 Publisher: Dark Horse Writer: Jeff Lemire Artist: Dean Ormston It's only fitting that I start with the beginning. Ten years ago, the titular Black Hammer and six other heroes saved Spiral City from the Anti-God. They were all presumed to have died in the process, but as it turns out, the heroes were sent to a different dimension. A decade later, Black Hammer is dead, but the remaining heroes have made a life for themselves on a farm in this new place. Some are making do with the life they have, while others still want to go back home. ![]() SHERLOCK FRANKENSTEIN AND THE LEGION OF EVIL #1 Publisher: Dark Horse Writer: Jeff Lemire Artist: David Rubin Investigative journalist Lucy Weber is the daughter of the hero known as Black Hammer, and she has a gut feeling that the heroes that defeated the Anti-God didn't just die. Lucy decides to seek out Sherlock Frankenstein, one of the greatest villains of Spiral City, in hopes of finding answers, which takes her to Spiral Asylum. There, she questions some of the villainous inmates and learns some potentially shocking revelations. ![]() DOCTOR STAR AND THE KINGDOM OF LOST TOMORROWS #1 Publisher: Dark Horse Writer: Jeff Lemire Artist: Max Fiumara This comic focuses on the titular Doctor Star, a scientist who became a superhero in the '40s after the US government sanctioned him to research the mysterious Para-Zone to develop weapons. Instead, he finds himself empowered and becomes part of the Liberty Squadron, but it comes at the cost of his family. ![]() THE QUANTUM AGE #1 Publisher: Dark Horse Writer: Jeff Lemire Artist: Wilfredo Torres We go to the far future of Spiral City in this one, as a fugitive Martian journeys to Earth in a desperate attempt to find forgotten heroes. 25 years prior, the Quantum League (a superhero team inspired by Black Hammer and other heroes of old) tried to stop a Martian invasion, but it came at a heavy cost. Our runaway Martian was one of a few opposed to the invasion, and he believes that the Quantum League is the only hope at stopping the President of Earth's plans of exterminating alien species. ![]() BLACK HAMMER '45 #1 Publisher: Dark Horse Writers: Jeff Lemire, Ray Fawkes Artist: Matt Kindt Now, we go back in time with this comic, as we learn about the Black Hammer Squadron. This elite team of pilots were heroes of World War II, taking down Nazis and their numerous attempts at harnessing otherworldly forces. We get the start of the tale of the squadron's final mission, and based on the setup, it seems like it didn't end happily. My selection today may not be enough for me to get the whole picture, but what little I've read here has me quite intrigued to read more of Black Hammer. I immediately want to know more about the whole mystery of what happened to the team who were spirited away to the farm, and I'm quite curious as to how the story progresses (especially if anyone actually finds out the truth). I'm also interested to see how much of the ten years are covered in the story, because that's a lot of time for character development to happen. I also liked how there are a number of spinoff titles that expand the universe's timeline, both exploring the "Golden Age" of heroes back in the '40s, as well as a Legion of Superheroes-equivalent future. It seems like this series isn't shy about world-building, and that's something I can always get behind. PANEL OF THE WEEK: - end -
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