[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Artist: Stefano Simeone

Colours: Stefano Simeone

Letters: Nate Piekos

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Reviewed By: Derek McNeil

Summary

The Last Days of Black Hammer: The Last Days of Black Hammer details the heroics of Joe Weber–the original hero known as Black Hammer–at the height of his power, along with the rest of the main Black Hammer heroes like Golden Gail, Abraham Slam, and Barbalien in the final days leading up their cataclysmic battle with the cosmic villain Anti-God and their imprisonment on the limbo farm!

Positives

When Black Hammer and his allies fought the cosmic villain Anti-God, this event, known as the Cataclysm, sparked the events of the Jeff Lemire’s Black Hammer series. The Cataclysm’s effect were also felt in many of Lemire’s sequel and spin-off series. Thus, we have seen this defining event referenced and retold from various viewpoints. Now Lemire finally presents the Cataclysm and the events leading up to it in detail.

Unlike Lemire’s previous Black Hammer projects, The Last Days of Black Hammer wasn’t released in print as individual issues. Rather, it first appeared on his Substack, and this trade collection is its first print release. Although I’m not opposed to paying for a subscription to his Substack, I am happy for the opportunity to add a physical copy to my collection of Black Hammer collected editions.

Lemire uses an interesting conceit for the chapters of this book. While the collection is titled as The Last Days of Black Hammer, each chapter is presented as the final four issues (#234 to #237) of a fictional Black Hammer comic starring  Joe Weber, the original Black Hammer. These issues are ostensibly from 1986, complete with the Dark Horse Comics logo of the era. Oddly enough, if these issues really existed in 1986, they would have been among the publisher’s first offerings, giving that Dark Horse was founded that same year.

The first chapter starts with the heroes defeating an alien invasion. However, during the Battle, Joe sees a vision of his dead body floating in the Para-Zone. Later in the issue, Colonel Weird takes Joe on a visit to the Para-Zone, confirming this as his fate. This raises the question of whether or not one can avoid their fate. Sadly, it isn’t possible in this case. For us readers of the previous Black Hammer books, Joe’s death has already happened. His death is predestined to happen as shown here.

Positives Cont.

Following the alien invasion, Abraham Slam and Golden Gail retire. Joe decides to follow their example, hoping to avoid his fate as well as to spend more time with his family. But Starlok, the cosmic being who gave Joe his powers, refuses to accept Joe’s resignation, declaring that it’s his inescapable destiny. However, Joe refuses to obey and fights his destiny by giving his hammer and the name of Black Hammer to a successor.

It’s been well-established in the main Black Hammer series and in Colonel Weird: Cosmagog that Randall weird does not experience time in a linear fashion. He flits back and forth among various points in his timeline. And he is cursed with seeing the entire picture of how events must play out. This leaves him frequently confused about which point in time he is in, and explains his tenuous grasp on sanity.

But it’s also a very useful plot device. He knows what events lay ahead, and Lemire can use him to drop hint or to give the other heroes the right information at exactly the right moment. b]But also makes him unreliable enough to keep the others from interrogating him about the future.

And Randall Weird fulfills that role perfectly in this story. He gives Joe enough knowledge about his fate, which influences his decisions. But he leaves out much detail that won’t become relevant until the future events in the main Black Hammer titles. And he also informs Joe of the impending threat of Anti-God. And finally, he returns to warn Joe when Anti-God’s attack is imminent.

Positives Cont.

We also get to see the classic story of gathering a team back together for one last hurrah. Even though Joe tries to be optimistic that they will survive the fight with Anti-God, there is a feeling of finality to the story. Abraham Slam even states, “Well there’s no one I’d rather go out with you guys”. And we the readers know how it will turn out.

I also liked seeing the brief appearance of the Unbelievable Unteens and the Golden Family. While it’s just a cameo, it’s a nice reference to the Lemire’s wider universe. And seeing other heroes in the fray marks the Cataclysm as a truly major event in that universe.

Also, Golden Gail is probably my favourite character in the Black Hammer comics. And I loved seeing her take the classic role of the hero that refuses to take part in the battle, only to surprise the others by showing up just in time to take part in the finale. It’s a classic trope, but it fits this story perfectly, and Gail is beautifully suited to fill this role.

I also find it intriguing to consider how this story would appear if I actually had read it back in 1986 with no knowledge of the main series which began in 2016.. The ending appears to show the death of the main seven heroes. And with no follow-up coming afterwards, it truly would have seemed to be the end of their story.

Positives Cont.

And it would take Colonel Weird’s mysterious remark to Madame Dragonfly over three decades to make sense. He tells Dragonfly, “You and I… we have some preparations to make”. Those plans are revealed in Black Hammer: Age of Doom #5 in 2018. Black Hammers readers should immediately recognize the significance of this remark, but if we had read The Last Days of Black Hammer in 1986, that would have been an amazing bit of foreshadowing. Looking at the story this way, I feel that Lemire’s choice to present the story as old back issues to be a stroke of genius.

This collection, like many of the other Black Hammer collections, includes an Aritist’s Sketchbook feature. In this feature, Stefano Simeone shows the evolution of certain pages of the story from original sketches to the final page. He also gives some insight to some of his artistic choices for those scenes. Personally, I am not terribly knowledgeable with artistic theory. So, I find it very informative for the artist to explain these things for me.

Lemire has worked with a number talented artists on previous Black Hammer books, each with their own unique styles. And Simeone’s art can stand proudly among the fine work of his predecessors. I will definitely make a point of checking out other projects he has worked on.

Negatives

I have no complaints at all about this story. It fits perfectly into the canon that Lemire has established in his other Black Hammer titles. And Simeone’s art is the perfect choice for Lemire’s story. In fact the only complaint I can think of that anyone might have is that they may have trouble seeing the point of a story where we already know how it will end.

This is a common complain with prequels, where the ending is preordained before the story even begins. However, finding out how the story ends is not the point of a story like this. The point is to fill in the details of the events leading up to that ending. We may already know what lays ahead for these heroes. But what we learn about the final days of Joe Weber’s life gives added poignancy to his death.

Joe is mostly absent from the main Black Hammer titles. We mostly hear the others talk about him or see him in flashbacks. But in The Last Days of Black Hammer, we get a better sense of the man he was. And thus we can better understand the loss that the others feel after his death.

Verdict

Jeff Lemire’s The Last Days of Black Hammer is yet another triumph in his series of titles set in the Black Hammer universe. After this many titles, you might expect the quality to slip occasionally, but Lemire consistently maintains a level of excellence that marks these stories as something unique in the world of comics. And he always finds the perfect artist to bring his stories to life, which he has done again with Stefano Simeone. I can hardly wait for the next new World of Black Hammer story, Colonel Weird and Little Andromeda.

The post Review: The Last Days Of Black Hammer appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Alexander M. Freed

Artist: Martin Tunica

Colors: Michael Atiyeh

Letters: Jimmy Betancourt

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Reviewed By: Derek McNeil

Summary

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Forgotten Myths #2: As the fire giants of Muspelheim rumble about war, Baldr and Loki brave immense peril and adventure to seek out rare items to gift the Muspel princess, Eysa. If Baldr can win her heart, perhaps there can be peace amongst the nine realms once more.

Positives

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Forgotten Myths #2 begins with Baldr attempting to enter Muspelheim in his quest to woo Eysa, the daughter of the fire demon Surtr. Baldr refused entry to Muspelheim, as he has been multiple times before. But Baldr decides to try again, but this time, he will bring a gift that cannot be turned away: a crown designed by dwarves with unmeltable ice as jewels.

Loki is generally seen as a villain, however his portrayal in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla implies that he’s a more complex character than his usual portrayal. In this series, we see that Baldr’s presence seems to bring out the better side of Loki. Loki risks his own life to assist and defend Baldr, when he could have easily left him to his own devices. It appears as if Loki actually has some affection for his nephew.

Baldr also challenges convinces Loki to win the assistance of the dwarves without lying. Loki recognizes this as an appeal to his vanity, but chooses to rise to the challenge anyway. Clearly, the heroic Baldr is exerting a good influence on the trickster god.

It’s not enough to overcome Loki’s worst nature entirely, and there’s a hint of this when Baldr reveals to Loki the secret that his sole weakness is the poison in mistle-berry (i.e. the berry of a mistletoe plant). Anyone with even a vague familiarity with Norse myth should already know what Loki will do with that information.

Also, when the crown is completed, Loki is charged with delivering the gift ahead of Baldr’s approach to Muspelheim. However, Loki instead throws the crown into lava. Then laughs at his own actions.

Positives Cont.

It seems to me that Loki, as a trickster god embodies chaos. He’s not really good or evil, but he is capable of doing right or wrong actions as the whim takes him. I think he does love his nephew, but he loves stirring up trouble more. He may be an invaluable aid at times, but relying on this invites disaster. And it appears that such a disaster is about to hit Baldr.

We do get another interlude that again shows the main story being told to a group of Vikings. However, this time it’s a different person telling the story. The storyteller appears to be the adult version of the child who had been listening to the story last issue. I like how this demonstrates the story being passed on through the generations. The children of one generation grow up and retell the story to the next generation.

Also, the child is now clearly a woman, which I believe supports my guess that the child was Eivor, the protagonist of the videogame. While the main story is clearly setting up the videogame’s Dawn of Ragnarok DLC, it’s nice to see a nod towards the game’s main story as well.

I also found it interesting that one listener states they heard another version of the story where the gift was a necklace rather than a crown. This listener is transcribing the story and wants to get the details right. However, the gift is what we would nowadays call a MacGuffin. It has no intrinsic importance. Its only importance is in how it advances the story. Such details can change without affecting the underlying story. Or as Eivor puts it, “This is greater than history, monk — Not all stories are true or lies”.

I really am enjoying Martin Tunica’s artwork on this story. The art style is well suited to story’s mythological nature. There is a sense of grandeur to the story, but it also feels slightly unreal. And this fits in with the idea that this myth is neither true nor a lie.

Negatives

I can’t really find any fault with the story Freed and Tunica are giving us. It adds to the game’s story in a meaningful way. This is difficult to do, considering that the game’s story is designed to be comprehensible whether or not you read this tie-in. Even though this story isn’t essential, Freed manages to add extra depth to the overall narrative with it.

Verdict

If you enjoyed playing Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Dawn of Ragnarok expansion, this Forgotten Myths is a great addition to that story. But it is quite an enjoyable excursion into Norse mythology in its own right. So, even if you haven’t played the game, it’s still well worth checking out.

The post Indie Comics Review: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Forgotten Myths #2 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Artist: Caitlin Yarsky

Colors: Dave Stewart

Letters: Nate Piekos of Blambot

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Reviewed By: Derek McNeil

Summary

Black Hammer Reborn #11: Black Hammer’s family finds themselves trapped in bizarre limbo land in which they meet some familiar faces from the skies of Spiral City.

Positives

Black Hammer Reborn #11 opens with a flashback to issue #4, where Colonel Weird apparently killed Lucy Weber’s family. This cuts to her husband and daughter emerging from a portal. They head for the nearby town of Rockwood, where they meet Abraham Slam. It turns out that Weird has actually sent them to the world in which the heroes of the original Black Hammer series now exist. Abe tells them:

This time it’s real. Dragonfly used all of her power to make Rockwood real and populated it with the people we know. She gave us a real home

Unsurprisingly, Abe is not exactly happy about their arrival. He likely anticipates that their presence might complicate their new, contented lives. Or perhaps even might end up with them having to return to their old lives. Abe also asks them not to do anything to break the illusion for Golden Gail or Sherlock Frankenstein, who do not remember their previous lives.

Positives Cont.

Both Gail and Sherlock are shown to still be nine-year-olds, just as they had been at the end of Black Hammer: Age of Doom. That raises some interesting questions about their existence in this world. Twenty years have passed in Spiral City since then, so why hasn’t any time passed here. Or perhaps it has, but Dragonfly has made it so that the heroes aren’t aging on this world. If so, is this Rockwood set up so that no one ages or changes as well?

If Abe if Abe wasn’t upset enough about Elliot and Rose’s arrival, things get even worse when Joe arrives. Especially because Inspector Insector arrives. And it’s at that exact moment that the police also arrive. While he may be able to explain Lucy’s family, a humanoid insect is another matter. And will Abe be able to keep Insector hidden from Gail and Sherlock?

It’s great to see Lucy’s family alive and reunited with each other. It makes me wonder where Lucy’s eventual reunion with them will occur. Will they return to Spiral City, or will Lucy come to them? Perhaps all the heroes will be returning to Spiral City to participate in the upcoming Black Hammer: The End series. Or perhaps Lucy and family will settle down in this version of Rockwood after the current threat is dealt with.

Negatives

I do have a slight grievance about the image on the cover by Caitlyn Yarsky. It’s a great-looking cover featuring young Sherlock and Gail. However, they are shown getting ready to launch a poor cat from a catapult. Luckily, this does not happen in the actual story.  But between this and the image of Joe Weber using his inherited electrical powers on another cat, I have to wonder if either Lemire or Yarsky has something against felines. Let’s not make animal cruelty a recurring theme here.

Verdict

Lemire’s Black Hammer books never disappoint, and Black Hammer Reborn #11 no exception. I look forward to seeing how this series wraps up next issue, as it sets the stage for Black Hammer: The End.

The post Indie Comics Review: Black Hammer Reborn #11 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Story and Words: Neil Gaiman

Script and Layouts: P. Craig Russell

Art and Colors: David Rubín

Letters: Galen Showman

Reviewed by: Seth Singleton

Summary

Norse Mythology III #1 invites the reader to discover the vast realm of the Aesir and Norse gods. It turns out there are many beings and places waiting to be explored.

Positives — Quest For A Cauldron

To begin, there is a giant of the seas at the edge of the oceans. His name is Aegir. He has a great hall and one day Thor and his companions arrive. They appear as guests and they are welcomed. However, their host does not have enough beer to share with them. Instead, Aegir asks them to bring him a cauldron big enough to brew enough beer for all of them.

This leads to Thor and Tyr embarking on a mission. Tyr has a stepfather named Hymir. Tyr and Thor take Thor’s chariot to visit Tyr’s mother and Hymir to ask to borrow his stepfather‘s cauldron. Thor and Tyr are greeted by Hymir’s mother who has many faces, and then they greet Ty’rs mother. Then she tells them to hide because her husband will be home soon. They must wait while she soothers her husband‘s anger. Once he is calm, she shows Hymir where Tyr and his friend are hiding.

Thor is introduced as a Veor by Tyr. This is because Thor is known for killing giants, and as a giant, Hymir does not take kindly to this. Neil Gaiman continues to bring lighthearted mirth to the stories of the Norse gods. And his hand stays stayed Chronicles would be a tad roll. Likewise, the art is wonderfully drawn, colored, and eight. The words are vibrant thanks to lettering that makes them come to life and gives them a voice.

Positives — Thor’s Hijinks

Thor loves his hijinks. Hymir loves his cattle. He calls them his babies. Then his mother skins them and cooks them. Thor eats two by himself and Hymir is beside himself. Then Thor agrees to go fishing with Hymir even though Thor does not know how to fish.

Maybe that is why Thor appears to “misunderstand” when Hymir tells him to get some bait where the cattle graze. Instead of choosing worms from the dung on the ground, Thor beheads a cow and then has to swim to catch up to Hymir’s boat. But it doesn’t stop there.

Thor proceeds to hook the Midgard Serpent. Hymir begs Thor to release the line. But stubborn Thor refuses to let go. Of course, what happens next is a secret until you read the issue.

Negatives

Not in this review.

Verdict

Neil Gaiman’s brilliant and reverent retelling of the vast collection of timeless Norse stories continues unabated. P. Craig Russell’s scripting lays out the stories with thoughtful craftsmanship. David Rubín and Colleen Doran’s art and colors are bold and vibrant and Galen Showman’s letters showcase the layered mirth of the narrator and the dialogue of the characters.

There simply is no better way to experience the foundation of Norse Mythology. Put them on a shelf and they will be a wonderful memory. Read them often and they will take on a second life in your imagination.

The post Indie Comics Review: Norse Mythology III #1 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Artist: Caitlyn Yarsky

Colors: Dave Stewart

Letters: Nate Piekos of Blambot

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Reviewed By: Derek McNeil

Summary

Black Hammer Reborn #10: Lucy Weber has been searching for her father for years, and when he finally appears at her door, he turns out to be from an evil dimension–will she take his Faustian offer to be a family again or face off to prove there can only be one Black Hammer?!

Positives

At the end of the last issue, the alternate universe version of the original Black Hammer made Lucy an offer – he would reunite her with her family, but in exchange, Lucy had to join forces with him. Now, in Black Hammer Reborn #10, we find that Lucy finds herself unable to turn down this chance to recover her family. However, it doesn’t take her long to realize she’s made the wrong decision.

The pair go to Lucy’s mother. However, Lorraine does not give her husband’s doppelganger the warm reaction he expects. She declares, “You are nothing like my Joe… Your eyes are dead”, and she implores her daughter to accept that her family is dead and that this ersatz Black Hammer can reunite her with them.

Then Joe tells her “She isn’t the one… There will be others. We just need to keep looking”. This is when Lucy realizes that he sees people as replaceable objects. If one dies or doesn’t meet with his approval, he can just find another version in another parallel universe. And I’m sure Lucy realizes that he doesn’t intend on finding Lucy’s actual husband and children, but rather another version of them from another universe.

Even worse, it appears that Lucy isn’t the first Lucy Weber that this version of Joe has attempted to win over, but none of the other Lucys accepted his offer either. I like that her incorruptibility seems to be a constant throughout the multiverse. The only reason she considered this evil Joe Weber’s offer was her concern for her family.

Positives Cont.

Speaking of which, it appears that Lorraine was wrong about their being dead. Well, we knew her son was still alive from the Inspector Insector backup story in previous issues. That story ended with the Inspector and the younger Joe Weber jumping into a portal. Now in Black Hammer Reborn #10, we see them emerge from the other side.

They find themselves on a country road, but a pickup truck quickly arrives with Joe’s sister and father. While this is something of a surprising reunion, the real surprise is the other person in the truck: Abraham Slam. Apparently, when Joe was transported to Limbo-Land by Colonel Weird, the rest of his family was sent to the Black Hammer farm.

This raises a number of questions. Did Weird intentionally send them to the farm? If so, for what reason? Why did Joe end up in Limbo-Land? Now that reality has intruded in the lives of the heroes on the farm, will this end their lives there and return them to Spiral City?

With the barrier between universes collapsing and the hints that Anti-God might soon return, it’s almost certain that Lemire’s planning something big for the final two issues.

Negatives

I deliberately qualified that last sentence with the word “almost”. It’s quite possible that rather than giving this story a definitive conclusion, Lemire will give us an ending that sets his upcoming Black Hammer: The End series. Thus, the truly major events hinted at in this series might not be realized until that series materializes. We don’t know when that is exactly. Later this year? Next year?

However, I have faith that whether this series will conclusively finish off this story or is set up for the next, Lemire will give this series a satisfactory ending of some kind. I’m sure that it will be worth however long we have to wait for it, whether it is a continuation of this series or a whole new story.

Verdict

The previous issues have been building up to a major event of cosmic proportions. And as we are heading into the final issues of the Black Hammer Reborn, we will see if Lemire’s Second Cataclysm will live up to the build-up it’s received. I fully expect that it will, as Lemire hasn’t disappointed me yet.

The post Indie Comics Review: Black Hammer Reborn #10 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Artist: Caitlyn Yarsky

Colors: Dave Stewart

Letters: Nate Piekos of Blambot

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Reviewed By: Derek McNeil

Summary

Black Hammer Reborn #9: Things have gotten crazy in Black Hammer! First, a parallel Spiral City collided with the actual one, spawning a multiverse nightmare of heroes and villains from both worlds going to war, and now Lucy Weber picks back up the mantle of Black Hammer and teams up with Skulldigger for answers on how to end the madness.

Positives

After two issues focusing on Colonel Weird, Black Hammer Reborn #9 returns the story’s focus to Lucy Weber and Skulldigger. Having been freed from their cells in Spiral Asylum by Weird, they then free Doc Andromeda. The three then set out to stop Andromeda’s evil doppelganger’s plan to revive Anti-God.

I like that Lemire has made this ersatz Spiral City more than just the moral opposite of the main Spiral City we know from other Black Hammer books. Lemire hasn’t merely flipped every character from evil to good or vice versa. There are also some major differences in some characters’ histories. We’ve previously seen that Skulldigger’s evil doppelganger, Grimdigger, appears to be an amalgamation of Skulldigger and his father Grimjim. And this issue, we learn that it was Lucy and her mother that died in Anti-God’s attack. And that this Earth’s greatest villain, the original Black Hammer survived.

Positives Cont.

This version of Lucy’s father makes an offer to Lucy. He tells Lucy, “All you have to do is join me. Together we can bring back your family”. This is where Lemire chooses to end this chapter, leaving us to wonder if Lucy will accept this deal with the devil to save her family. Will her love for her family cause her to throw in with this alternate world’s villains?

And for that matter, is her family truly dead? We have seen in a series of backup stories that her son survived and had a brief adventure in Limbo Land. Perhaps the others are having similar adventures on some other plane of reality. It would be rather tragic if Lucy accepted the evil Black Hammer’s offer in order to save her family and it turn out to be unnecessary. However, I suspect that Lucy will refuse the offer, even if pains her terribly to do so.

I have to wonder about this world’s Sherlock Frankenstein. The main Spiral City’s Sherlock was a hero that turned evil. But he had recently reformed. His doppelganger is presented as a hero in this story. But could he be about to return to his evil ways? We have seen that there are differences in the worlds’ histories, but is it possible for a character to have the same moral alignment in both universes.

Negatives

Once again, I have no complaints about this issue. I might have been slightly annoyed if Lemire still hadn’t brought us back the main story thread, but the two-issue interlude telling us Colonel Weird’s part in the story was fascinating and relevant to the overall story. So, it wasn’t a pointless digression. But I’m glad to see Lemire brought the story back to Lucy and Skulldigger.

Verdict

Jeff Lemire’s story is leading to something major as Black Hammer Reborn nears the final issue. And clearly, Lucy’s decision will be a major turning point in the story. Lemire is doing a masterful job at building up to the Second Cataclysm. And the wait between issues seems interminable. I am really eager to see where this all is leading.

The post Indie Comics Review: Black Hammer Reborn #9 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Artists: Malachi Ward, Matthew Sheean, Rich Tommaso

Colors: Malachi Ward, Rich Tommaso

Letters: Nate Piekos of Blambot

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Reviewed By: Derek McNeil

Summary

Black Hammer Reborn #8: The madness continues as the bizarre astronaut Colonel Weird and his robot companion Talky-Walky face a second Cataclysm where Black Hammer-world heroes and villains across space and time are thrown together in an all-out brawl!

Featuring a special two-page Inspector Insector backup story by Rich Tommaso!

Positives

Black Hammer Reborn #9 centers around Colonel Weird, and is, therefore, a very trippy reading experience. The Colonel continues to see strange things when looking in the mirror, like an alien version of himself. He also sees a female version that introduces herself as Colonel Rhonda Weird. Even worse he has a vision of Anti-God beginning to awake from his slumber, implying that a Second Cataclysm is imminent.

Weird then finds himself in a space station in the middle of a vast white void. Venturing inside, he finds the Parliament of Weird, a group of multiversal doppelgangers of himself. They tell him that his visions of the Second Cataclysm are true. And they also tell him, “But there must be sacrifices”. Weird agrees to help them, but the scene changes shift, leaving the details of their plan a mystery to us for now.

However, in the next scene, Weird informs Lucy that her family was the sacrifice that had to be made. But that is not the only one. Lucy angrily promises that she will kill Weird, to which he replies, “I know…that too…is the sacrifice”. Colonel Weird has always been shown to be bound by his non-linear experience of time. His every action is pre-determined, much like Doctor Manhattan from Watchmen. Does this mean that he is actually going to die in this series?

Positives Cont.

Much of Jeff Lemire’s Black Hammer books are pastiches of various eras and concepts in comics history. The Second Cataclysm is clearly a tribute to the original Crisis On Infinite Earths. It only makes sense that a superhero universe like Lemire’s would be part of a vaster Multiverse. And of course, it follows that a threat would likely arise to that Multiverse that would instigate a major crossover event.

In the Inspector Insector backup story, the villain Fumi-Gator delivers the captive Joe Weber to his boss, Dr. Zeus. I love that name! Zeus reveals a portal had opened when Joe appeared in Limbo Land. Apparently, Joe is the key to using the portal, and Zeus believes that it is his ticket out of Limbo Land. A final blurb promises that the story is “to be continued in the pages of Black Hammer Reborn #9, implying that Joe’s story will continue in the main story. Hopefully, this means he will be shortly reunited with his mother.

I quite like the artwork of Malachi Ward and Matthew Sheean in this issue. I especially enjoyed the visual references to the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey in Colonel Weird’s otherworldly experiences. And Rich Tommaso’s unique style gave the backup story a lovely Golden-Age comic strip vibe.

Negatives

No complaints here. I have come to have high expectations for any new issue of Black Hammer and Lemire has yet to disappoint.

Verdict

Black Hammer Reborn #8 is another great issue of Jeff Lemire’s stellar series. This intriguing story of parallel Earths is proving to be a high point in the Black Hammer saga. I look forward to seeing how Lemire’s story plays out as this series enters the third and final act.

The post Indie Comics Review: Black Hammer Reborn #8 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Artist: Malachi Ward, Matthew Sheean, Rich Tommaso

Colors: Malachi Ward, Rich Tammaso

Letters: Nate Piekos of Blambot, Rich Tommaso

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Reviewed By: Derek McNeil

Summary

Black Hammer Reborn #7: The mad space-faring adventurer Colonel Weird and his trusty robot companion Talky-Walky have spent months mapping out the bizarre intricacies of the Para-zone only to find themselves trapped in an interdimensional nightmare from which there’s no escape!

Positives

I was a bit surprised by Black Hammer Reborn #7. I had expected that it would pick up where the last issue left off with Black Hammer and Skulldigger in the alternate Spiral City. But instead, Jeff Lemire presents us with an interlude featuring Colonel Weird and Talky-Walky. And while I have been enjoying the Lucy Weber storyline, I was happy to spend an issue with these two characters from the first Black Hammer series.

However, this interlude is not merely a diversion, but ties into the main story. While on their mission to map the Para-Zone, the Colonel is feeling stranger – er – stranger than usual. As he’s telling Talky-Walky about this, they encounter an anomaly.  When he investigates, he finds Doctor Andromeda fighting an evil doppelganger of himself.

The evil Doctor Andromeda reveals to Weird that the Para-Zone is one of an infinite number of Para-Zones. This implies that the Black Hammer universe is part of an infinite multiverse, much like the original DC multiverse. Come to think of it, considering the events of Black Hammer/Justice League: Hammer of Justice, it’s likely that the Black Hammer and DC multiverses are one and the same. Or perhaps the Black Hammer multiverse exists within the wider DC Omniverse.

Positives Cont.

He also has a vision of “the Second Cataclysm”. The first Cataclysm was the standoff against Anti-God and the heroes of the first Black Hammer series. This led to their banishment to the Black Hammer farm, leading into the first series. This vision shows the heroes of Spiral City from various parallel Earths confronting Anti-God. This scene is rather reminiscent of Crisis on Infinite Earths.

In fact, it I would guess that Lemire is using the word “Cataclysm” for his universe very much as DC uses the word “Crisis”. And given this vision and Weirds’s encounter with the sleeping Anti-God, I suspect the Second Cataclysm is imminent.

I was intrigued by some of these alternate versions of the Spiral City heroes. I especially liked the gorilla version of Golden Gail. That character idea definitely has a Silver Age vibe. It would be interesting to see some of these characters explored in more depth later on.

We also get another short chapter of the Inspector Insector backup story. A villain called Fumi-Gator has captured Lucy Weber’s son. The Inspector begins his mission to rescue the boy by visiting a character called Detective Distender. His being a detective with stretching powers is somewhat reminiscent of DC’s Elongated Man. This is quite possibly intentional, considering that many Black Hammer characters are pastiches of DC characters.

Negatives

There’s not really much to complain about. I could complain about Lemire leaving the main story hanging to bring us this interlude story. However, this issue’s story is an integral part of the overall story. And I enjoyed it as much, if not more, than the main storyline.

Also, I think the Inspector Insector backup suffers a bit from being too short. With only two pages, it cuts off just as it gets interesting. It’d be great if this backup had a few more pages to work with. But otherwise, I’m quite enjoying this rather strange side story.

Verdict

Black Hammer Reborn #9 is another great chapter in Lemire’s saga that sets the stage for a truly epic conclusion to this story as the Second Cataclysm approaches. I look forward to seeing how this Crisis-like event will play out.

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[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Story and Words: Neil Gaiman

Script and Layouts: P. Craig Russell

Art and Colors: Matt Horak

Letters: Galen Showman

Reviewed by: Seth Singleton

Summary

Norse Mythology II #6 offers a thoughtful reminder that every life has value and the message could end there. Instead, this issue brings the story of the Immortal Apples to a close and begins the tale of Gerd and Frey.

Positives — The Immortal Apples Ending

Readers might need to reference last month’s issue to remember Thiazi. In short, he’s the giant who took the form of a giant bird and tricked Loki into tricking the keeper of the Immortal Apples into becoming the prisoner of Thiazi. It’s a winding twisting story that bears all the markings of Thor’s brother.
It’s just another reason why most of the Aesir and the Vanir have a problem with Loki. When The Trickster God was forced to reveal his treachery he was roundly punished by and then he became the bait for a trap.
The trap worked well and the result was Thiazi’s death. Now, Skadi, his daughter seeks compensation for her loss. Every life has a price. The price for Loki’s actions has grown, and the Aesir must square the balance.

Positives — Three Promises

So, Odin makes Skadi three promises. She will receive a husband to replace the father she lost and marry the groom of her choosing. It’s unclear how this is an equal bargain, but Skadi does not reject the offer. She will laugh again.

It seems unlikely upon her arrival but that’s where an appropriate punishment is useful. Finally, her father, Thiazi, will not be forgotten.
The first solution came with a game. Skadi had to choose the best-looking feet. She thought they belonged to Balder. Instead, they were the feet of Njord, the father of Freya and her brother Frey. Skadi and Njord are married that same day and the first promise is fulfilled.

Loki and a goat were the entertainment. Loki’s garments were lowered, a rope was tied in two places and a tug of war began. The goat grunted, Loki howled, and this reviewer and Thiazi’s daughter joined the crowd in roars of laughter.
Finally, Odin brought Skadi outside and showed her Thiazi’s eyes. The eyes rose into the sky and became stars. And Odin’s promise that Thiazi would not be forgotten came true.

Positives — Gerd and Frey

Frey is the brother of Freya, Odin’s wife. Frey was already the mightiest of the Vanir. He was responsible for agricultural bounty, he lived in a home built by the light elves, and he had a sword that could fight for him. But wait, there’s more. Frey also had a boar with golden bristles who pulled his chariot and a ship that could fit in his bag. And, like many who have it all, he was missing something vital.
When Frey sneaks away to Odin’s observation point — Hlidskjalf — he sits upon a mighty throne and searches every corner of existence. Then he sees a woman that he cannot live without. He proves this by not eating or drinking for three days straight.

When his chief servant inquires what troubles his master, Frey shares that he has seen the woman of his dreams and he cannot be at peace until she is his. He promises anything to his servant if the two can be wed. The servant asks for the sword that fights on its own.

Frey agrees and a match is made. After that things progress rather smoothly. The two are married and spend their days in wedded bliss. However, there is an ominous warning. What Frey does not miss now will be the very thing he needs when all is on the line.

Verdict

Neil Gaiman writes heartache, love, laughter, and hope with the ease of a genius. Years of storytelling have honed his craft. When a master unlocks the secret magic within the legends of great stories that have endured for millennia it feels transcendent. The delight and joy of each tale is a sunrise at midnight.

Gabriel Hernandez Walta and Sandy Jarrell invoke Gaiman’s vision into their inspired art. It creates a seamless bond between two distinctive stories to create a shared landscape. P. Craig Russell shapes the direction and flow of every panel and Galen Showman’s letters etch the sound of each voice in the reader’s ears.

The post Review: Norse Mythology II #6 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Artists: Malachi Ward, Matthew Sheean, Rich Tomasso

Colours: Malachi Ward, Rich Tomasso

Letters: Nate Piekos of Blambot, Rich Tomasso

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Reviewed By: Derek McNeil

Summary

Black Hammer Reborn #6: A multidimensional nightmare continues to wreck-havoc on Spiral City as bizarre versions of Black Hammer heroes come face-to-face with the brutal vigilante known as the Skulldigger.

Positives

Black Hammer Reborn #6 begins with a flashback showing how the unlikely partnership between Skulldigger and Doctor Andromeda began. Twenty years ago, Andromeda faced his evil doppelganger from an alternate Spiral City, but Skulldigger intervened to save the hero. Andromeda then recruits Skulldigger to join him in the fight against his doppelganger’s plot to revive Anti-God.

I really like the offbeat pairing of Andromeda and Skulldigger. The former is the brains and the latter the brawn. But neither is lacking in either – Andromeda wields significant power and Skulldigger is no dummy. Additionally, I like that they bond somewhat over their similar father-son issues. The moment where Doc Robinson tells Skulldigger, “I–I had a son too. I lost him as well” was an especially poignant moment, especially having read Doctor Andromeda and The Kingdom of Lost Tomorrows (which I also highly recommend).

In the present, Black Hammer and Skulldigger are in the alternate city, facing off against Sherlock Frankenstein and his Liberty Squadron. This team is composed of hero versions of familiar Spiral City villains. One thing I find particularly interesting is that many of these doppelgangers heroes are still active, where many their villainous counterparts have gone straight and retired. Or is this a hint that this Liberty Squadron isn’t what it seems. If Spiral City’s villains have reformed, does that imply that their heroic counterparts have become corrupt?

Positives Cont.

One of these heroes is of particular interest: Grimdigger. This character appears to be an amalgamation of Grimjim and and Skulldigger. This makes me curious about his backstory. The Skulldigger + Skeleton Boy miniseries revealed that Skulldigger is Grimjim’s son, who had been rescued and raised by a costumed hero. It appears that in the alternate Spiral City, Grimjim was a hero, and thus his son took on an similar but distinct identity.

This is a fine example of Lemire’s world-building. Such details reveal connections to other Black Hammer stories, giving each new story added layers. Even though the titles in the Black Hammer line often feature distinctly dissimilar parts of Lemire’s universe, he has certainly done a masterful job of drawing firm connections between them.

The two page backup story featuring Inspector Insector give a similar example. Spinning directly out of the main story, it shows what happened to Lucy’s son Joe immediately after his apparent death at the hands of Colonel Weird in issue #4.  However, Joe’s adventure in Limbo-Land has a rather whimsical tone in contrast to the main story’s serious one. Essentially, Joe has fallen out of a superhero story into a funny animal story.

Rich Tomasso has done a wonderful job of conveying this tone through his artwork and colours. He gives it a cartoony style, which contrasts with the superb, but more traditional superhero style that Malachi Ward and Matthew Sheean provide for the main story. Overall, Black Hammer Reborn #6 is a visually pleasing issue, beautifully conveying Lemire’s equally superb story.

Negatives

I have nothing to complain about in this issue. I couldn’t even find any minor nitpicks to call out. Lemire is at top form as usual and the artwork is gorgeous.

Verdict

Black Hammer Reborn #6 is another terrific addition to the growing Black Hammer canon. The previous titles in the line have given me high expectations for any new issue. But Jeff Lemire has not failed to meet them yet. I look forward to learning more about this parallel Spiral City as the story continues in the upcoming issues.

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