Black Hammer #4 Review

Please note this review contains some adult language.

Written by: Jeff Lemire

Art by: Dean Ormston and Dave Stewart

Publisher: Dark Horse

One of the nice things about getting review copies from Dark Horse is that their PDFs come with whatever variant covers the issue has. In the case of Black Hammer, that’s been one every issue, and each of them has been in the style of a vintage superhero comic. They look like comics that would have graced shelves in the industry’s Golden Age, and each of them hints at the focus of the flashbacks.

The variant cover for this issue showcased Abraham Slam battling a villain called Cthu-Lou.

I think this goes without saying, but that is fucking brilliant.

I’m actually going to include an image of that variant in this review, just so that you can look at it in contrast with the standard cover. You know, without having to leave this page and Google it. I don’t think that anything I can write about the book will get at its ethos as well as the contrast between the two covers does.

Black Hammer is very much a series defined by contrast. Contrast between how the characters act in their current situation, yes. But more importantly, the juxtaposition between the flashbacks and the present day. The only way the two could possibly be more different is if they didn’t star the same cast of characters. Everything, down to the way Dean Ormston draws the panels, is different.

That juxtaposition is what makes the book’s commentary on the superhero genre so powerful. The versions of these characters that we get in the present day are far from the heroes they once were. For the most part, they’ve lost their way, having traded in their larger than life roles in Spiral City for the far darker, less inspiring lives they lead in this pocket dimension, or whatever it is they find themselves trapped in.

Continuing the trend of the last two issues, Black Hammer #4 focuses largely on a single character – in this case, Abraham Slam. The focus is perhaps pulled out a bit more than it has been previously. In fact, this is only the second issue to feature every member of the superhero team. So centering around Abe, this issue actually peels the curtain back a bit on both the Colonel and Talky-Walky. After their use in this issue, I’m looking forward to the issue focused on them – especially Talky-Walky, considering one of his bits of dialogue elicited an actual laugh from my cold, dead husk of a body.

As for Abraham Slam, well, this issue actually reveals a lot about him. From the start, he’s seemed the most comfortable in this small, middle American town. Actually, scratch that, he’s the only one who’s seemed even remotely comfortable. There are panels in this issue that go a long way towards explaining why that is. It’s a testament to the creative team that, in the space of a few panels, they are able to convey so much important information about a character. And there’s not even a word of exposition to be found.

Also, Gail is absolutely phenomenal in this issue. That shouldn’t really come as a surprise for those already reading the book, but goddamn, this is the most wonderful use of her character I think we’ve seen yet.

I’ve mentioned Dean Ormston’s work a few times in passing thus far, but I feel that I haven’t quite given it the service it deserves. Black Hammer really illustrates his range, and has from the beginning. He jumps between two distinct styles, and they both fit the book perfectly. There aren’t many pages that I would describe as pretty, but that’s the point. Ormston’s work is stylized to fit the narrative, which allows Black Hammer to make brilliant use of the comic book medium.

In terms of the art being pretty, part of the “problem” is the coloring. Describing Dave Stewart’s work as a problem is a bit of a misnomer because, again, it’s stylized that way for a reason. The best way to describe the colors – and in fact, a lot of Ormoston’s work as well – is rustic. That isn’t a look that generally appeals to me, but here, it’s employed to brilliant effect.

And while I find Lemire’s writing to be absolutely incredible, many of Black Hammer’s more emotionally charged moments rely heavily on the visuals. For fear of heading into spoiler territory, I’m not going to go into too much detail. I will, however, say that there are some wonderful panels that really hit home in this issue.

(We’ll likely delve into spoiler territory on this week’s episode of the Comics Dash as well so there’s my obligatory self plug)

If you’re not reading Black Hammer, you’re making a mistake. Unless, of course, you intend to get the trade(s) or hardcover(s) when those come out, in which case, you’re fine. This seems like such an important book – one that we’ll back on decades from now as a seminal superhero story. Get in on the ground floor of this one.