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The World of Black Hammer #9
Black Hammer: Visions, Vol. 1
Creators such as Patton Oswalt, Geoff Johns, Mariko Tamaki, Scott Snyder, Chip Zdarsky, Kelly Thompson, Cullen Bunn, Johnnie Christmas, Cecil Castellucci, and many more of comics' top talents take on some of the greatest heroes and villains of Spiral City!
This collection launches the beginning of a special two volume hardcover series of exciting stories taking place in the world of Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston's Eisner Award-winning Black Hammer superhero comics.
This graphic novel collects Black Hammer: Visions #1-4 and also features a sketchbook section and pinups by Gilbert Hernandez, Evan Dorkin, Kelley Jones, Christina Chung, and more!
This collection launches the beginning of a special two volume hardcover series of exciting stories taking place in the world of Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston's Eisner Award-winning Black Hammer superhero comics.
This graphic novel collects Black Hammer: Visions #1-4 and also features a sketchbook section and pinups by Gilbert Hernandez, Evan Dorkin, Kelley Jones, Christina Chung, and more!
128 pages, Hardcover
First published October 5, 2021
5 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Patton Oswalt
128 books553 followersPatton Oswalt is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor.
His first wife was the late Michelle McNamara.
His first wife was the late Michelle McNamara.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
October 28, 2021
A bunch of guest creators come in and write Black Hammer stories to mixed results.
Transfer Student - by Patton Oswalt & Dean Kotz - ★★★★
Patton writes a Gail story because who wouldn't want to write a Gail story. She's the most fun of all the Black Hammer characters. This is about a weird, smart girl who has just graduated high school and remembers back to the times she met Gail while growing up.
The Cabin of Horrors - by Geoff Johns & Scott Kolins - ★★★
Your standard homage to EC Comics / Tales from the Crypt. Nothing new here. Johns phoned this one in.
Uncle Slam - by Chip Zdarsky & Johnnie Christmas - ★★★
Abraham Slam gets upset when a younger, grim and grittier 80's style hero takes over defending Spiral City as The Slam. He confronts The Slam and it doesn't go well. Abe has to deal with getitng older. Not that interesting.
by Mariko Tamaki & Diego Olortegui - ★★
Olortegui's art is great, the story not so much. Tamaki goes for a meta thing with each member of the Black Hammer cast acting in various TV shows.
Transfer Student - by Patton Oswalt & Dean Kotz - ★★★★
Patton writes a Gail story because who wouldn't want to write a Gail story. She's the most fun of all the Black Hammer characters. This is about a weird, smart girl who has just graduated high school and remembers back to the times she met Gail while growing up.
The Cabin of Horrors - by Geoff Johns & Scott Kolins - ★★★
Your standard homage to EC Comics / Tales from the Crypt. Nothing new here. Johns phoned this one in.
Uncle Slam - by Chip Zdarsky & Johnnie Christmas - ★★★
Abraham Slam gets upset when a younger, grim and grittier 80's style hero takes over defending Spiral City as The Slam. He confronts The Slam and it doesn't go well. Abe has to deal with getitng older. Not that interesting.
by Mariko Tamaki & Diego Olortegui - ★★
Olortegui's art is great, the story not so much. Tamaki goes for a meta thing with each member of the Black Hammer cast acting in various TV shows.
December 20, 2021
Fan fiction by established artists within the context of the Black Hammer world developed by Jeff Lemire, so your expectations can’t be too high. Relax and have a little fun, is the point. So in this first volume there are four issues:
1) Transfer Student by Patton Oswalt and Dean Kotz has fun with Gail. This was okay, decently written.
2) Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins do The Cabin of Horrors as a fifties horror site for the Black Hammer crew. Eh.
3) Uncle Slam - by Chip Zdarsky and Johnnie Christmas, Slam as aging hero, and there’s a new Slam in town. Eh.
4) Mariko Tamaki and Diego Olortegui feature all the Black Hammer characters as appearing on various tv shows. Why? Oh, just for fun, I guess. Eh. But this is the best art in the volume by far.
Over all, it’s okay, as they have some A list folks here, doing C level work, really. Only for the tolerant super fans, I'd say. Because who else would take a look at it. . . . oh, but that includes me, sigh.
1) Transfer Student by Patton Oswalt and Dean Kotz has fun with Gail. This was okay, decently written.
2) Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins do The Cabin of Horrors as a fifties horror site for the Black Hammer crew. Eh.
3) Uncle Slam - by Chip Zdarsky and Johnnie Christmas, Slam as aging hero, and there’s a new Slam in town. Eh.
4) Mariko Tamaki and Diego Olortegui feature all the Black Hammer characters as appearing on various tv shows. Why? Oh, just for fun, I guess. Eh. But this is the best art in the volume by far.
Over all, it’s okay, as they have some A list folks here, doing C level work, really. Only for the tolerant super fans, I'd say. Because who else would take a look at it. . . . oh, but that includes me, sigh.
July 16, 2021
A so-so anthology of four short stories based in the Black Hammer universe, with different writers and artists on each story.
Let's have a look at each story.
Transfer Student, written by Patton Oswalt and drawn by Dean Kotz
Gail seems to be the most attractive character to this first set of authors (there are another four stories upcoming), and I get why - anger is an energy. She focuses on a character called Eunice at her school, who seems based on Enid from Ghost World. She's the weird kid. I just didn't get why Gail got so involved with Eunice, it felt out of character for her. Oswalt adding Aimee Mann lyrics to the last panel felt a bit like overexplaining the story. The art is pretty good.
The Cabin of Horrors, written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Scott Kolins
A Lady Dragonfly-focused story in the form of an EC-style horror story. A kid gets picked up by a serial killer, escapes, and tries to find help in Lady D's cabin. He enters and exits various worlds, and it all was pretty forgetable. The art being rough and scratchy, this is my least favourite story out of the bunch.
Uncle Slam, written by Chip Zdarsky and drawn by Johnnie Christmas
An Abraham Slam prequel in Spiral City. The police are using a new superhero, calling himself The Slam. Abe, who has retired, can't stand the idea of someone basically using his shtick, even worse, using it in name of the government.
It's an okay story. I've seen art by Johnnie Christmas before, that I liked, but here it just doesn't work.
(no idea what this story's title is), written by Mariko Tamaki and drawn by Diego Olortegui
My favourite story of the set, it flips between worlds - a TV programme including our heroes as actors (I guess?), our heroes watching that TV programme (including Lucy Weber, the current Black Hammer). I can't say I completely understand what is happening here, but I enjoy the challenge.
This has the best art, too, I feel.
Overall this is my least favourite Black Hammer book up til now; it's a bit of a disappointment.
(Thanks to Dark Horse Books for providing me with an ARC through Edelweiss)
Let's have a look at each story.
Transfer Student, written by Patton Oswalt and drawn by Dean Kotz
Gail seems to be the most attractive character to this first set of authors (there are another four stories upcoming), and I get why - anger is an energy. She focuses on a character called Eunice at her school, who seems based on Enid from Ghost World. She's the weird kid. I just didn't get why Gail got so involved with Eunice, it felt out of character for her. Oswalt adding Aimee Mann lyrics to the last panel felt a bit like overexplaining the story. The art is pretty good.
The Cabin of Horrors, written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Scott Kolins
A Lady Dragonfly-focused story in the form of an EC-style horror story. A kid gets picked up by a serial killer, escapes, and tries to find help in Lady D's cabin. He enters and exits various worlds, and it all was pretty forgetable. The art being rough and scratchy, this is my least favourite story out of the bunch.
Uncle Slam, written by Chip Zdarsky and drawn by Johnnie Christmas
An Abraham Slam prequel in Spiral City. The police are using a new superhero, calling himself The Slam. Abe, who has retired, can't stand the idea of someone basically using his shtick, even worse, using it in name of the government.
It's an okay story. I've seen art by Johnnie Christmas before, that I liked, but here it just doesn't work.
(no idea what this story's title is), written by Mariko Tamaki and drawn by Diego Olortegui
My favourite story of the set, it flips between worlds - a TV programme including our heroes as actors (I guess?), our heroes watching that TV programme (including Lucy Weber, the current Black Hammer). I can't say I completely understand what is happening here, but I enjoy the challenge.
This has the best art, too, I feel.
Overall this is my least favourite Black Hammer book up til now; it's a bit of a disappointment.
(Thanks to Dark Horse Books for providing me with an ARC through Edelweiss)
October 24, 2021
I was initially more worried than excited when I saw guest authors would be writing in Lemire’s sacred Black Hammer universe, because the series has been so strong thus far. Thankfully, Visions mostly hits the mark and are just fun one off tales that fit within the story without disrupting it. This collection has an issue for Golden Gail by Patton Oswalt, Madame Dragonfly by Geoff Johns, Abraham Slam by Chip Zdarsky, and then a sort of disjointed Colonel Weird tale by Mariko Tamaki which is alright but definitely the weakest of the pack. If you were worried like me you can breathe a sigh of relief Visions is solid overall, quick, and entertaining.
June 5, 2022
Jeff Lemire created something really special with Black Hammer. Only four books, but an entire universe of flawed superheroes trying to fit in in a “normal” world and all their storied pasts and ideas for the future. The writing was great, the art was terrific, but what really shined were the characters – so exciting, so engaging, so likable that you didn’t want the books to be over.
And if that’s how you felt, well, apparently you weren’t the only one; hence this two-book edition of Black Hammer Visions where (as the title suggests) various authors and artists present their own visions of the Black Hammer universe.
A somewhat uneven collection, with volume one being the real star of the show, with four diverse tales featuring the main characters with a particularly trippy, cleverly-woven tale of different realities colliding closing out the book.
Very nice. Nothing like the originals, but close enough to the next best thing and nostalgic value too. Onto the next one.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
And if that’s how you felt, well, apparently you weren’t the only one; hence this two-book edition of Black Hammer Visions where (as the title suggests) various authors and artists present their own visions of the Black Hammer universe.
A somewhat uneven collection, with volume one being the real star of the show, with four diverse tales featuring the main characters with a particularly trippy, cleverly-woven tale of different realities colliding closing out the book.
Very nice. Nothing like the originals, but close enough to the next best thing and nostalgic value too. Onto the next one.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
December 18, 2021
I'm not particularly thrilled with Jeff Lemire's take on his Black Hammer mythos, so I suppose it was too much to hope that seeing some other creators tackle it would suddenly make it more interesting.
Patton Oswalt kicks it off with an okay story, and then each one gets a little less okay until we get to the nonsensical waste of space that Jill Tamaki contributes (though it does have the best art).
Patton Oswalt kicks it off with an okay story, and then each one gets a little less okay until we get to the nonsensical waste of space that Jill Tamaki contributes (though it does have the best art).
June 22, 2022
A collection of fine to good one-shots for various members of the first Black Hammer series. Patton Oswalt's opener about a pair of girls who vaguely remember the ageless Gail going to their school is the easy winner. The alternate universes visited by Colonel Weird in the final comic are intriguing and beautifully illustrated, but gone too soon. The middle two comics are fairly forgettable.
July 25, 2023
Merece la pena sólo por volver a tocar el universo de Black Hammer, son 4 historias cortas. La primera y Slam son satisfactorias, mientras que el relato de terror clásico de los ochenta y la última no tienen mucha miga.
October 31, 2021
I found these snippets highly entertaining. These one shot anthology specials rarely do it for me, but there is something about these characters that I love coming back to every time.
May 29, 2022
I wasn't sure if this would be any good or not, as anthologies of this sort often aren't, but the choice of good authors has fortunately made this a pleasant surprise.
Patton Oswalt's story of Gail is clearly the highlight, primarily for viewing her world through other eyes. Geoff Johns' Cabin of Horrors story is interesting and evocative. Chip Zdarsky gives some nice backstory and character for Slam. Only Mariko Tamaki's story is a loser, because it's just an incoherent mess trying to be clever.
Patton Oswalt's story of Gail is clearly the highlight, primarily for viewing her world through other eyes. Geoff Johns' Cabin of Horrors story is interesting and evocative. Chip Zdarsky gives some nice backstory and character for Slam. Only Mariko Tamaki's story is a loser, because it's just an incoherent mess trying to be clever.
Read
October 13, 2022The first issue of this anthology raises hopes that it might be a spin-off to get Black Hammer out of its rut: sure, Dean Kotz' art isn't exactly a radical new look, but Patton Oswalt finds a nicely oblique angle, so that rather than doggedly working through an analogue of a single already existing comics character, sparks are generated by dropping foul-mouthed Mary Marvel knock-off Gail into the frustrated local oddball set-up of Ghost World. It's heartfelt, it's witty (Gail's science fair project is a treat), and it really plays her frustration at being stuck in a child's body off against the related frustrations of someone who ages normally leaving childhood behind. There's something delightfully paradoxical in the notion that Black Hammer fanfic might feel less like pointless fanfic than Black Hammer itself...but alas, there is no surer way to fuck up a superhero world than hiring Geoff Johns, and he's on next. Yes. I know Madame Dragonfly is doing her best EC horror host bit, warning us "this is no superhero tale but one of terror! Of murder and madness!", but has Johns ever read his own superhero output? So was that. Underwhelming nastiness duly ensues. Then we get Chip Zdarsky and Johnnie Christmas doing the retired hero confronting his edgier replacement story without bringing anything new to it, and one from Mariko Tamaki and Diego Ortolegui which doesn't really keep anything beyond the looks of the characters, and so feels largely irrelevant, without particularly convincing as its own thing either. And it all started so well!
August 20, 2022
"Black Hammer: Visions" invites writers like Patton Oswalt, Geoff Johns and Chip Zdarsky to play around in Jeff Lemire's "Black Hammer" universe. The results are uneven, though, and none of it feels essential.
The highlight is probably the Oswalt-penned "Ghost World" homage lovingly illustrated by Dean Kotz. It's a tribute to being weird, but it doesn't really transcend the source material, and it also emphasizes some of the creepier aspects of Golden Gail's character concept.
Zdarsky's story about Abraham Slam confronting a Punisher-style "state-sanctioned" vigilante who takes over his name is decent too, but it doesn't do much that comics fans haven't seen with the material. The other stories play with genre conventions too, but this volume is safely skippable.
The highlight is probably the Oswalt-penned "Ghost World" homage lovingly illustrated by Dean Kotz. It's a tribute to being weird, but it doesn't really transcend the source material, and it also emphasizes some of the creepier aspects of Golden Gail's character concept.
Zdarsky's story about Abraham Slam confronting a Punisher-style "state-sanctioned" vigilante who takes over his name is decent too, but it doesn't do much that comics fans haven't seen with the material. The other stories play with genre conventions too, but this volume is safely skippable.
Read
May 5, 2023Four stories about different Black Hammer characters by outside writers. None of them are especially strong. I kinda liked Patton Oswalt's story about two high school graduates who knew Gail when she was a student. Chip Zdarsky's Abraham Slam issue hit some decent emotional notes. But, like most other Black Hammer miniseries, this is inconsequential and an interesting diversion at best.
December 17, 2022
Probably gonna have to re read this one day when i have actually read the previous material, turns out this is not book one :')
December 6, 2023
"Hey, where are you going."
June 3, 2022
A host of other creators get the chance to play around in Lemire's Superhero SF Soap Opera Sandbox, with predictably mixed results. The clear Standout is Patton Oswalt and Dean Kotz's unofficial crossover between Golden Gail and the Ghost World girls (movie versions, as opposed to comics). While an enjoyable read, I couldn't help but wonder if Daniel Clowes knew and approved, as I didn't see him credited.
Geoff Johns and Scott Collins "gift" us with a House of Secrets style horror story involving the Cabin. The art really carries this one.
Chip Zdarsky and Johnnie Christmas also produce a decent read featuring Abraham Slam, in which he's confronted with his government sponsored predecessor.
The final story by Mariko Tamaki and Diego Olortegui features the entire cast in various roles is...something...the art is beautiful.
Oh, did I mention there's a Milk and Cheese cameo? That absolutely happens.
Geoff Johns and Scott Collins "gift" us with a House of Secrets style horror story involving the Cabin. The art really carries this one.
Chip Zdarsky and Johnnie Christmas also produce a decent read featuring Abraham Slam, in which he's confronted with his government sponsored predecessor.
The final story by Mariko Tamaki and Diego Olortegui features the entire cast in various roles is...something...the art is beautiful.
Oh, did I mention there's a Milk and Cheese cameo? That absolutely happens.
January 26, 2022
Don't really know what to make of these stories. The one set in Rockwood doesn't make much sense because Rockwood is an imaginary place and the people are imagined up by Madame Dragonfly… So what, she's got them living out these entire lives while none of the Black Hammer crew are watching?
Not sure what to make of the Soap Opera / Space Station business either.
The Abraham Slam story is decent enough, though nothing really stands out about it. Same for the Madame Dragonfly business.
Artwork throughout is up to usual standards but plot-wise this doesn't do anything for me.
Not sure what to make of the Soap Opera / Space Station business either.
The Abraham Slam story is decent enough, though nothing really stands out about it. Same for the Madame Dragonfly business.
Artwork throughout is up to usual standards but plot-wise this doesn't do anything for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2023
Four short stories in the universe of Black Hammer written and illustrated by different artists.
From my most to least favourite:
- "Uncle Slam" by Chip Zdarsky and Johnnie Christmas
- "Kid Dragonfly" by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins
- "Transfer Student" by Patton Oswalt and Dean Kots
- 4th story by Mariko Tamaki and Diego Olortegui
Fun read overall.
From my most to least favourite:
- "Uncle Slam" by Chip Zdarsky and Johnnie Christmas
- "Kid Dragonfly" by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins
- "Transfer Student" by Patton Oswalt and Dean Kots
- 4th story by Mariko Tamaki and Diego Olortegui
Fun read overall.
February 21, 2023
Jeff Lemire recruits a number of talented writers and artists to put their spin on
the Black Hammer Universe.
Black Hammer Visions was an 8-issue anthology that told stories not
necessarily in the continuity of the residents of Black Hammer Farm. But these
tales are definitely in the thick of this growing self-contained universe of
superheroes, mages and monsters.
Volume 1 reprints the first four issues of the series. Stories include an
examination of the hardships Golden Gail faces as an elderly woman trapped
in the body of a 10-year old child. Abraham Slam must restore his good name
when an usurper sponsored by the US military crosses the line into vigilantism.
Things get meta when Madame Dragonfly hosts her horror anthology within the
pages of this very anthology as she recruits a young orphan to become the
next caretaker of the Cabin of Horrors.
The last story, which was the worst of this bunch, sees the residents of the farm
starring in a Downton Abbey type television series. Of course, Col. Randall Weird
is behind all of this. So the story is jumbled and uneven. Some readers really liked
this element of Col. Weird. Not me!
Patton Oswalt, Chip Zdarsky, Scott Collins and Johnnie Christmas are among some
of the talent behind the production of this volume. The Goldbergs' Patton Oswalt
brilliantly ties in Daniel Clowes' Ghost World, having main characters Enid and
Rebecca ponders why young Gail Gibbons never seems to age. Chip Zdarsky
(Spider-Man: Life Story) adds his quirky look on things with the Abraham Slam story.
I think the winner of this volume was Geoff Johns (Flashpoint) who crafted the eerie
Madame Dragonfly story.
Even though I wasn't a big fan of that last story involving Col. Weird, I very much
enjoyed this book. The Cabin of Horror concept is one that I really would like to see
become a monthly series, though I really think creator Jeff Lemire has other ideas to
close the books on Black Hammer. But before that happens, hopefully we'll see more
of the untold history of Abraham Slam.
Oh! and there's volume 2 to look forward to! I wonder if my library has that book
currently...
the Black Hammer Universe.
Black Hammer Visions was an 8-issue anthology that told stories not
necessarily in the continuity of the residents of Black Hammer Farm. But these
tales are definitely in the thick of this growing self-contained universe of
superheroes, mages and monsters.
Volume 1 reprints the first four issues of the series. Stories include an
examination of the hardships Golden Gail faces as an elderly woman trapped
in the body of a 10-year old child. Abraham Slam must restore his good name
when an usurper sponsored by the US military crosses the line into vigilantism.
Things get meta when Madame Dragonfly hosts her horror anthology within the
pages of this very anthology as she recruits a young orphan to become the
next caretaker of the Cabin of Horrors.
The last story, which was the worst of this bunch, sees the residents of the farm
starring in a Downton Abbey type television series. Of course, Col. Randall Weird
is behind all of this. So the story is jumbled and uneven. Some readers really liked
this element of Col. Weird. Not me!
Patton Oswalt, Chip Zdarsky, Scott Collins and Johnnie Christmas are among some
of the talent behind the production of this volume. The Goldbergs' Patton Oswalt
brilliantly ties in Daniel Clowes' Ghost World, having main characters Enid and
Rebecca ponders why young Gail Gibbons never seems to age. Chip Zdarsky
(Spider-Man: Life Story) adds his quirky look on things with the Abraham Slam story.
I think the winner of this volume was Geoff Johns (Flashpoint) who crafted the eerie
Madame Dragonfly story.
Even though I wasn't a big fan of that last story involving Col. Weird, I very much
enjoyed this book. The Cabin of Horror concept is one that I really would like to see
become a monthly series, though I really think creator Jeff Lemire has other ideas to
close the books on Black Hammer. But before that happens, hopefully we'll see more
of the untold history of Abraham Slam.
Oh! and there's volume 2 to look forward to! I wonder if my library has that book
currently...
November 28, 2021
More 3.5 stars.
The world of Black Hammer continues to expand with this set of one shots by various creators. Going story by story…
1. I have to say I was pretty disappointed in Patton Oswalt’s Golden Gail story. The man is known for being a big comic book fan and this story definitely comes off as if it was just written by a fan and not someone who knows what they’re doing. Oswalt declares his love for Black Hammer and Ghost World in this mediocre story.
2. Geoff Johns delivers probably the best issue here with his take on Madame Dragonfly. It feels like an ode to 70’s horror comics while also giving a fun story for an underrated character.
3. Chip Zdarsky’s Abraham Slam story was the most in line with how Jeff Lemire writes the Black Hammer books. It’s a solid issue, but doesn’t really add anything new.
4. Mariko Tamaki has a lot of fun with the whole cast in this Colonel Weird issue. The play on Clue/soap operas was a lot of fun and I’d love to see more TV parodies starring the cast of Black Hammer
Overall an okay collection of stories. Thankfully they’re all very short, but hopefully the second collection is stronger.
The world of Black Hammer continues to expand with this set of one shots by various creators. Going story by story…
1. I have to say I was pretty disappointed in Patton Oswalt’s Golden Gail story. The man is known for being a big comic book fan and this story definitely comes off as if it was just written by a fan and not someone who knows what they’re doing. Oswalt declares his love for Black Hammer and Ghost World in this mediocre story.
2. Geoff Johns delivers probably the best issue here with his take on Madame Dragonfly. It feels like an ode to 70’s horror comics while also giving a fun story for an underrated character.
3. Chip Zdarsky’s Abraham Slam story was the most in line with how Jeff Lemire writes the Black Hammer books. It’s a solid issue, but doesn’t really add anything new.
4. Mariko Tamaki has a lot of fun with the whole cast in this Colonel Weird issue. The play on Clue/soap operas was a lot of fun and I’d love to see more TV parodies starring the cast of Black Hammer
Overall an okay collection of stories. Thankfully they’re all very short, but hopefully the second collection is stronger.
January 18, 2022
I love the characters that Jeff Lemire has created in the Black Hammer universe, however I don't think that the four writers in this anthology did those characters the justice that they deserve. They might not have done what I wanted with the characters but I still really did enjoy the first two stories. The first written by Patton Oswalt, who is the only celebrity included in the list of writers, was perhaps my favorite. It was essentially an ode to Ghost World by Daniel Clowes, which happens to be a favorite of mine. The second, written by Geoff Johns, was a slasher horror story of a killer chasing somebody and they accidentally stumble upon Madame Dragonfly's cabin. The third story by Chip Zdarsky, about Abraham Slam, I really wanted to like but just couldn't get into. I thought it was weird so many curse words were censored in this story but nowhere else in the book. Finally, Markio Tamaki's story about the heroes from Black Hammer watching a TV show that they also all starred in I just didn't understand. All in all I liked this anthology, but I would have much rather read these characters written by their original creator.
May 14, 2024
3.5 stars
This isn't essential reading, I would say, for fans of Black Hammer, but it does have its highlights, especially the the first story 'Transfer Student' revolving around Golden Gail's life in suburbia whilst endeavouring to remain anonymous as a young student, forever stuck at the same age in school; on the outskirts of Spiral City I guess. The art by Dean Kotz reminded me of Mark Buckingham and Peter Gross' work combined.
The fourth and last story, which appears to be nameless, presents an alternate take on how Colonel Weird may have concocted an alternative world for everyone to inhabit, to prevent them from wanting to return home to their own dimension. The art by Diego Olortegui reminded me of Gary Frank's work, in a good way.
The reveal at the end of story #2 'The Cabin of Horrors' of Kid Dragonfly, just made me snigger; not quite the reaction that I think Geoff Johns was probably aiming for...
This isn't essential reading, I would say, for fans of Black Hammer, but it does have its highlights, especially the the first story 'Transfer Student' revolving around Golden Gail's life in suburbia whilst endeavouring to remain anonymous as a young student, forever stuck at the same age in school; on the outskirts of Spiral City I guess. The art by Dean Kotz reminded me of Mark Buckingham and Peter Gross' work combined.
The fourth and last story, which appears to be nameless, presents an alternate take on how Colonel Weird may have concocted an alternative world for everyone to inhabit, to prevent them from wanting to return home to their own dimension. The art by Diego Olortegui reminded me of Gary Frank's work, in a good way.
The reveal at the end of story #2 'The Cabin of Horrors' of Kid Dragonfly, just made me snigger; not quite the reaction that I think Geoff Johns was probably aiming for...
April 7, 2022
Four stories set in the Black Hammer world, all by outside writers. Patton Oswalt's story is the only one that really appealed to me. It was the most interesting and in character story of the set. Geoff Johns turned in an EC horror inspired story that was ok, I guess. Maybe a little derivative, but not nearly as much as Zdarsky's story about a gracelessly aging Abraham. And then Mariko Tamaki shows up at the end with a bizarre piece of meta with the characters as actors in some kind of AU? I get that this is an appealing world to play in, but half the stories don't do anything interesting and the last one feels like it got lost in its own ambitions.
January 25, 2022
The whole series is partly an homage to other comic books, but this seems to be a specific homage to specific books (like EC horror and there's even an explicit appearance by Milk and Cheese who I hadn't ever heard of before). It's a mixed bag and some of them were okay but were all absolutely ridiculous with their sudden whoah-gotcha (or whoah that's it) endings, and it seemed like trying too hard and not really accomplishing anything.
Somewhat enjoyable (hey we like these characters) but also disappointing (what the heck is with these terrible stories).
Somewhat enjoyable (hey we like these characters) but also disappointing (what the heck is with these terrible stories).
December 28, 2022
Great shorts from the Spiral City-verse! The first chapter is a touching story about Gail and her life moving from town to town as she tries to hide her true nature. Then we see a solo story from the Cabin of Horrors where a new hero is introduced. A lesson in humility for Abraham Slam, and a weird bit about the characters as TV show actors that did not resonate with me. Altogether a great read, but I will probably not bolt for the comic store to buy the original issues.
April 6, 2025
Now, this is what I call a mixed bag....although, the content of this collection never transcends mediocrity.
Most readers seem to dislike the contribution of Mariko Tamaki (one of my favourite authors). Personally, I liked that one the best... the uninhibited playing with the pawns, accompanied by very nice artwork by Diego Olortegui... the rest of the contributions didn't really do it for me.
Most readers seem to dislike the contribution of Mariko Tamaki (one of my favourite authors). Personally, I liked that one the best... the uninhibited playing with the pawns, accompanied by very nice artwork by Diego Olortegui... the rest of the contributions didn't really do it for me.
January 23, 2022
A decent collection of guest written one-offs with the Black Hammer cast. Oswalt’s Ghost World homage with Gail and Zdarsky’s story of Abe learning to accept his retirement the hard way were the most enjoyable for me. Tamaki’s is the most ambitious and best illustrated, but its narrative is slippery and never cohered for me. Johns’s horror spin with the Cabin is boringly predictable.
May 26, 2023
A nice addition to the world of Black Hammer. A lot of meta going on here and it keeps to the original storylines quite well. I can't help but be reminded by another book when reading about Eunice in the first story.
Given that there are so many 90s comic references, this makes sense. Hell, I felt like I was reading Teen Titans at one point. A fun read.
Given that there are so many 90s comic references, this makes sense. Hell, I felt like I was reading Teen Titans at one point. A fun read.
January 5, 2022
A good variety of tales in the Black Hammer-verse. I'm a tiny bit disappointed in the continuing focus on Abe or Barbalien as my personal favourites are Madame Dragonfly and the Colonel, although we do get some of their stories here.
June 29, 2022
Not really good unfortunately! A short stories collection from the Black Hammer universe. The story vary in quality and style from one another but the general level isn't very good and it add little to the universe itself. Not really worth it!
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