Black Hammer #3 Review

The third issue of Black Hammer and it's another good issue. There is so much that I love about this series and this is what got me into checking out more of Jeff Lemire's work. With this issue we find out more about Barbalien. Their back story and how they came from Mars and their current situation of feeling like they don't fit in anywhere.

I really like how with this being a comic about golden age super heroes that it is also incorporating elements of martians. We now know that there are not martians but in the past during the golden age, there was more excitement and things going on with the sci-fi genre that people liked to believe that there were martians. Maybe they knew back then that there weren't either but people liked to think about it a lot it seems and I like that it's a part of this series. It has some of the fun elements that I like about stories with martians and the unknown about that planet. I also like the variety with this group of characters, there are earthlings, a robot of some sort, and a martian.

Barbalien was known as Mark Markz on Mars, his father had united the Red Tribes on Mars but he is looked at as a coward there. A spaceship from NASA lands on Mars which worries some there so Mark is sent there to check it out and is how he came to inhabit Earth. His first day on earth he stops a couple criminals and takes on the appearance of a police officer, he seems to be able to change his appearance and it looks like he has kept the cop who actually happened to get shot and killed by one of the criminal's.

Also in this issue Abe and Tammy's relationship is escalating even though it's kind of a complicated thing because of his “family” back at his place. Also in the present time Barbalien goes to church for the first time, has a little run in with Tammy's ex Trueheart, the sheriff. Gail and Barbalien chat for a bit about how they don't really fit in. And at the very end, it looks like a satellite or ship of some sorts has landed on earth and a new character named Dr. Trigg might know where it came from.

I really like how the beginning of this series is giving us bits of information about people's back stories, some of what was in the past back in Spiral City, what is happening now with this group in this small town, and other things going on in the present time and I am super excited about where this is going and how it's going to play out. It feels like there is going to be a big collision of sorts with all these stories happening.

At the end of this issue, Dean Ormston who continues to do such a great job with the artwork goes into part of the process with designing the cover, putting in elements of Mars and Barbalien. I do hope there is more about Mars and seeing Ormston's depiction of Mars with the architecture and environment.

There is also big news recently about how there is going to be an annual for this series coming January 18^th in a few months. Seems like Dark Horse is investing in this comic a good amount and they are bringing a lot of people on board for the annual. I am happy that Nate Powell (March, Any Empire) will be doing some of the artwork. I know him more as the tall lanky dude with the awesome band Soophie Nun Squad that isn't around anymore. Dustin Nguyen (The Authority), Matt Kindt (MIND MGMT, Dept. H), and Ray Fawkes (The People Inside) are also involved.

I am so curious about what the annual is going to be about. Maybe it will be the big moment when more information is given about Black Hammer or that they are finally reunited with this group. Hopefully with a few more issues coming out, more might be known about what to expect from the annual.

Black Hammer Giant Sized Annual Coming Out in January!

I am excited about this and so happy that Dark Horse is putting more into this awesome comic. It's only three issues in but it is by far my favorite comic already. I'm also excited that Nate Powell is doing some of the artwork. I've been a fan of his since his Soophie Nun Squad days and so happy that he is doing so well making comics! And Jeff Lemire is my favorite writer and artist. I just finished Vol. 1 of Sweet Tooth the other day and just picked up issues #13, 14, and #15 today. There are a ton of other people involved with this issue too including Matt Kindt which is super nice as well.

I'm curious to know what the annual is going to be about. Maybe this will be the moment when Black Hammer finally appears? No matter what it's going to be good. Only three more months and it's coming out January 18th to be exact.

More info. can be found here.

More Comics This Week

This has been a good week for comics. Wednesday I went to the lcs to pick up some new comics, saw that they had like ten new long boxes in the dollar bin section which was awesome. I like that I am stalking this place enough that I can tell when they get new stuff in the dollar bin section. They had some Dark Horse Presents comics too which I'm glad I am able to finally see what those are like. New issues of them sell for $5 which is a bit too much and older issues sell for $8 which is ridiculous. $5 or more comics will be the one's that I will just wait for when they of course make it to the dollar bin.

What I got Wednesday:

New Issues:
Black Hammer #3 which was another excellent issue of Black Hammer. This is by far my favorite comic to be following.
B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth #145
Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. 1954: Black Sun #1 (of 2)

Dollar Bin:
Baltimore: The Play 
Deadly Class #3
Deadly Class #5
Deadly Class #6
Dark Horse Presents #5
Dark Horse Presents #31
Dark Horse Presents #36 

Saturday Dollar Bin Comics:
God is Dead #8 Finally get to see what this comic is like.
B.P.R.D. Killing Ground #5
Doom Patrol #52 92'
Frankenstein Underground #2
Frankenstein Underground #3
Stray Bullets #2  
Stray Bullets #41
From Hell: Vol. 3

Black Hammer #2 Review

I really loved issue #2 of Black Hammer. This is now my favorite comic to read even though there have only been two issues so far. This issue was even better than the first one which I loved as well and already had me hooked but this one confirms it already.

This issue goes into Golden Gail's back story and how she got her powers. As well as her current situation with being in school and dealing with how she went back to being a small child. It is really interesting seeing Gail's past with her growing up when she first got her powers to aging through the years into old-age. Although no matter her age, when she becomes Golden Gail, she always reverts back to her nine year old self which is the age she is stuck at now. There is also a little more information about how this group of superheroes is stuck in this small town unable to leave because of some kind of force field. And there is a little snippet of information about possibly another member of this group who is maybe not with them anymore who went beyond the force field and that's how they know they can't go beyond it. It will be interesting to know what that is about in later issues. Jeff Lemire really knows how to write great characters. The pace of the story and building up of the suspense of the story is perfect. I wish this comic came out every two weeks. Having to wait a whole month is too much. I also feel a need to check out all of Lemire's work.

And the artwork continues to be too good. Dean Ormston and Dave Stewart doing the coloring compliments the story so well. The fall-ish colors I like a lot and the whole feel of this comic art-wise, especially with this issue more so than the last is even better.

Wednesday Comics

I got most of what I was wanting to get. I was hoping to find a cheap issue of Pretty Deadly because I haven't checked that comic out yet but other than that it was a good comics day. The person working at the store said if I add three more to my pull list I will be getting 10% off of everything for now on. Most likely next week I will be adding Paper Girls, Descender, and Briggs Land. And I wonder if t his store is going out of business at some point. I rarely ever see anyone in there on Wednesdays or Saturdays when I'm there. That and how they order tons of new issues every week. It's a part of a pretty big chain and they seem to know how to operate comics shops though so hopefully there are no problems with that. I love this place though. If I wasn't so awkward and shy I would ask if I could work there part-time or even volunteer, lol.

New issues:
Black Hammer #2
Briggs Land #1
Descender #14

Other stuff:
Paper Girls #2
Paper Girls #7

Dollar Bin:
Criminal #2
Hate Annual #2  
Lobster Johnson #1 of 5 The Burning Hand. I still want to check more of this out, the back issue I got last week was okay but I hope it's better than that one issue.
Mind MGMT #8
 

Looking Forward to New Comics Tomorrow

It's almost Wednesday and I can't wait to get the next issue of Black Hammer finally. It feels like so long ago when the first one came out. Both covers look awesome but if I can, I will pick up Jeff Lemire's variant. I like the creepiness of it. I am also getting Once Our Land but the person at the store said it wouldn't be there until next week most likely. I'll probably also pick up B.P.R.D. #144. I haven't gotten any new issues of B.P.R.D. but like all the back issues I've come across so far.I'm also curious about Briggs Land #1. I like the idea of a comic that deals with people who are anti-government and set up their own space. Hopefully the main character/s are not authoritarian socialist types and more actual anarchist but I can't tell from the brief synopsis of the comic. It will be nice reading a comic that doesn't have the main character or group helping out a government or military department.

I asked some people on Reddit for some recommendations and with what people mentioned, Descender looks like something to check out. I also want to get more Paper Girls comics if I can.

Good Comics I Read This Week

I'm planning on writing about the best comics I read that week. I read new comics, older comics, and would like to talk about one's that are just too good to not want to at least share with others.

The first two issues of Satellite Falling have me already in love with this comic. I am glad to be starting with this comic at the very beginning. Steve Horton is the writer and they do a great job of crafting an interesting story and an environment that takes place on a satellite called in which the main character Lilly, tired of living on earth after a loved one dies along with all the racism, xenophobia, and corruption that does pretty much ruin the planet at times. She lives on a satellite inhabited by aliens with very few humans. It's a mixture of sci-fi, crime fiction, and action as Lilly tries to escape her past and tries to make a living for herself in her new place.

The artwork by Stephen Thompson, known for their work with Star Wars comics although I haven't checked them out yet but I love Thompson's art with this comic. As much as I like the story, the artwork is what I love more than anything. I love the detail of the environments and characters, the coloring, it really is just amazing. With all the comics I've been getting into lately, I really like the artwork of Satellite Falling the best.

I finally got to check out Hench Girl, issue #4 and I loved it. The peculiar world of Mary Posa in Crepe City is too hilarious. In this issue she has to deal with the complexities of being a villain and having to steal her roommates security key to get inside a building and their friends want her to go to meet some super hero's which is a bit awkward for her since they are her parents and sister. I'm not sure why she doesn't try to be a super hero since her family works in that department but maybe it doesn't pay as well as being a villain. There are still a bunch of this comic at my local comic shop and I might have to get as many as I can.

I wrote a review of Black Hammer #1 a few days ago but it should definitely still be on this list of awesome comics that I read this week. In the first issue the story is set up so perfectly even with all the characters in it. I also loved the artwork in this from Dean Ormston. There is kind of an autumn season vibe with the colors with it that I like and I can't wait to see what actually happened with Black Hammer since he is not in the first issue. 

I love Bitch Planet #1. I am already trying to get all the issues that I can with this comic. A good mixture of dystopian science fiction, sexism, the prison industry, and people who don't fit in with societal pressures. This first issue was great on a lot of levels. The creepiness and how deranged a sexist patriarchy could actually be, the variety of characters, and the hilarious made up ads make this just a great well-rounded comic in so many ways.

Wonder Woman #2 is another one that I wrote a review for earlier. I will probably just write reviews for comics that I really like and talk about them still since I'm still consumed by them. If you haven't read this issue you, you totally should! I am so glad this comic comes out every two weeks, especially with how there are two story lines going back and forth.

I also got to finally check out Faith, issue #1. I will probably add it to my pull list. I love how this is a super hero that is so realistic and shows a more accurate portrayal of how a super hero's life maybe would be like. Getting a peak at all kinds of aspects of her life is what makes this comic so special. She is a super hero, living in a new city, has friends, some of which are her co-workers at her boring day job and a couple of them also happen to know that she is a super hero even though she tries to keep the two separated. I also thought it was hilarious when her friend who knows about her secret identity brings up how she could have a better looking super hero outfit even though she thinks it looks nice. She is probably the first super hero who is relatable in a lot of ways since she deals with all kinds of silly, random, awkward social situations like most people. I also really like that there is a super hero that is not a size 0 or whatever.

Saturday Comics Day/Not at Comic Con Day

I just got back from the Not at Comic Con thing at New Dimensions and it was definitely a good comic book day. You couldn't really tell that it was an event really since there were not that many people other than a few kids at a table learning to draw comics. I spent way more money than I was planning on spending but I am definitely happy with what I got. I also got some bags and backing boards. And I definitely took advantage of the dollar bins being $0.50 only today.

I also set up a pull list and asked about the Once Our Land #1 order from the other day and they looked it up and it is coming in from another New Dimensions location which is too good. I also got a bunch more new issues of things that I didn't pick up Wednesday. I am still in the beginning stages of collecting comics and exploring a lot to find what I like particularly but this is probably my last day of spending too much money all at once like this. Last night I read the couple of Saga issues that I got Wednesday, #33 & #36 and wasn't  really impressed with them. #33 was probably not the first issue to check out the series perhaps. One thing that I really like with this store and with living in this area though is that with the newest issues, they still have #1's and other issues going back months because not many people are interested it seems


What I got today:
Bitch Planet #6
Bitch Planet #7
Faith #1
Henchgirl #4
Ms. Marvel #3
The Spire #6
Satellite Falling #1
Satellite Falling #2

Dollar/$.050 bin finds today:
Dead Enders #3
The Maxx #3
Millenium #1  
Naughty Bits #37
Naughty Bits #38
She-Hulk #2  89'
The Woods #5
The Woods #6
Top 10 #2
Top 10 #3
Top 10 #4
Wonder Woman #16  88'
Wonder Woman #20  88'
Wonder Woman #24  88'
Wonder Woman #39  90'
Wonder Woman #46  90'
Wonder Woman #47  90'
Wonder Woman #51  91'
Wonder Woman #53  91'
Wonder Woman #58  91'
Wonder Woman #95  95'
Wonder Woman #161  00'
Wonder Woman: the New 52 #5
Wonder Woman: the New 52 #6
Wonder Woman: the New 52 #7
Wonder Woman: the New 52 #11
Wonder Woman: the New 52 #12
Wonder Woman: the New 52 #13
Wonder Woman: the New 52 #14

My pull list:
Bitch Planet
Black Hammer
Doom Patrol
Once Our Land #2
Satellite Falling
Wonder Woman: Rebirth
the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl

Black Hammer #1 Review

 I was looking forward to the new Black Hammer and I was not let down at all. I like the idea of what happens to superheroes after their peak and with most of these characters being silver age archetypes for the most part, it's interesting to see them in this day and age. You definitely get the feel that they are in a different era with how the characters are drawn and I like that they are stuck in some nowhere small town area. And with living in a small town, you see how some of the characters deal with it which is a huge struggle for most people who have lived in a small town. I also do like that each of the characters is their own person and that it shows in the first issue.

This first issue brings up so many questions and sets most of the characters up in a way that makes you want to find out more along the way. Some of my questions at this point, the biggest being who or where is the Black Hammer? Why is Golden Gail nine years old? It is pretty funny having an adult woman in the body of a nine year old and how she is dealing with that. Where does Col. Weird go to the point that he is too busy and doesn't seem to be stuck in the small town like the others?

With the art done by Dean Ormstron and the coloring by Dave Stewart, for the most part it is great. It contributes to the flow of the story. The colors are a little dark. It works well in connection with the story of these characters being in such a boring, almost dreary place. The only small gripe that I have with the art and it is pretty small but it does just bother me for some reason is how a couple of the older characters are drawn with so many little lines on their faces to show wrinkles. There are too many for some reason and it just looks bad. So yeah, this is a really good comic and the only flaw that I can find is that a couple of the characters have bad wrinkly faces.

Wednesday Comics.

I just got home from the comic book store. I was most looking forward to Once Our Land #1 but they didn't have it that store but I think a different location has a copy so they are going to get me a copy which is awesome. I forgot to mention if they could get #2 as well when it comes out but I think they said something about it but I am not one hundred percent certain. And I was just looking up the issue just now and there are copies of it going for $25-$50 already on Ebay which seems absurd. I was hoping to pick up a Doom Patrol issue or two but the boxes they had them in were so tight that I didn't even want to try getting into it. I have been wanting to check out Halo Jones so I am happy to get one of those to check out.


What I got today:
Halo Jones #5
Saga #33
Saga #36
Black Hammer #1
Bitch Planet #8
Wonder Woman Rebirth #1
Wonder Woman Rebirth #2