Black Hammer/Justice League: Hammer of Justice
Author: Jeff Lemire & Michael Walsh
Publisher: DC Comics & Dark Horse Comics
Publishing Date: 2019
Pgs: 160
Disposition: Hoopla eBook via Irving Public Library - South Campus - Irving, TX
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REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
Heroes switch places. The JLA are trapped on Black Hammer Farm and think they have been there for 10 years, but the Flash is missing. The heroes of Black Hammer Farm find themselves in Metropolis battling Starro, the Starfish Conqueror. All under the watchful eye of a mysterious Man-In-Pink who claims to want to help both groups. Colonel Weird is finding oddness in the Para-Zone...even odder than usual.
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Genre:
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Dark Horse Comics
DC Comics
Crossover
Superheroes
Graphic Novels

Why this book:
Cause I’m hooked on the continuing adventures of the heroes of Black Hammer Farm.
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Favorite Scene:
Colonel Weird vs the Green Lantern Corps.

Golden Gail getting Starro-ed and attacking Dragonfly. And Dragonfly opining that Gail wasn't under control. That she was just doing what Gail had always wanted to do and taking the chance to smack Dragonfly.

The villain is exceptionally cruel, almost to the point of being out-of-character for who he is. It’s less happy-go-lucky and darker than he usually comes across as.

Aquaman tells Gail to hurry up and change back, “old woman.” Her changing back to Golden Gail and popping him one is greatness.

Favorite Concept:
The flip-flop of the teams and their contexts is interesting.

Hmm Moments:
Taken out of context, “Talky, what have you done to my tractor?” comes across entirely differently than what Abe intended. Of course, maybe I just have a dirty mind.

Wonder Woman sensing something off in the multiversal ether is an interesting take on her powers and abilities. ...Magic. Diana is sensing magic. Maybe this is related to the changes she’s been through with Justice League Dark and such, but it is an interesting addition to the character.

Starro appearances are always appreciated by me.

WTF Moments:
Being an extradimensional being, couldn’t he always have accessed the places beyond the Para-Zone?

The Sigh:
Of course, that's who the Man in Pink was. Shame he's a facade. MiP would've made an interesting original future villain for both universes.

Juxtaposition:
I know Lemire is trying to tell the wider story of the Black Hammer Universe. But, I love the interplay of the original Black Hammer characters.

Golden Gail, an 80+-year-old woman trapped in a superpowered 10-year-old body hitting on Aquaman making him very uncomfortable. Awesome. Golden Gail is an awesome study in juxtaposition.

The Unexpected:
Is Golden Gail's alter ego doing a Spider-movie Aunt May and being portrayed as younger and hotter... Or am I just looking at her through older eyes?

Movies and Television:
Black Hammer would make a helluva superhero movie. Wouldn't be what the movie audience expected from a superhero movie, but it would be awesome on the screen, big or little.
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Last Page Sound:
Uhm...good, glad I read it, but see below.

Questions I’m Left With:
I liked it. Wish it would've had a more, ending, ending. Wouldn't Weird go back and tell the others that the bad guy is still out there in the Para-Zone and now he has access to all worlds and all times...even though as previously mentioned he should already have had access to all of that. Course Weird being weird, maybe he thinks it’s all a fever dream or a flashback to something that never happened.

Conclusions I’ve Drawn:
Wish it was longer and answered more questions.
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I was surprised to find myself enjoying this crossover between the DC and Black Hammer Universes. It's a little amusing and a little thrilling as the pastiche characters meet some of the archetypes upon whom they are based, though I was disappointed we didn't have straight on match-ups between the most direct influences, but that probably wouldn't be very marketable. Sure, it amounts to a very special episode of Gilligan's Island, but it's fun all the same.

After the five issue story, there's basically a sixth issue of nothing but variant covers. Gabriel Hernández Walta wins with his Batman looming on a rusty old water pump windmill. Terry Dodson loses with his aging up of 9-year-old Golden Gail so he can give her breasts to rival Wonder Woman's. It's really skeevy, especially opposite an age-appropriate Gail going head-to-head with Hawkgirl on the left page in an awesome image by Sandy Jarrell. ( )

It was nice seeing the Black Hammer gang again and interesting to see their interaction with more famous heroes. But Black Hammer was kind of a mystery and knowing how it ends made this not as exciting as the originals. Some great funny stuff in here like people making fun of names and Barbalien saying Martian Manhunter Wasn't a martian because he was green. Definitely still worth a read. ( )

Seriously underwhelming ( )