The Last Days of Black Hammer Advance Review: A Needed Prequel Elevates the Entire Property
The first issue of Black Hammer was released nearly seven years ago and since then, comic readers have received surprisingly few Black Hammer comics. Despite dozens of issues spread across multiple titles, little of the story has been surrounding the original man to wield the hammer, Joseph Weber. That all changes in The Last Days of Black Hammer, which shines much needed light on the eponymous hero after years of waiting – and it's an OGN that's every bit worth the wait.
Die-hard fans of the franchise have already had the chance to read through Last Days through Tales From The Farm, Jeff Lemire's official Substack newsletter. Now that the writer has decided to put that newsletter on the back burner, Dark Horse Comics is publishing the story for the first time in print, collecting all of the arcs released through Substack into one 140-page graphic novel.
While it found success as a digital read, Last Days is very much built for binging as the story envelops readers in a high-paced character study that has virtually everything you could want, Black Hammer fan or not. On the surface, it's a story longtime fans of the franchise of yearned for. It gives readers the needed character exploration behind the title's namesake.
Even for non-fiends, the graphic novel finds the perfect balance for new readers. While those hopping in without having ever read another Black Hammer title before may get lost with some of the nods elsewhere or the comic's expansive ensemble, the meat and potatoes remain as readers are treated to a delectable meal of a story all about balancing work, personal passions, sacrifices, and family life.
Stefano Simeone joins the Black Hammer universe for his first outing as an artist, and it's a style built for the story at hand. The thin digital lines and dedication to perspective helps elevate the action of the issue, with each uppercut and jab packing a much bigger punch. When the Black Hammer crew isn't fighting an alien armada, however, Simeone is careful to detail, putting a sense of seriousness over the faces of the Weber family, a delightful balance in one single package.
The Last Days of Black Hammer is something this superhero world has long needed, and Lemire and Simeone deliver the best story possible on every face. It's as exciting as it is gut-wrenching, colorful as it is gloomy, painlessly optimistic and painfully pessimistic. The crux of the Black Hammer lore has been centered on the deconstruction of the genre, and Last Days is that idea at its best. It's faithful to the genre that made comic books great in the first place while giving its own characters and stories the depth they deserve. The calendar reads February for the better part of two weeks and yet here we are, staring at an early contender for one of the best comics you'll read this year.
Published by Dark Horse Comics
On February 22, 2023
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Stefano Simeone
Colors by Stefano Simeone
Letters by Nate Piekos
Cover by Stefano Simeone