Patton Oswalt is joining the Black Hammer Universe. Monday afternoon, Dark Horse Comics revealed the comedian and Agents of SHIELD alumnus is writing the debut issue of an all-new Black Hammer series due out early next year. Oswalt is penning Black Hammer: Visions #1, an anthology series that uses each issue to focus on a different member of the superhero universe originally crafted by Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston.
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Oswalt’s issue — the first of eight one-shots in the series — will focus on Golden Gail, a character in the universe that essentially has reverse-Shazam powers. By yelling “Zafram!,” Gail transforms from a middle-aged woman to a child. “Getting to explore just one of the endless byways of the massive world of Black Hammer was a nerd-romp of the highest order,” Oswalt said in a statement provided to Entertainment Weekly. “I can’t wait for you guys to read this!”
The funnyman isn’t the only big name taking a stab at one of these Black Hammer one-shots. Other creators attached to entries in the series include Geoff Johns, Chip Zdarsky, Cullen Bunn, Kelly Thompson, Mariko Tamaki, and Cecil Castellucci.
“As much as I love writing in the world of Black Hammer, it’s nothing compared to the thrill of seeing creators I admire bringing their voices to these characters that Dean and I created,” Lemire added in the statement.
Since its initial volume, the Black Hammer series has introduced a whole host of spinoffs, typically written by Lemire himself with art from a rotating roster of guest artists. Four spinoffs currently have issues scheduled for release, including Visions. The other three are Skulldigger + Skeleton Boy, Colonel Weird: Cosmagog, and Barabalien: Red Planet.
When we spoke with Lemire earlier this year, the creator revealed he’s on pace to do three new Black Hammer series a year.
“We seem to be running about three new books a year right now. That last wave was Colonel Weird: Cosmagog with Tyler Crook (wait until you see his art on it!,) Barbalien with Tate and Gabriel, and a new series that Dean is currently drawing,” the writer told us. “We now have two more new series after these that are all written and being drawn for 2021 by some amazing artists who will be new to the Black Hammer Universe and Tyler Crook is drawing another one after Cosmagog.”
He added, “We also have one additional Black Hammer project coming that will feature a pretty unbelievable rogues gallery of talent that I still can’t quite believe we were able to trick into working on Black Hammer stuff. “
