Advance Review — Gearing Up For The Big Fight In ‘Black Hammer: The End’ #3
by Tom Smithyman
With the multiverse at stake – and only a handful of issues left – it’s time for Black Hammer: The End to ratchet up the tension as the big fight with Anti-God looms.
Hellamental monsters (think DC’s parademons) are attacking spiral city as a precursor to an attack from Anti-God. The last time this happened, the world had Black Hammer and his team for protection. But our universe’s hero sacrificed himself in that fight. And an alternate version is going around killing the other Hammers from different realities. At this point, only the daughter of the original remains.
If all that sounds straightforward and exciting, it is – kind of. This latest Black Hammer limited series, which features many of the other characters introduced in the past several years, is somehow less than the sum of its parts though. Perhaps there are just too many characters and situations to have to remember. Or maybe it’s franchise fatigue. Or more likely, Jeff Lemire’s homage to Crisis on Infinite Earths and other multiverse stories feels more like a rip-off than a loving tribute.
Lemire sends his readers across the multiverse in this issue, slowly assembling a who’s who of the Hammerverse to battle Anti-God. But they know, without Black Hammer, they are almost certainly destined to lose.
Malachi Ward’s artwork provides the high points for this issue, though they are too few and far between. Ward changes his style depending on the reality he’s depicting. It’s a nice touch to mix broader illustrations with more detailed ones. But even Ward seems to be inconsistent in when he does it, leading the reader to be even more confused.
The original Black Hammer titles were amazing works of superhero comic art. It told a strong story in an interesting way. At this point, Lemire and team may be better off really ending the tale after The End.
Black Hammer: The End #3 will be available for purchase on October 25, 2023.
Overview
After several years of Black Hammer stories, it may be time to put this franchise out to pasture. The story is just not engaging enough, particularly to those with multiverse overload. And the issue’s art, which occasionally morphs its style based on the location, is too inconsistent.
