Black Hammer: Spiral City #4 – Once Upon a Time…

When I read a Black Hammer title, I feel like Bastion reading The Neverending Story. Mesmerized by the words and addicted to the characters, Black Hammer: Spiral City continues Lemire’s legacy of masterful storytelling. While you don’t necessarily need to be current on BH lore, a quick brush-up may help clarify some panels in this series, should you need them. However, I will say that Spiral City is a good hop-on point if you’re new to Black Hammer. 

Malcolm Gold is a**hole on many levels, and in this issue, that characteristic shines brighter than the Northern Lights on a clear night! While we were introduced to Mr. Gold in issue #1, it isn’t until issue #4 that his true villainy starts to shine through. His message of no more superheroes and “humanity first” resonates with most, but what about those who continue to suffer from his humanity first ideals? With such a sinister plan in place and gaining speed, Spiral City needs its heroes now more than ever. But what happens when the heroes are all gone?

After the destruction of the Anti-God, our heroes had no choice (forced, remember Humanity First!) but to go into hiding and try to live a safe existence in a city that no longer wants them there. Welcome to Supertown. Helltown is more like it: no water or electricity, and provisions are scarce. Humanity First. In pure Lemire fashion, each issue highlights our new cast of heroes as they navigate current times. As you may expect, their lives are anything but glorious. Jose, Belle, and the Inspector are individually battling their way through their new lives, each with a grim future. Or is it? Co-piloting this adventure is none other than Teddy  Kristiansen, whose visuals are top-shelf storytelling (as usual). From the dark hues to the simple complexity, the panels reach for the reader and refuse to let go, I HOPE we see him again in the Black Hammer Universe.