Who is Metal Minotaur? What connection does Metal Minotaur have to the disappearance of the heroes of Spiral City? Where is Sherlock Frankenstein? All of these questions (except for the last one) will be answered in this issue!
Sherlock Frankenstein and the Legion of Evil #3
Author: Jeff Lemire
Artist: David Rubín
Inker: David Rubín
Colors: David Rubín
Publisher: Dark Horse
What You Need to Know:
In the previous two issues, we find Lucy Weber trying doggedly to find some answers about the disappearance of her father, Black Hammer, and what role the secret meeting of Sherlock Frankenstein and the Legion of Evil had in it. Her search takes her first to the Spiral City Asylum to speak with some of her father’s old archenemies. Convinced Sherlock Frankenstein has answers and hopes to find him through some of his former henchmen. This does not bring much closer to the titular Sherlock, but it does lead her to another villain her father fought, Cthu-Lou. This former plumber turned eldritch god monster points her toward Metal Minotaur. Lucy returns to her father’s secret headquarters but is knocked out by an unseen assailant.
What You’ll Find Out:
This issue opens with Lucy waking from a vivid nightmare after being knocked unconscious in The Hall of Hammer. The blow to the head has certainly not improved Lucy’s mood, and she redoubles her efforts. She tracks Metal Minotaur to a nursing home with nothing more to go on than the name N. Parker. She is surprised to find that N. Parker is an old lady in a wheelchair. Lucy tries to fish for some answers, but Ms. Weber sees through her immediately. She knows that Lucy is Black Hammer’s daughter, and certainly knows much more about Black Hammer than is expected. After going up to the roof for a cigarette, Ms. Parker recounts her career in super-villainy. She went up against Black Hammer many times in the seventies, and on every loss, she built more and more advanced armor. She builds a new suit of power armor so advanced it accidentally breaks her spine. Black Hammer finds her and brings her to New World and enlists the aid of Starlok and the Lightriders, the in-universe stand-ins for the Highfather and the New Gods. We learn that Black Hammer visited her during her recovery and they became uneasy friends, letting go of their past. Lucy presses her on the secret supervillain meeting that Sherlock Frankenstein had years after this. Though not able to walk on her own, Ms. Parker is able to move in some of her older armor and attends. She reveals that Sherlock Frankenstein had nothing to do with the Anti-God’s attack on Spiral City. In fact, he’s trying to rally all the other supervillains to help defeat him. After the story is over, the flashlight Lucy was clubbed within the previous issue falls from her purse, and Ms. Parker recognizes it as a Spiral City Asylum issued flashlight. All the pieces falling into place, Lucy realizes Sherlock Frankenstein was never missing. He was at the asylum the whole time. She rushes there, and after a brief altercation at the gates rushes into find Sherlock Frankenstein.
What Just Happened?
This was another stellar issue, handily adding to the wonderful lore and backdrop of Black Hammer. As always, it is an absolute blast to see more of Spiral City. The pocket universe the cast of Black Hammer seem to be trapped in doesn’t get as much chance to show off this very interesting world.
The whole film noir, nothing is what it seems trope works really well in this I think. Its kind of like Chinatown meets every superhero comic ever. It’s definitely a cool mix of straight up Silver and Bronze Age superhero fun with a pretty solid mystery.
The art is fantastic, and his use of background detail is very fun as always. (Try to spot the BPRD and Mind MGMT posters in this issue!) The fact that he does the pencils, inks, and colors really give his art a very specific and precise vision that I haven’t seen anything exactly like before.
As for Jeff Lemire, I can’t say enough for this man. He seems to be writing about eighty titles right now, and I’ve loved damn near all of the ones I’ve read. He’s very good at universe building, and it doesn’t shine brighter anywhere in his work than in his Black Hammer titles. Though I’m disappointing this miniseries is wrapping up, I’m also excited to read more of the main title. It’s somewhat bittersweet in that way.
Rating: 9/10.
Final Thoughts:
Lemire prepares for a fantastic conclusion in an equally fantastic miniseries that I am sad will be over soon also on the edge of my seat to see. I absolutely love Sherlock Frankenstein!