Comic Bastards 1/1/18 Comic Bastards 1/1/18

Best Comic Books of 2017 - #1

Welcome to the Comic Bastards end of the year list. Similar to our group reviews, each of the participating writers will be giving their picks for their best and also worst comics of 2017. Without further ado, here are our #1 picks for Best of 2017.

Click here to read #2 on the list!

Click here to read #3 on the list!

Click here to read #4 on the list!

Click here to read #5 on the list!

Press Release 12/7/17 Press Release 12/7/17

New “Black Hammer” Spinoff Miniseries from Creator Jeff Lemire and Artist Max Fiumara

Press Release

Following the success of Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston’s Eisner Award-winning series Black Hammer and its spinoff series Sherlock Frankenstein & The Legion of Evil, Dark Horse is excited to announce the next installment in the Black Hammer universe, Doctor Star & The Kingdom of Lost Tomorrows. Abe Sapien artist Max Fiumara joins Jeff Lemire in the new four-issue miniseries. Award-winning colorist Dave Stewart (Hellboy) and talented letterer Nate Piekos (Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite) round out this super creative team. Doctor Star & The Kingdom of Lost Tomorrows will feature variant covers by Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire, J.G. Jones, Dustin Nguyen, and Annie Wu.

Press Release 9/26/17 Press Release 9/26/17

Dark Horse Comics Announces "Black Hammer: Age of Doom" by Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston

Press Release

Dark Horse Comics has announced that writer Jeff Lemire and artist Dean Ormston’s creator owned Black Hammer superhero saga will return in 2018 with a new ongoing series titled Black Hammer: Age of Doom. The new ongoing series will continue to chronicle the adventures of the forgotten champions of Spiral City, following the events of the cliffhanger ending of issue thirteen of Black Hammer.

Benjamin Snyder 7/26/17 Benjamin Snyder 7/26/17

Review: Black Hammer #11

By Ben Snyder

Cleverly disguised as a classic Superhero serial, Jeff Lemire continues to subvert and praise that era with his Eisner winning run on Black Hammer with another fantastic issue of Black Hammer #11. Although this issue isn’t action packed or filled with a huge set piece cornerstone scene, Jeff Lemire continues to write what he writes best: human melancholy.

Press Release 7/11/17 Press Release 7/11/17

The Black Hammer Universe Expands This Fall

Press Release

Writer Jeff Lemire and artist Dean Ormston have captivated readers and critics alike with their “sad, dark, and brilliant”* creator owned superhero saga Black Hammer, which follows the forgotten champions of Spiral City long after the age of heroes has passed. This fall, Dark Horse Comics will expand the universe of the Black Hammer with Sherlock Frankenstein & The Legion of Evil, written by Lemire and illustrated by artist David Rubín, for the first of several high profile mini-series featuring different artists. While the main, Eisner-nominated Black Hammer series focuses on the heroes of Spiral City—Abraham Slam, Golden Gail, Colonel Weird, Madame Dragonfly, and Barbalien—Sherlock Frankenstein & The Legion of Evil reveals the secret origins of the Black Hammer’s greatest villains.

Daniel Vlasaty 5/24/17 Daniel Vlasaty 5/24/17

Review: Black Hammer #9

By Daniel Vlasaty

Black Hammer is a book I have read and enjoyed as long as it’s been coming out. But I never reviewed it. I’m not really sure why this is. Maybe because I didn’t want to write a review that was basically just OMG GUYS THIS FREAKING BOOK IS AMAZING, TOTALLY AWESOME YES. But I decided to put all that out of my mind and review Black Hammer #9. Mainly because David Rubin is doing the art in this issue. Black Hammer is a great book with solid characters and intrigue and mystery. It’s the perfect book for the comic reader who loves superhero stories but is tired of all the same old bullshit. But you already know that. This is a review for the ninth issue. You know what the overall story is about. But what about this issue, on its own, away from all the other issues that came before it?

Dustin Cabeal 4/19/17 Dustin Cabeal 4/19/17

Review: Black Hammer #8

By Dustin Cabeal

I had to catch up on the past two issues in order to review Black Hammer #8 and let me tell you; it was worth it. Not only were the last two issues incredible, but it made me more excited for this issue. Each issue tends to follow one character’s backstory, and this time it’s Gail, who has become one of my favorite characters of this series due to her predicament. There is something extremely interesting about this old woman trapped in a young girl’s body.

Press Release 3/23/17 Press Release 3/23/17

Uncover the “Secret Origins” of Jeff Lemire’s “Black Hammer”

The first chapter of Dark Horse’s long-awaited superhero science-fiction mystery adventure has arrived! The critically acclaimed action-adventure series by famed creator Jeff Lemire (Essex County, Sweet Tooth) with art by Dean Ormston (Lucifer, 2000 AD) and Dave Stewart (Hellboy), Black Hammer: Secret Origins collects Black Hammer #1–#6 and will hit shelves March 29, 2017.

Levi Remington 3/22/17 Levi Remington 3/22/17

Review: Black Hammer #7

By Levi Remington

Jeff Lemire's grand homage to Golden Age heroes continues with the start of a new arc -- this time exploring the mysterious origins of Black Hammer, the hammer-wielding hero of the streets who sacrificed all he had to save Spiral City. In the spirit of previous issues, two stories of past and present are told concurrently. But how does this week's backstory stack up? Read ahead to find out!

Chris Tresson 1/19/17 Chris Tresson 1/19/17

Review: Black Hammer Giant-Sized Annual #1

By Chris Tresson

I was very much looking forward to reviewing this book. As I'm probably not going to get another shot at reviewing any Black Hammer for Comic Bastards (Laramie Martinez has reviewed the series for CB thus far and I don't see him giving it up anytime soon!) I thought I'd take a shot at this giant-sized annual... This is my review of the Black Hammer Giant-Sized Annual, in stores this week from Dark Horse Comics.

Dustin Cabeal 12/27/16 Dustin Cabeal 12/27/16

Best of 2016: Black Hammer

Find out why Dark Horse Comics’ Black Hammer made our “Best of 2016” list.

Laramie Martinez 11/18/16 Laramie Martinez 11/18/16

Review: Black Hammer #5

By Laramie Martinez

Black Hammer # 5 is a bold departure from what we’ve seen of the comic so far. In a lot of ways it’s what you would expect from the family’s strangest character. From the structure of the plot to the layouts of the pages themselves, this issue breaks the mold to create a jarring departure form the narrative. In the end its flaw isn’t in what the creators do differently, the problem stems from what stays the same. Keep reading to find out what that is.

Laramie Martinez 10/19/16 Laramie Martinez 10/19/16

Review: Black Hammer #4

By Laramie Martinez

Abe gets his Mrs. Dalloway on and throws a dinner party! Gail makes a bold accessory choice! And someone gets a whole new look! But all joking aside, this is another great issue. I don’t know why you’re even reading this. Have you missed reviews 1-3? You can’t still be on the fence, can you? Why haven’t you bought this comic? Are you waiting for the trade? Cause that’s cool. I can respect that.