Jack and Charlie are back and both are ready to take down Beltram and Goodman. We now all know that Beltram is The Black Smile and after the beating that Jack took last issue, it is time this dude got what he deserved. Jack Hammer has a great way of building up the showdowns. He is a detective at heart, so he still needs to do his research and plan it out, but then his ideas always hit with a bang. Charlie is the more level one, although he questions Jack, he usually listens to him too. They make a great duo, and I think Charlie’s name could be on the cover just as much as Jack’s. The work apart too which is important to keeping them separate and yet still going after the same things. Stu and Mrs. Newman are being held hostage but thank god that creep has left Mrs. Newman alone. I don’t get why prisoners are always left alone in movies or left incapable hands. Well that is what happens to these two and guess what an unexpected friend lets them loose. Beltram is holding a speech party for Goodman while Jack and Charlie are brewing their plan. The whole storyline was actually pretty predictable. Good vs evil, hostages are safe, ambiguity is left at the end, and Jack gets a drink when the job is finished.
With Action Lab, I have been spoiled with so many awesome titles that when reading a comic and it doesn’t grab me by my feet and hang me upside down, it makes me sad. I think Jack Hammer is that exact comic. It doesn’t have that richness that other Action Lab titles do. I think maybe if the comic was revamped once again and give to the Danger Zone, then we could deal more with the superhuman aspect of the comic and get some real crazy stories out of it. Plus this whole time, I thought we were going to dive into the superhuman part, like how they came to be or Jack’s past. Instead the story is a simple detective story.
What I do like about this comic is the art though. Jack is exactly what I picture in every moment. Especially his scruff and ripped shirts. He is that manly man who everyone wants to come save the day. I also like the simple lines given to each scene. You don’t have to get so crazy and when the detail is needed it is given to us. So there is a clean balance. The coolest scene was with Night and Charlie. She is superhuman and the dream state she uses to talk to Charlie is played out well in the comic. Again, this could be a great story following a different superhuman and how they came to be, but we only get a couple of pages of Night and I felt confused and wondered why she wasn’t in it more.
I don’t know if I will return to Jack Hammer unless something drastic happens. I read so many detective dramas that have an “it” factor that brings in something new, but Jack Hammer isn’t cutting it for me.
Score: 3/5
Writer: Brandon Barrows Artist: Ionic Publisher: Action Lab Entertainment Price: $2.99 Release Date: 7/2/14 Format: Mini-Series, Print/Digital