Exploring These Small Towns

First Look for December 29, 2017

The thing I enjoy about these two comics are that they go out of their way to develop characters that are multidimensional, flawed, and sympathetic, and the stories they are telling are engaging. With that said, my first look at Black Hammer #4 and Revival #3 highlights the continued expansion of the universes these creators have built and my anticipation for reading the next issues. Exploring these small towns has sure been interesting so far.

Black Hammer #4

Slam Bam Thank You Ma’am! by Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston. Published by Dark Horse Comics 2016.

This issue continues the trend of providing back story for the heroes of Spiral City. In previous installments we learned more about Golden Gail and Barbalien, and in this issue we learn about Abe Slam.

Abraham Slam seems to be the one the hero who’s enjoying his new life on the farm. He’s done his best to fit in and even has a relationship with the ex-wife of the town sheriff which could prove troublesome in the future. While we see how the girlfriend deals with the “family” of trapped heroes, we see how Abe came to be a crime fighter. It all begins with him as a scrawny kid denied acceptance into the military to serve his country.

As we learn of the heavyweight fighter who takes Abe under his wing and trains him, we see that Gail is doing everything she can to cause trouble with Tammmy.

So much goes on in these issues, it’s hard to cover it all in little blurbs, but suffice to say, we’re getting a very good introduction not only to the lives these heroes used to live in Spiral City, but we’re also seeing how they’ve each reacted to their confinement on the farm. It’s really a well written and drawn series so far.

And as the issue concludes, we’re shown again that people in Spiral City remember their heroes and are looking for any clue of where they’re at now.

Revival #3

Chapter 3 by Tim Seeley and Mike Norton. Published by Image in 2012.

I’m starting to get the idea that this is more than just a zombie story as the undead seem to be able to survive having their brain sliced in two and they’re not looking for brains to eat – not very zombielike. As we saw in the last issue, Arlene Dittman, the old lady who was pulling her teeth out in the first issue, reanimated when the medical examiner replaced the top of her head where it should go. They got her under control and strapped her down, but she breaks free in this installment and the implications get really scary.

While Arlene leaves the hospital and heads out for a visit to the Heinlein Funeral Home (which is a cool homage) to pay her respects to Terry Stankiewicz (who she killed), we see further developments with Martha, she’s had a fling with her married college professor, and sister Dana is called out (with her new partner Ibrahaim) to another of the Revivers homes. We also see that the “alien from the woods” is still hanging around town and has slipped in to the Stankiewicz farm. Along with the continuations of these story lines, there’s a reporter in town, May, who’s been enlisted by a family friend to write a story but before she can gather any information she finds the old Hmong lady murdered by…a ghost?

There are so many story lines going in this issue it’s a bit harder than the previous 2 to keep track of everything but with the pace and all the action, it’s a pretty quick read. I’m really enjoying how the characters are being fleshed out while the story gets deeper but I’m getting the impression there’s going to be a lot to this tale.