In superhero stories, the world is always ending.
Usually, the superheroes emerge from these events withnew costumes, new outlooks, even new backstories.
Black Hammerbegins in the wake of an apocalyptic superhero event.
Lemire is known for his independent comics likeSweet ToothandDescenderbut hes also written superhero stories for Marvel and DC.
WithBlack Hammer, Lemire combines the various styles in one comic.
Check that out below, along with pinups and variant covers featuring the characters Golden Gail and Barbalien.
On a more thematic level, its become a metaphor for any family.
Everyones family is pretty crazy, but the superheroes enhance that and create a pretty fun metaphor.
Youve done traditional superhero stories for both Marvel and DC.
What interested you about tackling the genre from this different angle?
For various scheduling reasons,Black Hammerjust never happened.
Things came up, and I also started writing for Marvel and DC.
But it was a project and characters I never forgot about.
So since its taken so long, do you have a better sense of the series larger arcs?
Yeah, I do.
To be honest, Ive actually written almost the entire series already.
That was a real benefit you dont usually get on a monthly comic.
I think its gonna make for a much stronger monthly read.
In addition to the big high-concept stuff, there are some beautiful small character moments.
It was a lot of fun to have that.
It certainly is not all depressing and sadness.
Its probably the funniest book Ive written as well.
What specific comic stories were you referencing?
Spiral City, for example, looks like a 50s vision of Metropolis.
So between the characters you kind of get the whole history of comics that I love.
That comic had a massive impact on me.
Golden Gail fascinates me.
It used to be something that was wonderful, and now its become her worst nightmare.
Gail, of all of them, is probably the most unhappy.
The superheroes are transferred from a big city to a small town, the reverse of Supermans journey.
How do those different controls play into the superhero concept?
I always love going back to small towns and seeing these superheroes trying to fit into that world.
Its always seemed like a rich, untapped ground for superhero comics.
What were the art inspirations for the series?
Dean is someone whose work Ive followed at Vertigo for the last 10 years.
He had never done superheroes before, but thats kind of what attracted me to him.
Its fascinating to see these different eras of superhero comics, in flashback, through his style.
You dont normally see superheroes rendered that way.
I think thats what gives the book its character, for sure.
What can you tease about him?
Black Hammer was this superhero who came here with them.
Black Hammer started out with that trope, and then he became something much like these other characters.
He was with them, he was the sixth hero, but there was a tragedy that struck.
He died, and they named the farm and everything after him.
