Through its first five issues, Black Hammer has deftly handled its tricky balance of universe creation and character building. Each issue has given us a character origin story and wrapped that story within another dealing with the character’s adjustments to life in an alternate dimension. This month in Black Hammer #6, we get to find out what makes Madame Dragonfly tick. It’s about time.
- WRITER: Â JEFF LEMIRE
- ARTIST: Â DEAN ORMSTON
Issue six of Black Hammer opens with Madame Dragonfly breaking the fourth wall, urging readers to close their book, seal it in plastic and never open it again. If they don’t, they will be unwelcome visitors in the Cabin of Horrors.
Right there I was hooked. We’ve got a creepy host with a haunted house promising tales of the macabre. I really expected to see Cain and Abel’s heads on pikes.
SEE HOW HIGH SHE FLIES
Lemire dives right into the horror genre with our heroine (?) making a deal with the devil (or at least a magical crone) to save the life of her child. The deal gives her wings, but binds her to the Cabin of Horrors from where, I assume, she’s been regaling Black Hammer universe readers with creepy tales for decades.
Madame Dragonfly is attacked by a pair of yokels named Bernie and Len (NICE!). She uses her magic to thwart them, but there is a magical misfire. Combine that with murky water, and before you can say “Swamp Thing,” Bernie (DOUBLE NICE!!) is transformed into a muck creature who becomes Dragonfly’s paramour.
When Madame Dragonfly is transported out of the Black Hammer-verse, the Cabin of Horrors follows. Alas, dear reader, Swamp Bernie does not. And that star-crossed love is the source of her pain.
Black Hammer is absolutely my favorite title on the market right now. Lemire is doing some high level meta-writing that continues to entrance me issue after issue. Now, after six spectacular issues, someone else has cleared the breach and we may, finally, find out exactly what type of crisis it was that shunted our heroes to their brave new world.
If you aren’t doing so already, buy Black Hammer! If you don’t, Madame Dragonfly may drag you into the Cabin of Horrors. She’s got an opening.
Entranced, enticed and surprisingly enlightened? Check out my review of issues 2-5!
Black Hammer #2 Review: What’s the Magic Word?
Black Hammer #3 Review: Strange Visitor from Another Planet!
Black Hammer #4 Review: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner!?
Black Hammer #5 Review: Things Go from Strange to Weird.
