http://www.aintitcool.com/node/49349#8
LUCIUS HAMMER #1
Writer: Brian Williams
Art: Christian Colbert
Publisher: RavenHammer
Reviewer: Mr. Pasty
Reviewing comics is usually a no-brainer. I mean after all, we’re not exactly splitting the atom. I grew up reading comic books and despite cutting class through most of high school and being stoned through most of college, I’ve managed to retain the ability to string together complete sentences. So, with that in mind, reviews come easy. I know the landscape, I (usually) know what works and what doesn’t and I use this medium to express those opinions. So far, so good. Then Emperor Bug has to do a dirty little thing like send me a couple of comic books that have the words “black” and “Harlem” in them and sure as shit my confidence shrivels up like the candy cane legs of the Wicked Witch of the East. There’s a reason they call me Mr. Pasty and it’s not because I do a lot of right-clicking. Mr. Pasty + black comics = White Guy Anxiety, or “WGA” for short (pun intended).
After surrendering to my Caucasian instincts, I decided that proper protocol was to tiptoe through the animated hood, laugh when prompted to and nod supportingly at the book’s conclusion. “A fine effort Mr. Williams, kudos to you sir.” But then I thought, “What if this thing sucks? How do I bash a black comic?” So I decided to consult with my imaginary council of black sympathizers and they responded, “The same way you would bash a white comic.” I know the running joke in our society is how men and women will never figure out how to act around members of the opposite sex and well, I’m convinced the same holds true about members of the opposite race. But dammit, I know we’re all out there trying, so here goes.
LUCIUS HAMMER is a great comic book. Not good, great. I have to be honest with myself after the fact and wonder aloud if part of that has to do with my expectations going in. Quite frankly, I didn’t know what to expect. I also didn’t know what to expect the first time I got off the subway at 125th street but in both cases, I was able to climb another rung on my ladder of social understanding. One of the lessons learned here is that you can have a black comic book that doesn’t require you to be black to enjoy it. I don’t want to carry on like it’s 1955 and this is the first black comic to ever sit on the back of the bookshelf, but let’s not pretend that many of the previous offerings weren’t designed with a white appeal. That’s not an accusation, rather an unfortunate fact that was a sign of the times. If you wanted to play in the majors, you had to know when to take a pitch.
Brian Williams swings for the fences. And with LUCIUS HAMMER, he knocks one into the black (Yankee centerfield pun intended). HAMMER has a humble upbringing on his parent’s farm in Alabama and discovers early in life that he can do extraordinary things. He also stays grounded with the love and discipline of his parents until it’s time for him to fly the coop after the death of his mother. If it sounds a lot like Superman, it is, but that doesn’t mean it’s The Man of Black Steel. Even if it is, I didn’t mind, because the execution was flawless as Williams seamlessly weaves in and out of social commentary without shouting from his soap box.
LUCIUS HAMMER is light enough to be enjoyed in the parking lot of your local comic shop and heavy enough to re-read at night before you hit the hay. Hammer experiences a lot of the same obstacles that most of us have (or will) experience as we try to uncover our purpose in this world. We make choices that seem like a good fit at the time but later give way to new pursuits. And being a superhero is no different than any other job: just when you feel like you’ve made it to the top, someone else shows up ready to take it all away. Christian Colbert adds just the right touch in both his pencils and his colors, bringing the necessary balance to keep HAMMER from reading like black propaganda. Is it? Only Williams knows for sure, but with his mastery of storytelling and fearless ending, I didn’t much care. I was too busy looking forward to issue #2.
