Black Hammer Library Editions Overview! | Dark Horse | Jeff Lemire | Dean Ormston

#BlackHammer #DarkHorse #comics
Today I go over the FIVE beautiful Library Editions Dark Horse has published for the great super hero series, Black Hammer by Jeff Lemire, Dean Orston and more!
My appearance on Zlurpcast TV talking about Black Hammer: • Black Hammer Review
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Twitter: @TMTalksComics
Instagram: @TaylorTalksComics

[@NerdettesNewsStand]

Great video!

[@TaylorTalksComics]

Thanks!

[@Owen1699]

I’ve got to check this series out sometime. LOVE Jeff Lemire’s work.

[@TaylorTalksComics]

Truly! It’s one of the best super hero comics to come out of the last decade!

[@essaywhu]

Just read through all these a few months ago and really loved them. I do sometimes feel that some events were repeated a few too many times for my taste but overall they’re some of my favorite comics. I was wishing for a little more thematic variety which is probably why I liked the Barbalien mini so much.

[@TaylorTalksComics]

Yea! Lemire has really started to open up the world and do different things with the different spin-offs. It’s kept things fresh for sure.

[@Coreyw_art]

I have the older trade paperbacks of the first few volumes. The library editions look like they have way more content in them. I loved Cosmagog. It was really inspiring to see that Tyler Crook made a maquette for the character. I do that for my own comics, but mine are made out of sculpey, not 3D printed 😅 Thanks for sharing!

[@TaylorTalksComics]

Yea, the bonus content and oversized artwork really make the library editions worth buying! And yea! I love that stuff. I have seen a few artists do that.

[@Coreyw_art]

@@TaylorTalksComics that’s cool.. i remember the old Art of LOTR books from when I was a kid, where the concept artists would make a maquette as a form of concept art. I think that’s what inspired me to do it. I realised you can get a full range of angles to draw from. Btw, you have great taste in books! It’s awesome to see someone flying the flag for cartooning in comics

[@middenway]

I put together the reading order for Black Hammer that's in the library editions. The reason I had BH1, then WoBH1, then BH2 is for two reasons. Firstly, Sherlock Frankenstein plays a role in the ending of Black Hammer: Age of Doom that seems a bit random and lacks emotional resonance if you haven't read Sherlock Frankenstein and the Legion of Evil. Secondly, the BH2 library edition contains the Cthu-Louise one-shot, which picks up on events introduced in SFatLoE #3. I also think going from Black Hammer #1-13 to Black Hammer: Age of Doom, SFatLoE helps to push the focus to Lucy, and flesh her out, but that's just my personal taste. You can certainly read BH1 and BH2 back to back, but there will be the occasional non sequitur or a lack of emotional resonance.

[@TaylorTalksComics]

Hey, Mark! You bring up good points. I feel there are multiple ways to read these. Your point about the emotional resonance of Sherlock Frankenstein makes sense though. This is why I like reading and re-reading things in different contexts and orders. To see how those things play out in different ways!

[@scaressell6880]

Do these collect like all of the TPBS or do you know what’s missing by any chance ?

[@TaylorTalksComics]

The TPBs collect all of the same material. The only difference might be the back matter and extras. They just released the first TPB Omnibus that collects the same contents of the first Library edition. And they’re seemingly going to release the whole set in these thicker omnibus TPBs. Which I assume will mirror the exact contents of the Library editions.

[@scaressell6880]

@@TaylorTalksComics thanks !

[@TaylorTalksComics]

@@scaressell6880 You're welcome!

[@middenway]

The Black Hammer / Justice League crossover can't currently be collected in library editions due to Dark Horse’s deal with DC. Hopefully this will change in the future. As for special features, they're mostly the same, usually expanded for the library editions, but occasionally swapping some sketchbook stuff out for other sketchbook stuff. The big difference is with Doctor Star/Andromeda. The original trade had a hefty sketchbook section, but it had to be revised for when the name and costume design changed. All the sketchbook work and original covers featuring the original design could not be included in the new trade or the library edition for legal reasons.

[@maximusmagni1]

Is the Black Hammer/Justice League ever going to be collected in a library edition?

[@TaylorTalksComics]

I hope so! The two “Black Hammer: Visions” standard sized HCs are going to be combined into a “World of Black Hammer” Library Edition next spring. And it’s not unheard of for DC to allow a crossover to be put into a Library Edition by Dark Horse. Mike Allred just put the Madman/Superman cross over mini series into a Library edition. So, I certainly think it’s possible and definitely HOPE it happens. But, there haven’t been any announcements yet.

[@austincaldwell8358]

Wish we could get some BPRD Library Editions. I don't care if they match the Hellboys, just want them reprinted in that format.

[@TaylorTalksComics]

That would be awesome! I’d be into that!

[@clsrocks007]

does this collect black hammer the end?

[@TaylorTalksComics]

Not yet! but, that will likely be in Black Hammer Library Edition Volume 4

[@eduardocarvalho861]

I've got the first 4 omnibus and I have to say they're good. Besides the art of Dean Osmond, David Rubin, Matt Kindt and Rich Tommaso, the story on the 2nd volume do feel a little bit overstretched to me. I'm not sure if the present World of BH, has enough appeal to continue reading these wonderful produced books.

[@TaylorTalksComics]

The “World of ..” books do benefit from Lemire being able to have a more singular focus and try out different vibes/genres which is a breath of fresh air for the overall universe.