Nazis beware. The Sledgehammer has arrived.
If Hellboy didn’t give the Nazi’s enough problems, Mike Mignola and John Arcudi’s “Sledgehammer 44” is tough enough to eliminate the oppressive party’s appearances in comics permanently. Another World War II epic, this comic has enough grit and wit to keep Mignola’s biggest fans satisfied. It’s even cool enough to intrigue new ones into the fold.
Although our main good guy doesn’t say much of anything in his debut, he makes his presence felt. With a host of chatty young military men behind him, the comic has plenty of dialogue to support the action.
That has everything to do with Jason Latour’s solid art and Dave Stewart’s stellar as always coloring. Although the comic is far from colorful, it captures the essence of the battlefield well. The scale of the monsters is intense and instills fear. The highlight of the comic, robot battles in World War II, are fierce ones.
The visuals also possess an air of noire and have a retro appeal. The fight scenes in particular are fun and easy on the eyes. At the same time, it’s a little difficult to pick up on Sledgehammer’s abilities from the art alone. A closer look at the panels reveals the hero’s secrets, but with the action’s breakneck pace, a second glance hampers the flow.
Regardless, Latour’s is able to accurately portray the comic hero’s strength. Behind that, a solid origin story and a nice twist at the end of the issue, there’s plenty of staying power.
Nevertheless, with a lack of charisma away from his brute strength, Sledgehammer needs to come out of his shell a bit more in the next issue.
Otherwise, he’ll be a brainless wrecking machine.
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