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The World of Black Hammer #8
The Unbelievable Unteens
From the world of the Eisner Award-winning Black Hammer series comes this meta team superhero saga taking place between two different worlds.
After signing at a comic book convention, Unbelievable Unteens artist Jane Ito finds herself visited by one of the characters from her own creation—but was it her own creation? Were the Unteens an actual school of teenaged misfit superheroes who battled supervillains under the lead of the mysterious Dr. Miles Moniker? And if so who wiped their memories and why? As Jane’s world is turned upside down and she learns the true nature of her identity she discovers a sinister plot leading her to assemble a team she had suspected was purely fictional.
Collects issues #1-4 of The Unbelievable Unteens and featuring a sketchbook section and pinups by Emi Lenox, John McCrea, Tonci Zonjic, and Ray Fawkes!
After signing at a comic book convention, Unbelievable Unteens artist Jane Ito finds herself visited by one of the characters from her own creation—but was it her own creation? Were the Unteens an actual school of teenaged misfit superheroes who battled supervillains under the lead of the mysterious Dr. Miles Moniker? And if so who wiped their memories and why? As Jane’s world is turned upside down and she learns the true nature of her identity she discovers a sinister plot leading her to assemble a team she had suspected was purely fictional.
Collects issues #1-4 of The Unbelievable Unteens and featuring a sketchbook section and pinups by Emi Lenox, John McCrea, Tonci Zonjic, and Ray Fawkes!
128 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2022
About the author
Jeff Lemire
1,292 books3,724 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
January 25, 2022
A clear lesser spin off in the ever expanding Black Hammer universe (BlaHamniverse..?), it's Lemire's take on the X-Men.
Thing is, the whole thing feels like a repetition of the main Black Hammer storyline - superheroes who have forgotten they are superheroes, superheroes who have moved on into adulthood and have family lives.. even the big bad, the Wraith, reminds a lot of Anti-God.
And the story doesn't offer any surprises. I kind of wished Lemire had taken a bit of a risk in the storytelling, taken the next step, so to speak. There constantly are glimpses of a more interesting story, but they are ignored.
Tyler Crook's art is good, and he has become one of the best matches to Lemire's writing.
That said, it's the inessential Unteens, I'm afraid.
2.5 stars
(Thanks to Dark Horse Books for providing me with an ARC through Edelweiss)
Thing is, the whole thing feels like a repetition of the main Black Hammer storyline - superheroes who have forgotten they are superheroes, superheroes who have moved on into adulthood and have family lives.. even the big bad, the Wraith, reminds a lot of Anti-God.
And the story doesn't offer any surprises. I kind of wished Lemire had taken a bit of a risk in the storytelling, taken the next step, so to speak. There constantly are glimpses of a more interesting story, but they are ignored.
Tyler Crook's art is good, and he has become one of the best matches to Lemire's writing.
That said, it's the inessential Unteens, I'm afraid.
2.5 stars
(Thanks to Dark Horse Books for providing me with an ARC through Edelweiss)
July 19, 2022
The World of Blackhammer #8 is The Unbelievable Unteens, written by Jeff Lemire and drawn by Tyler Crooks (Colonel Weird, Harrow County), a tribute to 1980s teen superhero books with a horror edge. Teen Titans? X-Men? Others like it? So it’s all--as with the Black Hammer universe generally--all nostalgia and celebration of comics history. This is yet another slice of comics history, and since most of it is “getting the band back together” after ten years and everyone have to unerase their memories and regrets about the past, I assume this spin-off will have its own run.
We meet Jane Ito, comic-book artist drawing The Unbelievable Unteens, at Spiralcon, Spiral City’s Comic Con, and the ghost of a (black) Jack Sabbath comes to her to tell her she is actually drawing from repressed memories, that she was once--ta da!--Strobe! Yes, belive it, she was once a superhero, and they need to get their group back together again, ala the mian story of Black Hammer, repressed memories, and so on.
The group includes Straka, a Czech Powerhouse, and so on. And the villain is Wraith. Okay, it’s a pretty fun addition to the Black Hammer world, and may even be better than my three stars, if I had liked any of those eighties comics it is a tribute to. I like Tyler Crook's artwork, more having fun than the serious horror work her did with Harrow County, but this is fine!
We meet Jane Ito, comic-book artist drawing The Unbelievable Unteens, at Spiralcon, Spiral City’s Comic Con, and the ghost of a (black) Jack Sabbath comes to her to tell her she is actually drawing from repressed memories, that she was once--ta da!--Strobe! Yes, belive it, she was once a superhero, and they need to get their group back together again, ala the mian story of Black Hammer, repressed memories, and so on.
The group includes Straka, a Czech Powerhouse, and so on. And the villain is Wraith. Okay, it’s a pretty fun addition to the Black Hammer world, and may even be better than my three stars, if I had liked any of those eighties comics it is a tribute to. I like Tyler Crook's artwork, more having fun than the serious horror work her did with Harrow County, but this is fine!
May 11, 2022
When does homage just become a string of generic cliches and tropes? In this tribute to 1980s teen superhero books, all the kids spend more time crushing on each other and training than they do having adventures. In a 1990s flash forward though everyone has forgotten their past, but when one of the heroes remembers he sets out to get the band back together to fix their last disastrous adventure. Even then, they spend more time fighting with each other than the greater evil.
These Black Hammer spin-offs are getting increasingly blah, bland, and bad. Maybe I'll just stick to the core title from here on out.
I'm not a fan of Tyler Crook's art either.
These Black Hammer spin-offs are getting increasingly blah, bland, and bad. Maybe I'll just stick to the core title from here on out.
I'm not a fan of Tyler Crook's art either.
April 5, 2022
The latest (final?) Black Hammer-verse mini-series focuses on Jane Ito, the writer and artist of the Incredible Unteens. But when one of her characters turns up in her living room, she's faced with the strange idea that perhaps all the adventures she's been creating are actually her own repressed memories.
On the surface, Unteens is a Teen Titans/Doom Patrol/X-Men pastiche that goes a little grimdark in order to get some extra mileage out of a Dark Phoenix/Trigon & Raven type story. But that's all just the superficial surface stuff. This mini-series, perhaps moreso than any of the other Black Hammer books, is all about the nitty gritty underneath.
Unteens is actually a story about grief. About revisiting the past and seeing it through new eyes and not just through the rose-tinted goggles of nostalgia. About growing as a person, and facing the mistakes you've made in order to become a better version of yourself. Is it all wrapped up in a superhero bow? Yeah, sure. But there's so much more beneath the surface if you scratch just a little bit deeper. I feel like the fact that this doesn't even feel like a Black Hammer book aside from the Free Comic Book Day preview is intentional, since it's exploring very different themes to the other mini-series that we've had so far.
On art is Tyler Crook, who also drew the Colonel Weird mini-series a while back. Crook's work is solid, with a lot of versatility shown in his ability to completely change his style when depicting the comic-within-a-comic world of the Unteens compared to the more dour 'real' world of the rest of the story.
Unteens looks like one thing but is something entirely different if you take even a second to consider it for more than what it presents itself to be. It looks good, it's a solid story, but it'll have you thinking far past the final pages.
On the surface, Unteens is a Teen Titans/Doom Patrol/X-Men pastiche that goes a little grimdark in order to get some extra mileage out of a Dark Phoenix/Trigon & Raven type story. But that's all just the superficial surface stuff. This mini-series, perhaps moreso than any of the other Black Hammer books, is all about the nitty gritty underneath.
Unteens is actually a story about grief. About revisiting the past and seeing it through new eyes and not just through the rose-tinted goggles of nostalgia. About growing as a person, and facing the mistakes you've made in order to become a better version of yourself. Is it all wrapped up in a superhero bow? Yeah, sure. But there's so much more beneath the surface if you scratch just a little bit deeper. I feel like the fact that this doesn't even feel like a Black Hammer book aside from the Free Comic Book Day preview is intentional, since it's exploring very different themes to the other mini-series that we've had so far.
On art is Tyler Crook, who also drew the Colonel Weird mini-series a while back. Crook's work is solid, with a lot of versatility shown in his ability to completely change his style when depicting the comic-within-a-comic world of the Unteens compared to the more dour 'real' world of the rest of the story.
Unteens looks like one thing but is something entirely different if you take even a second to consider it for more than what it presents itself to be. It looks good, it's a solid story, but it'll have you thinking far past the final pages.
May 10, 2024
A clever premise that pays homage to George Perez’s DC series The New Teen Titans and Marvel’s “The Uncanny X-Men” from the 1980s while also creating a fun spin-off from the universe of Black Hammer, Jeff Lemire’s graphic novel “The Unbelievable Unteens” tells the story of a comic book superhero team that mysteriously disbanded years ago and has fallen so far into obscurity that even its own members have forgotten about it.
Comic book artist Jane Ito is coming home from a comic convention showcasing her popular series The Unbelievable Unteens when she meets one of the team members. This isn’t some kid in cosplay, either. This is Jack Sabbath, the only team member to have died. Jack’s ghost does a pretty good job of convincing her that the superhero team was not only real, but that she was an original member named Strobe. Now, it’s just a matter of getting the team back together.
It’s never that simple, though.
Teen angst, unrequited love, the trials and tribulations of becoming an adult: Lemire’s teen super-team tackles it all in a fun, short five-issue series.
Comic book artist Jane Ito is coming home from a comic convention showcasing her popular series The Unbelievable Unteens when she meets one of the team members. This isn’t some kid in cosplay, either. This is Jack Sabbath, the only team member to have died. Jack’s ghost does a pretty good job of convincing her that the superhero team was not only real, but that she was an original member named Strobe. Now, it’s just a matter of getting the team back together.
It’s never that simple, though.
Teen angst, unrequited love, the trials and tribulations of becoming an adult: Lemire’s teen super-team tackles it all in a fun, short five-issue series.
November 10, 2021
The Unbelievable Unteens is another solid addition to the growing Black Hammer universe, and one that pulls a lot inspiration from X-men but still feels totally unique.
May 22, 2022
Easily one of my favourite 'Hammerverse' mini series so far. Lemire takes an 80's Teen Titans like team and spoofs the hell out of it. Throw in some nostalgia as the team has grown up 10 years later with memories erased and there is some better days and regrets abounding in this tale.
I don't think this is even critical to pick up if you are into BlackHammer, this is critical to pick up if you like good stories period.
I don't think this is even critical to pick up if you are into BlackHammer, this is critical to pick up if you like good stories period.
September 1, 2022
Oddly, for a Black Hammer spin-off mini-series, Jeff Lemire has chosen to basically retell the original Black Hammer story, just with different characters. To wit, we're introduced to a main character who is writing a comic book about a Spiral City superhero team ("The Unbelievable Unteens") only to be informed that she was actually a member of said team. And that they all have collective amnesia. And that they need to get the team back together to achieve a goal.
Sure, from that point on, it takes a slightly different tack (no Anti-God in sight, thank god). But it's a weirdly unoriginal read. One that, admittedly, is well-written and engaging. Tyler Crook's art, also, is a big selling point. Certainly worth a read for Black Hammer fans, just don't expect anything too surprising.
Sure, from that point on, it takes a slightly different tack (no Anti-God in sight, thank god). But it's a weirdly unoriginal read. One that, admittedly, is well-written and engaging. Tyler Crook's art, also, is a big selling point. Certainly worth a read for Black Hammer fans, just don't expect anything too surprising.
Read
May 9, 2023Lemire continues his quest to produce knock-offs of every corporate superhero going, like Astro City only less so. This time it's a Doom Patrol/X-Men analogue, except that one of them is blatantly Deadman, and also they mostly forgot this was their real life, and one of them had been telling it all as a comic within the comic, so I guess add pretensions towards emulating Miracleman and Animal Man into the mix. It would all be entirely pointless if the art weren't by Tyler Crook.
September 26, 2024
This is another spinoff from the Hammerverse. This time, we focus on a team of teenage superheroes, The Unbelievable Unteens, whose existence was teased in some of the other books, including the FCBD one-shot.
With the Unteens, Lemire is paying homage to and taking inspiration from mainstream teen super teams of the 1980s, such as the Teen Titans or X-Men. I've really enjoyed the cheesy character design, the chemistry among the team members, and the whole idea about the comic book artist.
Tyler Crook's art is a sight for sore eyes, as always.
The Unbelievable Unteens is one of the best spinoffs and is more or less a standalone, so you don't have to worry if you are not all caught up with other Hammerverse books.
With the Unteens, Lemire is paying homage to and taking inspiration from mainstream teen super teams of the 1980s, such as the Teen Titans or X-Men. I've really enjoyed the cheesy character design, the chemistry among the team members, and the whole idea about the comic book artist.
Tyler Crook's art is a sight for sore eyes, as always.
The Unbelievable Unteens is one of the best spinoffs and is more or less a standalone, so you don't have to worry if you are not all caught up with other Hammerverse books.
Read
May 8, 2023Let me say that the Unbelievable Unteens is a stupid name. Unteens? Really?
So this is a brief, predictable homage to 80s teen superhero books (mainly X-Men). It recalls the original Black Hammer series, where a bunch of heroes are stuck in the “real world” after their adventures. The four issues go by fast and not much happens. Lemire has written other four-issue miniseries that packed more story into them than this. As a meta superhero comic, it’s safe and easy.
So this is a brief, predictable homage to 80s teen superhero books (mainly X-Men). It recalls the original Black Hammer series, where a bunch of heroes are stuck in the “real world” after their adventures. The four issues go by fast and not much happens. Lemire has written other four-issue miniseries that packed more story into them than this. As a meta superhero comic, it’s safe and easy.
July 17, 2022
Crook’s watercolor art looks great and makes me want to check out his horror comics. I was less enthused about the retread story Lemire tells here (more amnesia in Spiral City!) with a Black Hammer riff on X-men, but its stronger back half turned me around to liking it, if still not loving it.
January 3, 2022
A solid entry in the Black Hammer series that also works as a stand-alone story. Jeff Lemire really seems to understand what the appeal of superhero comics in the '80s was, and it shows.
July 2, 2022
Ever diminishing returns on these black hammer spin offs. Also the idea of lost memory is becoming far too played out as a trope in this series.
June 20, 2022
A little too heavy on the pastiche, but a great ending.
November 20, 2021
It’s not quite finished yet but it is already 5 stars. I’m just saving myself the trouble of doing this later.
September 9, 2023
Der neueste und vorerst letzte Spin-off des BH-Universums konzentriert sich auf Jane Ito, Comic-Künstlerin und Urheberin der „Unbelievable Unteens“, die mit einem ihrer eigens von ihr kreierten Figur in ihrem eigenen Wohnzimmer konfrontiert wird und der ihr erzählt, dass all die von ihr gezeichneten Abenteuer eigentlich ihre unterdrückten Erinnerungen sind, an die sie lieber nicht erinnert werden will.
Jane gehörte selbst zu den Unteens, die Gruppe bestand zudem noch aus Straka, ein tschechischer Superheld, der jetzt Familie hat und wie Jane nichts mehr von der früheren Zeit wissen will.
Im Grunde genommen geht’s hier in der Geschichte um Trauer, melancholische Rückblicke auf die Vergangenheit und diese mit anderen Augen zu sehen statt durch die durch Nostalgie aufgesetzte rosa Brille.
Die ehemaligen Unteens sind inzwischen erwachsen und müssen sich den Fehlern ihrer vergangenen Taten stellen.
Tyler Crook zeichnet auch hier verantwortlich für die künstlerische Umsetzung, die wie schon bei „Colonel Weird Cosmagog“ sehr solide ist. Crooks zeichnerische Flexibilität ist erstaunlich, er kann Zeichenstile innerhalb des Comics hervorragend umsetzen.
Jane gehörte selbst zu den Unteens, die Gruppe bestand zudem noch aus Straka, ein tschechischer Superheld, der jetzt Familie hat und wie Jane nichts mehr von der früheren Zeit wissen will.
Im Grunde genommen geht’s hier in der Geschichte um Trauer, melancholische Rückblicke auf die Vergangenheit und diese mit anderen Augen zu sehen statt durch die durch Nostalgie aufgesetzte rosa Brille.
Die ehemaligen Unteens sind inzwischen erwachsen und müssen sich den Fehlern ihrer vergangenen Taten stellen.
Tyler Crook zeichnet auch hier verantwortlich für die künstlerische Umsetzung, die wie schon bei „Colonel Weird Cosmagog“ sehr solide ist. Crooks zeichnerische Flexibilität ist erstaunlich, er kann Zeichenstile innerhalb des Comics hervorragend umsetzen.
May 4, 2022
I enjoyed this, but it felt a bit too compact, it needed more fleshing out. To be fair, I don't get to read nearly as many comics as I'd like, so I may have missed some of this story elsewhere. I did get (I believe) the full story of the Unteens, but I just would've liked to get to know them better.
The story was good, with it's influences showing (X-Men, Fabulous Killjoys, Teen Titans, etc), which I'm cool with; I mean, I love the Black Hammer stuff, and it's pretty obvious about its influences. At the same time, it was pretty predictable, and the ending felt rushed to me, too easy.
The art was great, though - it set the tone and suited the story well. I do and will recommend this, but go in knowing it might leave you wanting a bit.
The story was good, with it's influences showing (X-Men, Fabulous Killjoys, Teen Titans, etc), which I'm cool with; I mean, I love the Black Hammer stuff, and it's pretty obvious about its influences. At the same time, it was pretty predictable, and the ending felt rushed to me, too easy.
The art was great, though - it set the tone and suited the story well. I do and will recommend this, but go in knowing it might leave you wanting a bit.
December 2, 2022
This is not the strongest entry into the Black Hammer universe, primarily because it's only four issues, not really enough to flesh out the characters, but still very enjoyable. It's essentially a send up of the X-Men, with an elderly scientist gathering together a band of teenaged superheroes with a variety of powers. The story flashes forward and backward as we see the teens at their height and then as adults in mostly not so great circumstances. The focus is on the relationships between the various members of the team more than their super-heroics. The artwork by Tyler Crook is more dark and realistic for the portions set in the present and more light and cartoony for the flashbacks, emulating an older comic book style.
May 5, 2022
Another awesome addition to the Black Hammerverse. I loved Jack Sabbath in his brief appearance previously, so was eager for more. If you know this series, you know it pays homage to the comics universes and this backstory kind of felt Doom Patrol-ish, which is far from being a bad thing.
As with the rest of Black Hammer, I'm always left wanting so much more. We got the tiniest flabour of the characters and are left with a bunch of open paths to explore in the future, I hope that happens.
Tyler Crook's artwork is staggeringly beautiful, an incredible talent.
As with the rest of Black Hammer, I'm always left wanting so much more. We got the tiniest flabour of the characters and are left with a bunch of open paths to explore in the future, I hope that happens.
Tyler Crook's artwork is staggeringly beautiful, an incredible talent.
May 6, 2022
Far from the best of the Black Hammer stories. It's Lemire trying to do a Black Hammer take on the X-Men, without including any of the elements that make the X-Men compelling. There's no world that hates and fears them, no struggle with their own abilities. I get that it's largely inspired by the original team, but those were all essential elements for the first X-Men, too. And the story felt too close to the main Black Hammer story for me, with extraordinary people stuck in ordinary lives. I was excited for this book, but it just didn't give me what I was looking for.
April 27, 2023
Another miniseries set in Black Hammer. What is really apparent is the Lemire loves comics. A gentle sense of humour around the absurdity of comics along with a skewering of tropes. An honest look forward at trying to break through them.
I enjoyed this story a lot. There is almost a weird nostalgia attached along with a bit of sadness. A past not experienced and a comics history not made. Feels like Watchmen a bit. Feels a little like watching Pleasantville.
These are all good things. Corniness with true heart underneath it all.
I enjoyed this story a lot. There is almost a weird nostalgia attached along with a bit of sadness. A past not experienced and a comics history not made. Feels like Watchmen a bit. Feels a little like watching Pleasantville.
These are all good things. Corniness with true heart underneath it all.
May 2, 2022
This time around we get the Black Hammer-verse version of the Uncanny X-men. Grown up versions of a teen super group must re-band to vanquish a forgotten foe.
As usual, I like Lemire's pace of giving out information about the mystery. I seldom found myself anticipating revelations and didn't think anything was sped over too quickly either.
Also as usual, there is a melancholic or bittersweet element throughout.
As usual, I like Lemire's pace of giving out information about the mystery. I seldom found myself anticipating revelations and didn't think anything was sped over too quickly either.
Also as usual, there is a melancholic or bittersweet element throughout.
August 21, 2023
Lemire X-menje. Ennyi.
Az elején azt gondoltam, hogy a Black Hammer sorozat majd mutat valami újat, hogy hogyan lehet egy szuperhős világot az alapoktól összerakni, de az lett belőle, hogy inkább csak reflektál a két nagy karaktereire és szituációira és megmutatja, hogyan egy ici-picit hogyan lehet emberibben csinálni. De ettől még nem lesz ez igazán jó. Némelyik kötet mutatott valami újat, de ez éppen most a gyengébbek egyike.
Az elején azt gondoltam, hogy a Black Hammer sorozat majd mutat valami újat, hogy hogyan lehet egy szuperhős világot az alapoktól összerakni, de az lett belőle, hogy inkább csak reflektál a két nagy karaktereire és szituációira és megmutatja, hogyan egy ici-picit hogyan lehet emberibben csinálni. De ettől még nem lesz ez igazán jó. Némelyik kötet mutatott valami újat, de ez éppen most a gyengébbek egyike.
March 31, 2022
Story wise this is a great little book. The first chapter comes across hokey, but it takes off on a much better ride through the remainder of the story. Couple of misprinted words, but nothing that killed the immersion. Great story!
July 3, 2022
Kind of far fetch to even set it in the Black Hammer universe. Another time, another group of heroes, not bad, I enjoy it (action, emotion, nice story even if not very original), but I wouldn't consider it to be related to Black Hammer in any way.
July 13, 2022
More like The Unremarkable X-Men. Seriously, this reads like a rejected pitch for an '80s X-Men story with half the serial number filed off. A real bummer to read after BARBALIEN set such a high bar for what BLACK HAMMER side stories could be.
August 16, 2022
Artwork is good, particularly jumping from the 'comic' to the 'real life'.
Another excellent addition the Black Hammer-verse. Maybe not quite as good as other editions because
Another excellent addition the Black Hammer-verse. Maybe not quite as good as other editions because
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2021
Not Black Hammer's first foray into comics that are transparently about comics, but certainly a twist on the theme. The story is quick, illuminates one of my favorite side characters (Jack), and offers a cool play on 80s-era X-Men comics. Not the best story in the universe, but I appreciated the focus of the storytelling and thought the ending hit well.
December 28, 2021
Perfectly fine comic. Fun 80s x-men vibes were nice. B-
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews