Image Comics reviews 8/26/26 – Void Rivals 33, Terminal 2

Hammerfist 1

Based off its highly entertaining opening act, Hammerfist looks to be one of the more promising superpowered crime titles in years. Writer Rick Remender is immediately locked in on this time capsule saga featuring Mike Denton, a brutish killer for hire who doesn’t mind taking on dirty jobs so long as it offers a solid payday.

Not specifically so he can use his scores to help provide for his daughter, Kaylee, but to score his next hit. Mike is hardly a hero, which makes his journey all the more engaging. After his latest gig, Mike gets recruited to join a crew for a bank hit led by William and Cindy, who offer a major life-altering score. They just have to pull off the heist to sync perfectly with the upcoming eclipse.

While cautious, Mike was not expecting William and Cindy to emerge from the vault with a powerful weapon they summoned by some arcane chant. Barely escaping very aggressive police officers, Mike gets the couple to safety just in time to be given the Hammerfist. While William and Cindy knew exactly what the object’s purpose was, Mike has no clue and thinks this weapon could at least sell it. Remender crafts a compelling tale with Mike serving as the narrator for the chaos swirling around him giving Hammerfist a sort of noir tone.

Artist Steve Epting gives the series a gritty, real world visual with a heavy emphasis on expressive characters and moody environments. This series is leaning into all of Epting’s strengths as an artist. Colorist Matt Hollingsworth offers a muted color palette to match the darker, shadier tone with brighter colors for explosions and the hammerfist itself.

This was an impressive kickoff heavy on character drama with an intriguing mystery and the tease of a massive power in arguably the worst hands possible. Sign me up for this one!

Rating: 9.5 out of 10