Writer: Tini Howard and Al Ewing

Art: Carlos Gomez, Carlos Lopez, Ario Anandito, Israel Silva, VC’s Cory Petit, and Edgar Delgado

Price: $4.99

Release Date: July 31st, 2019

Whatever has been causing worlds to smash together is out of control…and starts smashing Warp Worlds heroes into one another in this week’s all-new SECRET WARPS: IRON HAMMER ANNUAL #1 by Tini Howard and Al Ewing. As the heroes begin turning into strange new amalgamations, can even Ghost Hammer turn things back to normal? Let’s dive into the last warped-out annual and see how everything wraps up!

WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

The best words to describe this issue would be ambitious, insane, creative, yet at times confusingly unclear. Readers will definitely enjoy the issue, especially as the double-warped characters from the last issue become quadruple-warped producing these outstanding new creations. Each character Al Ewing recreated was a terrific blend of some of the best qualities in each character. Furthermore, Ewing established clever backstories, names, and abilities for each new quadruple-warped hero and villain. This reviewer can’t imagine the time spent developing the various nuances within each persona making this a stand-up job by the experienced writer.

Additionally, Tini Howard’s blend of Jane Foster and Happy Hogan in the extra story were well written and interesting. Likewise, this reviewer loved the direction that Howard took the Iron Hammer by the end of the issue. Dr. Jane Hogan became “worthy” and Sigurd spins this as a PR move to clear him of ever being Iron Hammer. It was a great combination of Thor and Iron Man stories wrapped together in a quick little tale that held this reviewers attention from start to finish.

However, the over the top creativity of Ewing led to ambiguity and uncertainty as to how the “warping” was stopped, how it started, and why it started in the first place. Furthermore, this reviewer was already confused enough with two characters mixed together let alone eight in some circumstances. As imaginative as this issue and annual series has been, this reviewer left with a bit of a headache from all the utterly crazy character backgrounds, plot developments, and off the wall storytelling.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Please don’t let the weighty nature detour you from diving into the issue or the other annuals. This reviewer appreciates the time, thought, and inventive nature Ewing put forth in each annual, including this one. Readers want a writer that is willing to do something brand new, take risks, and be ambitious. Ewing has done all of the above. However, with only 5 annuals to tell this story, this reviewer felt perplexed at times, especially in this issue. Readers may leave this annual with many unanswered questions, as well as the driving purpose behind the series. Give this annual, as well as the ones prior, a try if you’re looking for something truly outrageous.

7.5/10