Sledgehammer 44: Lightning War #3 Review

Are the exploits of this warrior from the past still worth your money and time? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dark Horse:

A battle between the Black Flame and the iron soldier known as Sledgehammer heats up as the fight over a cutting-edge American warplane explodes in the sky!

What’s so interesting about this particular piece of fiction, is that the core mechanics of a tale centering around the soul of a man trapped in a shell honestly make for great theater. Even more so we’re given a play that questions the essence of existence and even the meaning of life without ever attacking it in an overbearing way. That may be reading too much into it I’ll admit, but the bulk of what’s given comes off as a creative yet fun adventure where our hero fights some Nazis.

Mike Mignola and John Arcudi deserve credit as the second mini-series centering on this hero goes out on a crowd pleasing note. The two authors take a step back and let the innate action and wit associated with the franchise carry the expectations of conclusion. I did find a couple instances where there needed to be some narrative expansion, but truth be told these would have hindered the overall momentum of the piece. To put it simply, this is a sprint to the finish, the just happens to carry enough substance and violence to please eager followers that have been looking forward to it.

The art by Laurence Campbell stands out as we see supernatural titans come to blows with the lives of soldiers caught in the balance. There are some very complicated renditions, but from the first page to the final panel this talent has a firm grasp on what needs to be accomplished. The overall design sense is simple, detailed and highly stylized in a way that uplifts the text while keeping in mind the key mind of its unique creator.

Sledgehammer 44: Lightning War #3 is a strong finish that may not re-write the genre but it had me certainly grinning from ear to ear. Recommended.

4/5