Michael Crowe recommends: The Black Hood #1
Black Hood #1 tells such a story. Following an incident, Officer Gregory Hettinger is quickly thrust into the spotlight. Hailed as a hero for stopping a possible school shooting, he is showered with praise. But this label does not sit well; leaving Officer Hettinger terribly conflicted. The “heroic” encounter left him scared, both physically and mentally and left another man dead. With blood on his hands and an addiction to painkillers, Hettinger feels the furthest thing from a hero. As his life spirals out of control he grasps for anything solid in his life besides pills. What he finds will change his life forever and set him on a course to truly earning the title that was give to him: hero.
This book is like nothing you’ve ever seen from Archie Comics. Part of their new Dark Circle Comics imprint, Black Hood #1 delivers a deep, hard hitting story about crime, law and order in a rough and tumble Philadelphia. Writer Duane Swierczynski does a marvelous job of getting into the head of the officer, showing us what it’s like to be a so-called hero when you feel anything but. This also gives him a chance to fill in backstory essential to figuring out how a man goes from being a cop to a vigilante. The art by Michael Gaydos and colors by Kelly Fitzpatrick support and compliment this gritty take on the birth of a superhero. Their work gives this book a modern noir feeling. This teams collaboration is flawless and it has given us one an amazing take on a modern street level hero. I look forward to seeing what they churn out in the weeks to come.
If you enjoyed this title be sure to check out some other Dark Circle Comic offerings: The Black Hood Classic, The Fox: Freak Magnet, and New Crusaders: Rise of the Heroes.
[Read The Black Hood #1 on comiXology]
Michael Crowe is a member of the digital assets/launch team. In his free time he enjoys reading, watching and writing science fiction and horror.
