Review by Karl Verhoven

Blackhand & Ironhead is an extremely enjoyable and unpredictable superhero story set on a world where conflict between those with superpowers is restricted to a wrestling style environment with globally televised bouts. Alexia has grown up as the daughter of the man who runs the show, and figures that one day she’ll take over. She’s awkward and lacks confidence, but has a good heart and she’ll try to protect those unable to protect themselves. However, Alexia’s life is about to take a major sideways turn via meeting the step-sister she never knew she had. Amy calls herself the Black Hand, and also has super powers. However, she’s justifiably angry at having been deceived her whole life, an awakening Alexia’s about to experience, and the sisters meet just as everything kicks off.

David López has worked on a fair number of superhero series, but it’s usually his stylish art that’s featured. He also writes Blackhand & Ironhead, and his writing is almost as assured as his art. He establishes the two main characters and their certainties, ensuring readers understand their behaviour and reactions, and then delivers a effective mismatched partnership. López avoids a mistake of many newer writers by keeping the dialogue simple, communicating without over-writing, and via Stephen Blanford’s translation supplies the same in English. It’s terse, explains what’s needed and throws in the occasional heartbreaker. “I never had a Dad, and that’s not likely to change now, is it?” is shouted in anger, yet the pain transmits.

As might be expected from someone with López’s experience, the art is sumptuous, constantly interesting with detail a priority. It’s not just time put into the sample art splash page, but imagination via thoughtful details such as the advertising on the bottom of the monorail. Hell, the fact there’s a monorail at all. Amy’s design is also creative, with the visual device of a plaster on her forehead striking. Combined with Nayoung Kim’s colouring the pages aren’t that far removed from the work of Michael Allred.

A few minor matters betray a new writer, such as mention of a device with a purpose at the end being oversold, but Blackhand & Ironhead is a lot of fun and very touching.