Review: BLACK LIGHTNING HONG KONG PHOOEY SPECIAL #1

One thing you can certainly say about the multiple DC/Hanna Barbera cross over books is that they“re a lot of fun. I have to admit that mixing these universes did not seem like a good idea to me when I first heard about it, but even a stick in the mud old man such as myself, can be converted into a believer sometimes. The new Black Lightning/Hong Kong Phooey entry into this expanded universe continues the trend of incredibly entertaining comic books that deserve attention.

The comic is much more DC than Hanna Barbera, as from the start it builds a world that is much darker than anything I remember from the slap happy cartoons of my youth. Very quickly, we learn that Professor Presto is trying to obtain three sacred scrolls, to gain the power of The God Fist, which will allow him to take over the world. This secret Wushu magic is partially protected by Hong Kong Phooey, who is the last person/dog on Earth who can stop Presto and his henchmen from completing their task. Knowing the danger involved, he enlists the help of Black Lightning to save the day.

Bryan Hill (Writer) crafted a fun story that was easily wrapped up in one issue. This may be one of the things I like most about these crossover books. They are quick and easy, with no need to commit to a long-term storyline. I appreciate the effort it takes to create a compelling story and have it fit completely in such a short package, but this effort is greatly rewarded in most of DC/HB books I“ve read.

Seeing the silly characters I loved as a kid reimagined in a new, more realistic, adaptation is strange, but also quite fresh. The art team of Denys Cowan (Pencils), Bill Sienkiewicz (Inks), Jeromy Cox (Colors), and Janice Chiang (Letters) do a fabulous job of taking the humorous cartoon dog of yesteryear, and turning him into Sifu Phooey. He feels much more human and relatable in this book than I remember. The art keeps up with the writing in giving the comic a sense of history. These are characters you know, but you“ve never seen them like this.

Not only should you check this book out, you should also look up some of the other crossovers in this series. There is a lot of solid work here that is building upon characters we know, but putting them in situations that are unfamiliar. This is a good thing. The freshness is welcome and needs to be recognized.

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

(W) Bryan Hill, Jeff Parker (A) Scott Kolins (A/CA) Denys Cowan, Bill Sienkiewicz

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Bryan Spaulding

In his free time, other than reading comic books, Bryan enjoys listening to his ever growing record collection and driving his 27 year old roadster named Mingo.