Against Incredible Odds: Who Will Write The Next 'Hulk' Series?

According to Marvel's October 2012 solicitations, made available today, The Incredible Hulk is being "canceled" with issue #15 of its current run by writer Jason Aaron. Putting aside the irony of the series being "doomed" with less-than-stellar reviews being wrapped up by a battle with Doctor Doom, we know in our bones that the company is just readying yet another relaunch of the series as part of their Marvel NOW! campaign that begins the same month.

Coincidentally--or maybe not so much--Hulk, the book that's been starring Thad Ross, the Red Hulk, concludes in August. The book has been sliding down the sales charts lately despite solid stories and artwork. Rumors have it that the series is being relaunched to coincide with Marvel TV's new animated series, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. I have my doubts, not the least of which is the fact that in spite of some critical acclaim, Greg Pak's Incredible Hulks series that did pretty much the same thing tumbled down those same sales charts month after month.

Below, I've assembled my own serious picks for the new Hulk series that's sure to debut sometime between November and February. I'm likely to be wrong, but I'm playing the odds here. Somebody could come out of left field (even moreso than some of my suggestions!) and steal the book away.

In order from best chance to worst:

1. Fred Van Lente (2-1) - The odds-on favorite. Mr. Van Lente has closely flirted with Hulk super-stardom, having been buddy-buddy with Greg Pak since the days of Incredible Hercules. He created AIM's Scientist Supreme Monica Rappaccini and her daughter Thasanee, better known as the not-so-new-anymore Scorpion. Peter David one-upped him and established Bruce Banner and "Nicky" had a college fling which just might explain where her dear daughter got her green hair. Since then, those characters have only grown closer to the Hulk. Add in that we're a month away from Fred and Tom Fowler's revision of the Hulk's origin in Hulk: Season One and I think you can see where I'm going with this. The book is poised to introduce a new villain into the Hulk's corner of the Marvel Universe, and it will also plant the Scientist Supreme smack dab into his origin. Why not capitalize on these aspects in the best way possible and bring Fred Van Lente into the fold as the regular series' new writer?

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2. Matt Fraction (5-1) - The more radical, yet still safe bet. Matt Fraction has been on the periphery of the Hulk universe for some time, writing the 2011 Fear Itself event which turned the mighty monster into Nul, the Breaker of Worlds. Since then, he's been writing Defenders, showcasing the team of heroes the Hulk is most often associated with--that is, up to this summer's blockbuster film, what was it called...? Anyway, he has enough off-the-wall ideas in books like The Mighty Thor and The Invincible Iron Man that he could very well be right at home scripting the adventures of Earth's Mightiest Mortal. Certainly it would make crossovers between his book and Defenders far easier, which would be a major plus if for no other reason than Betty's over there as Red She-Hulk. I admit, I'd be very curious to see Fraction take over.

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3. Jeff Parker (20-1) - The guaranteed hit among Hulk fans. Jeff Parker has been writing the Red Hulk's adventures for about two years now. During that time, he's made the book--in this fan's opinion--a whole lot better than it has any right being, and ludicrously better than Jason Aaron's series about the "real," green-skinned Hulk. Hulk fans have longed to see him cut loose on Bruce Banner the way he has with Thad Ross. The only problem is whether Marvel will see the ever-declining sales figures of Hulk as a reason why he shouldn't be made the main series' writer. While his stories win critical acclaim and old-time fans' hearts, they don't seem to be catching on with the larger contingent of fandom essential to long-term success. Giving Incredible Hulk to Parker would be a gamble, but one I'm certain could pay off, especially if he's teamed with an artist capable of putting asses in seats.

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4. Kieron Gillen (40-1) - The longshot with the inside track. Kieron Gillen has been making a name for himself in the Fear Itself spinoff series Journey Into Mystery which many have described as Marvel's very own Sandman (DC's dark fantasy series of the 80s by Neil Gaiman). He's also begun plugging away at the X-Men and, as seen in the above cover, he's written the Red Hulk in battle with Colossus-as-Juggernaut. He's not a big name, but this Brit's star is rising, and as a friend said on Twitter, he "can mix bombastic superhero battles with intricate, character-driven stories, a MUST for Hulk writers." That certainly sounds like a ringing endorsement. Again, pick a stellar artist, and this might be the team to beat.

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5. J.M. DeMatteis (100-1) - The diamond in the rough. J.M. DeMatteis hasn't been doing much at Marvel these days, but what he has written has been as awe-inspiring as any of his older work. Like Gillen and Fraction, he really hasn't done anything substantial with the Hulk, his work relegated to a couple of stories in the black-and-white Hulk! magazine and some Defenders work here and there. However, when I recently interviewed him for my Hulk retrospective book, he told me that ol' Greenskin was right in his wheelhouse, as the character dealt with the themes of duality so prevalent in his best work. Anyone who enjoyed his stories in Spectacular Spider-Man, Silver Surfer, and Man-Thing would certainly see where he's coming from. Although he's known for deeper, psychological tales, he's also capable of light humor like in Justice League International and Defenders alongside longtime friend Keith Giffen. He's the best pick on my whole list, and I wish he'd get this gig. Never say never, but if the miracle came that we ever got him on Hulk, we'd never regret it.

Your thoughts?

~G.

"Green and red. Very Christmassy." (Hulk #45-46; Incredible Hulk #3 Reviews.)

"Christmassy"? Well, the colors are. The books themselves...read the following, then make your judgments. This time, I'll be covering a few Hulk books, and then next time we'll stray off the beaten path and look at some books you don't usually see around here. Everyone ready?

INCREDIBLE HULK #3 - Marvel Comics, $3.99
By Jason Aaron, "Marc Silvestri" & Sunny Gho

First things first: If you're looking for clues to how man was separated from monster, you'll find the first inklings outside of scribe Jason Aaron's preview tale in Fear Itself #7 here. You'll find Aaron touching on Bruce Banner's past with his abusive father, and you'll find a mad scientist can turn a whole lot more than a couple of wild boars into gamma mutates. What you won't find here is any sign that Bruce Banner is anything but a bottom-scraping sonuvabitch. And that, as in the previous issue, is where Aaron really loses this reader. Establishing that the Hulk sees Banner as evil for keeping him locked away inside himself is one thing; showing that Banner's going way, way off the deep end and actually committing--let's not fool ourselves--evil deeds is something altogether different.

This issue, artist Marc Silvestri, fresh off a stay in the hospital for an injured ankle, returns to full penciler duties just in time for his grand exit...or does he? Certainly this issue no other artist's work can easily be seen, unlike last issue with Billy Tan and Whilce Portacio all too visible. However, that doesn't mean there weren't other artists making sure Silvestri made his tight deadline. Silvestri himself receives credit for "line art," but his studio, Top Cow, receives a "special thanks" credit (hence my using Silvestri's name in quotes above). It's quite obvious the difference in credits is a direct response to last issue's "monster mash" of eleven credited artists. While the package holds together better than last month, and in places the art is incredibly dynamic, it's definitely best for all concerned that a new and hopefully more reliable artist takes over next issue.

As mentioned before, Banner takes his turn at being "Dr. Moreau" further this month, sending his "Boar Brothers" 26 and 27 to the Hulk's recent hideout. A battle ensues, Hulk smashes, and then Amanda Von Doom and her super-secret organization are oh so happy because the battle has made Hulk do exactly what they wanted him to do last month. "Asunder" has felt by-the-numbers in its depiction of both the Hulk and Von Doom. Hulk is at peace, someone comes around to smash it all away, and the Hulk decides to go do some more smashing to smash those who smashed his chance at non-smashiness. The only new thing Aaron and Silvestri offer--and really, "new" isn't the word--is that the Hulk's smashing this time seems to set off seismic waves of force in the surrounding areas. At the very least, the ending of this story makes it clear Aaron is cutting to the heart of the conflict, setting man against monster on a very real playing field. That counts for something, I suppose.

I said earlier that this issue does contain a few hints about how the Hulk and Banner came to be separate beings this time. The answer--at least, as I see it--casts some serious doubt on whether that's really Banner we're seeing, with the mania and the unkempt hair and the brain tumor the size of a walnut. It casts equal doubt on whether that's really the Hulk. Aside from the "newborn" allusion, why would both Banner and the Hulk be shaved bald upon their separation? What's more, who would have the technology to separate man from monster--and why would Banner use a lab that seems to be set up in much the same way as the one in which he underwent his supernatural divorce?

There's still not enough to recommend this storyline or this new series after this third part of "Asunder." I've outgrown my revulsion at the second chapter, but still, I really think Aaron might be doing irreparable harm to the character of Bruce Banner. (No easy feat for one who has already been established as killing his own father and suffering from lifelong psychological trauma.) Maybe former Hulk writer Greg Pak bears some of the burden, as this storyline seems to explore some of his dialogue in which Banner postulated the Hulk was created to save the world from his own incredible intellect. Although I believe Pak later expressed through Banner that his idea was only clever tomfoolery, the fact we're now dealing with such a storyline now indicates some people just don't know how to take jokes.

Quick Rating: Skip It.

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HULK #45 & 46 - Marvel Comics, $2.99
By Jeff Parker, Patch Zircher & Rachelle Rosenberg

On the other hand, Jeff Parker has, with the help of artists Gabriel Hardman and Patch Zircher, made Hulk into one of the best books Marvel publishes. If you're reading this, Jeff? I totally hate you for it. Use your talents for the Up Side of the Schwartz and give us a go on Robert Bruce Banner soon, yes? (You're invited, too, Patch. Rachelle? Anytime!)

This month's pair of issues successfully resolve the five-part "Hulk of Arabia" arc, in which "Thunderbolt" Ross, joined by Machine Man, finally gets to the bottom of Dagan Shah's insidious plans to carve out a niche for himself and his followers in the middle of the desert. Unsurprisingly, the storyline pretty much ends as it was choreographed by Steve Rogers and his merry band of Secret Avengers some issues ago, but Parker and Zircher manage to still pull off some surprises, including Shah's very cosmic origin story.

Most interesting are two key details. Parker uses Machine Man's presence to subtly examine Ross' own complex relationship with another artificial lifeform, his Gamma Base liaison Annie. The subtext is there in every question Ross asks, and I can't wait until her next appearance so we can see how ol "Thunderbolt" applies what he's learned. Parker's also made some salient points about Ross' status as a Hulk in this tale, and he has used Shah as his mouthpiece through which to do so. Specifically, Ross does rely on the public perception of who and what a Hulk is. Jeph Loeb used this point without stating it, such as when the Red Hulk only roared as he smashed through the SHIELD Helicarrier so as not to betray his true, strategic aims to Iron Man. Parker has made the point that Ross' hulking form hides his keen strategic mind--a mind which very likely has been sharpened by the mixture of gamma and cosmic rays involved in his mutation. It's this important distinction that separates Ross from Banner. Say what you like about Banner's Hulk: "Strategy" is not a word that involves itself easily.

The more I see Patch Zircher's artwork on this book, the more I feel he's right at home drawing monsters smashing things. He's asked to stretch his artistic muscles particularly in #45, with Dagan Shah's unusual origin, and he acquits himself very well. Rachelle Rosenberg matches his pace, using one palette for the more reality-based scenes and another for the otherworldly realms Red Hulk and Machine Man visit as they discover the rest of the story. It goes without saying that I really want to see this team work together again, and soon.

"Hulk of Arabia" spices up Parker's series with an international flavor, laying the groundwork for future encounters with Shah and others in the area. It also marks time by providing yet another encounter between the Red Hulk and General Fortean, and keeps Ross checked in with the other heroes in the Marvel Universe. It's fascinating that while the original Hulk gets more insular, this new Hulk gains vast exposure among the biggest super-heroes. While I still lament the fact there's a Hulk book out there that doesn't feature Robert Bruce Banner, I can't argue that this isn't one fine book month in and out.

But yeah, Parker, Up Side, Schwartz, green Hulk, yesterday.

Quick Verdict: Read It.

~G.

Advance Review: Hulk #42 (& More Late Reviews!)

Welcome back, my friends, to the show that never ends...

Tonight I've got something of a treat. In advance, I've got a very special review for everyone! Y'see, brand new regular artist Patch Zircher is on board Hulk alongside regular writer Jeff Parker as of issue #42. So not only will I be briefly looking back at issue #41, not only will I be glossing over Hulk Vs. Dracula, I'll also be giving you an advance peek at next week's book! (Hopefully, next week will also bring my DC "New 52" reviews. Remember, you can still catch my review of I, Vampire just one entry previous!)

So, where were we? Ah, yes!

HULK #41 - Marvel Comics, $2.99
By Jeff Parker, Gabriel Hardman & Bettie Breitweiser

It honestly feels like the end of the road.

Sixteen issues ago, Jeff Parker, Gabriel Hardman and Bettie Breitweiser came together and took the reins from Red Hulk creators Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness. However you looked at it, Loeb and McGuinness' successors had their work cut out for them. If you believed they were the team supreme and had made you enjoy the Hulk like none before, how could anyone measure up? If you didn't like Red Hulk at all, how could anyone else take over and change your mind?

It's truly a credit to this creative triad that they were able to take what the previous team did--love it or hate it--and build upon the legend, creating a more well-rounded Red Hulk with a multifaceted set of motivations and a varied league of villains. It's true that Loeb was only able to write the revealed Ross as Red Hulk for two whole issues (#23-24), so sure, take that into account. Even still, you can't discount the contributions made and the acknowledgments to previous continuity.

In Gabriel Hardman's final issue, Jeff Parker is wisely able to wrap up the cosmic-league threat of Omegex while at the same time giving both Red Hulk and his antagonist Zero/One new beginnings (of sorts). And we've got General Fortean out there, plotting and scheming for another day.

I've truly enjoyed the previous two segments of this storyline, and "Finality" here is no different. Although the physical battle here is between Red Hulk, who's been trapped in his super-powered form since his battle with Fortean in #31, and Omegex, who's been established as a threat since #28, it's the verbal chess match between Red Hulk and Zero/One that steals the show. The duo have had an unconventional team-up in the interests of defeating the world-ending threat, but it's always come back to the similarities and differences between the characters. Parker plays the characters off each other so well, and although I could tell how Zero/One would "help" Ross from early in this storyline, it was still a shock to see how much that assist had a bearing on the conclusion here. Kudos.

As for Gabriel Hardman and Bettie Breitweiser, what can I say? These two artistic titans have taken Parker's scripts and amped up the emotional content several notches. The battle scenes are emotional, and the scenes that were meant to be touching to begin with ended up so much deeper. The looks into Red Hulk's past were especially sumptuous, and his own reactions to Zero/One's take on that past were priceless.

It's hard saying goodbye to two terrific talents at once like this, but at the same time, I'm certain that new artist-in-residence Patch Zircher and colorist Rachelle Rosenberg will acquit themselves admirably in "Hulk of Arabia" and beyond.

But hey! You'll have to read about them below. As for this issue, it could hardly be better. Echoes of the seventies Hulk under Len Wein! Modern sensibilities! Emotionally rich storytelling! Buy It!

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FEAR ITSELF: HULK VS. DRACULA #2 - Marvel Comics, $2.99
By Victor Gischler, Ryan Stegman, Mike Babinski & Antonio Fabela

Uhm, next?

When last we left the Hulk, he was possessed by the hammer of the Worthy that made him Nul, Breaker of Worlds. After crash-landing in Transylvania, he found himself besieged by all kinds of monsters. Meanwhile, Dracula and his vampire legions ran around wondering just what they could do about this threat in their midst.

At the conclusion of this issue, little has changed.

Maybe. A little bit. Truthfully, not much.

And that's the key complaint I have about this three-part miniseries. So far, it feels like a one-shot's worth of material needlessly spread across three issues for the sake of making nine dollars instead of three. (Or four, if a double-sized one-shot's your thing.) Ask yourself: where is the Hulk at the end of the first issue? The second? And what about Dracula and the majority of his ilk? Not only are they in virtually the same places, physically, they're in the same place in terms of characterization, too. Hulk is still smashing monsters and Dracula is still plotting to stop him. Oh, Dracula sent a few of his vampire soldiers against the Hulk and he beat them? He did that last month, too.

Ryan Stegman and Mike Babinski step out of the comfort zone they found in such emotionally and comedically rich stories as the recent She-Hulks and Amazing Spider-Man work they did, and their work also falls far short of the mark. After a promising start, the art just doesn't hold together, which seems almost as much of a critique on their strengths as it does an indictment of the story being told. Horror just doesn't suit this team.

Again, the key fault lies in the two sides here. You've got a brainwashed Hulk blindly smashing things without any emotional underpinning. Add to that a vampire nation of characters who just aren't very interesting, nor do they possess enough honorable attributes so one might root for them against the Hulk.

Guys, with one issue left, I'm trying, I really am. But with this issue virtually a regurgitation of the first, you should really Burn It.

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HULK #42 - Marvel Comics, $2.99
By Jeff Parker, Patch Zircher & Rachelle Rosenberg

Thanks to James Sime of that great bastion of San Francisco comics goodness, The Isotope, I got a B&W preview of this book this week. (If anyone went to San Diego Comic Con this year, you know the preview of which I speak!) As mentioned above, it's the first regular issue for new artist Patch Zircher, an artist I've long admired since the days of Evan Skolnick's New Warriors in the mid-nineties. He illustrated a recent issue (#36), and I've hoped he'd return. Here he is!

Loosed from the threats of Zero/One, Black Fog and Omegex, Thad Ross finds himself once more at odds with General Fortean. While that's nothing new, the situation he finds himself in as result is. When he discovers an old friend has died at the hands of a terrorist in the Middle Eastern nation of Qatar, he decides to exact righteous red vengeance. Of course, that'll end up going so well, right?

After the tension of the previous storylines including "Omegex," the beginning of "Hulk of Arabia" feels tame by comparison. Don't get me wrong--it's still a solid story by Jeff Parker that plays to Ross' military strengths--but anything after those emotional heights is naturally going to feel lacking.

The story comes alive with artwork by the aforementioned Patch Zircher. After getting his feet wet in issue #36, he really comes to play this issue. His Red Hulk is appropriately big and mean, Thad Ross is determined, and every sequence is convincingly rendered. Keep in mind, this is in black-and-white; I haven't even glimpsed Rachelle Rosenberg's colors yet, and won't see them until next Wednesday. Still, as powerful as the linework is, the look can only improve with the addition of a quality color artist.

If you've been longing to see Thad Ross use more of his military history as the Red Hulk, then look no further. "Hulk of Arabia" looks to be another winner from Jeff Parker. It starts off on the ground floor and just keeps rolling. For now, Read It, but if it's anything like previous epics from Parker, I'll be upgrading that rating on successive issues!

~G.

Quick Reviews: Hulk #40, Fear Itself: Hulk Vs. Dracula #1

Greetings, Hulk fans!

Many apologies for my absence these last weeks. Between family issues, health issues, and work-related stuff that couldn't be put off, it's been a rough time for the Delusionally Honest. The good news--that I can't really talk about--is that yours truly has decided to embark on an exciting new venture that will likely mean you'll see less of me around these parts for a while. On the plus side, the likely result will be that you'll see more of me than you've ever seen before! (How's that for a tease?)

Now then, two reviews for the price of one! Because I've been away, and these things are now weekly, ya know...

HULK #40 - Marvel Comics, $2.99
By Jeff Parker, Gabriel Hardman, Bettie Breitweiser & Jim Charalampidis

Gabriel Hardman's finale on art chores continues this issue with the climactic battle between Red Hulk and the cosmic threat Omegex. Along the way, writer Jeff Parker piles in various plot elements and characters from the previous fifteen issues of the series since the duo started on the book. General Fortean is here, blaming his old friend for the chaos. Dr. Kurinji, now better known as Zero/One,and the threat she created, Black Fog, are also on the scene...and helping the Red Hulk?!

With all the characters in this story, you'd think these twenty pages would be a cluttered mess. In fact, they're anything but. Parker uses the middle third of the Omegex saga to explore the dichotomy between Ross and Kurinji and their alter-egos, Red Hulk and Zero/One. He compares them with the question, "Are they better before or after their recent changes?" with Zero/One taking the side of cold logic while Ross addresses emotion. It makes sense, as Ross has always relied on his emotions, particularly toward his daughter Betty, whereas the original Hulk's alter-ego prided himself on logic. Can he convince Zero/One that there were advantages to her humanity? Whatever the case, this battle does give her a considerable depth and a fun little character arc.

The same can't be said for General Fortean, who through sheer brevity of his appearance here becomes a caricature of his former self, and by extension, a caricature of who Ross used to be. He's blinded by his desire to rid the world of the Red Hulk, to the point of ignoring the larger threat of Omegex. Unless we see some significant changes soon, I'm afraid Fortean will just be a sad echo: Ross 2.0.

With so many plates in the air here, the narrative momentum does slow to a crawl, with the only significant plot element being the conversation between Red Hulk and Zero/One. And that's fine, because it is truly important. But I do hope Parker is able to pull out a strong conclusion here. Will Ross again be able to change to his human self with the help of Zero/One? Will Fortean see that Red Hulk can do more than simply destroy? Such good questions deserve excellent answers.

An excellent plus, the artwork is as good as it's ever been thanks to Hardman, Bretiweiser and Charalampidis. The colorists' work blends together very well here, to the point I honestly couldn't separate one from the other. I said it before and I'll say it again: I'm going to miss Hardman's formidable talents on this book.

The verdict? Another issue, another instance where I gotta say Buy It.

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FEAR ITSELF: HULK VS. DRACULA #1 - Marvel Comics, $2.99
By Victor Gischler, Ryan Stegman, Michael Babinski & Frank Martin Jr.

The book that would have been Incredible Hulk #636 arrives, transitioning the Green Goliath from Greg Pak's series through the first five issues of Fear Itself, Marvel's summer event, and on to this issue. For those not following that series, Bruce Banner and Betty Ross decided to escape to Brazil to sort out their relationship. However, a magical hammer fell from the sky, and when the Hulk picked it up he transformed into Nul, Breaker of Worlds, and swiftly went on a rampage through the rainforest. Neither Red She-Hulk nor the Avengers could stop him. He finally arrived in New York where he fought the mighty Thor alongside the Thing, a.k.a. Angrir, Breaker of Souls. Thor knocked him into orbit, but as we all know, what goes up must come down...

Victor Gischler is famous at Marvel for his recent involvement with the X-Men in "Curse of the Mutants," an event which brought the company's vampire nation in conflict with the mighty mutants. In those adventures, too, Marvel has shifted away from the previous depiction of vampires in books like Tomb of Dracula (itself taking cues from the classic depiction and Universal Studios' films). Now, Dracula appears as a white-haired, armored hybrid of several visions glimpsed in Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula. His history has been thrown in a blender, with his son Janus popping up again out of nowhere, and another son, Xarus, having figured in the earlier crossover.

The story here is straightforward: the possessed Hulk lands in the Carpathian Mountains, the homeland of Dracula and his assembled legions. Hulk smashes mindlessly, and the vampires mount their response. It's a very by-the-numbers response that reflects precious little of what is enticing about these two corners of the Marvel Universe. It's hard to root for Dracula and his ilk because of their infighting and their inhumanity; moreover, it's only slightly less difficult to root for the Hulk. Possessed, he's not really going to have any powerful character moments: as such, the only thrill can be had by seeing how much he can smash. In this issue, that's not much.

The story's sole saving grace so far is Ryan Stegman, who ably illustrates the Hulk's sheer power. I also really love the looks of the various monsters during the battle scenes. (Was that a Wendigo? What's it doing outside North America?) If this series is remarkable for nothing else, Stegman certainly brings his "A" game here.

Still, in spite of the energetic art, I can't see past the flat story. Unless you're a hardcore fan of Hulk or Dracula's legions, Skip It.

~G.

Quick Reviews: Daredevil #2, Hulk #39

Just a few reviews whilst I ring in the weekend! You'll be seeing some different things coming up--no, really--including more than likely, a review of Fright Night this weekend. I've got at least one more Comic Book Revolution article in the pipeline if everything proceeds apace. A brand-new Hammer film is on my shelf just nagging, "Watch me!" And I find I'm again bitten by the bug called Whedonitis (roughly translated: a strong desire to re-watch all the glory that is Joss). I'll be throwing things your way and as always, it's up to you to decide what sticks. Aren't you the lucky ones? (Hint: if you do decide something's stick-worthy, then by all means tell somebody! Unlike the big boys at Comic Book Resources or Newsarama or all those other ginchy spots, I'm entirely homespun! (Psst--if you find yourself jazzed out of your mind about one of my pieces, you may consider dropping a few dimes in the handy Paypal tip jar on the right hand side of this page. Just a thought.)

Now that the shilling's done, where was I? Ah, yes. Reviews!

Review: Hulk #36

Hulk #36 - Marvel Comics, $2.99
By Jeff Parker, Patrick Zircher & Charalampidis

While investigating an apparent accident with his LMD companion Annie, "Thunderbolt" Ross once again encounters MODOK, one of the villains who made him the Red Hulk he is today. But he also encounters another face from the distant past, one which foreshadowed the obsession with ultimate power.

I've got to hand it to regular series writer Jeff Parker: he's made me a believer in the Red Hulk during this last year. During "Fall of the Hulks" and "World War Hulks"--in fact ever since I concluded Ross to be the face of the Red Hulk--I often wondered whether any light would be shed on the character's previous flirtation with power on par with the Hulk's. Now, with this issue, the answer's arrived.

Eagle-eyed Marvel fans will remember that in late 1986, when writer/artist Al Milgrom brought back the original, grey-skinned behemoth and turned Rick Jones into a new green Hulk, he also sent disgraced General Ross on one final mission to stop the Hulk. To do so, SHIELD helped him siphon the power of the Hulk's longtime foe, the electrical monstrosity known as Zzzax. The two beings joined as one with Ross in control, and together they nearly killed Rick Jones before realizing Banner wasn't the monster they were fighting, and before Ross realized what the depths of his own hatred for Banner had driven him to do. Zzzax and Ross separated, but Ross retained some of Zzzax's power, using it a short time later to save his daughter Betty--and Banner--from another threat, sacrificing himself in the process.

Parker may not go into as much detail as I just did, but the point remains that Zzzax returns in this story, and the writer took full advantage of his previous relationship with our crimson protagonist. Although he plays fast and loose with history--Ross was never in uniform during the original storyline, and he paints the Zzzax operation as a military one instead of SHIELD backed, just so he could involve then-Major Fortean in a cameo--there's enough attention to the original storyline to satisfy me as a longtime reader and fan. The history bits also aren't too intrusive as to alienate anyone who might not have been reading Hulk comics over two decades ago (although one footnote wouldn't have killed anyone). Involving Zzzax's unique relationship with Ross in the story's denouement is also a truly clever bonus of which I wholeheartedly approve.

The words on the pages aren't the sole recipient of my praise, as I have many more such accolades for one of my favorite, vastly underrated artists, the versatile Patrick Zircher (here called "Patch"). I've followed his work for a long time--since the days of his and Evan Skolnick's New Warriors--and he's always impressed with a look that is both modern and traditional. Here, his art is no exception. Seeing him cut loose on a Hulk story--with villains as big and bad as MODOK and Zzzax--was a dream come true. His Red Hulk is powerful, his Zzzax is even more powerful, and his MODOK is delightfully sinister. The artwork is full of Zircher's traditional flair even as he's adapted somewhat to the tone regular series artist Gabriel Hardman set. It's only enhanced by Jim Charalampidis, whose talent has developed well since his last efforts over Hardman in #30.1.

So, what do we have in this story? A few terrific Hulk villains from the past with rich ties to the protagonist, and some ongoing moments of peculiar humanity between Red Hulk and LMD Annie. While I'll never enjoy the adventures of Thad Ross as much as those of Bruce Banner, the book is still in good hands and continues to impress on the same level it has since Parker took the reins. It's true the book has suffered when guest artists have come out to play (c.f. the last two issues), but this issue is a definite exception to the rule.

Quick Verdict: Buy It!

~G.

Quick Reviews: Hulk #34-35, Incredible Hulks #631

(I swear, my review for last week's Alpha Flight #1 is forthcoming!)

Let's see, what else is on the way? "Crossing" retrospective finale? Check. A blistering op/ed on DC Digital? That, too. A talk about why the Hulk had to change in the 1980s? You betcha. For now, here are three reviews for my adoring masses, due to popular demand. (You know who you are!) Where, you might ask, is my review for Skaar #4? My weekly comic shipment arrived without it, but it's apparently on the list for next week. Stay tuned, true believers!

Hulk #34-35 - Marvel Comics, $2.99
By Jeff Parker, Carlo Pagulayan, Danny Miki & Jesus Aburtov

"Planet Red Hulk" is the name of the game in this two-part storyline. "Thunderbolt" Ross starts out trying to help some Russian cosmonauts on a mission in space, but finds himself swept through a wormhole and living an adventure eerily similar to the one the Hulk had a few short years ago, deposing an alien monarch and becoming an, erm, "Red King." All the while, he's left wondering who's really behind putting him in such a similar situation as Banner, even contributing the scenario to Banner himself, only to find the real culprit and their true rationale in the concluding chapter.

One can't help but feel the very theme of this storyline is a blatant cash grab by conjuring fans' pleasant memories of Greg Pak's monumental "Planet Hulk" storyline. The storyline is similar enough, and it also features beautiful artwork by "Planet Hulk" illustrator Carlo Pagulayan. Fortunately, of course, the storyline is only two parts and not fourteen, which makes the effort only slightly more palatable than the initial concept implies. Unfortunately, writer Jeff Parker can't maneuver the plot points in a way that truly elevates the material beyond a near-slavish homage.

When Parker and artist supreme Gabriel Hardman last teamed together (issue #33), the threats Red Hulk was facing appeared imminent, so it would take drastic means to divert the ongoing storyline's momentum. "Planet Red Hulk" and the upcoming "Fear Itself" tie-ins appear to stall all that momentum for the sake of gimmickry, pure and simple. Although Pagulayan's art here is revelatory, almost superior to Paul Pelletier's efforts on the competing Hulk book, the story is such a distraction that I long for Hardman's return and the return of the many ongoing plots that have been cooking since Parker came aboard. The rationale for the entire "Planet Red Hulk" journey just underscores the bad timing of such a diversion.

Beautiful art. Distracting story at best. Quick verdict? Skip It.

---

The Incredible Hulks #631 - Marvel Comics, $2.99
By Greg Pak, Paul Pelletier, Danny Miki, Morry Hollowell & Jesus Aburtov

When writer Greg Pak brought in a mess of old Hulk villains at the end of the first part of "Heart of the Monster," his swan song on the series, I called it the one misstep in an otherwise solid start. This time out, Pak wisely wastes no time in breaking up the team of evil titans so that they might menace the Hulk and his family on a more one-on-one basis, roughly in the order they appear on the interlocking cover images of the next three issues. This issue centers on the immediate aftermath of last issue's cliffhanger, and then shifts focus to the spotlight battle between the Hulk and the unusual tag-team of the Bi-Beast and the Wendigo who, next to Tyrannus, are the Hulk's oldest foes to grace this narrative. (Interestingly, the order the bad guys appear on the covers roughly coincides with the order in which he met them in his long history. Coincidence?)

Now, the key mystery driving the final arc is "What was Betty's wish?" Amadeus Cho has an interesting theory about the wishes being made before he, the Hulk, and even the Wendigo have their various wishes brought to life in some fashion this time out. Bi-Beast acts credibly in-character, and Wendigo is...well, much the same Wendigo he's always been. The main fight is terrific in scope, mostly due to the Hulk's unfortunate wish. The story this time out was well-paced and kept moving at a freight train's pace right up to the end--another cliffhanger that will certainly prove to make the Hulk even angrier next issue.

As before, Paul Pelletier provides powerful penciling this time, and Danny Miki delineates to the best of his ability. Morry Hollowell, assisted by Jesus Aburtov, gives the resulting inked work a considerable, colorful flourish. If all parties can keep this up, "Heart of the Monster" may be the best-looking of all arcs since The Incredible Hulks began. Certainly it's proving to be a lot of fun seeing the Hulk and his family put through their paces during the last issue and this one. I'm enjoying the ride in spite of my initial misgivings. The Hulk is certainly making his share of awesome feats of strength and derring-do, and I expect those feats to only increase in remaining issues.

Face it, effendi, my quick verdict is that you should definitely Buy It!

~G.

Reviews: Incredible Hulks #628, Hulk #33

I've been remiss in reviewing last week's Incredible Hulks due to lots of other things happening. So this week, you get a two-in-one review, with Greg Pak & Tom Grummett's issue, followed in swift succession by Jeff Parker & Gabriel Hardman's Hulk. Can it get any better, folks?

Incredible Hulks #628 - Marvel Comics, $2.99
By Greg Pak, Tom Grummett, Cory Hamscher & Edgar Delgado

"Live and Let Smash," part three of the latest storyline, "The Spy Who Smashed Me," continues the James Bond-inspired globetrotting of previous chapters while upping the ante with more mythological underpinnings as in recent issues. The MacGuffin of the piece, Pandora's Box, continues to play a central role, with other agencies attempting to claim it, kidnapping both Tyrannus and Dr. Di Cosimo and leaving Hulk and Red She-Hulk to pursue them while sorting out their own issues. It's an intriguing imbroglio that's surprisingly lighthearted for a Hulk tale.

Greg Pak deserves a lot of credit for switching gears in his waning days on this series. In some ways, the stylistic shift reminds me of the kinds of stories Peter David used to tell using the merged Hulk incarnation of the early #400s. Such stories, often imbued with David's trademark off-center sense of humor, would in theory fail to work in the Hulk's tragic milieu. Yet, here we have another gifted writer, who opted to stay with the Banner/Hulk dichotomy, not only giving us another lighthearted romp, but making it look easy. Kudos, Mr. Pak. And playing up the ties between the Knights of Rome and recent foes, leading to a priceless exchange involving Tyrannus, Cho and the Hulks? Priceless.

Once again, Tom Grummett and Cory Hamscher do a slam-bang job with the art chores this issue, telling the story clearly and stylishly. Edgar Delgado's colors match the light tone of the script. It's a terrific package, made all the more surprising by the fact that the creators stuffed all this excitement into just 20 story pages. Conversely, that's also one of my only complaints about the issue. (The other is more about the arc's lack of covers appropriate to the story inside.) But then again, if cutting two story pages saves readers a whole dollar, then it's hard to dispute the point. Overall, there's still plenty to recommend this issue and series.

Quick Verdict: Buy It.

---

Hulk #33 - Marvel Comics, $2.99
By Jeff Parker, Gabriel Hardman & Elizabeth Breitweiser

Another month passes, and Jeff Parker and his merry crew again step up to the plate and present another solid issue of the series that just over a year ago was being decried as a blight on the legend of the Hulk in the Marvel Universe. Since taking control in issue #25, Parker, Hardman & Breitweiser have delivered well-hewn stories month in and out, and this issue is no different.

Writer Jeff Parker definitely isn't shy about lining up opponents to face the Scarlet Smasher, as this issue features not one, not two, not three, but four antagonists for Thad Ross, the man who became the very thing he hated. He's been brewing this tableau for a few issues now, and it's to his great credit that the storm of foes surrounding Red Hulk never feels forced. Every development is a cleverly calculated result of what has come before. Keep in mind, yes, the issue's cover (and one of its variants by Ed McGuinness, above) isn't representative of an exact moment in the narrative; still, all four villains have a presence, and three of the four have a direct or indirect conflict with our hero. (The fourth will have his day soon.)

Unlike last issue, the Red Hulk has a meatier part to play at the center of this narrative. He's weary from being unable to rest, hounded by General Fortean, to the degree that he's an easy target for Zero/One's new minion, Black Fog. While making for a terrific action sequence, Parker's plot nonetheless highlights an increasing problem with the character--namely, his unfortunate position of always playing defense. He's being attacked from all sides, unable to shape a plan of his own to overcome his obstacles. And that's a failing that echoes his green-skinned progenitor in the 1970s. Maybe it's the point Parker's trying to make, but if it goes on too long it has the consequence of belittling the title character. I'm hoping Red Hulk gets the chance to strike back soon.

In the art department, Gabriel Hardman and Elizabeth Breitweiser continue to impress. The Red Hulk's battle with Black Fog is stunningly drawn by Hardman, and Breitweiser's colors establish the proper mood. I love the stylistic choices Hardman uses month in and out, employing a solid design sense, easy-to-follow layouts, and tools that very few other artists deign to use (screentone!) in order to produce a unique, dynamic look. My only regret is that we won't see this team together again until issue #39 (!) due to the upcoming biweekly schedule.

Hulk #33 continues the upward trend of this series, which may yet eclipse the terrific storytelling of its sister title. It already often exceeds the other book's fun quotient, in spite of having a protagonist not many fans liked upon his introduction.

Quick Verdict: A close call, but with four villains, a complex ongoing plot, and our Crimson Crusher, in spite of my misgivings about the Red Hulk's role, I'll say Buy It.

What do you think, sirs?

~G.

3-in-1 Review: Incredible Hulks, Hulk, Skaar

Greetings, all!

Yes, I've been remiss in recent weeks, giving you a noticeable dearth of new blog entries. I want to begin blogging every day I can so I can bring you guys (and gals) as many new insights as I'm able. That'll mean retrospectives, interviews, and spotlights on some rare comics you just won't see on these shores (and that's a major hint to at least one new feature!). I went back to Pittsburgh, my hometown, and attended the Pittsburgh Comicon, getting about eleven sketches (that you'll see soon, both here and at my Comic Art Fans page) and buying a few unusual items. I've also catalogued more of my collection that remains on the east coast, and soon I'll be putting those books on eBay (or, if anyone wants to give me offers here, feel free!).

Speaking of old books for sale, I recently re-bought several issues of Incredible Hulk from the 1970s and 80s, replacing my lower-grade (Very Good and lower) issues with nice, Fine-or-better copies. They were deals I couldn't resist, but it does leave me with dozens of duplicate issues. They're "reader" copies so I'm willing to sell them on the cheap. Yes, virtually all of the Todd McFarlane issues are for sale, including the battle with Wolverine in #340. The earliest book I'm selling is #122, and the latest is #431. If interested, shoot me an email at delusionalhonesty [at] gmail [dot] com and I'll play Monty Hall. (And if you want to inquire about what non-Hulk books might be for sale, do so!)

Now then, what've we got today? Since I haven't blogged on them during the last couple weeks, I figured I'd take time out today before any more issues hit to review three books. They won't be my usual in-depth reviews since I'm squeezing three issues into one entry, but you'll get the idea. As in my last round of quick reviews, these ones will be summed up with four main classifications you can easily make sense of: Buy It (highly recommended), Read It (recommended), Skip It (unless it's a light week...), Burn It (a very special kind of hell).

Incredible Hulks #626 - Marvel Comics, $2.99
By Greg Pak, Tom Grummett, Cory Hamscher & Edgar Delgado

One of my longstanding wishes comes true this issue as artist Tom Grummett takes the Hulk's artistic reins for the four-part arc, "The Spy Who Smashed Me." He doesn't disappoint one bit, giving a classic feel to this saga that features the return of one of the Hulk's oldest foes. Although Greg Pak teased Tyrannus in a one-off story (#605), he devotes substantially more energy to his return here. It's a perfect storm of elements that Pak has at play, with Betty at risk of remaining Red She-Hulk forever even as she joins forces with Tyrannus, and Banner donning a tux (made from unstable molecules, natch) and teaming with Amadeus Cho in a wonderfully off kilter Bond-and-Q tag-team scheme.  The narrative moves fast, and Pak works overtime to involve the Hulk in a storyline that, when announced, didn't remotely seem like a "Hulk story." With Betty being at the center of the storyline, this arc may prove to be the most personal yet for Banner since the book became pluralized last fall. (Speaking of which, wasn't this issue solicited with the Hulk back in the singular role?)

This is a well-oiled, gamma-irradiated engine of storytelling, and it just might challenge Roger Stern & Sal Buscema's "They Who Wield Power" arc in the 80s for best Tyrannus story. Cheap hype? Perhaps. Regardless, this book was a treat after the darkness of "Planet Savage," brought to vivid life with Pak's knack for clever dialogue and Grummett's superb superheroic art. It's a fun, fun bit before the emotional torture that's sure to come in "Heart of the Monster." Simply put, Buy It.

Skaar: King of the Savage Land #2 (of 5) - Marvel Comics, $2.99
By Rob Williams, Brian Ching, Rick Ketcham & Guru-eFX

Skaar's second go-round at a solo title continues, with the Son of Hulk involved inconsequentially in a battle with "Kirby Kreations" Moonboy and Devil Dinosaur, while the real action occurs in the tribal council of the Savage Land, where a possessed Shanna sheds blood and turns the tribes against Ka-Zar.

A few short weeks ago, I lauded Rob Williams and Brian Ching's efforts on the first issue of this title, overlooking the unusual nature of the "tribal council" where Ka-Zar addressed the people while wearing a business suit. Obviously, it is writer Williams' effort to establish a dichotomy between the Savage Land's name and what it has become, making Ka-Zar out to be too wrapped up in the ways of more developed countries to be a suitable leader. That point is doubly the thrust of the Designer, who has possessed Shanna. The comparison doesn't quite work when you consider the Savage Land's history and that this series marks the first occasion for the tribal council to be presented thusly. This issue downplays Skaar's involvement, which is unusual considering his name's on the cover, and the lion's share of the narrative involves Ka-Zar and the Designer/Shanna. Now, it looks like Skaar will again be near the center of events with the next issue, as he's poised to attempt a rescue of his fellow Sakaarians (mentioned in this issue at last) from the Designer's, um, designs.

As it is, in spite of the continual lush artwork by Brian Ching, Williams' Skaar is a weak leading man. I hope that changes, and very soon, because the character, who's been well-developed under Greg Pak, risks being trampled by the grandoise narrative around him. Sadly, my concerns from the first issue, amplified through this issue's events, force me to downgrade my opinion. For now, you should definitely Skip It.

Hulk #32 - Marvel Comics, $2.99
By Jeff Parker, Gabriel Hardman & Bettie Breitweiser

It's been fascinating stuff during these last several months since Jeff Parker and Gabriel Hardman attained control of the Scarlet Smasher's book. Parker brings old-school sensibilities to the book, effortlessly weaving sub-plots through the main story and through the recently-finished series of back-up tales. Several of those elements are going to come to a head next month, where if the cover's any indication, the Red Hulk will face four new foes, the final of which Parker introduces this month in Black Fog.

Speaking of the Red Hulk, this month's adventure for him amounts to little more than reminding readers of his ongoing troubles with General Fortean (with, don't get me wrong, a terrific dream sequence as drawn by Hardman) and giving him an unremarkable foe to fight in the form of...a tornado. In virtually all ways, the storyline echoes every old Len Wein/Herb Trimpe story where the Hulk was on the run from the military, wandering into some small town and helping them against some nebulous menace. In this, Parker only succeeds in marking time--dynamically illustrated time, as is always the case when Hardman and Breitweiser are involved, but time nonetheless.

He is much more successful in the other storyline in this issue, the origin of Black Fog, a serial killer endowed with superhuman abilities by Zero/One. Zero/One's childhood memories of the killer as a "boogeyman" become chilling reality thanks to her new power. His transformation is an excellent centerpiece, and I'm intrigued to see just where the character goes from here. I just hope there's time to examine his state of mind with the grand conclusion impending next month. Truly, his is an excellent lead-up, but add in the less-than-incredible Red Hulk plot means you should just Read It.

Next: Firestorm? The Crossing? More fun with the Hulk family? A convention sketch? Or something totally different, yes? Just wait!

~G.

Do You Fear...The Red Hulk Getting His Tuchas Kicked?

I sure hope not, because, well...what fun would this be, then?

Per Marvel's press release:

The Marvel Universe’s biggest, reddest brutalizer clashes with the forces of Fear Itself this July in Hulk #37, from acclaimed writer Jeff Parker and rising star Elena Casagrande! Which is stronger? Mortal terror or all-out rage? Red Hulk is going to find out with his fists as he goes toe-to-toe with the God of Fear’s most unexpected recruit in a brawl for the ages!

“Red Hulk's intersection with Fear Itself is really a defining moment for the character, showing what he's made of. It's really cool to be right up front during a happening like this!” said Parker. “It also gives us the chance to show what goes on with the other world threats who aren't commanding the center stage during a crucial event – in this case the newly returned M.O.D.O.K.!”

But which of the Serpent’s earthly avatars has specifically sought out Red Hulk and why? This July, can the Crimson Crusher withstand a treacherous battle with Worthy and make it out alive? Find out when Fear Itself stomps into Hulk #37!

HULK #37
Written by JEFF PARKER
Penciled by ELENA CASAGRANDE
Cover by CARLO PAGULAYAN
Rated T+ …$2.99
ON SALE THIS JULY!

Place your bets now, ladies and gents! Who's the guy all blacked out on the cover to July's issue #37? Is it the "Worthy" Hulk, hammer and all? To be honest, it doesn't really look like the hammer the Hulk has in all the other previews. (The Thing, on the other hand...!) And hey, wait, does this mean Jeff Parker's Hulk is now also double-shipping, as issues #34-35 were just solicited for June? And most importantly, what the heck has become of series artist Gabriel Hardman? Here's hoping he's just taking a breather and illustrating an upcoming arc!

More news as it becomes available. And yeah, yeah, I also heard that Ryan Stegman kid's drawing Fear Itself: Hulk Vs. Dracula, a three-issue miniseries written by X-Men's Victor Gischler.

~G.

Good Times, Good 'Cue, and...Red Hulk? (Hulk #31 in Review)

(Yes, because I didn't get to post the Firestorm article last night, you get two articles today! Don't say I never gave you nothin', folks!)

What a difference a week makes! Last week, we saw Jeff Parker, Gabriel Hardman, Tom Palmer and Jim Charalampidis take on the Scarlet Smasher in the first part of a new arc due to introduce not one but four new baddies. Maybe I'm too used to the regular team after "Scorched Earth," because while we got a solid story that suited the "Marvel Point One" premise well, and breakdowns that kept the feel of the first arc, the finished art and colors didn't work quite as well. This issue, we're back to underrated artist Gabriel Hardman inking his own pencils, and Bettie Breitweiser bringing every page to vivid life with her colors. You want to know more? Well, that's why I'm here, aren't I?

Hulk #31

 "The Next Life"

 
Writer: Jeff Parker
Artist: Gabriel Hardman
Colorist: Bettie Breitweiser
Letterers: Ed Dukeshire
Production: Randy Miller
Assistant Editor: Jake Thomas
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Publisher: Marvel Comics

The cover to this issue asks the question, "Who is Zero/One?" and writer Jeff Parker begins answering the question this issue. In doing so he conjures up elements of his very first issue on the series. There's something of a master plan at work here, or at the very least, Parker knows how to weave threads between storylines to cause the Red Hulk the most stress from month to month. Zero/One's origin is something for which the Red Hulk can share blame with both the Leader and M.O.D.O.K. in a twisted fashion. She is both human and inhuman, in a study of dichotomies. Yes, she wants to destroy ol' Ross, but it also seems she has grander plans to set in motion. It's definitely going to be interesting seeing her finally meet up with the monster when that event occurs.

"When the event occurs"? Yes, you heard me right--while nearly half the issue is devoted to Zero/One and her cause, the rest of the story is about Thad Ross and his attempts to evade another plan set in motion by General Fortean, a man who served under him but who now tasks himself with the destruction of the Red Hulk, whoever he may be. The two sides don't actually meet this episode. It's in the Red Hulk sections that the story treads water, with Ross talking about his new situation and taking on rock golems created by military technology. Yes, it's all part of Fortean's attempt to gain greater knowledge about the creature he wishes to destroy, and it would fall flat in less skilled hands. As it is, Jeff Parker's wit drives the character-based scenes, and Gabriel Hardman's art holds great interest during the battle. Ross has a funny scene reminiscent of the savage Hulk of the 1970s involving a group of men holding a barbecue event that alone is nearly worth the price of admission. Also, Red Hulk's traveling companion, the LMD Annie, provides a good sounding board, as Red confides that maybe telling Fortean about his double identity would have been a mistake. That indicates he probably won't use that bit of information anytime soon--a good call in this case, too, because I think there's still much mileage to be had from keeping Ross' secret out of anyone but Banner, Steve Rogers, and the LMDs' hands.

Hulk #31 is another solid chapter in the ongoing story of Thad Ross as the Red Hulk, advancing the core storyline while consistently introducing new elements. Hardman and Breitweiser are in fine form and I'm looking forward to next month. (The only errors were apparently in the printing process--I see three pages of Red Hulk as green...a problem in anyone else's copy, or am I special? ***Update: Colorista Bettie Breitweiser & IGN reviewer Joey Esposito have confirmed a "regional" printing problem with the issue. Thanks! Now, anybody seeing a blue Hulk yet?***)

As far as the back-up feature, "Save the Date," goes, Jeff Parker constructs a story that teams A-Bomb with both of the She-Hulks that appears to again be more about setting up other events than providing a story with a set beginning, middle, and end. It's a good enough adventure as scripted by Parker and drawn by Tim Seeley (of Hack/Slash fame), and certain to be a springboard to future events in the Hulk's corner of the Marvel Universe. The best thing I can say about it is that it takes another step backward to embracing Lyra's roots and elements that seemed to be erased for the She-Hulks miniseries. Hello, Boudicca!

This issue combines the seriousness of Parker and Hardman's Red Hulk stories with the lightheartedness of A-Bomb and the She-Hulks. I have to say I'm thankful that next month, Hulk returns to $2.99 with only one story and no back-up tale. It's true that the stories in the back have contributed to the ongoing plots in the main feature, with the A-Bomb stories in the first three segments leading directly into the final two main segments of "Scorched Earth" and the two-part Watcher story introducing the Omegex, which continues to trek to Earth in this issue. Parker did his best to make the tales matter, but I think we'd all like to see full focus on the Red Hulk as long as he's in this title. This one's recommended, folks.

~G.

Oh Hell Yes.

Three words: Planet. Red. Hulk.

'Nuff said?

No, really: "Planet Red Hulk." Jeff Parker. Carlo Pagulayan. June 2011.

Jeff, do you want to steal Greg's thunder, or what?

Let's all be there, shall we?

~G.

Intestinal Fortean-tude (Hulk #30.1 in Review)

Greetings, Hulkamaniacs!

I wanted to provide a bit of a quickie review this time out--things are very hectic but I'm still looking to get a lot of blog entries done over this coming week. Without further ado, let's find out if Jeff Parker & Gabriel Hardman's "jumping-on point" Hulk #30.1 is worth the $2.99!

Hulk #30.1

 "The Whale"

 
Writer: Jeff Parker
Artists: Gabriel Hardman & Tom Palmer
Colorist: Jim Charalampidis
Letterers: Ed Dukeshire
Production: Irene Lee
Assistant Editor: Jordan D. White
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Publisher: Marvel Comics

The Hulk's entry into the "Marvel Point One" initiative, designed to lure new readers by offering a new, one-month-only low price point, begins with the right kind of story: a done-in-one that introduces the main player and a new, key antagonist while at the same time advancing the status quo. It's got a creative team consisting of the regular writer and pencil artist, teamed with a classic Marvel inker (Tom Palmer) and a cover artist of some renown to Hulk fans (Ron Garney). So far, so good, right?

The first page of this book has always featured a recounting of previous events, and this one's no different, and perhaps more important than all the others, because in an issue that's featured as a "jump-on point" at a special price point, you've got to show and tell why such a book deserves a reader's hard-earned cash. (Interestingly, there's only one more issue at $3.99; with issue #32, the book becomes $2.99 regularly, for the first time since issue #9.) The recap page tells all the basics of who the Red Hulk is, and we're off to the races with "Thunderbolt" Ross being attacked by the air command center that bears his name, commanded by the newly-promoted General Fortean, a former subordinate of Ross'.

At first I wondered why we were seeing a new military enemy for the Red Hulk when "World War Hulks" had apparently brought back the perfect man for the task: Colonel Glenn Talbot, Ross' former second-in-command at Gamma Base and Bruce Banner's rival for his daughter Betty's affections. Of course, Talbot was revealed to be a Life-Model Decoy in Hulk #23, and Greg Pak revealed the real Talbot to still be dead during the "Chaos War" crossover. After reading this issue, having Ross' chief military adversary not being Talbot makes total sense, and I'm 100% behind writer Jeff Parker this outing. Fortean does not possess the familiarity with Bruce Banner and Betty Ross that Talbot does. To him, the Red Hulk is the adversary that killed his commanding officer, and the entire government seems intent on telling some other story that absolves the creature of all his guilt. Steve Rogers' word isn't good enough for Fortean, which should tell you something of the nature of his quest.

The most intriguing and new development that comes as result of "Thunderbolt" Ross as Red Hulk being tracked by a military man is that this battle is clearly going to be a chess match, a strategy session that's not on the same level as when Bruce Banner was hounded by the military. Of course, Fortean doesn't know that Ross is who he's after, and truthfully I'm not sure what his reaction would be if he did know. But I'm going to hazard a guess that sooner or later, he's going to at least tumble to the fact that he's facing a Hulk with a military acumen. It nearly occurs in this issue, and granted, Parker slyly wiggles Ross free of the point, but it shows just how much Fortean gets under his skin, right from the beginning. Fortean is aggressive, as he ably demonstrates throughout the issue. He's also not above using advanced modern warfare techniques which are going to prove increasingly interesting as time passes. This isn't the army of General Ross' time--it's deadlier. Add in that to this point, nobody outside a very narrow circle knows the Red Hulk's true identity, and you have an engaging "Hulk vs. Army" story for the first time in years.

As clever as Parker's script is, even going as far as to give us a No-Prize-worthy explanation for why Ross had so often been labeled as both Army and Air Force, the art by Gabriel Hardman, Tom Palmer, and colorist Jim Charalampidis narrowly missed this book's usual excellent standards. I'm a big fan of Hardman's, as he's been truly impressive during the "Scorched Earth" arc; however, something about Palmer's old-school finishes didn't do justice to Hardman's breakdowns, and Charalampidis' colors are truly no match for regular colorist Bettie Breitweiser's dynamic palette. It's capable work, to be sure, and Hardman's underlying technique is terrific no matter the finisher, but the abrupt change--meant, no doubt, to get Hardman and Breitweiser ahead of schedule on subsequent issues (since Hardman usually inks his own work)--is very noticeable.

So, is Hulk #30.1 worth the "low" price? If you haven't given the series a chance yet since Jeph Loeb left, there's probably no better time. General Fortean is just the first of several new villains who will be making their debut in this series over the next few months. Next week we'll see the introduction of a new villainess, Zero/One, who's tied to the "Scorched Earth" storyline that began the Parker/Hardman/Breitweiser iteration of this book. General Ross makes a solid protagonist who's definitely not Bruce Banner, whose monster is a distinct counterpoint to Banner's beast. If you're bored with the Hulk's recent adventures with his family, or if you long for old-school Hulk action with the familiar tropes--man on the run, big smash 'em up action, and the U.S. Army--then this Hulk series might be just what the doctor (not Banner!) ordered.

(As an aside: You know, I'd really have liked Marvel to seize on their "Point One" initiative by highlighting the $2.99 price, like DC is with their "Holding the line at $2.99" promotion. But then, if they did, then they'd really be underscoring the fact that so much of their line is $3.99. File this one under "Can't Win For Losing.")

~G.

A Tale of Three Hulks--Or Is That Four? (Reviewing Hulk #30)

Howdy ho, Tweeps, peeps, and just plain geeks (and I say that endearingly)! This episode's delayed a bit since it was supposed to come over the weekend. Ordinarily I strive to put up reviews before the Saturday following a book's release, but with so much happening, can you blame me? To be fair, you guys got an interview with writer Greg Pak, a review of the first issue of his Silver Surfer book, another entry in my "Storm Warning" series on Firestorm, and an aside about Franken-Castle. Before you ask: Yes, I'm hoping to scale back the comic talk soon and discuss some movies, TV, and other things like I've been promising. We'll see what happens in the next few weeks, eh? Meanwhile drop me a line (my e-mail address is on the main site page!) and tell me what YOU want to see! Now, are we ready to make like Bobby "Boris" Pickett and his Crypt Kickers...?

 

Hulk #30 

"Marvel Two-In-One

 
Writer: Jeff Parker
Artists: Ed McGuinness & Dexter Vines
Colorist: Morry Hollowell
Letterers: Ed Dukeshire
Production: Irene Lee
Assistant Editor: Jordan D. White
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Publisher: Marvel Comics

What more intriguing way of uniting the previous Hulk creative team with the current one than matching today's writer with yesterday's artist? Gabriel Hardman may be an excellent artist, with his work in the last five issues looking even more terrific than in Atlas, but you have to say that for the first two-plus years of this title's existence, the boisterous, stylistic artwork of Ed McGuinness kept fans coming back month in and out. Certainly he didn't draw every issue of the first twenty-four, but it was clear the project belonged to Ed. It's no secret that he's been a Hulk fan for many years, and wanted a prolonged run on the book. All good things must end, and so after the finale of "World War Hulks," during which the Red Hulk's identity stood revealed, Ed and his frequent co-conspirator, Jeph Loeb, left the book. Evidently Ed found a hole in his schedule and an itch he wanted to scratch, because he's back, for one month only, and with him he brings loads of silliness right out of DC's Silver Age.

Maybe that last bit is an understatement of writer Jeff Parker's involvement in this story, but I can't help stating this book is full of the kinds of big ideas and imagery that are hallmarks of McGuinness' best work, from Superman/Batman and of course previous issues of Hulk. This one's got it all, from Woodgod, voted "most likely to reappear in Greg Pak's Hulk run because he's one of Bill Mantlo's creations," to the perennial silly favorite among Marvel aliens, the Impossible Man, to various pre-code Marvel monsters including Xemnu the Titan, the original Hulk from Journey Into Mystery #62 as well as a monster that echoes one of Superman's most backwards foes. (And if that last bit doesn't clue you in to who Parker and McGuinness are riffing, then all my jokes are lost on you.) All of the above doesn't even come close to the audacious addition of the cover's core conceit: The Compound Hulk! (Who says this isn't the age of ambitious alliteration?)

I know it's well within Parker's talents to tell outrageous and fun stories, but McGuinness's involvement amps it up to the next level. The story is framed, simply enough, as a contest as schemed by longtime Hulk and She-Hulk foe Xemnu. It's an excuse, pure and simple, to bring all kinds of monsters and DC homages into the book and get McGuinness to draw big, bombastic action sequences, but it's still fun as anything and strings together all kinds of things the artist never got to draw during his earlier tenure. Does it bother me that our green Hulk, who guest-stars this month (and why shouldn't he do that anytime he wants?), is unable to defeat the horde of humongous hellions by himself, leading to he and the Red Hulk cavorting as a Compound Hulk? Or that the character they're combined to battle is a white-skinned, green-pantsed, erudite echo of our own red-and-green goliaths? It's all in service to the spectacle, and spectacles don't get much bigger than when drawn by--well, you know!

What strikes me as the big continuity nerd that I am is the league of monsters Xemnu's assembled. On that terrific double-splash in the middle of the issue, there's Zzutak (from Strange Tales #88), Taboo (from Strange Tales #75 & 77), the Blip (from Tales To Astonish #15), the Creature from Krogarr (from Tales To Astonish #25), Fin Fang Foom (from Strange Tales #89) and others I couldn't even identify. (If anyone knows the two of whom I speak, shout 'em out and be duly No-Prized!)

Hulk #30 is an unabashed love letter to the tales that astonished me when I was growing up--not as a child of the 50s with its many monstrous icons, nor the 60s with the dawn of the Marvel Age and the many weird goings-on at DC that gave birth to Bizarro and the Composite Superman, nor the 70s with the further development of all that was Marvel into a new generation. I'm a child of the 80s but with a healthy appreciation of all that makes Marvel great, raised on Marvel Super-Heroes reprints of the Hulk's early adventures and Marvel Tales reprints of Spidey. For all that comics have advanced over the years, it's nice to see a story return to the big action and goofiness of yesteryear. Hulk fans, monster fans, fans of weird stuff--buy this book!

~G.

The Ever-Changing Lyra, Daughter of Hulk! (Among Other Things, a SHE-HULKS Review)

Hulk & Thundra in the shadow of their daughter, from All-New Savage She-Hulk. Art by Alex Garner.

I daresay the Hulk-related portion of the Marvel Universe has exploded over the last few years. We've had She-Hulk get her own book again, then it got canceled. Then in the wake of World War Hulk came an arguable spinoff, Incredible Hercules, followed quickly by the introduction of Red Hulk, then the return of the Incredible Hulk, and some other series here and there centered around events like "Fall of the Hulks" and "World War Hulks."

Unfortunately, with the market being what it is ("unhealthy" is a bit of an understatement--sort of like all of print media) the line is due for contraction. The first casualty in these matters appears to be Lyra, the Hulk's daughter from a future timeline. Since her introduction in Hulk: Raging Thunder, where the Hulk first met Thundra and she scraped his cheek for DNA, she's been featured prominently in no less than three limited series of no more than four issues apiece. She's had some jarring status quo changes, and now it appears, barring a real outpouring of fan support, she'll be relegated to Greg Pak's Incredible Hulks series (not that it's a bad place, necessarily), if not altogether forgotten. But is it a real shame to see Lyra's star falling, or is it more a mercy killing? Before fandom en masse attacks me for that last comment, let's examine her brief history:

Hulk: Raging Thunder - Hulk, as we know, is Marvel's original man-monster, "the strongest one there is." This fact attracts Thundra, a warrior-woman from a future matriarchal society. In her era, men and women live separately and war with each other. The men are sterile from radiation exposure, and both sexes only survive through human parthenogenesis. Thundra travels to our present with the intent of conceiving an heir. Only one born of superior stock, she rationalizes, can have a hope of succeeding her when she grows too old to ably serve the United Sisterhood Republic. This means a fundamental change from the last several generations, in that her daughter will have both a mother and a father.

In the back of the All-New Savage She-Hulk #1, writer Jeff Parker mentions that it was his original intention to have the Hulk and Thundra actually sleep together to create Lyra, but that this idea got "downgraded to scraping cells from [the Hulk's] cheek." Page twenty, without the dialogue in later panels, can even be interpreted with the former explanation. True, the change could have come because editors thought Thundra wouldn't "sully herself" by direct contact (even though, in main continuity, Thundra had been involved with Arkon, if indeed this was not a divergent Thundra). It's more likely the decision had something to do with Jeph Loeb's Ultimate Hulk Annual, in which the Ultimate universe's Hulk slept with the Squadron Supreme's Zarda.

The first appearance of the then-unnamed Lyra, from Hulk: Raging Thunder #1.

Regardless of the decisions behind the as-yet unnamed daughter of Hulk's creation, it's revealed at the end of the story that she was the narrator of the entire story, with her "present" being established as twenty years after Thundra's return from meeting the Hulk. She is a conqueror, taking back the male-inhabited lands of this divergent future while her mother serves elsewhere. In her mind, males won't stop fighting until they all die off, a fact she doesn't fret over. She thinks once all men are gone and their atrocities forgotten by generations of women, that "maybe those women will decide that the Y chromosome can return to the world." She seems dignified and mature as well as battle-hardened.

"Daughter of Hulk" (from Hulk Family) - This brief vignette by Paul Tobin and Benton Jew showcases the again-unnamed Lyra in battle alongside her friend Nella, and explores the world of the men of the 23rd Century via Lyra's infiltration of one of their parthenogenesis facilities. The story also reinforces the dynamic that Lyra is different from her sisters in that she is the only one with a father. Just as she can be seen then as the inverse of a messianic figure, she can also then be seen as a devil of sorts, corrupted by the male species by virtue of her lineage. This story paves the way for what follows...

All-New Savage She-Hulk - After two stories, it's finally in the third story that writer Fred Van Lente gives our heroine a name. In the back pages of the first issue, Van Lente attributes the name to the protagonist in the 1971 story "The Femizons" from Savage Tales #1 by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr. He dramatically shifts the narrative of the Daughter of Hulk for the first time (but not the last) by having her follow her mother's path, time-traveling to "our" present during Marvel's "Dark Reign" umbrella event, wherein Norman Osborn rose to power and oversaw many security initatives like H.A.M.M.E.R. and A.R.M.O.R. The latter agency, the Alternate Reality Monitoring and Operational Response Agency, tracks Lyra's arrival on Earth-616 from Earth-9008. She abducts A.R.M.O.R. agent Alex Erde to use as a field guide on her mission to look for the time period's greatest hero, but soon encounters resistance in Jennifer Walters, the first She-Hulk, as well as Norman Osborn's officially sanctioned team, the Dark Avengers.

Van Lente makes some interesting alterations to Lyra beyond giving her a name, and the art, primarily by Peter Vale and Robert Atkins, provides the best vision of Lyra to date. She is charged with a mission by the Gynosure, ruler of Milago, to bring back technology that will allow them to again use the Cradle, the device that enables the parthenogenic processes that enable them to birth more women. To this end she is armed with Boudicca, an artificial intelligence she wears on her wrist like a watch. (Boudicca's commentary very often steals the show. It's a shame she's not still around...but I'm getting ahead of myself.) He also gives Lyra a weakness in, ironically enough, her anger, as the angrier Lyra becomes, the weaker she gets. Conversely, he also gives her "gamma vision," where she goes into a Zen-like trance and harnesses the gamma energy around her to perform superhuman feats.

Too much tongue? Lyra kisses Osborn, from All-New Savage She-Hulk #3.

In the final issue of the series, we finally discover the reason Lyra is tasked with meeting the era's greatest hero, who's stated to be Osborn himself: she is to collect his seed for the Gynosure, presumably to father another generation of women in the future. Interestingly, Lyra seems ready to collect the old-fashioned way, as A.R.M.O.R. notes that she's ovulating! Of course, she rejects those impulses, and rightly so, in the end teaming with Jennifer Walters to battle the Dark Avengers before teleporting away to A.R.M.O.R., where she becomes one of their field agents. Along the way, she discovers Boudicca has fulfilled their mission and left the processor the Gynosure needed in a location where it could be reached in the future. Hence, she is free to remain in the present. (Marvel now no longer seems to adhere to the principles of time travel set by Mark Gruenwald in the 1970s, else everything Lyra did since arriving would merely cause another divergence.)

A few more Van Lente-penned adventures of Lyra appear in back-up stories in Greg Pak's Incredible Hulk series from #600 through 605. In them, Lyra encounters the fruits of her meeting with Osborn, as he used her information about the future to set up the Origins Corporation, chaired by the Hulk's foe General Ryker and specializing in commoditizing superhuman powers. While trying to find the missing Jennifer Walters, she and Alex Erde are attacked by women with the powers of Zzzax, the Abomination, and the Glob. (This marks the fourth such woman imbued with the Abomination's powers--but that's a tale for another article!) Erde's unrequited love is cut short as Axon (the Zzzax analogue) causes the crash that leads to his death. Lyra swears revenge and kills two of the three women, while after her failure, Ryker gives the kill order for the third. She appears to be coming into her own as a She-Hulk, but that's before she's brought into the...

Lyra, from Fall of the Hulks: Savage She-Hulks #1 by Jelena Kevic Djurdjevic.

Fall of the Hulks: Savage She-Hulks - The next writer to handle Lyra is Jeph Loeb, in both Fall of the Hulks: Gamma (with artist John Romita Jr.) and Hulk #19 (with Ed McGuinness). As framed later in the three-issue tie-in to the main event by Lyra's co-creator Jeff Parker and Salva Espin, Lyra allies herself with the Intelligencia in order to attempt a rescue of Jennifer Walters, who has been their captive for several weeks. She mixes it up a few times with the Red She-Hulk, and even meets her mother, Thundra, who still hasn't returned to the future to allow the scientists to artificially inseminate her (or however their process worked). She becomes the fourth member of the Frightful Four, and while naked (!) defeats the Human Torch in battle, taking one of his 1970s-era red outfits to wear.

The Human Torch gets a fiery green eyeful. From Hulk #19, art by Ed McGuinness & Mark Farmer.

Lyra loses her companion Boudicca, destroying it (her?) to prove her loyalty to the Intelligencia, but its central processing unit is restarted remotely by Bruce Banner, who for the first time makes contact with his daughter (after learning about her in Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #1-2, also by Parker). During the siege of the Intelligencia's Hellcarrier, she makes a three-panel cameo in Incredible Hulk #608, meeting her half-brother Skaar (to whom she refers as "little brother") before Banner blasts her up "at least four levels" to rescue Jennifer. Jen accosts her over her opinion that Thundra "ran away" from her and hid in the 21st Century, confronting her with the truth that she nearly jeopardized her chances of being born. She also tells Lyra that, once the battles are finished, she will show her "what a normal life is supposed to be...and how wonderful it is," the earliest allusion to the upcoming She-Hulks series. After uniting with the Red She-Hulk, the three of them fight the legions of AIMarines-turned-Hulks as well as the Hulked-out heroes. Lyra records a message on the barely-functioning Boudicca and leaves it for Thundra to find in the future, telling her mother she is the greatest woman she has known.

The four-issue She-Hulks limited series, with covers by Ed McGuinness.

 She-Hulks - And that brings us to the post-"World War Hulks" portion of this entry, where writer Harrison Wilcox and artist Ryan Stegman (late of the ill-received Red She-Hulk back-ups from Incredible Hulk) contribute the most jarring changes to the young Lyra. That's the right describer, too: "young," as under Wilcox's pen, she becomes a teenager, molded to the role of a companion and "little sister" to Jennifer Walters, the original She-Hulk. Perhaps the shift is due to a stigma that's existed since Lyra's introduction; namely, the idea that she was introduced to eventually replace the original She-Hulk. It's a preposterous idea, certainly, as Jennifer has such deep roots in the Marvel Universe, as a solo hero as well as member of the Fantastic Four and the Avengers, as well as being a peripheral Hulk cast member. Perhaps Marvel believed the safe middleground was to team the two titanesses together and establish them as a generation apart.

I'm going to loosely state, although I have no independent confirmation, that Lyra's supposed to be roughly sixteen years old during this series. The de-aging of Lyra to high school age creates some interesting problems in her treatment under previous writers, certainly--chief among them that whole "search for the greatest hero of the 21st Century so we can procure his seed, and oh, wait, I'm totally ovulating" storyline, which in revision nearly reaches a "Gwen Stacy in 'Sins Past'" level of yuck. That goes double for Johnny Storm, who burned Lyra's clothes off and then made juvenile comments while she was in the buff. These are the two most irritating examples, although there's certainly also the Stockholm Syndrome-esque developments between Alex Erde and Lyra in Incredible Hulk #601, all of which add up to the conclusion that Lyra wasn't originally intended to be, for want of a better term, Teen She-Hulk.

Mourning that perfect prom dress? Art by Ryan Stegman & Michael Babinski.

Lyra has been stripped of much of the accoutrement she had since her first appearance, as well as much of the rest of what defined her in those earlier stories, right up to Fall of the Hulks: Savage She-Hulks. Her military bearing, which should be obvious as having grown up around Thundra and her soldiers, is almost wholly absent, as is her complex attitude toward the opposite sex from being raised in a society where men and women are literally at war. Furthermore, thanks to S.P.I.N. Tech (Super-Power Inhibiting Nanobots), Lyra no longer grows weaker when she gets angry, and she now has a smaller, pink-skinned form invented just for this narrative. The onslaught of changes made to Lyra in such a short time really makes it apparent that the powers-that-be don't really know what to do with her character. Here, it's like Wilcox took that aforementioned idea of "Teen She-Hulk," partnered her up with Jen Walters, and then sparsely fit bits of Lyra's prior history in the narrative where they could fit. The Lyra of She-Hulks bears little, if any, resemblance to all of her earlier appearances.

The dynamic of She-Hulks again really reads like, well, exactly what you'd think a series about a Teen She-Hulk would. Lyra is largely the center of the narrative, as we follow her time in school, her being coached by Jen, and the talks between Bruce Banner and Jen about her. Jen acts as an aunt of sorts to young Lyra, having her attend high school at Bruce Banner's urgings. (See? That pink-skinned form comes in handy!) The two of them live in a sweet Manhattan apartment, and Bruce has charged them with capturing the remaining free members of the Intelligencia, solving some very important loose ends from the "World War Hulks" story. In fact, Bruce Banner and the Hulk have a substantial supporting role in the series, headquartered at Gamma Base and using funds from the Olympus Group to finance the women's missions. The base also houses a detention facility where the villains are held once the She-Hulks capture them.

The book's lighter tone aids in Lyra's likability, and she certainly needed some lightening up in the wake of, let's face it, some rather dark showings in her first dozen appearances. (Often the Boudicca unit served as comic relief in the earlier series, as counterpoint to Lyra's "straight woman.") You might be thinking, "Having been transported to this new time period where she isn't surrounded by all the war and gender politics, why wouldn't Lyra lighten up?" It's a fair point, and one I'm sure the creators had in mind when developing this series. The original point of creating a second She-Hulk seemed to be making her different from the original, who had become something of a punchline in the Marvel Universe, with no one able to remove her from John Byrne's intimidating shadow. It becomes obvious why Lyra began as a warrior-woman. Apparently that paradigm didn't quite mesh, because now Lyra has lightened up and become absorbed into the first She-Hulk's world--humor, girl talk, boys and all. Again, quite literally, she's Teen She-Hulk, "Jen's li'l sis."

You're not the only one, Lyra. Art by Stegman & Babinski.

And I hate it. And I love it.

I didn't mean to suggest that the Wilcox/Stegman series isn't any good. It's actually an intensely pleasurable read if taken out of context of Lyra's earlier appearances. Yes, I know I spent six paragraphs disparaging the changes made to Lyra in this four-issue limited series, but it works and I can't explain why. She-Hulks is just a fun ride. Harrison Wilcox writes a fun interplay between Jennifer and Lyra, and his Bruce Banner and Hulk are on point. In addition, he's nailed the voices for all the villains. True, the final issue features an abrupt, forced message about tolerance and fearing that which people don't understand that seems more at home in an X-Men book than a Hulk one. Overall, Wilcox hits more than he misses.

Furthermore, if one creator had a real "breakout moment" in this series, it must be Ryan Stegman. The man needs a high-profile gig, as his work here with inker Michael Babinski is just tremendous. He's grown by Hulk-sized leaps and bounds since working on the aforementioned Red She-Hulk backup stories. I mean, take a look at this:

Yes, I want to buy this page and frame it. Alas, a blogger's salary...! Stegman & Babinski FTW!

This was only page two of the first issue, and the piece shows that Stegman just gets it. His pages are clear and action-packed. If he wasn't having fun drawing all four issues, he certainly fooled me. The fun factor comes through on nearly every page. Wilcox's script is filled with "big" moments and every time he's asked, Stegman delivers, whether it's the Hulk catching the She-Hulks' Gamma Jet, or the She-Hulks fleeing an avalanche, or fighting the Wizard in an awesome double-page spread filled with bikini-clad women. His facial expressions are a delight, as well. In short, Stegman's fun, energetic, and expressive style fits the She-Hulks to a T, and I'd really love to see him on another project--whether it be more She-Hulks or something else--in the not-too-distant future.

What are the chances of seeing a second volume of She-Hulks? I can see Marvel's cautiousness in this volatile market, in wondering if this series would truly find an audience. Initially solicited as an ongoing series, evidently orders weren't as high as Marvel had hoped, and news broke on Diamond's weekly shipping list that the book had been changed to four issues. (It wasn't until the last issue was solicited in Marvel Previews that the company publicly acknowledged the series was scaled back.) It didn't help that the first issue was priced at $3.99 (although subsequent issues were all $2.99). The backdoor cancellation announcement probably doomed the series in retailers' eyes, although luckily for fans, only the last issue showed any hint that the book was in fact a limited series. (Why luckily? Fans who don't read solicitations likely thought the series was ongoing, and somewhere in my messed-up mind, I like to think fans wanted to settle in for a long haul.) Sadly, the book received anemic pre-orders, with only 18,616 copies of the first issue distributed according to Diamond. Subsequent sales figures confirm that the series only fell from there, with a 21% drop in December, and another 12% in January, where orders were at an abysmal 12,926 copies. We can only hope that the book sells out at the retailer level, and the inevitable trade paperback collection is heavily ordered, otherwise we may never see another Hulk-based series that's this fun. Or, more likely, we'll see yet another revision of Lyra, and probably Jen Walters as well...again, not as fun.

After my initial resistance to the core concept of She-Hulks, I have to say I greatly enjoyed the finished product and hope more adventures of Lyra and Jen are on the horizon. It's a case of so-so ideas with incredible execution. However, it's going to take more than Jen's magic cure-all, a cup of hot cocoa, to get this duo to see another day...

Hot cocoa can cure a lot, but can it get us She-Hulks volume 2? More Stegman & Babinski.

'Nuff said,

~G.