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Skaar: King of the Savage Land #2 Review

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Jun 162013

by Charlie Brooks, CMRO Contributing Writer

Skaar: King of the Savage Land

Issue #2

Written by Rob Williams, Art by Brian Ching

Published: June 2011

Even when he’s trying to be heroic, Skaar has a habit of breaking things pretty badly. That’s the case in Skaar: King of the Savage Land #2, where his curiosity has unleashed some strange entity known of the Designer, which has possessed Shanna and, in the space of a single issue, manages to conquer the Savage Land.

The title character so far hadn’t really had much of a chance to do anything in this story. So far, he’s just fought with a robot that was supposed to guard the Designer, resulting in the possible doom of the Savage Land. It’s Ka-Zar who gets most of the page time here, as he tries to figure out what’s going on with his suddenly murderous wife. (Honestly, I don’t know why people in the Marvel Universe don’t clue in when somebody gets mind-controlled – it’s very common.)

By the end of this issue, Skaar has some new allies, including Devil Dinosaur, Moonboy, and Ka-Zar’s own son. It should be interesting to see how Skaar and his new friends interact, but it’s also odd that, with the Savage Land in danger, the Warbound aren’t getting involved here.

On Ka-Zar’s end, my only major criticism is how little the jungle lord does. Obviously he’s not the star of this miniseries, but it seems odd to have him just standing about in a suit while things go down the tubes in his homeland. Hopefully he, Skaar, and the rest will get things rolling in the next issue.

Ultimately, it’s hard to rank this issue as much more than a filler. I get the feeling that readers could skip straight to issue #3 without losing too much here. On the bright side, both the writing and the art is solid if not always spectacular. All told, Skaar: King of the Savage Land #2 is a nice revisit to some obscure Savage Land characters, but I’m not sure it’s going to appeal to those who are reading this book for the son of the Hulk instead.

Skaar: King of the Savage Land #1

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Jun 152013

by Charlie Brooks, CMRO Contributing Writer

Skaar: King of the Savage Land

Issue #1

Written by Rob Williams, Art by Brian Ching

Published: June 2011

When we last left Skaar, son of Hulk, he was telling his father to go stuff it back in The Incredible Hulks. In Skaar: King of the Savage Land, he has apparently left the responsibilities he took on, because his extensive supporting cast, such as the Warbound, is nowhere to be found. Instead, we get Skaar interacting with Shanna the She-Devil and Ka-Zar addressing a Savage Lands riff of the United Nations.

Our situation is twofold. First, Ka-Zar wants to open the Savage Lands up to trade with the rest of the world. Second, Skaar is just sort of wandering around mucking things up. Shanna is keeping an eye on him, but this seems to put her in more danger as Skaar accidentally winds up awakening some ancient evil that possesses her. Meanwhile, Skaar has to fight a giant robot. The issue ends with Devil Dinosaur appearing. And if you know who Devil Dinosaur is, a gold star to you.

This issue is a moderately decent setup for a miniseries. At the very least, author Rob Williams knows his stuff and writes a Skaar who is both impulsive and savage. With this being Skaar’s first interaction with the larger Marvel Universe sans his father’s influence, it’s important to show off the kid’s character. Williams points out that Skaar is really only a couple of years old, and he’s prone to foolishness because of it.

Similarly, the art by Brian Ching and Rock Ketcham is impressive. It’s not blow you away kind of art, but it’s solid. The only drawback I can find about the art is that, because the script is a bit disjointed, we don’t really get as good a flow as we might otherwise be able to get. That’s not a fault of the artists, however, but rather of the story itself

The big problem with this story is how disconnected it is from the rest of the Marvel Universe. There’s a definite sense that there’s some backstory to this miniseries, particularly with Ka-Zar’s appeal to the Savage Land council, but unless you’ve been following the Savage Land throughout the years you won’t really know the details. The idea of trying to open up a secluded dinosaur-laden land to trade with the rest of the world is an interesting one, but because there isn’t much detail given to Ka-Zar or the Savage Land’s council, you’re out of luck if you want some sort of recap here.

Overall, Skaar: King of the Savage Land #1 is a decent introductory issue that has good characterization and art but a somewhat disjointed story. It wallows in the obscure end of the Marvel Universe while assuming that you know what’s going on, so it’s best avoided by newbies. Readers familiar with the more obscure bits of the Marvel Universe, such as Devil Dinosaur, might have quite the bit of enjoyment, though.

Incredible Hulks #629 Review

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Jun 142013

by Charlie Brooks, CMRO Contributing Writer

Incredible Hulks

Issue #629

Written by Greg Pak, Art by Tom Grummett

Published: July 2011

For a story arc that began as something fun and frivolous, the conclusion of The Spy Who Smashed Me in The Incredible Hulks #629 is surprisingly poignant. It reaffirms a lot of the things that form the core of both the Hulk and other Marvel superheroes: the price of heroism, the strain it puts on the hero’s relationships, and the fact that those with power need to be responsible, no matter the source of that power.

Empowered by the magic stolen from the Knights of Rome, Tyrannus swats the Hulk away from him. Betty heads out after the Hulk, and this leads to a reunion between Betty in her human form and Bruce Banner. Just as the Hulk and red She-Hulk reunited in the last issue, this time it’s Bruce and Betty getting their moment together. We also learn why Betty has become increasingly reliant on her red She-Hulk form: it’s a defense mechanism. She can only take Bruce running off and risking his life so often. Indeed, over the history of the character, she’s had multiple nervous breakdowns because of this.

Despite Betty’s pleas to let the puny humans take care of themselves for a change, the Hulk takes on Tyrannus in a battle for the fate of Rome. At the climax of the issue, Tyrannus finally opens Pandora’s Box, releasing a being of pure hope that has been corrupted by years of imprisonment. Because that hope has now become rage, it’s speaking the Hulk’s language. The Hulk, in a move that nearly kills him, absorbs the entire being.

With Bruce badly injured, Betty rushes to his side calling his name. However, the Hulk quickly reminds her that he isn’t Bruce, which is all that Betty needs to go over the edge again and transform into the red She-Hulk, locking herself into that form. Ultimately, Betty leaves with the now-defeated Tyrannus, leaving the Hulk as the hero but without the girl.

It’s been no secret that I absolutely love The Spy Who Smashed Me, and this issue is a worthy conclusion to such an entertaining story arc. Once again, the characters are spot on, especially the interaction between Bruce and Betty. Pak is using decades of character development in a way that feels natural and organic while also keeping things easy to understand for newcomers.

The Incredible Hulks #629 wraps up a tale of adventure, intrigue, and the difficulties of true love. It’s a wonderful piece of art that should not be missed.

Incredible Hulks #628 Review

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Jun 092013

by Charlie Brooks, CMRO Contributing Writer

Incredible Hulks

Issue #628

Written by Greg Pak, Art by Tom Grummett

Published: July 2011

Last issue we got to see the Hulk and Bruce Banner interact with Dr. Sofia di Cosimio. In The Incredible Hulks #628, Dr. di Cosimio is captured along with Tyrannus by the Knights of Rome, so it’s up to the Hulk and the red She-Hulk to put aside their differences and save the day.

I have to admit, while I think the red She-Hulk was a bit lame to include, it works well for the mentally unstable Betty. Guided by impulse and pent-up rage, it’s nice to see Banner and the Hulk have to deal with somebody that drive them nuts for a change. The red She-Hulk identity also works slightly better than the Harpy for Betty, but only slightly so.

This issue is effectively a long series of the Hulk and the red She-Hulk trolling each other. Betty expresses jealousy over the Hulk’s apparent connection with Dr. di Cosimio, saying that the good doctor is too old for him, and the Hulk snaps back, “Class never gets old.” The Knights of Rome use the mystic powers of Zeus himself, and Betty is happy to remark at how recently the Greek god kicked the Hulk’s butt.

In the end, the two seem to put aside their differences, and we get a scene of the Hulk and red She-Hulk making out after defeating the Knights of Rome. Tyrannus, however, interrupts the scene by taking control of the mystic tower that the Knights had used and seizing Pandora’s box, turning the tables and reminding us that he is indeed the bad guy here.

Once again, this issue has everything – good art, excellent pacing, and a great handle on the Hulk and his supporting cast. It’s a real shame that this represents the second to last story arc in Greg Pak’s run, because he has the characters down pat and is really doing a lot of interesting stuff with them.

The one small complaint I have is the fact that the Hulk and Betty have to transform into their human forms at one point in the story to get past some of the Knights’ defenses. Since the impetus for Banner to go after Betty is that her next transformation may be her last, this one feels a bit too flippant. Sure, the world is in peril, but a single line of dialogue might have given us the reason why Banner is so willing to risk Betty’s long-term well-being at that moment.

That niggle aside, this is another great issue and well worth tracking down. It is a story that is moving the characters forward and giving us a great adventure to go along with it. Most importantly, it is pure fun.

Incredible Hulks #621 Review

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Jun 062013

by Charlie Brooks, CMRO Contributing Writer

Incredible Hulks

Issue #621

Written by Greg Pak, Art by Paul Pelletier

Published: March 2011

Chaos War may be finished, but as of The Incredible Hulks #621, the Hulk’s meddling with the gods is not over. Hercules “fixed” the world, but left the Hulk family in dire straights. Betty is still dangerously insane, Rick can’t transform back into his human form, and Skaar and Korg don’t have a home of their own. In an attempt to fix things for his family, Bruce Banner sets out to speak with Hercules, which kicks off the two-part story Godsmash.

This story has several interesting tidbits to it. The most interesting aspect of the tale is the way the Hulk serves as a sort of wish fulfillment here. We’ve all had times when we wanted our lives fixed, and many would love the chance to tell God himself to fix it. The Hulk can actually do that, although in order to get it done he has to scale the new Mount Olympus and confront the reborn Zeus.

It’s also interesting that Banner doesn’t ask for a cure for himself, despite the fact that he’s wanted thatalmost as long as he’s been the Hulk. As a family man now, Banner is more concerned with the wellbeing of his kin rather than his own personal desires.

This issue also marks the prominent appearance of Greg Pak’s trademark joke sound effects that he used quite often in The Incredible Hercules. While these have popped up here and there before, this is the first time where they’re really noticeable in Pak’s Hulk stories. We get stuff like “Buddyslam” when Hercules punches Banner (upon Bruce’s request, no less, since he apparently can’t turn into Hulk completely at will). The effects are maybe a little out of place in what should be a serious story, but they don’t detract from things all that much.

The story features the Hulk fighting through gods and monsters as he scales Mount Olympus to confront Zeus. The gods perhaps pose less of a challenge to the Hulk than they should, although we’re talking about a guy who is on equal footing with Thor anyway and who is particularly driven by his desire to do right by his family. Right now the climb is all a setup for next issue when the Hulk faces off against Zeus himself.

Overall, this is a decent issue, but not one that stands alone on its own merits. This issue really needs to be paired with the next one, since right now it’s all just a ramp-up to a full-issue fight. It’s hard to call it filler, since the Hulk’s journey does serve a purpose and since I don’t really think a two-part story can really have a whole issue of filler, but the plot isn’t moving forward quite as dramatically as one might expect after Chaos War.

The art on this book remains a huge mark in its favor, with Paul Pelletier getting to draw all sorts of Greek monsters and fun Hulk battles on the way. If you’re a fan of good art and fun action, this is a good book to pick up. It’s even more worth it if you plan to follow the plot into the next issue.

Hulk #29 Review

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Jun 052013

by Charlie Brooks, CMRO Contributing Writer

Hulk

Issue #29

Written by Jeff Parker, Art by Gabriel Hardman

Published: March 2011

Hulk #29 brings the “Scorched Earth” story to a close with a lot of action and a few new developments for the
title character. It also features the red and green Hulks working side by side, which is a rare and enjoyable
treat.

With Rick injured and Ross unable to change, things look bad for the title character until the Hulk shows up. The Hulk’s presence is enough to get Ross furious and make him change, resulting in the two smashing their way through the jungle to a volcano where MODOK has his central computer which is running the Scorched Earth program.

Even then, things look bad for the heroes, with the island’s defenses enough to put two Hulks through their paces. The tide changes when the Hulk tells Ross that Banner lied – he can absorb energy. This leads us back to the red Hulk becoming the guy of old who could beat up just about anything. Of course, when the Hulk turns back to Banner, Bruce explains that it wasn’t entirely a lie – the red Hulk’s energy absorption abilities will eventually burn out his ability to change and lock him in one form or the other if he keeps using him. Future writers take note: this is a convenient way to get him to turn back to General Ross permanently when this whole red Hulk experiment starts to lose sales.

In reality, Scorched Earth was actually a distraction so a new MODOK – apparently an improved clone of the original – can be born without the heroes interfering. I like this. It gives MODOK a chance to return to comics while also letting George Tarleton, the original, to have a peaceful rehabilitation. I hope this change sticks.

Our backup story features Uatu the Watcher and his companion Uravo, who was looking for him after he disappeared. Uatu is observing a “red hole” which killed many red-skinned creatures and which itself unleashes a robotic weapon called the Omegex. The Omegex winds up going after the red Hulk after sensing the energies left behind from Rulk’s punching of the Watcher. Uatu says this is unfortunate, but gives the vibe that he’s not exactly sad. It’s interesting to see the Watcher suddenly become this petty, and hopefully that will go somewhere.

Overall, this issue is a solid conclusion to the red Hulk’s first post-Loeb arc. Jeff Parker writes a good Banner, and the interaction between the Hulk and his red counterpart is entertaining. Parker’s Hulk seems a little off, lacking in the rage that the Hulk is known for, but not so much so as to take the reader out of the issue. “Scorched Earth” overall provided a lot of fun smashing, interesting locales, and good characterization. It also gave us some cathartic beatdowns from people who had some revenge against the red Hulk coming. Finally, it was the start of some interesting new character development for General Ross. Overall, while this storyline doesn’t quite launch itself into the realm of truly great comics, it is a good tale and well worth the effort of tracking down the issues or the compiled Scorched Earth trade paperback.

Incredible Hulks #627 Review

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Jun 012013

by Charlie Brooks, CMRO Contributing Writer

Incredible Hulks

Issue #627

Written by Greg Pak, Art by Tom Grummett

Published: June 2011

The first issue of The Spy Who Smashed Me was good, but it’s in The Incredible Hulks #627 that this story really kicks into high gear. Even though the Hulk is out of his element and into soy thriller intrigue here, the is never any doubt who this guy is and that this story suits him perfectly.

Through most of his run, Greg Pak has focused either mostly on the Hulk or mostly on Banner. Here he shows that he can get the two interacting seamlessly together when he needs to. Banner has some excellent foils here, including the wise-cracking Amadeus Cho (who loves it as much as I do when Bruce introduces himself as, “Banner. Bruce Banner.”) and the mythology expert Dr. Sofia di Cosimio. The latter is especially handy to have around, as she accompanies Banner into the lair of Tyrannus, who has stolen Pandora’s box. Due to the various hazards, Banner and the Hulk transform back and forth repeatedly, constantly talking to Di Cosimio about the other and their feelings about Betty. It’s a great way to show off how different the two sides of the character are even when they’re working together toward a common goal.

Tyrannus seems to have taken a shine to Betty, which would make him the second Hulk villain in recent stories to do so (the Leader seemed to have a thing for her during Fall of the Hulks). Betty seems to be stringing him along mostly so she can mess with Bruce, which makes him angry, and you all know what happens when Banner gets angry.

Unfortunately for Tyrannus, his dating plans go awry along with his plans for world domination when a mysterious magic-wielding group breaks in and steals him away along with Dr. di Cosimio and Pandora’s box. So that leave the Hulk and the red She-Hulk forced to work together to save the world. Should be interesting in the next issue.

If there was any doubt left that Greg Pak is the perfect guy to be writing the Hulk, this issue dispels that doubt. It is pretty much spot-on dialogue-wise for both Banner and the Hulk. Moreover, this story is a great fun time that is too rare in comics these days. While it’s nice to have a serious story here and there, many comics seem to be a bit too pretentious and self-important, rather than enjoying the weirdness of the setting. The break in tone is also a nice way to unwind after the serious storylines we’ve seen since the Hulk has returned.

Art-wise, Tom Grummet continues to shine, and his facial expressions are especially terrific. It’s great to see the Hulk’s look of disgust when he’s talking about Banner or Dr. di Cosimio’s nervous reaction as she realizes that the guy she’s traveling around with is, as she puts it, “Insane. From a clinical standpoint, I mean.”

While it’s a stretch to call The Incredible Hulks #627 the best issue of Greg Pak’s run (that distinction has to go to something from Planet Hulk), this is one of the ones I look at most fondly and is definitely an issue worth tracking down.

Incredible Hulks #625 Review

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May 272013

by Charlie Brooks, CMRO Contributing Writer

Incredible Hulks

Issue #625

Written by Greg Pak, Art by Dale Eaglesham

Published: May 2011

Although I’m of the opinion that Greg Pak’s writing has remained strong since he took on the Hulk family, the reality of the sales situation at Marvel during this period was that The Incredible Hulk was steadily dropping on the sales charts. The general feeling seemed to be that the Hulk family was too much and that readers would have preferred to see more stories about the jade giant as a solo hero again. I’m not entirely sure that I buy that perception, since the Hulk enjoyed a lot of popularity during Planet Hulk when he was grouped with the Warbound, but somebody apparently told Pak to wind down the Hulk family, and the result is The Incredible Hulk #625, which wraps up the Planet Savage arc.

As per last issue, the Hulk is now mind controlled by Miek into fighting the Warbound. Miek’s control won’t last long, however, because the Hulk’s strength is almost back to normal. It will last long enough for his young to feed on our hero, thus keeping his species alive. Miek doesn’t count on the Hulk’s rage, however, because once he finally breaks free he tears the bugs out of his own chest and nearly stomps them to death. It’s Skaar who intervenes and allows the young to feed on him. Meanwhile, the Hulk and Miek have their final battle, with the Hulk giving Miek one last philosophy lesson before the bug falls into a volcano, seemingly to his doom.

Throughout the issue, we are given narrative captions from the Hulk, which is the first time in a very long time that a comic has given us a direct line to what’s going on in the big guy’s head. The Hulk is actually happy to an extent to be under Miek’s control because it means he doesn’t have to worry about being responsible for his family anymore, instead getting to smash again. He does snap back into being responsible after Skaar stops him from killing Miek’s young, but the moment of pure rage is enough to turn Skaar against his father. Ultimately, the Hulk leaves Skaar and the Warbound in the Savage Land, returning home alone. For those keeping score, a home for Skaar and the Warbound is something the Hulk asked Zeus for, and it’s now something he got.

The biggest problem I have with this issue is Skaar’s rejection of his father at the end. It’s pretty high and mighty for the kid who willingly doomed an entire planet to suddenly reject his father who nearly does something regrettable in a moment of blind post-mind-controlled fury. It works, but only just barely. I think it would have been better to give the rift between Skaar and the Hulk a bit more time to develop, but again I think this is a result of editorial telling Pak to wrap things up, especially since his run on the character is nearing an end.

Overall, Planet Savage is a good wrap-up to Miek’s story, which has been developing since Planet Hulk. Although it’s not the best of ways to split up the Hulk and Skaar, it does at least leave the kid free to pursue other things in the Savage Land while the Hulk goes back to more solo adventures. I just hope that there will be a reconciliation between the two somewhere down the road.

Incredible Hulks #624 Review

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May 252013

by Charlie Brooks, CMRO Contributing Writer

Incredible Hulks

Issue #624

Written by Greg Pak, Art by Dale Eaglesham

Published: May 2011

The Incredible Hulks #624 continues the Planet Savage storyline, although this time it feels like we might be spinning our wheels a little bit. Luckily, we do get to mess around in the Hulk’s head a little bit before the story comes to its quick conclusion.

As per last issue, the Hulk is a prisoner of Miek. Still weakened from his battle against Zeus, the Hulk is delirious and imagining that he’s talking to Betty, only to find out that the person hanging all over him is in fact Miek. Miek was able to spontaneously change his sex, as some members of the real-life insect world are capable of doing, and lay eggs in order to keep his species alive. However, he needs a strong host for his children. That host is, naturally, the Hulk. There are some creepy undertones to this, and you can almost make the case that Miek has raped the Hulk by implanting his eggs.

The Hulk escapes by transforming into Banner to slip his bonds, but that nearly kills both of them since they aren’t done healing yet. Banner quickly transforms back into the Hulk, who reaches the Warbound and asks them to rip Miek’s eggs out of him. Doing so, however, would kill the Hulk, according to the Brood.

We never get a chance to see what would happen, though, because Miek shows up and recaptures the Hulk. The issue ends with us being treated to more of the Hulk hallucinating that Betty is up close and personal with him, only to find out that it is Miek and that he’s placed the Hulk under mind control, ordering him to kill the Warbound.

This isn’t a bad issue, but it does feel like it could have been cut down dramatically. The Hulk starts and ends the comic captured by Miek, and we probably could have cut out most of the in between stuff and skipped to the end of the story arc next issue, when the mind-controlled Hulk takes on the Warbound. It’s not necessarily Greg Pak’s fault that the story is unnecessarily padded out, since editorial might have told him to write a certain number of issues for trade paperback purposes, but he probably could have put some more interesting developments into the story.

The issue is not for the faint of heart, what with Miek putting the moves on the Hulk and his larvae grafting themselves to the Hulk’s vulnerable insides. It is rendered very well in its grotesque glory, with Dale Eaglesham showing improvement over last issue. The other big draw of the story is that we are building to the conclusion of Miek’s story that has been building from Planet Hulk on. It’s a shame to see how far into villainy Miek has descended from his wise-cracking roots, although it is a good thing that even here he is a somewhat sympathetic villain, motivated primarily by keeping his species alive.

All told, this issue has some high points, but it feels like we’re spinning our wheels a little bit. Planet Savage is a short story arc, though, so we don’t have to wait too long for the conclusion next issue.

Incredible Hulks #623 Review

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May 232013

by Charlie Brooks, CMRO Contributing Writer

Incredible Hulks

Issue #623

Written by Greg Pak, Art by Dale Eaglesham

Published: April 2011

Boy, Marvel really likes drawing parallels to Planet Hulk and World War Hulk in Hulk-related titles. We’ve had “World War Cho,” World War Hulks, and, over in the red Hulk’s title, Planet Red Hulk. Now we’ve got Planet Savage, which is a bit of a misnomer since we’re still on the planet Earth, albeit in the Savage Land. To the credit of this story arc that begins in The Incredible Hulks #623, at least there is a tie back to Planet Hulk, with Miek and the Warbound making an appearance.

The issue picks up where the last one left off, with the Hulk near death after the beating he took from Zeus. His ex-girlfriend Kate Waynesboro rigs up a super-defibrillator to stabilize the Hulk’s heart, and I have to give a slight nod that she isn’t just shocking a flatline like most media medics do when they use a defibrillator. Leave it to a comic book involving a green monster lying near death after fighting a Greek god to show the use of a defibrillator in a more realistic light than any medical drama.

The Hulk’s weakened state means a couple of things. First, he’s not able to transform back to Bruce Banner lest he dies from his wounds. Second, he’s much more vulnerable than we’ve seen anywhere in Greg Pak’s run. The Hulk gets a message from his old ally Ka-Zar in the Savage Land, who informs him that Miek’s bug refugees from World War Hulk have been wreaking havoc in the area. That means that it’s time to leave the Hulk family behind, save for Skaar, and journey with the Warbound to face off against Miek.

Unfortunately for the Hulk, Miek has a bit more cunning than he’s previously displayed. A traitor poisons the Hulk’s company’s food, rendering them all unconscious. This is probably Miek taking advantage of the Hulk’s weakened state, since it’s unlikely he’d be so easily captured otherwise. Skaar, Ka-Zar, and the rest of the Warbound sleep the night away while the Hulk is brought before Miek as a prisoner.

This is a buildup issue, but it’s done very well. First of all, we jump right into the action due to the fact that the story picks up right after Godsmash, and even if you didn’t read the previous issue you’ve got a decent idea of what’s going on. The Hulk has some nice character moments, particularly when he leaves Betty behind to go to the Savage Land and they have a talk/fight on his way out. It’s also interesting to see the Hulk in such a weakened state, since for most of Pak’s run he’s been stronger than he ever has been before. The art is solid, although Dale Eagleham’s pencils make the current Hulk look like the more intelligent merged Hulk that showed up throughout the 1990s as part of Peter David’s run. Other than that, though, the Savage Land is rendered beautifully.

Overall, The Incredible Hulks #623 is one of the better kickoffs to a new storyline that Marvel has had lately, and it’s definitely worth checking out if you’re keen on seeing a continuation of the Planet Hulk saga or are just a fan of the Incredible One in general.

Incredible Hulks #622 Review

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May 192013

by Charlie Brooks, CMRO Contributing Writer

Incredible Hulks

Issue #622

Written by Greg Pak, Art by Paul Pelletier

Published: February 2011

No holds barred beatdowns are nothing new in the Hulk’s comic, but it is very rarely that the big green guy is the victim of one. The Incredible Hulks #622 represents a very rare case of the Hulk thoroughly getting his butt kicked in a physical fight. Perhaps because of this, it also represents one of the grittiest and gutsiest moments in the Hulk’s history.

Picking up from the last issue, the Hulk throws down with Zeus. Appealing to the god’s pride, he gets Zeus to fight without his magic and lightning. This seems to work in the Hulk’s favor at first, but the power of Zeus soon becomes too much for even the Hulk to handle. (And maybe Zeus is cheating a little bit, since his punches have the crackle of lightning around them.) The Hulk takes a beating the likes of which he has almost never seen before.

So why is the Hulk willing to take such punishment? Because he wants Zeus to cure his family. I liken this issue as something akin to a dog dragging a dead bird into the house – the dog is trying to show love, but not in a manner that seems very lovely to humans. Similarly, the Hulk is trying to appeal to Zeus, but he’s not the type of guy to get on his knees and beg. Instead, he’s trying to talk to the god in a language he understands – the language of impulsiveness and violence.

On the surface, at least, it doesn’t seem to work. Not only is the Hulk beaten to within an inch of his life, but Zeus diminishes his healing factor and chains him to a rock where vultures pick at him for days. It is only when Skaar, Hercules, and the rest of the Hulk’s allies finally arrive that he is freed, and even then his wounds will linger for quite a while. As Zeus points out, the Hulk has never been beaten this badly. Zeus might have missed the first appearance of the Abomination, where he beat the Hulk to death’s door, but otherwise he’s pretty much right – the Hulk hasn’t been physically dominated like this in a long time.

Looking ahead a bit, however, maybe the Hulk did reach Zeus a little. As we look on toward future storylines by Greg Pak, keep in mind what the Hulk asked: namely, his son and the Warbound to have a home where they will be accepted and Rick and Betty to be cured. Maybe Zeus did give the Hulk a little bit of a hand in his own roundabout way.

Overall, this might be a tough issue to stomach for Hulk fans. We’re used to seeing the big guy take a beating and then get stronger, ultimately emerging victorious. This time around, he just gets his butt kicked. However, on a character level, this is some good stuff. It shows the Hulk’s willingness to sacrifice himself for his family. It also highlights how many allies he has, since he’s got a host of friends and family willing to come to his rescue. The art remains gorgeous and while we don’t get a clear answer as to why the Hulk felt the need to pick a fight with Zeus, there are enough hints there to give this issue the feeling that it is part of a larger plot. All told, while the story is not one for the faint of heart, Godsmash does its job of delivering something new and interesting in the life of the Hulk.

Incredible Hulks #620 Review

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May 122013

by Charlie Brooks, CMRO Contributing Writer

Incredible Hulks

Issue #620

Written by Greg Pak, Art by Paul Pelletier

Published: January 2011

The power of love saving the day is a pretty tired cliché. So how is it that The Incredible Hulks #620 is actually good despite employing that cliché? Because it applies to the Hulk, and nobody in the Marvel Universe is deserving of a little bit of love more than this guy.

This issue features a showdown we’ve been waiting to see for a while – the Hulk versus his own abusive father. Since Brian Banner never had any superpowers, you’d think that this would end with a quick punch and a splat. Not so here – Brian is fueled by the Hulk’s hatred for him, which is as boundless as the Hulk’s own rage. This leads to the Hulk getting a rare beatdown of his own.

Fortunately, not all is lost. Jarella steps up to give us a moment of awesome as she invokes her love for the Hulk against Brian. This is the part that would normally be a bit cheesy, but in this situation it works. Jarella is joined by Bruce Banner’s mother, his old allies, and the entire Hulk family. This turns the once-formidable Brian Banner into something that the Hulk can simply blow away. The reason this works is because we’ve been through half a century of the Hulk being tortured, hunted, and hounded. He’s always wanted to be left alone, and whenever he gets a friend it always ends in tragedy. However, he’s also accumulated quite a few allies and affected many lives in his time as the Hulk. This is him finally getting a chance to see that he’s not alone and that he is in fact well-loved by many. The scene could have been eye-rolling, but instead it’s a bit of a tear-jerker.

Our backup story deals with Korg and his relationship to the Hulk. The art in the backup is only so-so and the story itself is a bit of filler, but at least it provides some insight as to why Korg is with the Hulks and why the rest of the Warbound are not.

Overall, this issue is another top-notch story that wraps up the Hulks’ involvement with the Chaos War storyline (except in the Chaos War finale itself, where the Hulks play a role in the story’s resolution). The writing is grandiose when it needs to be and clever when it needs to be – it’s especially amusing to see the reaction of Bruce’s mother to his two former wives. She dislikes Betty, who is the red She-Hulk here, but is quite fond of Jarella. Too bad for her that Jarella is the one who will be returning to the land of the dead along with the Chaos King’s minions.

The art, as always is excellent. An extra kudos goes to Paul Pelletier this time around as he manages to render the monstrous version of Brian Banner very much as he appeared in the Hulk’s dreamscape way back in The Incredible Hulk #377, giving a long-term sense of continuity to the story that doesn’t make it inaccessible to younger fans.

As a whole, this story is a good example of how to do an event tie-in properly. While the final scene of the Hulks’ battle against the Chaos King takes place over in the Chaos War miniseries, you can read this book and get a very good feel for what’s going on without having to go out and buy another book as a road map. It’s also not just a cheap tie-in – the appearance of Bruce Banner’s parents make it significantly relevant to the book’s main character, which is something that a lot of event tie-ins lack. The bottom line is that these tie-in issues are done well and are must-haves for Hulk fans, even if you aren’t following the Chaos War event.

Incredible Hulks #619 Review

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May 042013

by Charlie Brooks, CMRO Contributing Writer

Incredible Hulks

Issue #619

Written by Greg Pak, Art by Paul Pelletier

Published: December 2010

Let’s be clear about one thing in The Incredible Hulks #619: the art is FANTASTIC. Aside from Paul Pelletier’s usual strong work, the layouts here are terrific and aid the storytelling tremendously. I’ll get to the example that stands out most to me in a little bit.

This issue continues the Chaos War tie-in, again doing it in a way that makes it feel like this is a legitimate part of the Hulk’s story and not just a money grab by Marvel. It helps that the Hulk’s supporting cast, especially his ex-girlfriend/Rick Jones’ wife Marlo, is pretty well tied-in to the character of Death, who in turn is central to the Chaos War storyline.

This time around, the Hulk and his family not only have to take on the Abomination, but also Zom, who has now fully taken over Dr. Strange’s body. The good news is that with Zom in control he doesn’t have Strange’s full magical capabilities. This means that the Hulks manage to track down Marlo first. During the chaos, we also get to see an interesting confrontation between Betty as the red She-Hulk and the Abomination, who had killed her previously. Sadly, this meeting is not the meat of the issue and is too short for my liking.

The place where the art really shines is where Marlo, empowered by the piece of Death within her, summons up some deceased allies to help the Hulks. This includes Jarella, the Hulk’s green-skinned bride, Glen Talbot, Betty’s first husband, and Hiroim, the beloved of Korg. Each reunion gets its own panel, and Pelletier deftly moves from one group to the next while another is in the background. The result is the feeling that all these conversations are happening at the same time, despite the fact that we’re reading them sequentially.

Speaking of excellent work, the issue’s climax delivers the Hulk’s own greatest enemy. No, not the Maestro, the Madman, or any other gamma villain, but rather Brian Banner, Bruce’s abusive father. The confrontation between the two should be quite explosive.

The backup story has Banner evaluating Lyra for his team. Lyra, who grew up in a world without men, doesn’t really feel like she needs a father. It doesn’t help that Banner is terrible with human relationships – in order to talk with Lyra he has to do an Internet search on fatherhood. This is a decent enough backstory, but it really might as well have been called, “The Reason We Won’t be Using Lyra in Any Future Issues,” since it concludes with Banner deciding that Jen Walters is the best guardian for her. It would have been nice to see Banner try to interact with a daughter as well as a son, but oh well…see you when they decide to have another short-lived She-Hulk series, Lyra.

This issue is strong from a writing perspective, but the art really steals the story. Pelletier, who has steadily improved since coming onto this title, is nothing short of terrific here. The art hasn’t helped to improve a Hulk story this much since Planet Hulk. Whether you want a compelling story or just pretty pictures, The Incredible Hulks #619 is a terrific choice.

Incredible Hulks #618 Review

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Apr 302013

by Charlie Brooks, CMRO Contributing Writer

Incredible Hulks

Issue #618

Written by Greg Pak, Art by Paul Pelletier

Published: December 2010

The Incredible Hulks #618 kicks off this title’s crossover with the Chaos War event. Since Greg Pak is the writer of Chaos War and of this title, it’s not surprising that there is a crossover. It is surprising, however, that Pak does a remarkable job of keeping the stories somewhat separate, which means that if you don’t want to read Chaos War, you don’t have to.

The Hulk is fresh off the tragic ending of the Dark Son storyline and in space when the Chaos War starts, which means that when Doctor Strange reaches out to him for help he’s sort of thrust right in the middle of things. This is a good way to introduce readers who haven’t really been following the goings-on of Hercules and company that led up to this event – like the Hulk himself, we’re thrown into the center of chaos.

There’s a bit of family conflict here, particularly between the Hulk and the red She-Hulk, who wants him to just get over the loss of a son in the last issue, but for the most part the character conflict is pushed to the sideline so we can get into the fighting. There are a lot of balls in the air in this one, and the nature of the current Hulk title as a team book is emphasized. With the dead walking the world, the Hulk has to face off against a new and powered up Abomination. At the same time, Rick finds out that his wife Marlo is the key to solving the current problem, since way back when Marlo became linked to Death.

In our backup story, we have more of Banner reflecting on his team-building process, this time regarding Rick. You’ve got to wonder where Banner found the time for all this stuff, since the comics have been going at a breakneck pace and he’s also been busy over in the pages of Hulk. That point aside, this is a nice little vignette that really emphasizes an important part of Rick’s character – he may act like a goofball, but when the chips are down he’ll put his own life at risk to save others.

Overall, this story makes for some good action, but it lacks the character pathos that the Dark Son storyline had. Things might be a little too busy here – the return of the Abomination alone could make for a big issue, but because there is just so much going on it almost gets lost in the shuffle. For what it is, though, this story is strong on the writing side. The art is nothing short of remarkable, with Paul Pelletier knocking it out of the park despite having to deal with a lot of business on page after page. As a whole, the first part of the Chaos War doesn’t come across as quite as personal and interesting as Dark Son, but it does jump right into the action quickly and gives us some Hulk family-centric storytelling despite the issue being a crossover with a larger event.

Hulk #33 Review

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Apr 162013

by Charlie Brooks, CMRO Contributing Writer

Hulk

Issue #33

Written by Jeff Parker, Art by Gabriel Hardman

Published: July 2011

If you’re like me and thought that the last issue was too slow, Hulk #33 pics up the action and gives us more of a focus on the red Hulk. This issue gives us a first encounter with one of his new enemies and also leads to the next story arc, Planet Red Hulk.

As the red Hulk tries to fix the brain mines that General Fortean planted in him which will kill him when he turns back to Thunderbolt Ross, he’s challenged by the reconstructed serial killer Black Fog. The red Hulk wins this battle, but takes quite a few cuts in the process. He also loses two of his LMD allies, leaving him only with the charming Annie as an assistant.

Other than the fight in this issue, there are a couple of cool highlights. First, it’s interesting to see Ross repeatedly want to get in touch with Bruce Banner, who he thinks will fix his problems. Ross has spent most of his time in comics despising Banner and wanting nothing to do with him, so it’s a pretty significant reversal that he’s now relying on the guy. Of course, Banner’s a bit busy over in The Incredible Hulks, so he’s not available to help Ross.

The second highlight of this issue is when Chuck, one of the LMDs, brings Ross to an old aircraft graveyard. This is a chance to see General Ross’ military mind and get a bit more insight to his character. For a guy that’s been around for as long as Ross has been, it’s surprising that there is so little about his past in previous comics. Most of his on-page life has been defined by his relationship to Banner and the Hulk, so it’s interesting to see him get some reflective time of his own.

There are a few flaws in the story, however. First, there’s the problem that this comic might be overcrowded with villains. Fortean alone would be a good nemesis to focus on, but now he’s being pushed to the side so the plans of Zero/One and the coming threat of Omegex can be dealt with. Second, there’s the fact that Zero/One isn’t really that good a villain. She’s got the power, but her motivation is vague and her personality lacking. She hasn’t personally encountered the red Hulk yet, so there’s not even a real connection between her and her would-be nemesis. Quite frankly, she’s boring, and that’s one of the worst things you can say about a comic book supervillain.

Despite these flaws, Hulk #33 is a good look into the mind of the red Hulk, with some rare introspection from a character who has previously been all about action. This issue also offers progression in terms of plot, with the red Hulk finally able to sleep thanks to a special serum that keeps his brain mines from detonating. With Carlo Pagulayan returning for the next story arc to give us something reminiscent of the classic Planet Hulk, this is a good issue to grab if you’re looking to become a fan of the red Hulk.

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