Stay Angry: Or, How Marvel Must Want Me Behaving When Reading "Incredible Hulk"

(Warning: This review contains SPOILERS through this week's Incredible Hulk #8. Re-edited after 1st posting for clarifications.) 

Marvel Comics hates me.

It's been a few months since I've really discussed Jason Aaron's Incredible Hulk. I've had a few reasons for that, not the least of which being my forthcoming book all about the Green Goliath, which will include some commentary on the last several months' worth of stories. That may be the biggest reason, but the fact is, when I'm not discussing the Hulk on this blog, ever since I started posting more regularly about two years ago, it probably means the book just plain sucks.

It happened once before, as Bruce Jones wrote the series into a ditch around the time of the 2003 Ang Lee film. There were some good bits among the bad, but really, the era of decompressed storytelling kicked in with a vengeance, and the Hulk appeared maybe a few times a year in his own series while Banner became an everyman to whom we somehow still couldn't relate, involved in an overly labyrinthine conspiracy story.

It's happening again today, courtesy Jason Aaron and a bevy of artists who can't seem to stay on the book for any length of time. Marc Silvestri managed three issues (more or less); Whilce Portacio managed four; and now we're on our second of what will be, minimum, six artists who aren't sticking around longer than a single issue. We're told that each issue has a different artist to give each story a flavor of its own, and that "Stay Angry" is a five-part storyline that is made of individual tales with an overarching theme. I'm convinced that the book is really so far behind schedule--or that Marvel is pushing an accelerated publishing schedule upon the series--that they have no choice but to use artists in swift rotation.

The ending of "Hulk Vs. Banner"--the four-part storyline that Portacio drew--was no surprise to readers of this blog or anybody who was really following the storyline for any length of time. Since there was a Gamma Bomb on Banner's island, and since Amanda Von Doom and her henchmen were not in the practice of leaving mad scientists alive, you knew Banner would bite the big one. You also knew that, since Dr. Doom cloned him to "separate" him from the Hulk in the first place, it wouldn't be permanent. Furthermore, Doom obviously had plans inside of plans, because that's just how devious a M.F. he is!

I told everyone about the storyline that would proceed forth from the end of "Hulk Vs. Banner," and that eventually--maybe in a month, maybe in a year, Banner would be alive again and be re-merged with the Hulk. I believed that because the Banner that Doom created was a clone, the Hulk was only avoiding changing back and forth to Banner because he believed Banner to no longer be inside him. A flick of Doom's fingers, and the puny scientist would return, with full awareness of what the Hulk did to a being he believed was him. Cue new, dramatic status quo about how these two really feel about one another, albeit without Raving Loon Banner™.

Incredible Hulk #7.1 shipped a few weeks ago, and initially, I thought I was right. Certainly the issue, still written by Aaron with artwork by Jefte Palo, seemed to go in the right direction, with the Hulk doing everything he wanted to do now that he was finally sans Banner, only to find out on the final page that--surprise, surprise!--Banner had never really gone anywhere. The story had some funky sexual overtones, with a scene between Hulk and Red She-Hulk right in the middle of a city (while the Orb, an old Ghost Rider villain that Aaron somehow perversely enjoys, looks on). And Aaron had to reveal that the Hulk was thinking about his creation Amanda Von Doom the entire time, natch. But hey! Banner's back, and the dynamic of the book's going to shift somewhere interesting, because this isn't evil Banner, right?

Wrong. In "Stay Angry" Aaron reveals that the Gamma Bomb inexplicably fused Raving Loon Banner™ back together with the Hulk, which appears to have been Doom's dastardly evil plan all along. Further, the Hulk no longer has any memory of what happens when Banner is in control. And to top it all off, Banner appears to be going around from unusual situation to unusual situation, doing mad scientist-y things that leave the Hulk questioning just what the hell he's up to whenever he changes. Suffice to say, Banner might even be planning just where and when he changes, in order to keep the Hulk stymied.

The one good thing that Aaron appears to be doing is re-establishing anger as the trigger for the Banner-to-Hulk metamorphosis; or, at the very least, anger keeps the Hulk from transforming. His idea is a little like the Neveldine/Taylor Crank series of movies, in that to stay in control, the Hulk needs to stay angry. But inevitably he must be subdued, either by gas, or something else, and then Banner re-emerges. We never see Banner, but know that he must be up to no good, because we see his handiwork--a detached doggy-finger--and next thing we know, the Hulk awakens in a strange locale with a stitched-up hole in his chest.

Aaron's story gives echoes of Peter David's earliest stories, wherein Banner and the Gray Hulk jockeyed for control. Unfortunately, the similarities end there: According to both the series' recap pages and some in-story dialogue, it's made clear that this is "insane" Banner from the first seven stories. Gone is the sympathetic, even heroic Banner from as recently as last year, and Lord only knows if he'll return anytime soon. Even the Hulk--at least a little sympathetic in the first two arcs to counterbalance Banner--is brutal and ruthless in this story, teaming up with the Punisher--another of Aaron's pet projects--to track down some dog-faced drug-runners. He drags one of them from the back of a truck for several miles. I'd expect this out of the Punisher, but the Hulk?

There's a way of making Banner seem like the "bad guy" in the Hulk's eyes without actually doing it, but Aaron's stories have all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Put this bluntness together with these personalities, and you have two unappealing main characters without any vaguely heroic traits, only selfish ones. Without any relatability for Banner or the Hulk, the series loses the same qualities as recent movie efforts lost without a Bill Bixby-esque actor in the lead. (More on the need for a heroic protagonist in that book o' essays, promise!)

The artwork in this storyline isn't any better. Steve Dillon may be a great artist on gritty crime dramas like Punisher or Preacher, but big green monsters aren't his forte and this issue proves it in spades. Say what you will about Marc, Whilce, and Jefte, but at least they knew how to show the Hulk to scale. Dillon's Hulk is a lean character that owes more to Lou Ferrigno than to any Hulk artist of the last few decades. And hey, with a healing factor that can recover from virtually any wound, why is the Hulk still bald after three whole issues?

Aaron's abhorrent treatment of Banner to create a new and edgy dynamic for this series is a big reason why the book has lost virtually all its charm in my eyes, and the rotating string of extremely mediocre or ill-fitting artists just makes this book tumble further on down the list. Now that I see what Aaron's game is in "Stay Angry" and what it likely means for the remainder of his run, it can't be over soon enough. About the only way I could imagine this series improving would be if the Hulk, impossible as it currently sounds, decides there's something wrong with Banner, and wants to genuinely help him because he was never like this before and Doom made him this way.

Who knows? Maybe Doom will point the Hulk in the direction of the Marvel offices. And maybe this infernal storyline will be over, so I won't have to "Stay Angry."

Ahem. Your thoughts?

~G.

Puny God ("Marvel's The Avengers," Reviewed)

Yes, I've been away writing that book you've heard so much about. Let's remedy that, shall we?

Like many of you, last weekend I went to my local movie theatre to see what's being considered one of this summer's premier events: Marvel's The Avengers, a two-and-a-half hour roller coaster ride of a film starring the headliners from the comic company's five recent in-house productions. In addition to the invincible Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), the incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo, taking over for Ed Norton), the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Captain America (Chris Evans), several other characters seized the spotlight, including SHIELD director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson).

There was an indefinable energy filling the theatre when my friend Harold and I entered. Of course, I didn't go for just any screening of the film: We bought tickets to the all-day "Ultimate Marvel Marathon" put on by AMC Theatres, wherein all of the previous films were screened back-to-back from 11:30 in the morning all the way through the grand midnight Avengers premiere. The theatre was jam-packed with comics fans in their various T-shirts and other regalia recalling the heroes who were to appear on the screen all day long. (My choice of attire: You need to ask?) Each fan who attended received a special lanyard granting them access in and out of the building, a special release Avengers comic book, and one of four styles of Real D 3D glasses (available in Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man and Thor designs...again, guess which?).

The excitement level started out high, and only elevated throughout the day. Unfortunately, this theatre didn't receive the special introductions by Clark Gregg in his role of Agent Coulson that other AMC Theatres screened. I understand they were quite fun, and I'd like nothing more than to actually see them. Alas, the movies were draw enough. Up front were 2008's Iron Man and  The Incredible Hulk, followed by 2010's Iron Man 2 and 2011's tag-team of Thor and Captain America. In between some of the screenings, theatre employees gave away goodie bags and other special odds and ends to fans who answered depressingly easy trivia questions.

And then, the curtain rose on the final film at midnight. The moment of truth had arrived: Would writer/director Joss Whedon rise to the challenge of directing an action-packed feature filled with the heart and soul we knew was at the core of the mighty Marvel Universe?

You're damned right he would!

From the very first frames--a markedly slow beginning which served to introduce the Cosmic Cube Tesseract, the "MacGuffin" of the piece, locked away in the SHIELD and NASA-sponsored Project: PEGASUS (which any reader of seventies series Marvel Two-in-One will recognize)--I knew something special was happening. And when Loki (Tom Hiddleston) arrived, absconding with the Tesseract and narrowly escaping the Project's destruction, the stage was set. Fury began to assemble his team, and it was a sight to behold, having the stars assembled from the previous films begin to interact and their personalities begin to grate on each other.

Joss Whedon admitted he modeled much of the movie after The Dirty Dozen and Black Hawk Down, war movies which centered not on an overly labyrinthine plotline but on the characters that made up their respective groups. In many ways, Avengers is as much an origin story as Iron Man or Captain America, but instead of showing how the characters got their powers, it's a tale of how they learned to all tolerate each other's annoyances and shortcomings in order to beat the big bad. Yes, Loki is a scenery-chewing antagonist, and yes, he has a rather generic plan to enslave Earth's populace. He has an army which is generally ill-defined but who attack in such terrific numbers that any single super-hero would feel overwhelmed. The characterization of the villains really isn't as important as the scope of their operation. Whedon knows the best way to attack the narrative is in bringing out all the heroes' unique and sometimes grating personalities, and watching the fireworks.

Robert Downey Jr. has the majority of the film's best lines as "genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist" Tony Stark, once eliminated from consideration in Fury's Avenger Initiative but now recruited just the same. He's got a bone to pick with just about every member of the team, but learns to work with them just the same. (Especially brilliant is his line to Ruffalo's Banner about just how he's able to control his inner monster. I cackled for a good few minutes afterward.) As any fan of Whedon's television programs (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, et al.) will tell you, the writer/director is an expert at intelligent, snappy dialogue, and here it's no different. The movie is intensely quotable, from Stark's commentary on Thor's cape, to Thor's admission that Loki is his adopted brother, to Loki's quite misogynistic insult toward the Widow. (Yes, let's do look up "mewling quim" and gasp at what we find.) The bottom line is that the snappy dialogue works not just because it's smartly written by Whedon, but because in virtually every case, it all rings true with the characters involved, which is no mean feat in a super-hero film.

Such character moments don't often occur in an action extravaganza like Avengers, and let's make no mistake: This is an action-packed film. And while Downey's Stark may be the master of the witticism, he's physically upstaged in virtually every way by the ever-incredible Hulk. As motion-captured by Ruffalo himself, he steals literally every scene in which he appears, without exception. He may not talk much--and in fact, the theatre was so loud during one of his biggest moments that one could scarcely hear his clearest and perhaps only line of dialogue--but he more than makes up for that economy with the sheer, visceral thrill of seeing him match up against Thor and all manner of alien creatures, cutting loose as only the Hulk from the comics previously could. If you've been upset by the Hulk's seemingly lower strength levels in previous films, you'll find that issue remedied here. This is the Hulk you've been waiting years to see, and I'm hoping against hope that Mark Ruffalo gets to star in his own Incredible Hulk film sooner than later, penned by Whedon or one of his many traditional accomplices. Between actor and writer/director, they have given the character such a synergy that it'd be criminal to not have this character burst free into his own film once more. The formula is just right.

I don't want to go on too long about the movie because I really feel it's important that you see it, and so I'm really holding back on the spoilers. Suffice to say that by the time the ending credits roll, most diehard Marvel Zombies will feel like they've seen the be-all, end-all of super-hero movies. By sharp contrast with Christopher Nolan's Batman cycle, Whedon's Avengers is an unabashed celebration of the super-hero genre rather than a deconstructionist, "real-life" take. Since everyone knows I'm one of the biggest Hulk fans there is, I relish the larger-than-life qualities of that character and the remainder of the characters in Avengers. There are precious few issues with the story--I still don't like Hawkeye's status throughout the first half of the film--but they're outnumbered so greatly by "stand-up-and-cheer" moments that it's hard to remain upset.

And that ending? Stay all the way to the end, folks! You'll see not only the setup for another Marvel film (likely Avengers 2, the threat so great), but also a humorous payoff to what you'd likely believed was a throwaway line in the final battle.

I don't mean to gush, but this is one staggering sci-fi super-hero epic. It really doesn't get any better than this. The Avengers have assembled, and comic book films will never again be the same.

~G.

The Hulk Is 50. Join Me In An Incredible Celebration!

No doubt by now you've seen the graphic on the last few issues of The Amazing Spider-Man. Large as life, with a stylish, instantly recognizable pose straight from the great John Romita Sr. Fifty years of Spider-Man. He's fifty! Just like the Fantastic Four was fifty last year! It's certainly shaping up to be a banner year for the amazing one, with the new Sony Pictures film helmed by Marc Webb, as well as Dan Slott and Stefano Caselli's "Ends of the Earth" event beginning this week. And yet, for all the celebrating, I can't help but feel somebody's getting left out. Is his green skin a sign of envy toward Marvel's resident wall-crawler? Or is skin color immaterial, and he's just getting...angry about it?

That's right, Hulk fans: 2012 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the creation of our favorite hero, too! "Is He Man or Monster or...Is He BOTH?" intoned Stan Lee on the cover copy of the first issue, cover-dated May of 1962. All these years later, such is the central theme for the character still. He's gone through countless incarnations, from the original, brutish gray incarnation who only stuck around for the first issue; to the green-skinned counterpart who gradually lost his intelligence, resulting in the version which non-comics fans know best; to the Merged Hulk who was a staple of comics in the nineties; to the savvy, planet-conquering gladiator who was the centerpiece of Marvel's 2007 event "World War Hulk"; and far, far beyond. Ol' Greenskin has entertained generations of comics fans, and after fifty years of doing just that, he's earned a celebration as grand as any super-hero in existence.

And yet, all we hear from Marvel is that the Avengers have their own feature film this year, and yes, that Hulk character's a part of it. We had a comic book series that was nearly to its 650th issue, but the company had to cancel relaunch it with a new first issue late last year. That series has been woefully inconsistent and, I feel, isn't truly capturing the power and majesty of the Hulk. Nobody's mentioning the Hulk as having been created fifty years ago, and nobody appears to be lining up special projects, variant covers, or anything of the like commemorating the event. Nobody's embracing the character's rich history.

This is the part where I come in and tell you to spread the word. Copy the above graphic I've designed. Bend it, shape it, any way you want it. You've got the power. Stick it on your website or blog. Put it in your Twitter or Facebook profile. And please, link back here if you can. Raise awareness that Bug-Eyes can't hog all Hulk's glory, because Hulk is the strongest one there is!

Even if Marvel doesn't do anything about the incredible one's golden anniversary, that doesn't mean someone won't. Like, y'know, me.

Many of you have been wondering why I haven't been around as much lately. Why haven't I been entertaining everyone with new articles for this blog a few times a week like I did pretty much all last year? Had the G-Man finally run out of things to talk about?

Quite the opposite, mes amis.

Yours truly has been writing. And writing. And writing some more--but not, as you'd imagine, for this blog. I've got a huge project in the works and I've been aching to share it with all of you. I've wanted to complete enough of it that I can't turn back, to be confident in my own abilities and what I'm writing, before officially announcing the project.

You guys (and gals) all know me as a veritable font of historical knowledge when it comes to the Hulk. I've been a fan for many, many years. I've read the comics and books, I've seen the movies and TV series, I've played the video games and bought the toys. I know people, and I know all kinds of stories. I know what might have been and what nearly was. And Lord knows, I have opinions about the last fifty years of stories. There are stories I love that very few others enjoy, and there are some highly-praised tales I don't give a damn about. Of course there are others I agree are real gems, and still others, real stinkers.

The most comprehensive guide to the world of the incredible Hulk hasn't been published yet...but you can bet that it's being written right now. Part history lesson, part literary criticism, it's going to knock you off your feet with all the force of a Gamma Bomb detonation. Whether you're a dyed-in-the-wool Hulk fan from way back, or someone who's only picked up on the importance of the character since you've been reading this very blog, this book is designed for you.

Need more reasons to pick up this book when it finally arrives? How about the original interviews I'm conducting for it? As of this writing, I've been talking to comics pros like Tom Brevoort, Steve Englehart, Glenn Greenberg, Paul Jenkins, Erik Larsen, Al Milgrom, Greg Pak, and Daniel Way--and that's just the beginning. (Yes, Twitter and Formspring count...and more creators are TBA!) Where possible, I'll be bringing you the behind-the-scenes stories, the might-have-beens--everything that was and wasn't.

Meanwhile, if you've got ideas you want to see in this book, reply here! Although I'm well past the halfway point in writing, and I've got plans to cover all the important bits of Hulk history, I figure there's always a chance I'll have missed something and you guys'll remind me. I'm just trying to head off that possibility.

Similarly, if you're a creator who hasn't yet been contacted, and wish to contribute, then reply here or send me a message at delusionalhonesty [at] gmail [dot] com.

More information as it becomes available, my friends. The current plan is to release the book on the Amazon Kindle, with a limited print edition. The book will be fully researched, fully sourced, and totally unauthorized in order to bring you, the Hulk's fans, a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Join me in wishing the Hulk a happy 50th.

~G.

At Long Last: Amazing Arizona Con 2012

Howdy all,

Back in January, I attended the Amazing Arizona Comic Convention at the Mesa Convention Center in downtown Mesa, AZ. I renewed some acquaintances and met some great people in the three-day event. Presented in this blog entry are a bunch of photos taken by Agustin Alanis. Sketches procured by yours truly from artists on the show floor are shown, where possible, right beside the artist who did the work! Click on images for larger versions.

Where appropriate, I've linked the talents and people shown. If you find you or your works are displayed, uncredited, in one of the pictures below, please contact me (at delusional honesty at gmail dot com) and I'll add your name and a link to your website if applicable.

If anyone enjoys Mr. Alanis' brilliant work and wishes to see more and/or hire him for a photography gig in the greater Phoenix area, look no further than his Facebook page.

One of the big draws at comic conventions today is cosplay, and this show was no different! On every day of the show, one could see any number of fans dressing up in the (sometimes extraordinarily elaborate) costumes of their favorite heroes and villains...as well as, well, judge for yourself! You asked for cosplayers--you got 'em!

 

 

 

 

Some of the cosplayers at the show were there to promote new comics, like Lindsay Elyse, dressed as one of the characters from Ardden's Knightingail:

Then, there was AZ convention fixture Cara Nicole, also known as AZ Powergirl! You can "Like" her fan page on Facebook:

 

Out on the show floor, a few exhibitors showed their terrific props and other goods, both for sale and for show!

The Monster Shop is a part of Hall of Fame Collectables in Mesa, AZ. They've got original props, autographs, collector masks, and other limited edition goods. You can visit their website or "Like" their Facebook page. And below you can see a mask of Doug Bradley as your favorite Pinhead!

Chainsaw Killers Anonymous Studios specializes in photography and prop construction. They had a setup at the show with armor like that shown in the Predator series of motion pictures. Check out the picture below, then visit CKA Studios' website!

If you're more in the mood for just looking at scary figures instead of buying them, perhaps Monsterland in Mesa, AZ is more your speed! At the show, they had some of their exhibits on display. Scary, well-crafted stuff! If you're in the area, stop by--I know I'll be headed there soon. For more information, visit the Monsterland website. They also have a presence on both Facebook and Twitter.

With the rest of the show out of the way, it's time to show you some of the many creators from around the show floor. Writers! Artists! This show had a bevvy of them, and some even had the time to indulge me and draw some sketches for my collection!

I finally had the chance to meet up with Joshua Hale Fialkov, writer of Last of the Greats and I, Vampire, both of which you should all be reading! Josh attended the show alongside artist Tony Fleecs, who had some great prints available, including a noir-styled take on Cyclops and Emma Frost that I just had to pick up. Visit Josh's website and Tony's Fleecs Design page, and do it now.

Next up--and the guy who was on the receiving end of my first demand request for a sketch was Los Angeles artist Gerimi Burleigh. Gerimi has written and drawn the original graphic novel Eyes of the Gods and is now hard at work on a new project, Morningstar, about Lucifer's fall recast as a western. If you like his work, visit his website here.

Across the way from Gerimi I discovered a kindred spirit in my historical knowledge of comics in J. Scooter Harris, a writer and artist who is the brains behind Studio Hadra. Scotter has a very distinctive style with heavy brush strokes, and had a number of original works--most touching on burlesque culture--with him. We discussed old Marvel and DC comics, we discussed Archie comics, we discussed "good girl" art--and I scored the below (rather terrific) Vampirella piece from him. Scooter's also the writer/artist behind Studio Hadra's True Crime Theater comic series, and his illustrations are often found in burlesque magazines everywhere. Pay him a visit, why don't you?

An aisle over from Gerimi and Scooter, I met up with Joel Gomez, who's currently background artist on Detective Comics. Joel is an affable gent, and he readily agreed to draw another in a series of unusual requests--Kirk Langstrom, the Man-Bat! Joel is everywhere online these days, having his own deviantART page, his own tumblr, and yes, he even tweets!

Artist Jon Hughes had some terrific examples of his work on display at the show. I remembered seeing his art the previous year. One of these days, I'm going to get a commissioned piece from him. In the meantime, you can marvel at his work below, plus find him at his website, JonHughesArt.com!

Image Comics alum and Hyperwerks co-founder Karl Altstaetter was also at the show. Karl is most notable for having created Deity, who fronted her own series of miniseries. Since Karl's always drawn some lovely ladies, I thought he'd be the perfect artist to draw the New Teen Titans' Starfire in her original costume. I don't know about you, but I wasn't disappointed with the final result in the least! Karl can be found online at both the Hyperwerks website and his own blog.

In the middle of it all, I somehow found time to meet up with local artist made good Tony Parker, who's killing it right now on Aspen's Dead Man's Run alongside this site's very good friend, writer Greg Pak. With the #0 issue out--but the first formal issue not quite there yet--it was a terrific time to talk with Tony. Right around the corner, the Aspen booth did have preview copies of the first issue with an exclusive cover, which I snagged and reviewed in an earlier blog post. Since the second issue is coming out next Wednesday, there's no better time to pick up the series and enjoy Tony's terrific work!

Keeping up with the theme of sketches involving the women of comics, I noticed local creator Alfred Trujillo had some interesting pieces lined up at his table. I couldn't resist giving him an Incredible Hulks #635 sketch cover and asking him to draw Red She-Hulk. How d'you think he did? Alfred has his own web presence at his site.

Last--but certainly far from least--is another local artist, Val Hochberg of Bad Karma Productions. She has a manga-influenced style that caught my eye, and since I was already on a roll with sketches of the Hulk family, I thought why not see what she can do with Lyra, the Savage She-Hulk? It's the best piece of the show, in my not-so-humble opinion! Visit Val at BadKarmaProductions.com.

 

Last? Did I really say "last"? Au contraire, mes amis! Although that was the end of the sketches, there's no way I could end this blog entry on any photo other than this one, right here, right now, mutha#####s! It's the star of Twitter's #laymanvsscorpions hashtag--and, oh yeah, co-creator of Image Comics' Chew, it's...John Layman! (You can find him on Twitter, or on his blog.)

And, yeah, some schmuck in a Reverse Flash t-shirt. Who is that guy, anyway?

See everyone next year! Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel!

~G.

Flinging Radioactive Monkey Crap at 'Incredible Hulk' #5

CAUTION: This entry contains SPOILERS for Incredible Hulk #5. You have have been warned.
 

Over the last few months, since the first issue of the new Incredible Hulk series shipped, I've been less than enthusiastic. Some of it's had to do with the woeful lack of artistic consistency in the series. Even today, the interiors are supplied by no less than seven artists apparently just so that this series can ship on-time like DC Comics' "New 52" relaunch. Image Comics founders Marc Silvestri and Whilce Portacio have brought their talents to the series. At least Silvestri helped make the book's relaunch more high-profile than it had any right to be, but he only remained three issues (or less). Portacio took over with the fourth issue, and even contributed to a few pages of the second, but he too has been caught in an artistic rut without room to maneuver. The covers, meanwhile, have been the most visually stunning part of each issue, with the interiors inevitably failing to live up to their promise. This fact is especially, painfully true with the introduction of Leinil Yu, whose art would look, dare I say, incredible on the interiors. Okay, okay--it's not all sunshine and rainbows for Yu, who seems to be actively ignoring the look of the Hulk inside the book, choosing instead to portray him with a high bowl cut instead of the long hair and beard he wears within each story.

And the stories, concerning Banner's separation from the Hulk, well...

Leave it to Marvel to complete their own metaphor:

I would say that "getting hit in the face with radioactive monkey crap" is this year's "jumping the shark," but the fact remains that Marvel's Incredible Hulk went downhill somewhere in the planning stages when they decided one of the Future Foundation's series regulars would be behind the titular character's separation from Bruce Banner during the summer crossover Fear Itself. The revelation of his identity and the method through which he separated the duo is supposed to cast further events in a new light, and to a point that happens. However, it also points out a number of flaws in the original story as it was devised, and hints very strongly at the resolution.

Does Marvel want to kill Bruce Banner?

The Magic 8-Ball says, "Signs point to yes."

Yes, I've been wrong before. Still, with all the signs we've gotten recently, the first of which was Banner's huge brain tumor in issue #2, the possibility is out there.

In issue #3, we saw the Hulk and Banner shortly after their separation, in front of their mysterious benefactor, with the latter wondering what the Hulk would do now that he had his freedom. And back in Fear Itself #7 we saw what immediately followed the separation, with Banner waking up attached to an I.V. in the middle of nowhere and the Hulk leaping away as the scientist realized, with horror, what had been done to him.

Of course, since then Banner has gone seriously off his rocker. Was it the trauma of separation itself that had triggered his psychosis? He found an island once used for atomic testing, where he could act like Dr. Moreau, endowing the various animals with human-like intelligence and "hulked-out" forms using gamma radiation. He's mutated warthogs, gorillas, octopi, bats, rodents, and even little monkeys that can't escape the propensity to fling poo...

Ahem. Where was I?

With Doctor Doom revealed as the architect of this latest separation--something that, truthfully, we should have seen coming the moment someone with the last name of "Von Doom" showed up in the series--we not only have someone who is among Marvel's smartest known characters, we also have someone with an ax to grind against Bruce Banner, if not his atavistic alter-ego. After all, it was during "Fall of the Hulks" that a depowered Bruce Banner allowed the Leader and MODOK to use a "dumb ray" to blunt Doom's intelligence. And then, when the remainder of the smartest men regained their intellect in "World War Hulks," Banner tricked Doom into thinking he'd also regained his intelligence (but he hadn't). It took intervention by the Future Foundation, the expanded version of the Fantastic Four, for Doom to regain what he'd lost by copying it from the brain of Kristoff Vernard, a young man imprinted with Doom's unique engrams.

Of course Doom remembers what Banner did to him. I don't mind that part. It provides a reason for Doom to have incorrectly "wired" the new Banner clone he grew. Certainly that's writer Jason Aaron's intent. It's another imperfect separation, contrary to the Hulk's own wishes. After all, Doom claimed that if he were to totally separate everything Banner from the Hulk, the monster would "be a bit more eloquent than 'Hulk smash,' but still, in essence [...] be the strongest 7th grader in the world." Since he seems to have more intelligence than that, Doom didn't do what was asked of him. The Hulk knows this too, for it was his own memories we saw in the flashback that detailed the separation this issue.

Go figure. Doom lied.

What doesn't bother me so much is that the Hulk willed Banner down into darkness to do the deed. It's not like he hasn't done similar things before. He did repress Banner's memories of injuring Betty because he held her while he changed (Incredible Hulk #334). And since Greg Pak returned the Hulk from Sakaar, nobody's precisely been sure what causes the metamorphoses anymore, so we could guess that each can do what they need to.

What does bother me is that Doom would have to be some umpteenth-order genius to recognize, on sight, the pieces of the brain that make up Banner and those that make up the Hulk. What bothers me is the implication that there was no overlap whatsoever between those pieces. (Then again, maybe Doom used part of the brain from the Banner he cloned, grafting on the other pieces he scooped from the Hulk. And that leads us through a discussion of just how the Hulk's brain differs from Banner's after the metamorphosis. Shall we skip that part?)

And what really chaps my hide is the apparent idea that the Hulk's incredible healing factor couldn't just regenerate the missing pieces of brain tissue, in which case sooner or later ol' Hulky will end up right where he began.  In fact, it's amazing that Doom was able to complete the surgical procedure at all, knowing what we do about the Hulk's very unique physiology.

Oh, did I just give away the ending to Aaron's story? 'Scuse me. Here, have some more of this:

Did Banner really "[work] for years on a way to separate" himself from the Hulk before admitting defeat? Only if you consider "separate" to be a euphemism for "cure himself." Banner has long held that the Hulk is all of his most destructive urges given form, so why would he merely wish to cleave that part of himself away? That part's wrong, too.

So what did Doom leave as part of Banner? A driving megalomania to reproduce that which has been denied him, resulting in an island of Hulkish things. Whether this is "really" Banner without the Hulk--if Banner has become unable to deal with emotions he heretofore sublimated into the monster, or if the trauma of the separation--that's all irrelevant. Obviously Aaron gave us Doom as the deus ex machina, the miraculous method through which the "real" Bruce Banner may be absolved of all his "sins" that this clone has carried out. And that includes...

I don't much agree with Aaron's ideas, ranging from yet another imperfect separation of man from monster using a clone whose existence I prophesied, to the Outcasts version 2.0, to using another set of heroes' arch-villain to facilitate the process. I can see the whole "Hulk accomplishes things with his fists; Banner does things with his mind" shtick on horrid display with this issue's confrontation between Banner and the M.A.D. Squad, as hackneyed a "secret organization" as ever existed. (Dig all of the blatant exposition masquerading as Banner's dialogue, kids!) I can also see that, well, we're being set up for the big conclusion of "Hulk Vs. Banner" and its inevitable aftermath.

Banner dies.

Of course, we'll be made to believe it's a permanent thing. The Hulk will lament the loss of his other half, however briefly, and the fans who never liked Bruce Banner in the first place will rejoice that the character's finally got his much-deserved freedom, never again having to transform into that weak, pink-skinned shell of a human being they only had to tolerate until he became angry.

Then, the Hulk's brain will heal. And Banner will return. And he won't actually be the same Banner as who raged against the Hulk in these first several issues, so we won't hate him anymore. It was "the clone" who did it, after all. Not the "real" Banner. Rah, rah. And what will we have when it's through? Another "what if" adventure that Banner remembers nothing about.

And yeah, a "what if" story in which the Hulk got hit in the face with radioactive monkey crap.

'Nuff said?

~G.

Review-a-Thon: Incredible Hulk #4, Scarlet Spider #1

I know, I know: "Where are the retrospectives, Gary?" I've been terribly remiss in bringing any historical pieces to this blog in the last few weeks. There's a very good reason for that, and one that you'll get within a few short weeks if all goes well. (Here's a hint: It likely involves a Kickstarter project you'll want to get in on.) I'll go back to those history pieces very soon, but in the meantime, here are two more reviews, culled from this week's releases. Without further ado...

THE INCREDIBLE HULK #4 - Marvel Comics, $3.99
By Jason Aaron, Whilce Portacio, Allen Martinez, Rick Ketcham, Arif Prianto & Veronica Gandini

For better or worse, "Hulk Vs. Banner!" begins this issue with "Island of 1000 Hulks," without the series' first artist (and most of his countless assistants) and with another Image Comics alum, Whilce Portacio. With the last three issues' pretense out of the way, the Hulk and the "government-sanctioned mad squad of crazy scientist assassins" headed by Amanda Von Doom (no relation!) go to kick Banner's butt. From the title of this portion, you can guess--sort of--what they find there.

If you've been following the series for its short duration, you know what you're apt to find here: Bruce Banner playing the mad scientist role to the hilt; the Hulk providing the voice of reason; Amanda Von Doom being hot for the Hulk's bod while insisting she's got no relation to the famous Von Doom; and dozens of monsters and widespread destruction. At the very least, this issue brings Banner and the Hulk together for the battle fans have wanted to see since they separated in Fear Itself.

I don't envy Jason Aaron's assignment month in and out. It's clear he's done a lot of thinking about this new status quo embodied in the storyline's title. But is it really a place the series should go? The Hulk is the hero, and without the "monster's" influence, Banner is the villain. You can take it that way, or you can take it differently, considering that the Hulk was the receptacle for every emotion Banner chose to repress. And while these scenarios should lend an air of tragedy to Banner's saga, the sad truth is that Aaron only seems to know how to play this card one way: Bruce has gone around-the-bend looneytunes, period, end of sentence. He's invading military bases and absconding with "gamma juice" (?!?) with which he churns out mutated animal after mutated animal.

At the very least, I'd believed the departure of Silvestri would be an asset to the series; after all, it's hard to establish any consistency with a multitude of artists contributing to each issue. Unfortunately, while Portacio's art is much cleaner than his predecessor's, his execution leaves much to be desired. Characters are awkwardly posed and out-of-proportion, and the finished art--full of crosshatching and vacillating between two very different inkers--only lets down any promise offered by the new penciler. We need artistic consistency, and we need it yesterday.

In short: Nothing's changed, move along, move along. Burn It.

---

SCARLET SPIDER #1 - Marvel Comics, $3.99
By Chris Yost, Ryan Stegman, Michael Babinski & Marte Gracia

This isn't your father's Spider-Man. That much is obvious, from the cover whose logo conjures memories of the jagged Spidey logo from the nineties' animated series, to the sell that promises "All of the Power, None of the Responsibility" in the same typeface as which adorns Marvel's own Wolverine. What this is, however, is a whole mess of webby fun.

Kaine has traveled a rocky road to arrive where he is. The imperfect clone of Spider-Man (about whom I wrote a duo of in-depth articles here and here), who became a stone-cold killer after the Jackal, his creator, rejected him, has recently been cured of the degenerative condition that caused him near-constant agony since birth. In "Spider-Island" he saved New York City and perhaps the world. He's picked up a few things from his "brother" Peter, and perhaps the other clone, Ben Reilly, as well. In a new town, with a new lease on life, he tries to suppress his more violent instincts--only to find that it isn't quite that easy.

When Kaine began appearing in Amazing Spider-Man several months ago, during "Grim Hunt" and even "Spider-Island," I thought there were flashes of the character I remembered, the one who prospered under the pen of "Clone Saga" architect J.M. DeMatteis. Still, some things about the "new" Kaine really rankled. Thankfully, Scarlet Spider scribe Chris Yost really seems to be familiar with those early stories--particularly Spider-Man: The Lost Years and Redemption--and lets those sagas inform his take on the villain-turned-wannabe-hero. Peter Parker's angst has been turned, twisted and amped up to "11" in Kaine, a character unsure if he wants to be redeemed. It's amazing what he's been given these last few months, and still, he's suspicious to a fault. He still relies on some of his bad behaviors, and when he tries to do the right thing, it backfires. Can anything smooth the rough edges of his soul?

Speaking of rough edges, the artistic team of Ryan Stegman and Michael Babinski, aided and abetted by colorist Marte Gracia...has none. Seriously. I've watched Stegman and Babinski work on a few projects, like the "Red She-Hulk" back-up stories in Incredible Hulk, as well as their own four-issue She-Hulks series, but this is the book destined to make spidery stars of them both. And, dear God do I want page 14 (you'll know the one)! Kaine's soul is bared in this story, with Stegman's facial expressions telling stories all by themselves. The fact there are no costumes for the majority of this story is a terrific asset.

Yes, that's no misprint: About the only piece of the puzzle not provided in this outstanding introductory story is the new Scarlet Spider's actual costume, but with the darkness inherent in the character, it's not missed. In fact, were there not the need to hide Kaine's face--because it just so happens to also be the face of ol' Peter Parker--I would want every issue to be just like this. No tights? No problem!

If you were scared that this story would relaunch the whole nineties "Clone Saga" all over again: Don't fear. This is the tale of a darker Spider-Man. It's spooky, and it's a thorny road the Scarlet Spider will travel. Let's walk the road with him, yes?

If you enjoyed the Marvel Point One one-shot, you'll love this one. Buy It.

~G.

Looking Back, Looking Forward: Defenders #2 & Dead Man's Run #1, Reviewed

I had a great time at last weekend's Amazing Arizona Comic-Con, and can't wait to show everyone the photos and sketches from the event! Meantime, let's dig in and review one of last week's Marvel books (Defenders #2) followed by an advance review of Aspen's thrilling new miniseries, Dead Man's Run, whose first issue hits stores on January 18!

DEFENDERS #2 - Marvel Comics, $3.99
By Matt Fraction, Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson & Sonia Oback

They say confession's good for the soul. Very well, then. I have this to confess: Defenders isn't the Non-Team™ of the past, which I loved. Two issues in, that much is abundantly clear.

On paper, all the hallmarks of the team's previous iterations are here: We've got Doctor Strange at the core of the group, aided by Namor the Sub-Mariner and the Silver Surfer. The Hulk even appeared in the first issue to provide the team's new raison d'etre (only to speak some horrendously un-Hulkish dialogue and leap away). Replacing the often-gruff Hulk on the team is his (ex?) wife, Betty Ross, having become the Red She-Hulk, whom Marvel's finest still can't manage to name with remote originality. Also aboard because it seems Strange can't be bothered to remember his martial arts training or whip up some teleportation spells is Daniel Rand'kai, the chop-socky Iron Fist, who's rich enough to ride everyone around in a private jet. And on this first adventure, they attempt to stop the Black Hulk, a remnant from the Fear Itself series, but are diverted by several wonderfully Silver Age-y concepts tossed in a blender. Prester John, wielder of the Evil Eye, now leads a group of the High Evolutionary's New Men to prepare for the creature's coming to Wundagore Mountain and the mystical treasure that awaits there.

All the while, I can't help but feel we've been through it all before.

Certainly Matt Fraction writes a great Iron Fist, as he co-wrote his series with Ed Brubaker some years ago. Certainly too there are enough madcap concepts to make Defenders go forward for a long, long time. Certainly the pieces of a "good" Defenders team are here in body. Unfortunately, the team is bereft of the soul that made it a moderate hit in its seventies incarnation.

Part of the trouble was glimpsed last month, when Strange enjoyed a fling with a co-ed who wore Clea's tights. (Okay, maybe not literally, but try looking at their designs and not imagining Doc's ex.) The Silver Surfer's more alien than he's been in some time (and is an absolute non-factor in this second tale). Namor's, well, his typical pompous self. The less said about the Hulk's cameo, the better. And instead of the sword-wielding Valkyrie and the millionaire playboy Nighthawk, we've got the Red She-Hulk (who now has an unusual transformation mechanism--after we were told she could change at will during "Heart of the Monster") and Iron Fist. (Okay, Danny's kind of an upgrade, you might argue, but man, Kyle Richmond was that team's heart.)

Also distracting--but terribly indulgent to all the "hardcore fans" out there-- are the little blurbs at the bottom of every story page. They either hint at upcoming storylines for this book, or are meaningless throwaway lines designed to pander to the base that's been reading for years. ("Werewolf By Night Nurse," I'm looking at you.) It's not the seventies anymore, and we shouldn't act like it is.

The only things that leave this book remotely enjoyable are the absolutely loony adventures the like of which Brian Michael Bendis wouldn't even touch, and the wonderfully stylish artwork of the Dodsons, who've been gone from the corners of the Marvel Universe I frequent for too long. Really, I'm hoping the series kicks up another few notches next month. The MacGuffin has been revealed, and the biggest battle of the series so far has begun. Will those two key points be enough to save this latest Defenders series from extinction?

Quick Verdict: Skip It.

---

 

DEAD MAN'S RUN #1 - Aspen Comics, $3.50
By Greg Pak, Tony Parker & David Curiel
Created by Ben Roberts

What a difference an issue makes!

Okay, it's true: I enjoyed Dead Man's Run #0 back in October. Ben Roberts' high-concept of a "jailbreak from Hell" was enticing, and that first story set up enough of the groundwork for me to be intrigued at what was coming next. All the while as I read the story, centered around Captain Frank Romero's descent into the realm for which he was a mere prison guard, I wondered how the events would play into the actual six-issue miniseries when it finally began. I knew that Sam Tinker, only briefly involved in the zero issue's events, would grow into the protagonist role, and that something would likely happen to his sister.

And yet, here I was, surprised at how much I outright loved Dead Man's Run #1 this month.

As Sam descends into the realm of the prison, I was immediately struck by the book's claustrophobic feel. It should feel that way, with the walls closing in, and an increasing sensation that there is no escape. Tony Parker succeeds in bringing writer Greg Pak's visions to uncanny life here, whether those visions include the reality of the outside world or the stark terror of the jailhouse's walls. His layouts are spot-on, and David Curiel appropriately uses colors to shift the tone--bright at the beginning, muted and haunting as time goes on.

I'm anxious to see what Pak has in store for Sam and Captain Romero, and that's in no small part due to the savvy pacing of the last issue and this one. The script is terrifically accessible, clearly defining the main characters in this insane world. Romero and Sam have a terrific conflict between them, and I'm sure it'll only grow when we finally discover what exactly has become of Sam's sister Juniper. And the jail itself, with its prisoners, guards, and their various abilities, is delightfully eerie, blending the best bits of the places Sam's supposed to be.

The only weak link in this entire episode comes early, when Pak suddenly flashes back to a time in Sam and Juniper's childhood. While it's perfectly all right to give a brief flashback--especially given the circumstance during which it arises--it's not drawn or colored any differently from the rest of the book. Aside from this quick faux pas, the narrative never falters and only grows more engaging with each page.

Quick Verdict: Buy It. This is a vision of Hell well worth the journey.

~G.