Chadzilla ROARS!!! (The Official Blog of Chadwick H. Saxelid, Writer)

Marvel's The Avengers (2012)

"So, that's what it does..."

Loki (Tom Hiddleston) launches an attack on Earth.  One so powerful that Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is forced to go rogue and assemble the Avengers Team in order to stop it.

Yes, my synopsis of Marvel's The Avengers story makes the movie sound kind of light on plot, and, to be blunt, it kind of is.  But that lightness is also what makes The Avengers fly, and what allows it to deliver enough fun and excitement for ten movies.

From start to finish The Avengers is a gleefully over-the-top, yet never out of control, comic book movie.  What makes the movie work so beautifully well are two things.  The first is the five movie build-up to it.  Iron Man 1 & 2, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger each introduced the primary team members in solo adventures.  Because of that, most, if not all, of the sizable audiences that broke box office records on The Avengers opening weekend, were already familiar with the characters and their backgrounds, so writer/director Joss Whedon - a beloved figure in both comic book and science-fiction fandom, but a virtual unknown to mainstream audiences until Friday, May 4th - had no need to burden his script with needless character introductions or any exposition beyond, "Hey, there is a BIG THREAT we cannot fight.  It's time to assemble The Avengers!"  All Whedon really had to do was get them together and make all of the various fights fun and interesting, which he did.

And which also makes for a nice segue into the second thing that makes The Avengers work so wonderfully, wonderfully well: writer/director Joss Whedon.  Of all the choices that Marvel Studios could have made to write and/or direct The Avengers, Joss Whedon was the best, most inspired, and most appropriate of them all, for two reasons.

Reason #1: Whedon not only created and ran numerous popular and/or cult classic genre television series (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, and Dollhouse) but it was through them that he revealed his gift for ensemble storytelling and it was on them that he honed that gift to razor sharpness.  That ensemble storytelling gift allows each member of The Avengers team a moment to shine, a moment to grow, and, once the team building conflict wrinkles have been (spectacularly) ironed out, for The Avengers to work as a well oiled fighting machine, instead of looking like a crowd of attention hungry actors fighting each other for the biggest amount of screen time and the best dialogue lines.  Whedon makes sure that there is more than enough for everyone.  Although I do think that Hulk's moments got the biggest reactions from the audience.  Which is as it should be, because HULK THE BEST THERE IS!!!

Reason #2: Whedon has written for Marvel Comics, so he knows these characters far better than the average work-for-hire screenwriter might.  Thus, once the exposition and team gathering has been completed and The Avengers are all aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. hellicarrier, the audience gets an accurate depiction of what reading an actual comic book story arc is like.  Whedon captures the visual style, the witty dialogue, and the snack, crackle, pop of a relentless action oriented story perfectly.  

Marvel's The Avengers is as smooth and endearing a chunk of bombastic entertainment as I hoped it would be.  In fact, it actually exceeded my hopes.  Whedon and company have created a comic book movie high water mark upon which all others will be judged, and just might be found wanting.

Four stars.  This just might be the most entertaining film of the entire year.

The Incredible Hulk Volume 4: Abominable - by Bruce Jones (writer) & Mike Deodato Jr. (art)

The strange and mysterious organization that is hunting down the Hulk devises a daring new plan in order to capture the green behemoth.  Utilize one of his most powerful enemies, the Abomination once know as Emil Blonsky.

However, there are those that would do anything to thwart that objective.

Bruce Jones weaves in quite a few twists and turns in this dark and mean-spirited four issue story arc.  There are plenty of questions in need of answering, but every answer only leads to another unsettling question and it takes a good, long while to figure out who precisely is Banner's friend(s) and who are his foes, and what their connection to the events are.  Needless to say, I tore through it as fast as I could.

When the Abomination is finally set loose and goes on a destructive and murderous rampage, its horrible behavior certainly shows that its moniker is a well earned one.  He is portrayed as a terrifying and deadly monster, one whose mutation perfectly mirrors the abusive monster that he was long before his exposure to a concentrated burst of gamma radiation.

In the three volumes prior to Abominable the Hulk had been characterized as a mute and rage fueled monster.  In this story, however, he and Banner are almost as one.  The Hulk can talk and it is made clear that Banner is, ore or less, in control.  Unless he really loses his temper.  Then it appears that the Hulk reverts back to his characterization in the three previous stories.  The switch in Hulk's character took me a bit by surprise, as I don't think that Jones did all that solid of a job building up to it, but I much preferred this story's version over the previous ones.

Jones did a much better job with the subplot that reveals the identity of Mr. Blue, Banner's mysterious e-mail pal.  How that reveal will play hope will, I hope, be the frame upon which the story in Incredible Hulk Vol. 5: Hide in Plain Sight will be built.

The Incredible Hulk Volume 3: Transfer of Power - by Bruce Jones (writer) & Stuart Immonen (Pencils), et al

"I suppose this where I'm supposed to say...HULK SMASH!"

Now You See It: Doc Samson attempts a rendezvous with Bruce Banner, but first he has to find a way to trick the microscopic camera that has been implanted in his eye.

Dream Lover Where Are You...: During an attempt to avoid being seen by the police, Bruce Banner is struck by a car driven by a mysterious woman with a very dark secret.

The only thing I can say about the first story in Transfer of Power is that Bruce Jones must really like Thunderball. Other than that, there really isn't enough going on to make a critical comment.  It all builds to an anti-climax.  Perhaps Jones is setting up events to be detailed in a future story, because I really mean that nothing happens.

It's a good thing that the companion story is such a strong one.  Dream Lover nicely ties together and wraps up the two seemingly unconnected story lines from Return of the Monster and Boiling Point in a fun "little" science-fiction/horror story.  Although I was more than a bit concerned with the convoluted opening, as the reveals and explanations were smoothly rolled out and all that was confusing began to make perfect sense, I could only marvel (no pun intended) at Bruce Jones' storytelling skill.  I don't want to go into any greater detail than that.  Why should I spoil all the fun for someone else who, like me, might be discovering Bruce Jones run on The Incredible Hulk for the first time.

Just skip the first story and enjoy the second, but only after reading the first two volumes.  Knowing the background of the other characters in greater detail than the expositional lines provided in this story will make for far more satisfying reading, believe me.

The Incredible Hulk Vol. 2: Boiling Point - by Bruce Jones, Lee Weeks & Tom Palmer

The fugitive Dr. Bruce Banner, framed for a murder that he did not commit, arrives in the modest sized town of Miser, Colorado, just in time to become trapped in a hostage situation.  One of several organizations chasing after Banner hopes to use that tension to its advantage, so that they can capture the Hulk...

With (at the time I write this review) a brand new Hulk movie only a week or so away from smashing into movie theaters across the land, the time seemed right to start cracking open The Incredible Hulk comics again.

Those that have been reading this blog for awhile (hi Mom, hi Dad) should know/remember that I spent a good year or two reading The Incredible Hulk, starting with Peter David's Tempest Fugit and sticking with the series all the way through to the conclusion of Planet Hulk.  But fatigue set in and, couple that with my dislike of huge crossover events, I walked away from the Hulk for awhile.

But the dust of World War Hulk has finally settled and my love of the character (and my son's rabid devotion to it) has drawn me back.  Since the creative team behind the new Hulk movie have been quite open about the debt their movie not only owes to cult classic TV series, but to the Bruce Jones run of the comic book series as well, then what better way to jump back into world of HULK SMASH than with one of the stories from the very run that the new movie will be homaging.

I think I picked a pretty damn good one, too.  The characters are nicely drawn (both figuratively as well as literally) and Jones' story kept me enthralled from beginning to end.  The idea/revelation that cloak and dagger agencies operated by non-governmental interests are also attempting to chase down and capture Banner creates the opportunity for more than a few alternate directions for future stories to take.  Of course, my rave is contingent on Jones & Co. actually exploring said alternatives in the issues that followed this arc.  I have only read this particular story and Return of the Monster, so I have no idea if they did manage to keep it fresh and exciting, or if they slipped into a repetitive story cycle and it became a wonderful opportunity that was wasted.  I look forward to finding out which path wound up being the one taken.

The Incredible Hulk #s 104 & 105: Armageddon Parts 1 & 2 (of 2)

"Because this is where you belong."

The Hulk, with is wife Caiera at his side, makes a valiant attempt to fulfill his assumed role of Sakaarson, the Savior.  But the Hulk, despite the comforting words of his beloved, still suspects that he is actually the Worldbreaker, the Destroyer of All...

Could Planet Hulk have ended any other way?  No, not really...and it played out just as I suspected it would, with a soul shattering tragedy forcing an enraged, and thus more powerful than ever, Hulk back to Earth to enact his revenge on those that have hurt him.  And hurt him they have.

My only problem with the Armageddon arc is that is too short.  I don't think that two issues is enough to build up the necessary dramatic punch for the Hulk's ultimate loss.  Caiera telling the Hulk that she is pregnant with his child (and thus sealing a tragic fate) doesn't have the same dramatic impact to it that the Hulk's revealing of Bruce Banner to her did.  Also robbed of dramatic power is Elloe's still growing resentment at having lost her position of power to the Hulk.  A potentially suspenseful sub-plot is simply allowed to wither away, so that World War Hulk can get started asap.

"Oh, no..."

Hulk's worst fear becomes a reality...he truly is the Worldbreaker.

Or does the tragic end of Sakaar rest on the shoulders of Reed Richards and his Illuminati cronies?  They were the ones that built the ship, trapped the Hulk on it, and sent him off into space.  Hulk knows the blame is a shared one, so it's back to Earth he goes...

While the set-up in Part 1 might have lacked a certain something (and that could have simply been the result of knowing that something really bad had to happen, so that the next story could get underway) the final payoff, for me, at least, had emotional power to spare.

Having gone through the soul scorching trauma that is the death of a spouse (my wife died in 2003), the Hulk's whispered "Give her back," which follows after his HULK SMASH!!! style cry of "GIVE THEM BACK!!!," touched me in a way that I doubt it would many other readers.  Because I know the real emotions behind those simple words.  I know the pain, the anger, the fear, and, most powerful of all, the need that those three words could never truly voice.  But that is all one can truly say at that moment..."Give her back."

The Incredible Hulk #102 & 103: Allegiance Parts 3 & 4 (of 4)

"That just makes me mad."

The Hulk does battle with the Red King.  When the fight is over and the dust settled, the Green Scar has become the Green King.  Now the Hulk must learn an entirely different kind of combat, Politics.

All that can be said of Issue 102 is that it contains plenty of HULK SMASH as the titular behemoth goes toe-to-toe with the sadistic, and quite mad, Emperor of Sakaar.  It's a satisfying and action packed close to the battle of brains and brawn the two have been fighting ever since the Hulk first arrived on Sakaar and was placed into slavery.

But the story is far from over, of course, and the ending of Planet Hulk has only just begun.  The violent overthrowing of the Emperor is only the first of many difficult steps the Hulk has to take as the story moves forward.  He has won the inhabitants of Sakaar freedom, but can the rage filled Green Scar help them to achieve, and then maintain, peace?  The Hulk's warbound ally Korg seems to think so, but there are differing opinions about the direction Sakaar should take and, not unlike a certain real world country that had its ruthless leader violently removed from office, civil unrest threatens to erupt into civil war.

All I will say about the Hulk's method of "negotiating" and then maintaining that peace is something only the Hulk could manage to pull off.  Issue 103, like issue 102, starts strong, giving the reader some HULK SMASH before, once again, taking the story into some rather interesting, and revealing, directions.  Although he is fueled by rage, The Hulk still has the gentle heart of Bruce Banner inside him and it seems that is what guides him when making any leadership decisions.

Although a certain amount of peace has been brought to Sakaar, there are those around the Hulk who still want to fight, and who think that the Hulk has forgotten who and what he is.

But a way to remind the Hulk seems to have been found...

The Incredible Hulk #101: Allegiance Part 2 (of 4)

"I got what I came for."

The Hulk, Caiera and Hiroim meet with the Shadow Elders, who remain unconvinced that the "Green Scar" is the Sakaarson.  While the Elders do agree that the Hulk may look the part, there remains an important test for him to pass.  The Hulk does not care if he passes or fails this stupid test, for he has far more important things to do than win a puny pinkie's unnecessary approval...

Allegiance Part 2 not only offers up a decent helping of action, it also reveals some of Sakaar's secrets and reminds the Hulk of the unresolved issues stemming from his betrayal by his "friends" back on Earth.  The main revelation is the reason and what for of the Great Portal, something that ties together the events of the previous stories quite nicely.  A far subtler revelation, more a hint of the ass kicking to come, really, is the psychological aspect of the Elders test of the Hulk's true nature.  Anyone that knows the Hulk knows that he is not only fueled by rage, but also by a hatred of his own supposedly monstrous nature; a hatred that causes him to violently lash out at those that fear him.  The test also reconnects the story with the Hulk's home world roots.  Although the Hulk has single handedly united almost an entire planet against a ruthless warlord, there is still unfinished business to be attended to back on Earth.

But he's not quite done on Sakaar yet...and it's looking to be one hell of a fight.  It's safe to say that the Planet Hulk story arc will be closing with an impressive display of HULK SMASH!!!

The Incredible Hulk #100: Allegiance Part 1 (of 4)

"Green Scar.  It's time."

Caiera, the Oldstrong, one time Emperor's Shadow, has become Warbound, but the battle with the Emperor is far from over.  Followed across the desert by the Imperial Guard and the dreaded Spikes, the Warbound and their compatriots seek the aide of the Shadow Elders.

What looks to be the final story arc in the Planet Hulk series gets off to a grand start, with plenty of humor, action, and some surprisingly potent drama.  The few that don't believe that the Hulk is the Sakaarson (the Healer and Savior in Sakaar's religious prophecies) are now finding themselves hoping that those who do believe are correct, that the Hulk is the Sakaarson of the ancient prophecies.  One thing is certain, the Hulk is more in his element on Sakaar than he would have been on the uninhabited BR-54, in the Tayo System (more on that later).  However, the ravages of the war are quickly claiming the spirits of those who, quite unlike the Hulk, are fighting to survive.  "...I fear we've already failed," Korg tells the Hulk.  "They [the Hivelings] only know hate, Greenskin."  Then again, considering what Miek and the Hivelings have seen/experienced, I'd say that their hate is completely justified.  While Miek and the Hivelings play an important part in the issue, it is clear that Caiera, Elloe, and, most of all, Hiroim will be the true focus of Allegiance's main story line.

But issue 100 doesn't stop there.  Also included is the story Planet Cho, which looks to be setting up the plot threads that will run through the next big Hulk event, World War Hulk.  Amadeus Cho, the seventh smartest person on the planet, is not at all pleased with how Reed Richards and S.H.I.E.L.D. treated the Hulk.  A race of a sort is now under way to find the missing Hulk, with one group wanting to bring the Hulk back to Earth, while the other hopes to keep the Hulk off of it.  With a title like World War Hulk, I'm thinking that the Hulk comes back and proceeds to make that whole Civil War thing look like a minor scuffle in comparison to the whoop assing he's going to pour out on the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Reed Richards.

If that weren't enough, Marvel has packaged these two fine stories with several reprints of the classic Hulk stories: The Origin of the Hulk, But Who Will Judge the Hulk?, Defender of the Doomed!, and The World, My Jury!.  Origin's title says it all, but the latter three are the epic story of how the Hulk is captured - by S.H.I.E.L.D., Captain America, and the Fantastic Four, with some unneeded help from Spider-Man (making a gratuitous cameo appearance) - and put on trial, with Matt Murdock (Daredevil) in charge of the Hulk's defense and The Avengers charging in to be character witnesses.  Yeah, the story was every bit as insane as it sounds, but damn was it a fun read.

With not one, not two, but six excellent Hulk stories between its covers, issue 100 of The Incredible Hulk is classic stuff.

The Incredible Hulk #99: Anarchy Part 4 (of 4)

"No talking can't, puny pinky.  Not when you're with the Hulk."

The dreaded spikes are spreading, infecting and absorbing everything they touch, including the Hulk.  Well, the spikes try to, at least.  Caiera, knowing that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, fights at the Warbound's side, to save a small village from the rapidly spreading threat.

But who is the true enemy?

Planet Hulk continues to maintain a level of HULK SMASH awesome as its Anarchy story arc comes to a brutal close.  Planet's predominant theme of rapidly shifting alliances gets played in symphonic style in this entry; with Hulk, Caiera, and Miek fighting not only the horrific spikes, but each other as well.  By the issue's end, however, the battle lines have, once again, been redrawn (just as the cliffhanger ending to issue 98 promised they would be) and it looks as if the Final Battle is about to begin.

One other thing I really liked in this issue was the inclusion of the Arena commentators in the battle against the spikes.  For the Red King, these events are but a game; something to be handled, and dismissed, as nothing more than a momentary, almost meaningless, afternoon diversion.  (Although it could, and quite possibly is, entirely unintentional, I couldn't help but read the Red King's "Bring it on" comment as a sly nod to a certain political figure's exact same comment in regards to insurgent activities a few years back.)  The Hulk and his Warbound friends now plan to show the Red King that this isn't a game for them.

Smart, action packed, and filled with vibrant characters, Planet Hulk continues to be a series well worth reading.

The Incredible Hulk #98: Anarchy Part 3 (of 4)

"The Green Scar goes to war."

Miek, now a Native King, tries to make the Hulk stay and fight.  The Hulk refuses and the two begin to trade blows.  Korg intervenes and the Hulk comes to his senses, or what passes for sense in regards to a rage fueled behemoth such as he.

Now alone, the Green Scar returns to the battlefield.  Waiting from him there is the Emperor's Shadow, Caiera.

Anarchy is certainly living up to its title, as the Hulk finds himself busting the chops of anybody that gets in his way.  Of course, that is just a regular day in the life of the big galoot.  One would think that the inhabitants of Sakaar would finally understand that the Hulk will not be broken, beaten, or berated.  The only thing the Hulk does is SMASH, and he does it very well.

Taking center stage in this issue is Caiera, the Emperor's Shadow.  Her back story turns out to be every bit as brutal and tragic as Miek's.  It also sheds more light on the sadistic glee that the Emperor takes in shedding blood, or forcing others to shed it for him, at least.  The Emperor's insanity will not allow him to accept defeat at the hands of the Warbound, so he unleashes yet another horrible weapon.

But the Emperor's assault also changes the lines of the battle in rather interesting ways.  Anarchy Part 3's cliffhanger promises that the story's conclusion is going to be one hell of a fight.  I'm looking forward to seeing it.

Mythos: Hulk #1 (of 1)

"Is something going to happen?"

Dr. Robert Bruce Banner is trying to cope not only with the stress of a critical test of gamma radiation technology, but with the fact that his girlfriend's father, who just happens to be a three star general, has taken over the project.

Then something goes very, very wrong...

I think it is safe to assume that just about everybody reading this knows what goes wrong.  Whether you've read the comic, watched the television series, or have just seen the movie, chances are 100% in favor of you knowing that Dr. Banner is exposed to gamma radiation.  That exposure then mutates his genes so that, whenever he becomes angry, he transforms into a rage fueled and green skinned behemoth known as the Hulk.

Was there really any reason to tell me a story that I am already overly familiar with?  My son's only comment about Mythos: Hulk, after thumbing through it at the local comic book store, was, "They tell the story of the movie, only with drawn pictures."  That is a pretty darn accurate criticism of this one shot.  The only thing about it that impressed me was the art, which combines an almost impressionistic style with a few photo-realistic touches in the more quiet and dramatic moments.  Betty Ross being utterly gorgeous (a completely subjective opinion there, I know) certainly didn't hurt, and the Hulk smash stuff is an entertaining and cathartic release of tension.  But no matter how pretty the creative team of Paul Jenkins and Paolo Rivera try and make yesterday's news appear, it's still only yesterday's news.  Mythos: Hulk is for die hard collectors only.

The Incredible Hulk Volume One: Return of the Monster

When one of the Hulk's notorious rampages results in the death of a young boy, Bruce Banner becomes a fugitive from justice.  Barely managing to stay one step ahead of his pursuers, Banner repeatedly finds himself in situations that can only be resolved by the Incredible Hulk.  When the hunters finally do capture their prey, the battle is an explosive one.

Return of the Monster?  The Return of Bruce Banner is more like it.  In an interview with Fanboy Radio legendary Hulk writer Peter David said of Bruce Jones's run, "It never would have occurred to me to take the Hulk out of the book."  The narrative focus of the story, and apparently of the ones that followed it, is almost exclusively on Banner, with the Hulk making what amounts to cameo appearances.  Peter David also described the run as a blending of The Incredible Hulk TV Series with The X-Files.  That's a fairly accurate description, I think, considering the bag of spooky tricks the mysterious group of conspirators chasing the Hulk have at their disposal.

I am going to assume that the Return of the Monster title refers to a return to the concept of Hulk as an uncontrollable monster from Banner's Id, it's the only context in which the title makes sense.  Of the six stories collected in this trade paperback only Silent Running and Last Chance Cafe are the true standouts.  Running, a dialog free story wherein Banner manages to bond with a young girl suffering from autism, is the best.  Cafe, which has an escalation of tension worthy of Hitchcock, is the only entry where the various story threads mesh together in a truly satisfying manner.  The rest of the book feels disjointed and episodic, as if writer Bruce Jones were struggling both to get a grip on the characters and the right kind of tone/approach best suited for his story.  At least he hit his stride in time to give it a somewhat satisfying conclusion.

The Incredible Hulk #97: Anarchy Part 2 (of 4)

"May the Green Scar break your world.  And everything in it."

The remnants of Miek's hive have joined with the Warbound, who still manage to only stay just one or two steps ahead of the now mad Emperor's army.  The battles breaking out across the planet of Sakaar reach an entirely new level of ferocity.

The Planet Hulk story arc just keeps getting better and better, with Anarchy living up to its title.  Chaos is breaking out everywhere, including, it seems, amongst the Warbound themselves.  Hulk wants nothing more than to be left alone, yet Miek wants revenge, as does Elloe.  The Warbound solidarity becomes strained to the breaking point as their differences finally begin pulling them away from each other.

I'm guessing that issue 98 will reveal if the Warbound pact has, in fact, been broken.  I wish I could talk more in depth about the intriguing developments, but I don't want to spoil the fun for those who haven't read issue 97.  It will have to wait until the review of issue 98, I guess.

The Incredible Hulk #96: Anarchy Part 1 (of 4)

"There's nobody here but us monsters."

The newly freed Hulk and his Warbound "family" are on the run, the Emperor's Lieutenant, and the Imperial troops at her command, are in pursuit.  Staying only a step or two ahead of those seeking to recapture or destroy them, the Warbound find themselves inadvertently helping a small town with its Wildebot problem.  A small town with a link to Miek's tragic past.

Anarchy part one is really Miek's story, and it's a good one.  While Exile had Hulk smash his way through each of the brutal gladiatorial tests with relish, the first chapter of Anarchy gives readers an idea of the emotional toll the brutal world of Sakaar can take on its victimized inhabitants.  I have to admit that I got more than a little choked up when Miek's father spoke to him for the very last time, "My son."  The look on the newborn Miek's face as he witnesses his father's brutal betrayal by those he had served, with a close up on a single tear filled eye, is a beautifully rendered dramatic moment.

But Anarchy part one also drops hints that, as brutal a world as it is, Sakaar is not entirely without honor...or justice.

Giant-Size Hulk

Three gargantuan Hulk adventures:

Green Pieces:  President Clinton has arrived in Los Angeles to bestow upon the Champions the Congressional Medal of Honor.  The festivities are interrupted by an unforeseen visit from the Hulk.

Banner War:  Hulk and his Warbound companions (dare they be called friends) are resting after winning their freedom.  While Hulk sleeps, he dreams and in those dreams Bruce Banner pays a visit.  Can Banner regain control and escape the brutal world of Sakaar?  Unlikely, because the Hulk doesn't want to leave...

Hulk: The End - The atomic holocaust has finally happened.  All life on Earth has been destroyed, save for the Hulk.  Can a two hundred year old Bruce Banner convince the Hulk to finally let him die?

Each of the three stories contained in Giant-Size Hulk explores at least one of the many themes that makes the book such an interesting read.  For me, at least.  Green Pieces is the funniest (not surprising, considering it is written by Peter David) and, after all is said and done in the story, it touches upon how easily misunderstood the monstrous Hulk really is.  Because of the Hulk's destructive nature, his motivation can be difficult to understand.  All one need do, is ask.  Funny no one ever thinks to do so.  As the Planet Hulk arc unfolded, I found myself wondering when Hulk would calm down enough to let Bruce Banner slip through for an appearance.  This happens in Banner War, a surreal battle of wills between Banner and his alter ego while the Hulk is getting some much needed rest after the events that concluded Exile and just before the next Planet Hulk story, Anarchy, begins.  It's an entertaining romp through the Banner/Hulk's psyche that hints at some fierce inner conflict to come.  Hulk: The End is just that, the final Hulk story.  The Hulk has always wanted to be left alone, and now he is.  I'm guessing he never heard the old saying, "Be careful of what you wish for, you just might get it."  It's a somber and tragic end for the fury fueled hero, one with a bitter irony rooted in myth.

Giant-Size Hulk is an entertaining book and, if you haven't read any Hulk books, a great place to start doing so.

The Incredible Hulk #95: Planet Hulk: Exile Part 4 (of 4)

The events in this story take place before Annihilation: Silver Surfer.

"It's gonna be a bloodbath."

Lured to the savage planet of Sakaar by the seductive call of its portal, the Silver Surfer has become a slave of the Emperor.  He is to be the final battle that the "Green Scar" and his Warbound companions must overcome to win their freedom.

Things don't go as planned...

The upswing in The Incredible Hulk's story quality continues with this rousing conclusion to Exile.  It managed the nifty trick of fulfilling expectations for a carnage filled battle, revealing plot twists that managed to both intrigue and surprise, and concluding the story in an emotionally satisfying manner.  All those involved, both in the writing and the artwork, have done a wonderful job.

Since I am not that big of a super hero reader, and with Peace In Our Time leaving me more than a bit cold, I had seriously been considering giving up on the Hulk.  Exile has convinced me to hang around a little bit longer.  Just to see the Emperor get the royal ass kicking he so richly deserves, if for no other reason.  I can't wait to see what happens in the next Planet Hulk arc, Anarchy part one.

The Incredible Hulk #94: Planet Hulk: Exile Part 3 (of 4)

"I'm the Hulk."

The rebel forces show up and...Hulk tells them to take a hike.  Not surprising, considering how he has been recently betrayed for helping others.  "First they call us monsters," Hulk tells Elloe, who is quick to join with the rebels.  "Then they come crying for help.  And then they call us monsters again."

Hulk clearly isn't a fool with a short memory.

The team is thinned after this little distraction, then thinned even more in a brutal gladiatorial bout with an Imperial Deathfire Bomb.  But Hulk is just getting warmed up...

Exile part three is the best Hulk installment that I have read in quite awhile.  The story moves at a brisk pace, the action is every bit as cathartic as it is brutal, and, most important of all, the surviving warriors finally form a true bond.  They become a genuine, unified team of warriors.  This is good, because the issue's cliffhanger promises that the worse is yet to come.

I can't wait.

The Incredible Hulk #93 - Planet Hulk: Exile Part 2 (of 4)

"What difference can one slave possibly make?"

The Hulk has been made a slave of the Empire, controlled by an implanted "Obedience Slug."  Or so his captors like to think.  Hulk won't kneel for, much less obey, anyone.  He and an eclectic group of alien captives are tossed into the Maw, the Empire's "most lethal Gladiatorial Training School."  Needless to say, Hulk smashes one puny "test" after another.

He also becomes a figurehead for a local insurgency, but Hulk doesn't play well with others...even when forced to by necessity.

Planet Hulk certainly doesn't skimp on the HULK SMASH, so, on a purely visceral level, it delivers the pulse pounding goods.  The story?  Well, so far, it's just another angry-loner-warrior-who-inadvertently-comes-to-the-aide-of-the-oppressed-people story done space opera style.  There could always be a surprise twist in the works, but, considering how Peace In Our Time played out, and Planet Hulk is written by the same guy, I'm not going to get my hopes too high up about it.  I'm just going to keep on enjoying the HULK SMASH!

The Incredible Hulk #92 - Planet Hulk Exile: Part One

"Hulk knows who to smash."

Now that Hulk has done Nick Fury's dirty work and destroyed Godseye, the behemoth discovers that he is not going home.  Quite the opposite.  Reed Richards has helped seize the unique opportunity of having the Hulk in a position to get rid of the destructive entity, for good.  Richards claims that he has found a suitable planet, one devoid of intelligent life, for the Hulk to live out the remainder of his days on, unbothered by pesky and irritating humans.  The only problem is that the ship's navigation equipment malfunctions when it goes through a wormhole and the Hulk winds up on an entirely different planet.  One that is inhabited by a brutal and imperial society.  Hulk is unimpressed and ready to smash...

Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.  Fool me three times...well, its time to find a new book to read.  Maybe.  I'm becoming familiar enough with the ups and downs of comic books to know better than to lavish praise on a story that could easily crap out in the second issue.

I was told by the clerk at Flying Colors, the Comic Book Store I shop at, that Planet Hulk was the "Hot Book of the Month."  Why this is, I can't say.  The issue seems long on action, but short on promise.  Hulk does seem to be evenly matched this time around, though.  The seeming villains of the story (appearances can be deceiving) are also far more interesting than Godseye was.  At least they get a chance to speak and interact with the Hulk in a compelling manner.  Another plus is the art work, it has that kinetic feel, and the story gives Hulk plenty of opportunity to unleash it with some good old HULK SMASH.  So it was an entertaining read on purely visceral level.

Marvel promises some intriguing developments are in store for Planet Hulk.  After reading this first issue, I can only hope that is so.  Right now it just looks like Hulk has somehow landed in the middle of a Star Wars revival, one where the coliseum battle in Attack of the Clones has been re-enacted, for the great unwashed masses of Planet Wherever-the-Hell-It-Is.  It's something different, at least.

The Incredible Hulk #91 - Peace in Our Time Part Four

"You oughtta be ****in' terrified."

Godseye, the rogue S.H.I.E.L.D. satellite weapon, has over come and replicated every technological attack that Nick Fury has thrown at it.  Now it has attempted to replicate Bruce Banner's unstable gamma radiation mutation.  The results are an explosive battle in space between Hulk and Wannabe Hulk.

Peace in Our Time wants to end with a bang, but it is more like a whimper.  The conclusion, in fact the entire four issue story arc, seems to be nothing more than an elaborate lead in to the fourteen issue Planet Hulk story.  Part Four seemed to consist mostly of Fury and a Pentagon goon explaining how dire the situation could turn out to be, intercut with Hulk and Godseye duking it out on the surface of the moon.  This might have been more satisfying if Godseye had been built up as a more credible threat.  But it has been reduced to a simple Hitchcockian MacGuffin.  I wasn't all that impressed with the art, either.  It seemed soft and out of focus, lacking a kinetic energy to give the battle some kind of oomph.  Reading this after the solidly written and illustrated Manhunter #19 makes The Incredible Hulk look like a ninety-pound weakling.

The Incredible Hulk #90 - Peace in Our Time Part Three

"Banner may look like a reasonable, thinking man...but he's not."

To say that the Hulk is not pleased to find out that the artificially intelligent space station that now threatens life on Earth is of S.H.I.E.L.D. origin and not Hydra's, as he had been led to believe by Nick Fury, is an understatement.  Hulk (or the part of Banner deep within him) is enraged and fully prepared to pour out the HULK SMASH when, suddenly, the tables are turned.  Hulk is captured, Fury's plan backfires, and the space station begins running on Gamma radiation.

HULK NOT PATSY!  A lesson that Nick Fury is being forced to learn, the hard way.  Not knowing anything about Nick Fury, other than David Hasselhoff played him on TV once, I won't wager any bets about the lesson being able to penetrate Fury's obviously thick skull.

When things go south, as they are wont to do in these stories, Fury has a back up plan, of course.  This gives Peace in Our Time part three a nice action sequence to liven things up a bit.  It also stays true to it established narrative format, revealing its only plot development at the cliffhanger ending.  I will say that it is the best one of the three so far.  The tag says "To Be Continued," not "To Be Concluded," so I am uncertain if an ending is forthcoming in issue ninety-one.

I'm looking forward to it nonetheless.

The Incredible Hulk #89 - Peace in Our Time Part Two

"I don't like the way you do things, Fury."

Peace in Our Time: Part One ended with the revelation that Bruce's friend was actually a S.H.I.E.L.D. operative on assignment from Nick Fury.  Fury needs the Hulk, badly.  It seems that a former cold war era "weather satellite" is in fact an artificially intelligent weapon of mass destruction.  Any attempt to attack it with conventional weapons will, and has, ended in disaster.  But there is one weapon that hasn't been tried yet.  An organic one, fueled by rage.

HULK IN SPAAAAAAAAAACE!  (If you grew up on The Muppet Show like I did, hopefully you got that joke.)  Part Two of Peace in Our Time has a lot more story to tell than the first one did, I'll give it that.  Actually, while reading Part Two, I began to wonder if Peace in Our Time Part One was needed at all.  Looking back on it from the perspective of Part Two's plot developments, Part One begins to look like a Phantom Menace style set-up.  It ends just as the real plot was beginning to start.  Then again, that pretty documentary filmmaker just might show up again, playing a role in either Part Three or Four.

Other than David Hasselhoff playing him in a TV movie, I don't know a thing about Nick Fury and the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization he works for.  But I do understand Banner's dislike for the man.  Fury comes across as manipulative and dishonest in Part's One and Two, making me very disinterested in reading any books that feature him.  My outlook might change if further plot twists reveal nuances to Fury's motivations, but right now I think Fury is very lucky that he is on Earth and the Hulk is in space.

Marvel Monsters Group: Monsters on the Prowl #1 - Good Monsters!

"Hulk smash puny monsters with rock man?"

The Collector has done what he does best.  He has collected and stored some of the mightiest monsters to have ever threatened humankind.  The Mole Man was jealous of this, for he only had a few, passe monsters.  So, being the Mole Man, he digs up underneath the Collector's Zoo to get at the monsters.  All this accomplishes is the releasing of the monsters upon an unsuspecting world.

Meanwhile, in New York, Bruce Banner is desperately searching for a meal.  He calls upon Ben Grimm, alias The Thing of the Fantastic Four.  While the duo dines, giant monsters begin attacking the city.  But just about every super hero is out of town, save for a few unique individuals that make for a good counter punch to the bad boy behemoths.  The Thing rounds up The Hulk, The Beast and Giant Man.  It's time for the good monsters to save the day!

This retro-comic book has become the bed time story of choice in the Saxelid home.  Listening to Ben Grimm constantly remind the Hulk that his name is The Thing and not Rock Man, as well as all the pithy comments the heroes make to the monsters, and each other, as they fight, has my son laughing hysterically. 

For me, reading Good Monsters was akin to being transported back to childhood.  Steve Niles has written a wonderful story that is just magic on paper.  Duncan Fegredo's artwork and Moose Baumann's colors look like something right out of the seventies.  Don't believe me?  Then just compare it to the bonus Jack Kirby/Christopher Rule story included in the issue.  We Found the Ninth Wonder of the World! is a wonderful little homage to King Kong via The Bermuda Depths.  (I wonder if the makers of Gamera: Guardian of the Universe ever read it?)  Both stories compliment each other perfectly.  Monsters on the Prowl is so much fun I'm tempted to search out the other Marvel Monsters Group October one shots: Where Monsters Dwell, Devil Dinosaur, and Fin Fang 4, to see if they offer as much nostalgic nirvana as Prowl did.  A required addition to any monster loving comic book reader's collection/library.

The Incredible Hulk #88 - Peace in Our Time: Part One

"You're not from here, are you?"

Bruce Banner is trying to live peacefully in the wilds of Alaska.  But that peace evaporates when he makes a trip into town...

There's not much I can say about the beginning of the Peace in Our Time story without stepping into spoiler territory, which is something I try to avoid on the new-to-newer stuff.  (On the older stuff my standards get a tad looser.)  All I will say is that the first part of issue one revolves around Bruce's supply runner, Mark, talking Bruce, who is living under the name Robert, into coming out of isolation and visiting town.

On the artwork side of things I can say a lot more.  Keu Cha's artwork and Jason Keith's coloring is wonderfully rustic, giving the book such a texture of the great outdoors you can almost feel the wood on your fingertips and smell the fresh air.  Until Bruce goes to town, that is, and things get considerably darker.  One particular image is a classic that I would love to have as a poster to hang on my wall.

I'm looking forward to reading Part Two.

Captain Universe/The Incredible Hulk #1 - Secrets and Origins

"I travel the world and grant the Captain Universe powers to those of noble spirit in times of crisis."

Before it can bond with the paraplegic war veteran Gabriel Vargas, the Uni-Power must replicate the powers of various super-humans.  First stop, The Incredible Hulk.

I've heard of Captain Marvel, Captain America, hell I've even heard of Captain Planet, but I have never heard of Captain Universe.  "Who the heck is this guy?" was the question that popped out of my mouth when I found him in my save box at the comic book store.  It must have been the Hulk on the cover, because Peter David's return to the big galoot's book had me reading it.  There was no way I would have picked up the book otherwise.  After reading it, I can say I probably will not be reading the next Captain Universe cross over, which will be with Daredevil.  The story is just not that interesting.

After getting some of its power back from merging once again with Bruce Banner, the Uni-Power then asks for help in tracking down one Dr. Gilbert Wiles.  It seems that Wiles is the foremost expert on the Uni-Power, so who is better suited to finding out the origin of the Uni-Power's energy loss?  Bruce (now sharing his mind with the Hulk) makes the journey to the big apple to find Wiles, which he does.  But Banner is not the only person that wants info about the Uni-Power.  It looks to be A.I.M. and Doc Rappaccini to me, so reading David's House of M Hulk story paid off.  There were a few funny jokes and some nice HULK SMASH, but the story just didn't grab me.  This is one adventure I will not see through to the end.

The Incredible Hulk #87 - Awakening

"And you wouldn't like me when I'm spewin'."

The world has returned to normal.  Bruce Banner and Monica Rappaccini awaken in bed together, both wondering how they got there.  A misunderstanding with building security brings out the Hulk.  That is when the aboriginal tribesman calls to Banner/Hulk from the dreamtime, encouraging "Two Minds" to return to the outback.  The Hulk, at the request of both Rappaccini and the tribesman, brings Rappaccini with him.  What they do not know is that Rappaccini's daughter Thasanee is giving chase, preparing to launch a sneak attack to capture her mother.

Then the House of M went away.

Thank goodness, because I hate crossovers.  I understand the business aspect of it, a ten thousand issue spike in sales would have any publisher wanting crossovers left and right.  But I am a single dad with a limited income, so I carefully choose which books I read, and having other plot lines muscle in and distract from the book's primary plot, creating a jumble of plot lines that is difficult to follow, well that just makes me angry, and you...well, never mind.  My real frustration is with DC's Manhunter (which I will get around to reviewing some other time) and not with The Incredible Hulk, which benefited from Peter David's fun ride Tempest Fugit having just ended, so there was no story arc for House of M to get messed up with.

I'm not a capes and tights guy, horror is my thing.  The only super hero comics I'm reading are Manhunter and The Incredible Hulk.  I started on the former because I got a free copy of issue one, which I liked, and decided to stick with it.  So far it has had a solid run and I recommend it highly.  I picked up The Incredible Hulk for much the same reason.  I heard Peter David on Fanboy Radio talking about returning to the Hulk, because a writer (Bruce Jones?) had just left.  His story was set up so anybody could start fresh, with little to no prior knowledge of The Incredible Hulk.  Being someone that only knew the Hulk from the seventies TV series and the movie version, and a fan of David (who had no clue that he was comic book writer of renown - clueless, remember?), I decided to give it a try.  I was enjoying it until House of M because, as I said, I dislike crossovers.  I like deciding which comics I need to buy, thank you, and resent having a publisher trying to trick me into getting other books.  Not having any idea just who these characters are doesn't help, either.

My crossover rant over with, let me say that issue 87 is a fun little clean-up of the House of M mess, and my description is figurative, not literal.  Banner needs to be positioned for a new writer to take over, because Peter David's year on the Hulk has come to an end.  (That fast?)  It's a funny and action packed coda to the House of M story that, hopefully, will lure some of those extra readers into staying with the Hulk.

I know I will for a few issues more, at least.