This must be "acknowledge April holidays a few days too late" week, as my girlfriend and I dyed Easter eggs yesterday, and I'm posting this picture today. Talk about "green eggs and ham!"
Showing posts with label Hulk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hulk. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
It IS Easy Wearing Green . . .
St. Patrick's Day is no big deal to us fanboys, because some of our favorite heroes wear green all the time. Here's a quick list to commemorate some of comicdom's jolly green giants.
The Savage Dragon. Any longtime reader of A Comic A Day knows that I love Erik Larsen's Savage Dragon, and that both were instrumental to my becoming a loyal comic book reader today. In Larsen's current storyline, "Dragon War," Dragon's deadliest foes have received a transfusion of his blood (stolen, of course), transforming them into gruesome doppelgangers of his usually heroic self. Unfortunately, Dragon too is somewhat transformed, as his brain was recently destroyed and regenerated into his former, alien despot self. So, in many ways, these characters are simply wearing a green facade -- something millions of folks are doing today, assuming that they aren't even Irish . . .
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I've had not one but two casual conversations with presumably non-comics readers about the Turtles in the past two weeks, proving that those heroes in a half-shell have transcended the realm of childhood fandom and become veritable icons of pop culture, not unlike Superman or Spider-man. I couldn't be happier for them -- and for me, since the hundreds of dollars my family spent on those toys in the '90s obviously wasn't for naught. It was so I could have conversations about the Turtles with non-comics readers.
The Incredible Hulk. Whenever Bruce Banner gets angry, he puts on a green suit of rage -- again, something I fear millions of folks will do tonight, after drinking a certain gamma-colored beverage, of course.
The Greens Lantern and Arrow. Hal Jordan and Ollie Queen are my favorite best friends in comics, notably because of their hard travels across the country via Denny O'Neil's direction in the '70s, but every now and then a writer will echo those sentiments and bring back the pseudo-political dynamic that made their friendship so current and viable. In DC Universe Decisions, the two actually come to blows, removing the weapons that give them their emerald stripes, yet proving that the clothes do not have to make the man. The winner? Black Canary. Always let the woman have the final word.
Finally, the dollar, the most powerful green of them all, has reared its head in the latest substantial comics purchase, this time of Flash Comics #1. Whether or not it will use its powers for good or evil remains to be seen. Perhaps tonight's St. Patrick's Day exploits will be the truest test of all!
The Savage Dragon. Any longtime reader of A Comic A Day knows that I love Erik Larsen's Savage Dragon, and that both were instrumental to my becoming a loyal comic book reader today. In Larsen's current storyline, "Dragon War," Dragon's deadliest foes have received a transfusion of his blood (stolen, of course), transforming them into gruesome doppelgangers of his usually heroic self. Unfortunately, Dragon too is somewhat transformed, as his brain was recently destroyed and regenerated into his former, alien despot self. So, in many ways, these characters are simply wearing a green facade -- something millions of folks are doing today, assuming that they aren't even Irish . . .
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I've had not one but two casual conversations with presumably non-comics readers about the Turtles in the past two weeks, proving that those heroes in a half-shell have transcended the realm of childhood fandom and become veritable icons of pop culture, not unlike Superman or Spider-man. I couldn't be happier for them -- and for me, since the hundreds of dollars my family spent on those toys in the '90s obviously wasn't for naught. It was so I could have conversations about the Turtles with non-comics readers.
The Incredible Hulk. Whenever Bruce Banner gets angry, he puts on a green suit of rage -- again, something I fear millions of folks will do tonight, after drinking a certain gamma-colored beverage, of course.
The Greens Lantern and Arrow. Hal Jordan and Ollie Queen are my favorite best friends in comics, notably because of their hard travels across the country via Denny O'Neil's direction in the '70s, but every now and then a writer will echo those sentiments and bring back the pseudo-political dynamic that made their friendship so current and viable. In DC Universe Decisions, the two actually come to blows, removing the weapons that give them their emerald stripes, yet proving that the clothes do not have to make the man. The winner? Black Canary. Always let the woman have the final word.
Finally, the dollar, the most powerful green of them all, has reared its head in the latest substantial comics purchase, this time of Flash Comics #1. Whether or not it will use its powers for good or evil remains to be seen. Perhaps tonight's St. Patrick's Day exploits will be the truest test of all!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Ol' Jade Jaws Jigsaw Puzzle
Thursday, March 11, 2010
The Marvel Tree
A detour to the Dollar Tree today was pretty productive, as far as finding cheap superhero merch goes. So, where's the DC swag? The House of Ideas - 1, the Distinguished Competition - 0.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Hulk Puzzle Smashes 600th Post
I posted this pic of the Hulk puzzle my girlfriend and I assembled last night as a bonus for the day, but when I realized this morning that it was my 600th post, I decided to give the ol' Jade Jigsaw his own entry. After all, that better way to commemorate 600 posts intended to deconstruct comics than by putting something together?
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Hulk Puzzle
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Happy Birthday, Marvel!
On Tuesday night, comic book shops across the country celebrating Marvel Comics' 70th anniversary with special after-hours sales and events, and I went to two stores in Orange County that celebrated the House of Ideas, and although I passed on the much hyped The Marvels Project #1, I did acquire some completely affordable back issues of X-Statics. To celebrate Marvel's birthday, I've decided to list my top seven most personal, memorable Marvel moments. Disclaimer: The comics on this list aren't necessarily my favorite singular Marvel issues, but they are attached to memories that have enabled me to treasure comics in the mighty Marvel manner today!
7. Daredevil: Born Again. Before he redefined Batman with the beloved The Dark Knight Returns, Frank Miller deconstructed the Man Without Fear in the Daredevil story arc "Born Again." I read this arc as a whole, collected in trade paperback, and was most impressed with Miller's ability to strip away everything we know of Matt Murdock, from his position as a lawyer, to his friendships, to the very Daredevil costume, yet expose and retain what makes the character relevant to readers and the Marvel Universe as a whole. It truly takes a man without fear to see his life destroyed and still find a way to save the day and win the girl.
6. The Punisher: Welcome Back, Frank. I was a fast fan of the Garth Ennis/Steve Dillon collaboration thanks to their work on Preacher, so picking up this Punisher relaunch via trade paperback was a no-brainer. I'll be honest; I wasn't overwhelmed with the story. Sure, the action was fast-paced, and the characters were true to the original spirit of Punisher comics, but the complexity I'd anticipated from the context of Preacher wasn't there -- until the last page. A ragtag group of Punisher wanna-be's catch up with Frank, ask him if he'd like to join their crusade, if a team of gun-toting vigilantes eradicating crime is what the Punisher has always wanted . . . and, gun firing, Punisher replies, "No." The importance is two-fold: Frank prefers to work alone, and perhaps without his war on crime, he'd have no reason to live at all. So why would he really want it to end?
5. The Secret Wars Tower of Doom Playset. I only had eight Secret Wars action figures as a kid, and I certainly didn't know they were attached to a multi-issue comic book epic, but before I enjoyed their adventures on the printed page, Captain America, Spider-man, Iron Man, and Wolverine were my Avengers that battled the likes of Dr. Doom, Magneto, Dr. Octopus, and Kang on the Tower of Doom playset in the living room. That playset had so many cool features, from the elevator to the secret war room, from the jail cell to the hidden compartment . . . I can really go on, but trust me. No five-inch plastic bad guy could ask for a better hideout.
4. Iron Man. By far, my favorite comic book movie to date. Yes, better than Dark Knight. Iron Man simply has it all: action, comedy, romance, significant character development, and two things Dark Knight just didn't have: the staging of a world bigger than its characters, and the upbeat wonder that superheroes should inspire. Think about it. At the end of Dark Knight, Batman is public enemy number one, which is certainly dynamic in its own right, but if he's content to let the people in his world think he's a murderer, what of us? At the end of Iron Man, Tony Stark lifts the curtain. "I'm a superhero, and it's awesome." As a kid, whose boots would you have preferred to fill?
3. The Incredible Hulk #372-#377. Writer Peter David culminates years' worth of subplots in this Hulk story arc that ended up defining the character for decades to follow. Simply put, Doc Samson puts Bruce Banner in a hypnotic trance to confront his inner Hulk selves, and in the end his mind merges with the green and gray Hulk personalities to create "the Professor," a quickly enraged but analytically thinking green goliath. While the emotional subtext of this story was heavier than most comics usually allow, I was particularly moved by #372, in which Betty and Bruce reunite. That last page, where they embrace, is -- pardon the Hulk pun -- smashing.
2. Bret Blevins' Cloak & Dagger Sketch. My girlfriend at the time and I were simply strolling down the main street in Prescott, Arizona, when we went into an artists' gallery on whim and I surprisingly spotted paintings by Bret Blevins, who, among other things, had illustrated two of my favorite Marvel titles, Cloak & Dagger and Sleepwalker. The caretaker of the co-op said that Bret would be in the next day, and sure enough I had the pleasure of meeting him and soliciting a free Cloak and Dagger sketch. I treasure the memory and this sketch almost as much as Bret was totally hospitable and kind -- which is to say, completely.
1. Amazing Spider-man #347. I've told the story before, essentially my origin story as a collector, but I'll summarize it again here. When I was about 10 years old, my dad worked for a moving company, and one of his customers offered him a small box of comics. One fateful Saturday morning, Dad left the box at the foot of my bed, and in it I discovered the beginning of Peter David's run on The Incredible Hulk, Strange Tales volume 2 (starring Cloak and Dagger), and bunch of other titles I still collect to this day . . . but the issue on the top won me over completely. Venom holding Spider-man's skull like Hamlet in the graveyard, and the eerie island chase that ensued within the issue, masterfully choreographed by Erik Larsen . . . it changed the way I look at comics. It gave new ideas about how to tell a story through a cooperative relationship between words and pictures . . .
Which is why Marvel has earned its self-proclaimed title as the House of Ideas lo these 70 years. Marvel Comics have simply inspired countless others to pursue ideas of their own. It's their birthday, but they're the gift that keeps on giving. Happy Birthday, Marvel!
7. Daredevil: Born Again. Before he redefined Batman with the beloved The Dark Knight Returns, Frank Miller deconstructed the Man Without Fear in the Daredevil story arc "Born Again." I read this arc as a whole, collected in trade paperback, and was most impressed with Miller's ability to strip away everything we know of Matt Murdock, from his position as a lawyer, to his friendships, to the very Daredevil costume, yet expose and retain what makes the character relevant to readers and the Marvel Universe as a whole. It truly takes a man without fear to see his life destroyed and still find a way to save the day and win the girl.
6. The Punisher: Welcome Back, Frank. I was a fast fan of the Garth Ennis/Steve Dillon collaboration thanks to their work on Preacher, so picking up this Punisher relaunch via trade paperback was a no-brainer. I'll be honest; I wasn't overwhelmed with the story. Sure, the action was fast-paced, and the characters were true to the original spirit of Punisher comics, but the complexity I'd anticipated from the context of Preacher wasn't there -- until the last page. A ragtag group of Punisher wanna-be's catch up with Frank, ask him if he'd like to join their crusade, if a team of gun-toting vigilantes eradicating crime is what the Punisher has always wanted . . . and, gun firing, Punisher replies, "No." The importance is two-fold: Frank prefers to work alone, and perhaps without his war on crime, he'd have no reason to live at all. So why would he really want it to end?
5. The Secret Wars Tower of Doom Playset. I only had eight Secret Wars action figures as a kid, and I certainly didn't know they were attached to a multi-issue comic book epic, but before I enjoyed their adventures on the printed page, Captain America, Spider-man, Iron Man, and Wolverine were my Avengers that battled the likes of Dr. Doom, Magneto, Dr. Octopus, and Kang on the Tower of Doom playset in the living room. That playset had so many cool features, from the elevator to the secret war room, from the jail cell to the hidden compartment . . . I can really go on, but trust me. No five-inch plastic bad guy could ask for a better hideout.
4. Iron Man. By far, my favorite comic book movie to date. Yes, better than Dark Knight. Iron Man simply has it all: action, comedy, romance, significant character development, and two things Dark Knight just didn't have: the staging of a world bigger than its characters, and the upbeat wonder that superheroes should inspire. Think about it. At the end of Dark Knight, Batman is public enemy number one, which is certainly dynamic in its own right, but if he's content to let the people in his world think he's a murderer, what of us? At the end of Iron Man, Tony Stark lifts the curtain. "I'm a superhero, and it's awesome." As a kid, whose boots would you have preferred to fill?
3. The Incredible Hulk #372-#377. Writer Peter David culminates years' worth of subplots in this Hulk story arc that ended up defining the character for decades to follow. Simply put, Doc Samson puts Bruce Banner in a hypnotic trance to confront his inner Hulk selves, and in the end his mind merges with the green and gray Hulk personalities to create "the Professor," a quickly enraged but analytically thinking green goliath. While the emotional subtext of this story was heavier than most comics usually allow, I was particularly moved by #372, in which Betty and Bruce reunite. That last page, where they embrace, is -- pardon the Hulk pun -- smashing.
2. Bret Blevins' Cloak & Dagger Sketch. My girlfriend at the time and I were simply strolling down the main street in Prescott, Arizona, when we went into an artists' gallery on whim and I surprisingly spotted paintings by Bret Blevins, who, among other things, had illustrated two of my favorite Marvel titles, Cloak & Dagger and Sleepwalker. The caretaker of the co-op said that Bret would be in the next day, and sure enough I had the pleasure of meeting him and soliciting a free Cloak and Dagger sketch. I treasure the memory and this sketch almost as much as Bret was totally hospitable and kind -- which is to say, completely.
1. Amazing Spider-man #347. I've told the story before, essentially my origin story as a collector, but I'll summarize it again here. When I was about 10 years old, my dad worked for a moving company, and one of his customers offered him a small box of comics. One fateful Saturday morning, Dad left the box at the foot of my bed, and in it I discovered the beginning of Peter David's run on The Incredible Hulk, Strange Tales volume 2 (starring Cloak and Dagger), and bunch of other titles I still collect to this day . . . but the issue on the top won me over completely. Venom holding Spider-man's skull like Hamlet in the graveyard, and the eerie island chase that ensued within the issue, masterfully choreographed by Erik Larsen . . . it changed the way I look at comics. It gave new ideas about how to tell a story through a cooperative relationship between words and pictures . . .
Which is why Marvel has earned its self-proclaimed title as the House of Ideas lo these 70 years. Marvel Comics have simply inspired countless others to pursue ideas of their own. It's their birthday, but they're the gift that keeps on giving. Happy Birthday, Marvel!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The Shirt Off My Back: The "Green Goblin Bending Over for Spider-man?” Tee
Living in Southern California, I haven’t had much trouble encountering a comic a day, or at least the influence of comic books on popular culture. Last month, at the Los Angeles County Fair, I took my picture with the incredible Hulk and his Hollywood alter ego Lou Ferrigno -- okay, they’re cardboard props, but of all the celebrities and fictional characters to feature in a homage to Hollywood? Other superstars should be green with envy.
Notice the shirt I was wearing, featuring an image of a beaten Green Goblin and an amazingly enraged Spider-man. (I think this image originally appeared in the Amazing Spider-man issue following Gwen Stacy’s death, if anyone wants to confirm . . .?) I wore this shirt a few weeks later at another Los Angeles event, specifically the West Hollywood Book Fair, where I was taken by a hilarious caricature of the Golden Girls on a T-shirt at the Prism Comics booth. The WeHo Book Fair features a whole comics pavilion, where I picked up Axiom’s Fat Boy & Harvey and Mike Wellman's Mac Afro in previous years, and that featured Len Wein and Ray Bradbury this year -- so it’s the real deal, a genuine comics culture happening. But I digress . . .
So I was taken by this awesome caricature of the Golden Girls, which stands as one of my top five favorite sitcoms of all time. (That’s a list for another blog, I think.) I asked the gentlemen working the booth if they had the image on a free promotional card, and they were kind enough to give me a whole calendar full of work by artist Glen Hanson, featuring similar cartoons of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I was grateful for the offering, and still am, but what stands out from the brief exchange is their reasoning for the gift. Handing me the calendar, the guy says to me, he says, “Anything for someone wearing a shirt with Green Goblin bending over for Spider-man!” Uhm. Thanks?
If you haven’t considered the context clues, this fair is in West Hollywood. Prism Comics, boasting a Golden Girls T-shirt . . .? Yes, Prism Comics is a gay-oriented publication group. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! But to liken that visual excerpt of Spidey and the Goblin to something homosexual . . . well, that strikes me as queer, in the classical sense. Old, campy comics are often susceptible to perverted misinterpretation, right up until the mid-‘80s, thanks to VH1’s I Love the ‘80s analysis of Prince Adam’s purple pants and man-on-Beastman wrestle fests. John Lustig has made a career of it with his on-line Last Kiss. Still, when the image is on my chest, I must object to the unnecessary sexualization of my favorite superheroes, gay or straight.
This might sound immature, but comics have enough sexual inadequacy that we don’t have to project our own issues into these, well, issues. Consider Spidey’s current “One More Day” storyline, the result of an editorial decision to undo a married Spider-man and make him more empathetic to a younger audience. (Mark Waid and some other writers had a similar idea for Superman several years ago.) A recent installment of Comic Book Resources’ “Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed” tells the story of a defunct issue of The New Mutants starring a suicidal gay mutant teenager. Avid comic book fans know, this is just the tip of the iceberg, but these two examples, while different in context, both essentially denounce our heroes’ sexuality -- because an unmarried Supes or Spidey inadvertently reverts them to the bumbling dorks of yesteryear, Clark Kent in an impossible pursuit of the Big-S smitten Lois Lane, and Peter Parker blushing over his crush of the month. For Anole in The New Mutants, ignoring the consequences of his homosexuality may have saved his life, but the avoidance of the issue may have cost a gay comic fan a few more years of confusion and grief. Are either of these archetypes what we really want young men relate to?
The result of this censorship is what I experienced at the book fair: “Anything for someone wearing a shirt with Green Goblin bending over for Spider-man!” Misplaced sexuality. As long as our favorite heroes aren’t allowed to mature with their readership -- sometimes getting married, sometimes getting divorced, sometimes facing social prejudice, sometimes living happily ever after -- they’ll never be able to say more to their potential love interests than what the Golden Girls proverbially said to each other every week: “Thank you for being a friend.” I’m sure Spidey would bend over backwards, or give the shirt off his back, for something more substantial than that.
Notice the shirt I was wearing, featuring an image of a beaten Green Goblin and an amazingly enraged Spider-man. (I think this image originally appeared in the Amazing Spider-man issue following Gwen Stacy’s death, if anyone wants to confirm . . .?) I wore this shirt a few weeks later at another Los Angeles event, specifically the West Hollywood Book Fair, where I was taken by a hilarious caricature of the Golden Girls on a T-shirt at the Prism Comics booth. The WeHo Book Fair features a whole comics pavilion, where I picked up Axiom’s Fat Boy & Harvey and Mike Wellman's Mac Afro in previous years, and that featured Len Wein and Ray Bradbury this year -- so it’s the real deal, a genuine comics culture happening. But I digress . . .
So I was taken by this awesome caricature of the Golden Girls, which stands as one of my top five favorite sitcoms of all time. (That’s a list for another blog, I think.) I asked the gentlemen working the booth if they had the image on a free promotional card, and they were kind enough to give me a whole calendar full of work by artist Glen Hanson, featuring similar cartoons of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I was grateful for the offering, and still am, but what stands out from the brief exchange is their reasoning for the gift. Handing me the calendar, the guy says to me, he says, “Anything for someone wearing a shirt with Green Goblin bending over for Spider-man!” Uhm. Thanks?
If you haven’t considered the context clues, this fair is in West Hollywood. Prism Comics, boasting a Golden Girls T-shirt . . .? Yes, Prism Comics is a gay-oriented publication group. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! But to liken that visual excerpt of Spidey and the Goblin to something homosexual . . . well, that strikes me as queer, in the classical sense. Old, campy comics are often susceptible to perverted misinterpretation, right up until the mid-‘80s, thanks to VH1’s I Love the ‘80s analysis of Prince Adam’s purple pants and man-on-Beastman wrestle fests. John Lustig has made a career of it with his on-line Last Kiss. Still, when the image is on my chest, I must object to the unnecessary sexualization of my favorite superheroes, gay or straight.
This might sound immature, but comics have enough sexual inadequacy that we don’t have to project our own issues into these, well, issues. Consider Spidey’s current “One More Day” storyline, the result of an editorial decision to undo a married Spider-man and make him more empathetic to a younger audience. (Mark Waid and some other writers had a similar idea for Superman several years ago.) A recent installment of Comic Book Resources’ “Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed” tells the story of a defunct issue of The New Mutants starring a suicidal gay mutant teenager. Avid comic book fans know, this is just the tip of the iceberg, but these two examples, while different in context, both essentially denounce our heroes’ sexuality -- because an unmarried Supes or Spidey inadvertently reverts them to the bumbling dorks of yesteryear, Clark Kent in an impossible pursuit of the Big-S smitten Lois Lane, and Peter Parker blushing over his crush of the month. For Anole in The New Mutants, ignoring the consequences of his homosexuality may have saved his life, but the avoidance of the issue may have cost a gay comic fan a few more years of confusion and grief. Are either of these archetypes what we really want young men relate to?
The result of this censorship is what I experienced at the book fair: “Anything for someone wearing a shirt with Green Goblin bending over for Spider-man!” Misplaced sexuality. As long as our favorite heroes aren’t allowed to mature with their readership -- sometimes getting married, sometimes getting divorced, sometimes facing social prejudice, sometimes living happily ever after -- they’ll never be able to say more to their potential love interests than what the Golden Girls proverbially said to each other every week: “Thank you for being a friend.” I’m sure Spidey would bend over backwards, or give the shirt off his back, for something more substantial than that.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Hulk #1
Hulk #1, March 2008, Marvel Comics
writer: Jeph Loeb
penciller: Ed McGuinness
inker: Dexter Vines
colorist: Jason Keith
letterer: ComiCraft
production: Rich Ginter
assistant editor: Nathan Cosby
editor: Mark Paiccia
EIC: Joe Quesada
publisher: Dan Buckley
Blogger's note: Entry for Sunday, January 13, 2008.
Stop me if you've heard this one. How many people does it take to produce a comic book?
Ten credits. Excluding Daniel Acuna as the variant cover artist (since I couldn't didn't get his cover, breathtaking it may be), and assuming only one of ComiCraft's computer jockeys worked on this issue, ten people contributed to the product that is Hulk #1. What did Rich Ginter do by way of "production," I wonder? Is an assistant editor absolutely necessary, or is Loeb's script that difficult to check for spelling and grammatical errors? Sure, I'm being a bit facetious, but if someone can shed some light on the necessity of this mob-like creative team, I'd appreciate it!
Also, unfortunately, I found The Drowners #1 a much more enjoyable read, and it was the solo effort of one artist, Nabiel Kanan. Editors and publishers weren't credited. Also, I like the Hulk, and this issue didn't jive with anything I've known of the character . . . and I'm not even eluding to the fact that Bruce Banner seems void of his "jaded" alter ego this time around!
When World War Hulk began last summer, I made the conscious decision to buy the five issue miniseries, sans extra-title tie-ins and despite the fact that I hadn't faithfully followed the preceding Planet Hulk story arc, because I felt its "Hulk vs. the Marvel Universe" mentality would impress as comics' version of a summertime, big budget popcorn muncher. Greg Pak's poignant dialogue added an unanticipated layer of depth to the Green Scar's onslaught, though, and by the third issue, I was riveted by those moments which, in the face of a yearlong epic and multi-title crossover, timelessly captured the essence of the Hulk. For specific examples, scroll through my reviews of each issue at Geek in the City, where you'll see my culminating admiration for Pak's introspection-meets-desolation storytelling crash and burn with the Sentry's inevitable interference, after which the whole glorious idea of World War Hulk exposes itself as a reader-inducing launchpad for half a dozen other titles in 2008. Hulk #1 is one such title, and though I avoided the other "Aftersmash" issues, I felt compelled to this piece, if only to see what's become of the title character.
Yet, why I set myself up for more disappointment isn't the mystery that kicks off this new incarnation of the Hulk. Instead, Doc Samson, She-Hulk, Iron Man, and General Ross are in Russia, and Samson is investigating the Abomination's murder with The Speckled Band-like accuracy (any Sherlock Holmes fans out there?) at the hands of the Hulk. Well, his hands started it, but a large, presumably S.H.I.E.L.D.-issued gun ended it. Yes, the Hulk pulled a big gun, which I unfortunately saw coming thanks to my reading Hannibal Tabu's The Buy Pile, in which he rightfully claims, "a gun-wielding Hulk of any stripe is dumb." When Russia's the Winter Guard shows up, Samson uncharacteristically starts the issue's obligatory slugfest, ended when a young villager mutters her only observation of the Hulk/Abomination tussle: "Red." We assume she isn't referring to her Russian roots.
Also, Rick Jones is shirtlessly wandering around the Alaskan frontier, and General Ross still hates Banner, who makes a predictable last page appearance, above this first chapter's title, "Who is the Hulk?" I think this title is an homage to Stan Lee's original script, but it also establishes a very Loeb-esque mystery -- one that might not be as simple as we think. Yes, Rick appears to be the new Hulk, but Samson's familiarity with the Abomination's murder can't just be good forensics; then again, he makes an allusion that this mystery is "all about" Thunderbolt Ross, a fleeting comment that Loeb might try to pass as a clue. Loeb is known for his emphasis on apparent minutia, or am I the only one thrown for a loop by the "oh so obvious" outcome of Batman: Dark Victory? So, yes, I'm putting in my claim that Doc Samson is the new Hulk, with General Ross as my secondary choice for logistic's sake, both of whom could've snagged a S.H.I.E.L.D. gun and have enough motivation to eradicate any sign of the Hulk's legacy on Earth. Or, after ol' Jade Jaws' world war, maybe everybody is a Hulk -- er, I mean, maybe a Skrull Hulk. See, it isn't that far-fetched, eh?
Ed McGuinness is at his usual bubbly best, though under the inks of Dexter Vines, these pages have a bit more texture befitting a rugged desert-oriented character like the Hulk. For a title that emphasizes color so much, Jason Keith seems like the right choice for the job; in fact, I couldn't help but notice his attention to the Hulk's fingernails, which pop right off the page with a texture sure to sicken anyone's girlfriend. Interestingly, in the Abomination's murder/flashback, the Hulk is still green, so I wonder what role his new red pigment will play. Will it reveal our new hero's inner psychological trauma, or is it akin to Spider-man's old black costume -- just a marketing gimmick?
Therein lies the dilemma. I'm genuinely interested in the outcome of this inaugural issue's established mystery, mainly for the sake of this character I've enjoyed since my youth, but if its resolution doesn't meet my fanboyish expectations, like World War Hulk, I'll regret making such a costly investment for it. Yes, for the loss of my valued green, I'll be seeing red . . . and I'll still be wondering why so many people are responsible.
writer: Jeph Loeb
penciller: Ed McGuinness
inker: Dexter Vines
colorist: Jason Keith
letterer: ComiCraft
production: Rich Ginter
assistant editor: Nathan Cosby
editor: Mark Paiccia
EIC: Joe Quesada
publisher: Dan Buckley
Blogger's note: Entry for Sunday, January 13, 2008.
Stop me if you've heard this one. How many people does it take to produce a comic book?
Ten credits. Excluding Daniel Acuna as the variant cover artist (since I couldn't didn't get his cover, breathtaking it may be), and assuming only one of ComiCraft's computer jockeys worked on this issue, ten people contributed to the product that is Hulk #1. What did Rich Ginter do by way of "production," I wonder? Is an assistant editor absolutely necessary, or is Loeb's script that difficult to check for spelling and grammatical errors? Sure, I'm being a bit facetious, but if someone can shed some light on the necessity of this mob-like creative team, I'd appreciate it!
Also, unfortunately, I found The Drowners #1 a much more enjoyable read, and it was the solo effort of one artist, Nabiel Kanan. Editors and publishers weren't credited. Also, I like the Hulk, and this issue didn't jive with anything I've known of the character . . . and I'm not even eluding to the fact that Bruce Banner seems void of his "jaded" alter ego this time around!
When World War Hulk began last summer, I made the conscious decision to buy the five issue miniseries, sans extra-title tie-ins and despite the fact that I hadn't faithfully followed the preceding Planet Hulk story arc, because I felt its "Hulk vs. the Marvel Universe" mentality would impress as comics' version of a summertime, big budget popcorn muncher. Greg Pak's poignant dialogue added an unanticipated layer of depth to the Green Scar's onslaught, though, and by the third issue, I was riveted by those moments which, in the face of a yearlong epic and multi-title crossover, timelessly captured the essence of the Hulk. For specific examples, scroll through my reviews of each issue at Geek in the City, where you'll see my culminating admiration for Pak's introspection-meets-desolation storytelling crash and burn with the Sentry's inevitable interference, after which the whole glorious idea of World War Hulk exposes itself as a reader-inducing launchpad for half a dozen other titles in 2008. Hulk #1 is one such title, and though I avoided the other "Aftersmash" issues, I felt compelled to this piece, if only to see what's become of the title character.
Yet, why I set myself up for more disappointment isn't the mystery that kicks off this new incarnation of the Hulk. Instead, Doc Samson, She-Hulk, Iron Man, and General Ross are in Russia, and Samson is investigating the Abomination's murder with The Speckled Band-like accuracy (any Sherlock Holmes fans out there?) at the hands of the Hulk. Well, his hands started it, but a large, presumably S.H.I.E.L.D.-issued gun ended it. Yes, the Hulk pulled a big gun, which I unfortunately saw coming thanks to my reading Hannibal Tabu's The Buy Pile, in which he rightfully claims, "a gun-wielding Hulk of any stripe is dumb." When Russia's the Winter Guard shows up, Samson uncharacteristically starts the issue's obligatory slugfest, ended when a young villager mutters her only observation of the Hulk/Abomination tussle: "Red." We assume she isn't referring to her Russian roots.
Also, Rick Jones is shirtlessly wandering around the Alaskan frontier, and General Ross still hates Banner, who makes a predictable last page appearance, above this first chapter's title, "Who is the Hulk?" I think this title is an homage to Stan Lee's original script, but it also establishes a very Loeb-esque mystery -- one that might not be as simple as we think. Yes, Rick appears to be the new Hulk, but Samson's familiarity with the Abomination's murder can't just be good forensics; then again, he makes an allusion that this mystery is "all about" Thunderbolt Ross, a fleeting comment that Loeb might try to pass as a clue. Loeb is known for his emphasis on apparent minutia, or am I the only one thrown for a loop by the "oh so obvious" outcome of Batman: Dark Victory? So, yes, I'm putting in my claim that Doc Samson is the new Hulk, with General Ross as my secondary choice for logistic's sake, both of whom could've snagged a S.H.I.E.L.D. gun and have enough motivation to eradicate any sign of the Hulk's legacy on Earth. Or, after ol' Jade Jaws' world war, maybe everybody is a Hulk -- er, I mean, maybe a Skrull Hulk. See, it isn't that far-fetched, eh?
Ed McGuinness is at his usual bubbly best, though under the inks of Dexter Vines, these pages have a bit more texture befitting a rugged desert-oriented character like the Hulk. For a title that emphasizes color so much, Jason Keith seems like the right choice for the job; in fact, I couldn't help but notice his attention to the Hulk's fingernails, which pop right off the page with a texture sure to sicken anyone's girlfriend. Interestingly, in the Abomination's murder/flashback, the Hulk is still green, so I wonder what role his new red pigment will play. Will it reveal our new hero's inner psychological trauma, or is it akin to Spider-man's old black costume -- just a marketing gimmick?
Therein lies the dilemma. I'm genuinely interested in the outcome of this inaugural issue's established mystery, mainly for the sake of this character I've enjoyed since my youth, but if its resolution doesn't meet my fanboyish expectations, like World War Hulk, I'll regret making such a costly investment for it. Yes, for the loss of my valued green, I'll be seeing red . . . and I'll still be wondering why so many people are responsible.
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