Rating: 5/5 – An action packed and SMART Hulk book
Indestructible Hulk keeps getting better and better with each issue. Mark Waid is writing an intelligent book with a Hulk who’s either just as intelligent, or equally as dumb depending on the issue. The reason why his behavior and intelligence have been erratic is explained in this story. If you haven’t been following this series, Waid’s premise for the book is pretty simple. In exchange for a lab, equipment and resources to work on inventions and contributions that will better humanity, Banner will provide S.H.I.E.L.D. with the Hulk, to use as needed. Waid has been quoted as saying that in this new relationship with S.H.I.E.L.D., the Hulk is the cannon and when needed, S.H.I.E.L.D. points and shoots. A simple, yet effective premise to build stories from.
Issue eleven of Indestructible Hulk happens to be the the best issue yet. Because of the Age of Ultron storyline, time has been in flux and in a way, has been ripping apart. During an investigation into the why, Banner discovers that there is a group of “chronarchists” that are taking advantage of this and are attempting to put time back together in a way that benefits them, no matter the cost. It’s a big concept with some complicated ideas, but at no time does it feel confusing. Waid is able to take a usually confusing subject like time travel and make it understandable and accessible. One of the ways Waid does so is by introducing the reader to a new division of S.H.I.E.L.D. called T.I.M.E., Temporal Irregularity Management and Eradication. The Hulk works along side T.I.M.E. to try and find these chronarchists, and stop them from messing up the time-stream even further. This new division of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a nice addition to the Marvel Universe, and hopefully other writers will use it in the future.
Artist Matteo Scalera is able to take the complicated ideas in this book like rips in time and make them work visually. He has a thin and “scratchy” style to his art with a slight manga feel. His art is a pleasure to look at and I actually prefer his art to the series first and more popular artist Leinil Yu. In a particular splash page, the Hulk has to stop a seventy-five year old military plane that emerges from a rip in time. Scalera is able to make this complicated scene look simple, while making the action dynamic and energetic. Throughout the book there are examples similar to this where he has to draw different time periods or locations. He does so easily. The only thing that looks a bit off is still seeing Hulk in armor, but the why behind it makes sense.
Waid is writing a Hulk book that is both intelligent and action packed. He’s bringing big ideas to this series that’s generating all types of stories not seen in Hulk books before. This is a great jumping on point for any readers who have yet to give this series a try. It’s one of Marvel’s best books going.
Reviewed by: Shawn Hoklas – shawn@comicspectrum.com
https://comicspectrum.com/ Covering the full spectrum of comics culture
ComicSpectrum Comic Reviews 