Advance Review: Immortal Hulk: Time of the Monsters: #1

Story Wrap-up:

Al Ewing up to this point has been exploring the Hulk’s connection the One-Below-All, and the Green Door, ably assisted by co-writer Alex Paknadel. Previously it was explained that every time the Hulk died his soul would go to the nexus and come back by passing through the Green Door. The current explanation is that the Mother Goddess, Gaea (Doctor Strange Vol 2 #6 1975) took out her green eye, which created a portal. Those who pass through it are imbued with powers but are never quite the same.

I whole-heartedly approve of the pair’s approach to connecting Gaea, the Annunaki, and the Hulk. Centered around the characters Tammuz and tribal elder Adad, Time of Monsters #1 delves into some of the Mythology of Human Sacrifice and the monsters that emerged from the Green Door during the Hyborian age. There is even a hint of inclusions of the people of Atlantis pre-cataclysm.

There is a secondary story with David Banner versus the Scarecrow. I understand the intent as a return of the Hulk to the horror theme that we were promised. The problem is that there is too much exposition.

Script & Dialogue:

Game changing. This issue no doubt changes everything about the Hulk and the way his powers work. Add into that the inclusion of other cultures, and mythology. This was desperately needed. To top it off, there wasn’t any new stuff added into the Marvel Universe. Paknadel, credited for the script, utilizes the stuff that has been around for decades, and clarifies it using the dialogue in between Adad and Tammuz.

Art:

The devil is in the details. Juan Ferreyra utilizes a masterful use of bold lines to make the lighting pop and indicate motion on the characters. Even the backdrops have an amazing number of details that makes you think that the mountains and the ground might have monsters within them.

Final Thoughts:

Great read if you have been keeping up with the change in Immortal Hulk lore so far and game changing. I question the need for the secondary story because it didn’t fit the theme. Otherwise, good stuff.

Note to Comic Speculators:

Trying to pin it down presents some challenges, because there is a Tammuz in the Marvel Universe (Conan the Barbarian #30), but I cannot tell if this was meant to be the same one. First there is also an Adad (Tower of Shadows #7), though his story centers around many other cultures. Secondly, If this is the same Adad, who becomes, Baal, that would be big because In Babylonia, Varnae, Lord of Vampires. Moreover, There is some hinting in this story that the village moves onto Atlantis, and the way they were so comfortable consuming Tammuz is kind of interesting. But mixed history aside, this issue makes Tammuz as the first identified character that goes through the green door.