REVIEW: Hulk #3

Being a huge fan of the recently wrapped Immortal Hulk run I had huge expectations for this new series and with big names like Donny Cates and Ryan Ottley, I felt justified. Boy was I right! This book not only hit the ground running with an amazing debut issue, it blew past all my expectations with this current third issue. The horror vibe that permeated Al Ewing and Joe Bennett’s Immortal Hulk seems to be alive and well here in Cates and Ottley’s entry into the world of the Green Goliath, albeit just a bit toned down.

The narrative begins with Bruce Banner on a strange alien world. The Starship Hulk has crashed thus Banner begins his search for answers. The Multiverse is a vast and mostly uncharted place as we are finding out with Banner who comes face to face with… well, Banner. The mystery deepens and Banner seems to be having a much more difficult time containing the monster that rages within him.

This issue gets down to the brass tacks of storytelling ramping up the plot progression from the previous two issues which were decidedly more action heavy. I am not one to ever complain about too much kinetic fisticuffs, especially when the sequences are rendered as lavishly as Ottley’s poetic punch-fests. However this issue propels the story at a much more deliberate pace allowing for illumination of Banner’s current terrain. However, it doesn’t come at the expense of the action. Ottley still takes center stage with some of the best action sequences of the young 2022. The battle with the gigantic Wolverine is definitely a show stealer. Ottley shows off his penchant for capturing amazingly expressive facial features particularly pained expressions. Ottley and Cates managed to bring to mind the graphic violence of Invincible or Luther Strode in a way that I can only describe as bombastic ballet. The gore factor is turned way up in this issue, but not in an offensive way, Ottley is able to maintain a stylistic visual vocabulary that keeps the reader engaged in the moment allowing the scene to play through without a jarring shock. However, Ottley isn’t finished with us yet. He and colorist Frank Martin dial up the monster making in the final pages of this issue as they illustrate the effects of the malignant gamma radiation, Ottley does some of his best horror work to date here and Martin’s almost neon color palette works to gut wrenching perfection. This is the stuff of sequential art nightmares.

Although the lion’s share of this issue is spent on setting up future plot points leaving revelations and potential twists for later issues, there is still plenty of story here. That being said the creative team still managed to give us one final reveal in the form of an incoming adversary. Overall I loved this issue, Cates plays it close to the vest while just tipping his hand enough to keep us wide-eyed and begging for more. And what’s better to do with those wide eyes than feast them on some of the best artwork from any Marvel team thus far, in Ottley and Martin. These guys are building a great new environment while also building momentum, two elements that make for great comic book storytelling. Visually this book is stunning with all the bells and whistles of a great sci-fi/horror fright fest.

SCORE:5/5

Writer- Donny Cates

Artist- Ryan Ottley

Colors- Frank Martin