Review: The Immortal Hulk: Flatline #1

Death is so often examined in superhero comics that it can sometimes lose its resonance. But done correctly it can still carry true pathos and resonance that reminds us of the people we care about at the fragility of the human condition.

Immortal Hulk Flatline is just this type of book that brings in Noreen Noolan as Bruce Banner’s former professor and makes her such a complex interesting character in the scope of one issue that we are devastated by her loss by the issues end. The issue hints at her end early on as she comes to Bruce speaking of the inevitability of death.

Bruce realizes she’s bathed in gamma radiation and she reveals that she was part of the cleanup after his exposure to the gamma bomb which created The Hulk. She notes that Hulk can’t truly die but Bruce notes in turn that each transformation to the Hulk represents a death for Banner. After Hulk appears to take down a bully with typical excess violence, Noolan reveals she’s also super powered and knocks the Hulk around trying to convince Bruce Banner he needs to work for a much greater cause.

Even as Noreen’s anger peaks and then dissipates her words haunt Bruce as he discovers that she is truly dying and stays with her through her final moments. His teacher’s final lesson is that Bruce and Hulk do not need to be at odds with each other and can accomplish more by lifting each other up rather than constantly tearing the other down.

Through every aspect of this issue, the art, the quiet moments and the massive action, Declan Shalvey imbues the whole with a poetic rhythm. This issue has a beat like Noolan’s heart and it hits a crescendo before finally reaching a quiet end. This issue feels like a prestige graphic novel. It’s the type of story you’ll go back to tomorrow and then again ten years from now as you remember what it means to lose a teacher, and remember that truly great teachers not only leave us with more knowledge but leave us understanding just a bit more about ourselves.

Writing: 5 of 5 stars
Art: 4.8 of 5 stars
Colors: 4.6 of 5 stars

Overall: 4.8 of 5 stars

Writing: Declan Shalvey
Art: Declan Shalvey
Colors: Declan Shalvey
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Author Profile

M.R. Jafri

M.R. Jafri was born and raised in Niagara Falls New York and now lives with his family in Detroit Michigan. He's a talkative introvert and argumentative geek. His loves include Star Wars, Star Trek, Superheroes, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Transformers, GI Joe, Films, Comics, TV Shows, Action Figures and Twizzlers.