What Al Ewing, Joe Bennet, and now Lee Garbett have done is ingest a more somber tone to the character of Hulk. It is reminiscent of the Bill Bixby Incredible Hulk television series as it is more dramatic based with the right pinch of action. Similar to that series it began utilizing an episodic story structure where each issue felt like its own standalone piece. Slowly we are beginning to see many of those loose threads tie together to form an intriguing knot. Those who have been hidden in the shadows are beginning to step forward to reveal themselves.
Your reaction to that reveal will largely impact your overall enjoyment of this issue. Some may see it as too much of a reversion back to what was the norm for Hulk stories, especially for a book that has been differentiating itself so effectively for what has become the standard. With so much story still left to tell it is difficult to say where exactly everything is going. There is plenty of room for Ewing and the team to majorly subvert the expectations they appear to be forming. It does lead to the bulk of this issue is spent providing story context. This majorly slows things down compared to what came before. Pacing has been one of this series strong suits as it picks its moments wisely rather than forcing in an unnecessary action sequence. Here it faltered slightly but a strong ending went a long way to make up a more plotting start.
What this series does showcase well are the thematic elements that have been present since the beginning. Judgment and how it ties to both the act of self-reflection and responsibility has carried through issue to issue. Hulk has been Ghost Rider esc acting upon his nature to locate those who are presenting a danger to others. His words and actions have had a more vengeful connotation to them as he seemingly has taken more enjoyment of righting some of these horrific wrongs.
Here that is expanded upon as Captain Marvel is placed into a no-win situation due to the actions of Hulk in the last few issues. Still having guilt for what occurred during Civil War II she is faced with giving up a life of a friend or confronting a past sin. There are a lot of small things this series has done so well that can be easily overlooked. One of the biggest is how strongly it has been plotted so that even side characters or guest stars have well-formed decisions to make. Also, Ewing writes a strong Carol Danvers. She is authoritative, caring, and feels like the leader you need to be in order to be on Marvel“s biggest stages. If there was a writer who could possibly get a Captain Marvel series to stick it may be him.
This issue sees Lee Garbett take over as a special guest artist. A strong editorial choice as his style and Joe Bennett flow well next to one another to the point where you may not notice a change at first. Garbett does well in his rendering of Hulk continuing with the more monstrous approach. Garbett“s finest moment comes in the last few pages where we are left with a striking image of the horror that lies ahead.
Final Thoughts:
Immortal Hulk has been one of Marvel“s best books since its debut and issue number six is no different. It shows that even when you4 story is about a giant green monster the key to success lies in the small details. While this a slower issue than the previous it does reveal some major plot elements that will majorly drive the story moving forward. For those wishing for more action that end promises your desires will be met with the next installment.Â
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Writer: Al Ewing
Guest Artist: Lee Garbett
Color Artist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
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- A fan of all things comics. Growing up on a healthy diet of 90's Batman and X-Men cartoon series ignited a love for the medium that remains strong today.
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