Totally Awesome Hulk #12

   As Marvel continues to go through its "all your favorite heroes are now completely different" phase (perhaps someday someone will explain why this was a good idea), one of the better efforts along those lines can be found in the pages of The Totally Awesome Hulk.

   That's because the new, young Hulk is already a terrific character - Amadeus Cho, a teen genius - and the writer who created him, Greg Pak, is guiding his new adventures.

   I'm happy to report that, so far, his stories have been a lot of fun.

   And that's no easy task, considering that the Civil War II mini-series has thrown a shadow over the proceedings.

   The deadly events in that series have left Cho upset and looking for a confrontation with Hawkeye, who's at the heart of one of those deadly moments.

   First the Hulk has to deal with a foe who may be unbeatable - and victory may come with a much higher price than Cho expected.

   Nice to see the Black Panther making an appearance, too - he's used to good effect (but that cover would have fit last issue better).

   The art by Mahmud Asrar is excellent, brimming with action, animation, energy and emotion.

   It looks like Cho is going to keep on being green for a while, so here's hoping we can get past the "event books" and focus more on the fun.

Grade: B+

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