Hulk #4

   As a comic book reader, you learn patience.

   After all, the story is doled out a month at a time, and it can often take many months to get the whole story (typically four to six months in modern day increments - often more).

   But when you're starting a new series, you should really do something to hook readers right away - and that's something the new Hulk comic has not done.

   The series actually stars Jennifer Walters, usually known as She-Hulk - but apparently, in the wake of a brutal fight with Thanos and the death of the original Hulk, she has become a different person - and her gamma side is angry and brutal.

   Or at least that's what we assume. We're four issues in, and we still haven't see her "Hulk" side.

   That's not to say it's a bad comic - it's actually an interesting character study, as we see Jennifer learning to cope with her new insecurities, and the mystery of one of her clients grows into a full-fledged horror story.

   But I think it's past time to bring the title character into the mix. Comics fans are patient, but they're not going to wait forever.

Grade: B

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Hulk #1

   It seems that the She-Hulk has come full circle.

   In her first appearance (back in 1980) she was The Savage She-Hulk, and while she wasn't as slow-witted as the Hulk (at that time), she was certainly just as angry.

   Since then, she's been through a stunning array of changes - becoming intelligent, joining the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, having several solo series, working as an Agent of SHIELD - sometimes she couldn't change form, other times she worked as a lawyer.

   In the wake of Civil War II, we find a different version of the character. She's back to being Jennifer Walters, an attorney starting her new job for a new law firm - but she's still shaken by what happened to her cousin Bruce Banner (the original Hulk), and by the terrible injuries she suffered at the hands of Thanos.

    The Hulkish cover aside, the focus here is on setting up the new series - so there's a lot of setup and not much actual Hulk content.

   Which is fine - the story by Mariko Tamaki is focusing on characters, not mayhem.

   The art by Nico Leon is very good - a nice, clean "real world" style that sets the stage nicely.

   So, it's something of a slow start - and a fresh start - for this long-running hero. So far, I like it - I'll be hanging around.

Grade: B+

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Guardians Team-Up #4

   I'm willing to concede that the idea of teaming up the two prominent green female super-heroes sounds like a fun idea.

   But Guardians Team-Up doesn't get much mileage out of the idea.

   The story is basic enough - alien bounty hunters are after Gamora, who escapes to Earth. The fight moves to New York, where a certain green-skinned attorney gets involved.

   There were a few nice moments, but there's nary a surprise to be found.

   The whole thing just feels rushed and not well thought out.

   And the final scene doesn't make much sense, in addition to being unnecessarily violent.

   There's an art to good team-up books. It needs a strong story, some humor and a smudge of continuity.

   Not much of any of that here.

Grade: C

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She-Hulk #12

   With this issue, we sadly reach the end of this seres starring the She-Hulk.

   And I'm sorry to see it go, because this has probably been the character's best run since John Byrne's version.

   In the series, writer Charles Soule has focused more on She-Hulk the crusading lawyer, while allowing plenty of room for super-hero action.

   It also gave her a much-needed supporting cast, including one of my sentimental favorites, Hellcat (Patsy Walker).

    Best of all, the stories were fast and fun, with surprising twists. This issue is a good example, as She-Hulk and her friends face an unexpected opponent who may - or may not - be a bad guy.

   The art by Javier Pulido is a bit out of the ordinary for super-hero action - but it's fresh and attractive, and I like it a lot.

   Hopefully this won't be the last attempt to bring the She-Hulk to her own series. A series about a brilliant, sexy, incredibly powerful woman who happens to be green? Surely there must be a creative team out there who can make that work.

Grade: A-

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She-Hulk #7

   OK, I’m generally a sucker for any comic that includes Giant-Man - or Ant-Man, for that matter - and this issue of She-Hulk earns bonus points because it includes both!

   The story has She-Hulk helping in the search for a scientist who has made himself tiny, and (having seen too many viewings of the movie Honey, I Shrunk the Kids), he’s lost in a backyard setting.

   And there’s an added complication - if he’s not returned to normal soon, he’ll explode (and I’m sorry, but that bit is entirely stolen from the Silver Age Atom. I’m just sayin’.)

   Since it’s his specialty, Giant-Man is brought in to help with the search - which takes a surprising turn or two and leaves the She-Hulk and her assistance, Hellcat, is big trouble (no pun intended).

   The art by Javier Pulido is very nice, incorporating a fresh style, good character designs and lots of fun with the environment.

   This series has been a bit on the odd side so far, but that’s not a bad thing. It’s unpredictable and fun, and well worth checking out.

Grade: B+

 

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She-Hulk #6

   The new She-Hulk series continues to fly a bit under the radar, but it's consistently good - funny and clever, with good characterizations and unique stories.

   The ongoing story by Charles Soule is a bit murky, but that's by design. She-Hulk has her team investigating a mysterious lawsuit that involves several heroes - but no one has any memory of it.

   Even worse, when the person who brought the lawsuit is mentioned, the people getting sued tend to go berserk - and then promptly forget all about it again.

   Throw in an attempted assassination, an attack by demons and an unexpected guest star and you have another entertaining (if somewhat confusing) issue.

   The art by Ron Wimberly is a bit uneven for some reason - the quiet, personal scenes are excellent, but the action sequences are just too chaotic - I'm not sure what's going on there.

   Still, this series is smart and fun - a rare combination in comics these days!

Grade: B+

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She-Hulk #4

   This series has happily maintained the high standards set by the first issue, as it focuses on the She-Hulk as both a sharp attorney and a rambunctious super-hero.

   It really "feels" like a sister to Mark Waid's Daredevil stories, both in tone and style. Charles Soule's story is fresh and funny with a down-to-Earth approach (though not always).

   So it seems only right that this issue includes a guest appearance by Matt Murdock.

   And she's running up against some serious challenges, as she has to decide whether to support a client who has been captured by one of Marvel's biggest bad guys.

   The art by Javier Pulido is a lot of fun, with minimal backdrops but great use of color and energy.

   Just as Daredevil has become a big hit, this series deserves the same kind of attention and praise. It's a lot of fun!

Grade: A-

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She-Hulk #2

   This is a series that continues to build slowly.

   And there's nothing wrong with that, as new characters are introduced to the life of the She-Hulk.

   Like the first issue, the focus here is mostly on the "real" life of Jessica Walters, the attorney who also happens to be a big, green powerhouse.

   Having received a large check for her work last issue, here we find her establishing a new office as an independent attorney - so she first has to hire an assistant (and this one gives new meaning to the word "quirky").

   She also spends a girl's night out with one of my personal favorites - Patsy Walker, the Hellcat.

    What starts with some drinks ends with super-heroics, though the menace is pretty low-key.

   But with a good sense of humor and a different approach to the character, this is series to watch. Kudos to writer Charles Soule and artist Javier Pulido for another strong issue.

   Thanks (perhaps) to the success of the Hawkeye comic, Marvel has put the focus on character and story, rather than forcing a cosmic cataclysm into each issue.

   Good on 'em, I say.

Grade: A-

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She-Hulk #1

   The She-Hulk is a character that just keeps hanging around (which is usually a good thing).

   That's because, when she's well written and well drawn, the character is a heck of a lot of fun.

   She's had several different incarnations - from straight-laced super-hero to savage she-beast to comical adventuress.

   So which character shows up in this series? So far, the story is focused more on Jennifer Walters the attorney (although she never changes her Hulkish appearance) than She-Hulk the superhero.

   And that's a great thing, because it's sharply written by Charles Soule. It follows Jen as she faces upheaval in her career as a lawyer, and follows her humorous attempts to help a woman who was cheated by one of the world's most powerful men.

   It has a bit of superhero action, but not much. But it's chock full of strong characters and lots of humor (though not the over-the-top, break-the-fourth-wall humor that John Byrne used so well during his run on the series).

   The art is by Javier Pulido, as it has a light-hearted, Mike Allred feel to it. It hearkens to the fun and earnest energy of the Silver Age, but it appeals to modern sensibilities.

   So it's a good start to this new series, and a fresh take on this (now) classic character. Here's hoping for more along these lines!

Grade: A-

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The Classics - The Sensational She-Hulk #1

My reaction to the news in 1989 that John Byrne would be writing and drawing a comic book starring The Sensational She-Hulk was... well, surprise.

Byrne had established himself as one of Marvel's top talents with his work on X-Men, Fantastic Four, Avengers and Alpha Flight - why would he tackle a character that had never built much of a following?

Obviously he liked the She-Hulk - he used her as a substitute for the Thing in the Fantastic Four when that character was written out of that comic (and given his own series).

I never cared much for the original version of the Savage She-Hulk - another "dumb Hulk" type character - but I liked Byrne's version. She was smart, funny and a powerhouse - so I picked up the first issue.

It was a surprising issue - in that it was very much a normal super-hero comic. It starts with She-Hulk visiting a circus to test her strength against the elephants - but of course, she doesn't realize she's visiting the Ringmaster's Circus of Crime, and she's quickly hypnotized and made part of the criminal band.

The art, of course, is terrific (Bob Wiacek provides the inks), with lots of creative layouts and imaginative action sequences on display.

But it all reads just like a normal comic - until you hit the next-to-the-last page. There she's complaining about the mystery villain behind things, and she says, "... I know how these things work! It'll be at least my third issue before I find out who it is!" She turns, looks at the reader and says, "Although you readers will probably find out on the next page..."

Yep, she totally broke the "fourth wall" (the imaginary plane that separates the character on the page from you, the reader). It wasn't unusual in comics (or stage or movies or TV, for that matter) - in fact, she does the same thing on the cover - but it had never been done inside a comic set in the Marvel Universe (aside from the occasional gag).

But it was just the beginning, as future issues not only tore down the wall, but also made great comedic use of the idea, poking fun at standard comic book practices, including cut scenes, ad pages and clothing that doesn't tear.

It was clever and very funny - and while Byrne had already established himself as an excellent writer, who knew he had a gift for comedy?

It made the comic a lot of fun to follow, and as long as he was writing and drawing it, I bought it.

The character's fortunes have been hit or miss ever since, and other creators have turned in some excellent She-Hulk stories, but no one delivered a better (or funnier) She-Hulk. At least not yet.

Grade: A-

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