TPB Review: Inc. Hulk: Return of the Monster

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Greetings, heroes and villians!

 

Welcome to yet another edition of TPB Review with Mr Zsasz! This time, I'll be covering this as you guys have requested. Dealing more with my personal feelings on the book than a sypnosis. This is a change of pace from my first two reviews which were both Frank Miller Daredevil stories. I'll be covering a recent book: Incredible Hulk: Return of the Monster. As always, here are the stats:

 

Reprints: Inc. Hulk #34-39

Writer: Bruce Jones

Penciller: John Romita Jr.

Inker: Tom Palmer

Editor: Axel Alsono

 

My Thoughts on the story:

Bruce Jones is trying a new direction for this title. Instead of complex science-fiction and super-hero drama, Jones' stories revolve around using Bruce's paranoia as the book's emotional center. This adds marked realism to the book, and a sense of urgancy and danger.

 

The book is the catalyst for a long-term story arc, that shows promise. At the end of it we have many questions: What orginization is hunting Banner? Why are they doing it? How can they revive the dead? Who set up Banner's involvement with Ricky Myers? Can Bruce really trust Doc Samson?

 

That being said the story has it's share of problems. The pacing is all wrong, and the book only really takes off when Banner or Samson is shown, the mercenaries are very cliched. The dialouge is hackneyed, and what isn't is just some more cliches.

 

The story itself is simple: Banner is hiding from authorities after the Hulk killed Ricky Myers, a young boy, on national TV. Meanwhile a super-secret orginization is using a bounty-hunter and a ressurected death-row inmate to hunt him and bring him in. Samson is also recruited, but he ends up helping banner instead. It all comes to a head in a small cafe where Banner is drugged but escapes as the Hulk. Samson is attacked by an unknown assailant, and a new waepon that can knock out the Hulk is unveiled, but not used.

 

All in all, a fun read, but more like the TV show than the comic book.

 

The art:

Can't really complain. the art tells the story, although Verdugo is a bit too Playboy for my taste and Slater looks downright retarded at some points. Everything else is good and serves the writing well.

 

Overall:

A decent read, but don't rush out for it unless you're a Hulk buff.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

This may sound arrogent of me, but could I get my latest review pinned since it's going to be a regular thing. So when my new one comes out, unpin this, and pin that.

[Guest starvenger]

Good review. I'm not really into Hulk, but the art team intruiges me. Tom Palmer has a tendency to make a distinct stamp on the books he inks, and in fact I'd say that he helped carry the Avengers art from about #300 to the end of the first series. JRjr's work has pretty heavy linework as it is, and I wonder if Palmer's inking adversely affected it.

[Guest pochorenella]

Good review. I'm not really into Hulk, but the art team intruiges me. Tom Palmer has a tendency to make a distinct stamp on the books he inks, and in fact I'd say that he helped carry the Avengers art from about #300 to the end of the first series. JRjr's work has pretty heavy linework as it is, and I wonder if Palmer's inking adversely affected it

 

I agree on Tom Palmer's work, he was the only good constant on those last Avenger's issues, as he always has that distinctive look on his inks, you can tell immediately that's him. But on his Hulk work (or at least #s 34-35 which are the only ones I've read) I don't think it affects too much on Romita's pencils. I'm a big fan of JRJ in any way.

 

For some Incredible Hulk goodness, try the following TPBs:

 

Ground Zero TPB: Good early work by the devil himself Todd McFarlane (hey, I like his work here and on Amazing, so sue me), an incredible brawl between grayskin and Wolverine, the Hulk's powers are explained somewhat, and an ending that left me scratching my head (but in a good way). Good work by Peter David as usual.

 

Hulk Future Imperfect: My favorite. Amazing George Perez art (I can't believe all the detail he gets), really really fun story with a history lesson, a great villian (guess who?), and a question that, at least for me, has gone unanswered as of yet: Who the hell is "the Wild Man"? (and please don't say Marc Mero).

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Good review. I'm not really into Hulk, but the art team intruiges me. Tom Palmer has a tendency to make a distinct stamp on the books he inks, and in fact I'd say that he helped carry the Avengers art from about #300 to the end of the first series. JRjr's work has pretty heavy linework as it is, and I wonder if Palmer's inking adversely affected it

 

I agree on Tom Palmer's work, he was the only good constant on those last Avenger's issues, as he always has that distinctive look on his inks, you can tell immediately that's him. But on his Hulk work (or at least #s 34-35 which are the only ones I've read) I don't think it affects too much on Romita's pencils. I'm a big fan of JRJ in any way.

 

For some Incredible Hulk goodness, try the following TPBs:

 

Ground Zero TPB: Good early work by the devil himself Todd McFarlane (hey, I like his work here and on Amazing, so sue me), an incredible brawl between grayskin and Wolverine, the Hulk's powers are explained somewhat, and an ending that left me scratching my head (but in a good way). Good work by Peter David as usual.

 

Hulk Future Imperfect: My favorite. Amazing George Perez art (I can't believe all the detail he gets), really really fun story with a history lesson, a great villian (guess who?), and a question that, at least for me, has gone unanswered as of yet: Who the hell is "the Wild Man"? (and please don't say Marc Mero).

I liked McFarlane on Amazing but when he got his won titles, the stories became very super-natrual.

 

If you want that, do Ghost Rider, this is Spider-Man.