Hulk #1 and Hulk #2
Michael Hax
theymight@hotmail.com
February 22nd, 2008.
In case you aren't a big comic book nerd like I am, you should be aware that Marvel's resident rageaholic has gone red! After the events of 2007's "World War Hulk" things have changed very much for the Green Goliath...
Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness are the writer and penciler for both issues. Issue number one was released with a March 2008 cover date. Issue number 2 has an April cover date.
The new series opens in a decimated Russian village. The first scene begins with Doc Samson and Jennifer Walters (better known as She-Hulk) investigating the murder scene of the Hulk's deadly foe known as the Abomination. Also helping with the investigation are S.H.I.E.L.D. director Tony Stark (a.k.a. Iron Man), General Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross, and S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Commander Maria Hill.
Hulk is the prime suspect for the death of Abomination. Two bizarre things are found at the scene. The first thing is that at the end of the battle and after Abomination was defeated, the Hulk used a gun to finish him off. Also, found at the scene is residual gamma radiation from Hulk's "size 20 footprints". Enough radiation to scorch the earth, leaving glass in those footprints.
Commander Hill confesses that S.H.I.E.L.D. has a gun big enough to fit the Hulk's hand. Tony Stark orders an inventory check to see if Hulk indeed stole a gun from under the agency's eye.
Before Samson and the others can exhume Abomination's remains for further investigation, the Winter Guard , a Russian superteam, arrives and refuses to allow the Americans to remove Emil Blonsky's (Abomination's civillain name) remains. Samson starts a fight with the Winter Guard which ends only after General Ross finds a survivor in the rubble of the village. The survivor is a small girl who can only repeat the word "red".
The scene changes and we see Rick Jones in ragged clothes on top of a snow covered cliff. A fre rages beneath him. Rick is unsure of what he's done.
The final scene follows Doc Samson and General Ross entering a restircited gamma base to see Doctor Bruce Banner for help.
The second issue begins on the new S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier. Commander Hill confrims that the gun used to kill Abomination was taken from the helicarrier's armory. Iron Man and She-Hulk discuss the next step. Before any action can be taken, the Hulk bursts in and begins attacking She-Hulk. Stark orders a lockdown and is also stunned that Hulk's skin is no longer green but red.
Damage reports come in saying that the inruder has gotten into the power system.
She-Hulk is very badly beaten in her fight with the Hulk. Iron Man orders S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to protect General Ross and Doc Samason, but Hulk attacks first. Ross is hurt and Samson ends up missing. Very shortly after checking on Ross' condition, Iron Man himself is attacked by the Hulk
The Hulk and Iron Man battle on the flight deck of the helicarrier. After being crused with a Jet fighter, the red Hulk leaves. Iron Man, falling through air in his temporaily shutdown armor enacts the "Iron Man protocol". Soon Tony is assited by all his other suits of armor. It doesn't help. Hulk's earlier rampage through the engine room ruins the stabilization of the Helicarrier. She-Hulk revives and tells Iron Man that all of SHIELD's files on the Hulk were wiped out by a "sophisticated virus". Iron Man and all of his automated suits try to save the helicarrier from crashing. It's no use and eight billion dollars of government money gets destroyed.
The final scene show Rick Jones walking towards the Gamma Base where Bruce Banner is being held (The same base seen at the end of the first issue). He is confronted, then attacked off panel by the Hulk. Rick then transfroms into a blue-skinned creature similar in appearance to Abomination. Calling himself A-Bomb, Rick prepares to fight the red-skinned Hulk.
This reviewer cannot wait for the third installment of this story. The first two chapters have been very interesting and while I think I know who the new Hulk is, I'm not certain yet. Jeph Loeb's writing is well paced with humorous parts sprinkled in. The artwork of Ed McGuiness is wonderful to behold. I give each issue five wedges!
This title thus far is a blast and would be a good jumping on point for those who may have been interested in picking up a new book. It's also a great place for anyone who wants to get into comic books to start too.
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