Erik Larsen's take on the Hulk in issue #8 has been reviewed and can be found below. On another note, please let me know how you like Joe's reviews, if you would like him to review other titles, or any other feedback on his performance. You can reach me at hogun_the_grim@hotmail.com.
Hulk #8
Written by Erik Larsen Penciled by Ron Garney Inked By Sal Buscema Lettered by John Workman Colored By Steve Buccellato Edited By Tom Brevoort Editor in Chief Bob Harras Summary/Review written by: Joseph B Canganelli Summary: Hulk versus Wolverine. Wolverine pokes Hulk in the eyes with his bone claws. Hulk crushes Wolverine's bone claws. Hulk takes girl hostage. Wolverine punches Hulk in the nuts with his bone claw. Tyrannus takes control of the Hulk. Hulk demolishes small mining town, and accidentally reverts to Banner form. Wolverine captures Banner and Banner talks him in to letting him go. Review:
I read some newsgroup postings about other people's reactions to this issue, and the biggest gripe that I came across was that Hulk should have kicked Wolvie's ass. Realistically, yes, Hulk would have smashed Wolvie's head quicker than he could heal. Where is the fun in that? The challenge is to make this seem as though it was the greatest knock-down-drag-out fight in history, without killing off either of these two great characters. I think that Larsen did a wonderful job with this issue. The fight, the improved Hulk persona, and the subplot were all well handled by someone who was simply filling in for an issue.
First off, I never got into any of the X books. So, the fact that I have never read an issue where Wolverine actually used his claws to injure someone (not once, but twice), may not be noteworthy, but I certainly enjoyed it. The reason that this fight was not the lop-sided brawl that everyone seems to think it should have been is Wolverine used his brain, and leveled the playing field a bit by blinding Hulk A.S.A.P. Of course, that did really annoy Hulk, but he still behaved much more intelligently that he had in the last 7 issues.
I love that not only did Hulk not simply grunt monosyllabic words, he thought and forced Wolverine's hand by taking a hostage. This is not Byrne's retarded Hulk, this is the new and improved Larsen Hulk, a terrorist pure and simple.
Larsen left the Tyrannus subplot dangling. But this is good, and exactly what a fill-in writer should do. From what I gathered, either Tyrannus is undone as he claims, or he is again set back, and will try to control the Hulk again. Larsen brought Tyrannus into the picture so he was not forgotten, and left us wondering exactly what will become of Tyrannus. Byrne would have taken at least another seven issues to tell the same story that Larsen told in this issue, provided Byrne could have ever written anything this compelling.
I am looking forward to the Garney/Ordway run for the next 3 issues. I know that Garney can draw, I just want to see what he wants to draw.
Read the review for Hulk issue #7!
Read the review for Hulk issue #6!
Read the review for Hulk issues 1-5!
