Totally Awesome Hulk 9Writer - Greg Pak
Artist - Mike Mundo
Co-Colorist - Marco D'Alfonso
Letterer - VC's Cory Petit
Release Date: 07.27.2016
Cover Price: $3.99
We interrupt our scheduled story for a horrendously bannered (no pun intended) Civil War II cash-in... er, tie-in.
Without spoiling what occurred in the main Civil War II series, I'll just say that some of the events have profoundly affected our protagonist Amadeus Cho.
Please be aware... after the break, Civil War II spoilers will commence... all hot and heavy-like.
We're waist-deep in the second Civil War, and among the casualties is one Bruce Banner... the former Incredible Hulk, victim of a Werthamtastic arrow to the eye by Hawkeye. This issue deals with the fallout, at least insofar is it pertains to his Totally Awesome replacement... Amadeus Cho!
In light of the situation, Marvel's apparent world police (Captain Marvel and an army of gun-toting agents) decides to check in on Ammy's emotional state... believing he might be just as dangerous as Banner himself. Captain Marvel comes across ridiculously unlikable. I said it when discussing Civil War II: X-Men, I really hope she's not supposed to be the "palatable" half of the event.
Amadeus absorbs some patronizing language from Danvers before reading her the riot act. Banner was cured... he was no longer a threat, and should not have been "taken out". Before telling Carol to hit the bricks, he gives her a smirk and asks if she thinks should could stop him, should he lose control as the Hulk.
What follows is Amadeus showing just how much in control he is while in his Hulk form... sending a bit of a message to those who may be tracking him.
The issue wraps up with Captain Marvel being told to back off because... oh great, Black Panther is here and he's wearing some (admittedly bad-ass) Hulkbuster armor. C'mon folks... aren't there any supervillains for the heroes to fight anymore?
Overall, not a bad issue... though, I will say I enjoyed it far less than previous entries. This book felt like a breath of fresh air in the stagnant hero-on-hero Marvel Universe... now, it's just like the rest. Thankfully, Amadeus appears to be taking it all in stride... which makes what would have been a horrendously bleak issue just a bit more upbeat.
The art this issue is provided by Mike Mundo, who delivers some amazing, almost watercolor style art. When I first flipped this one open, I must admit I kinda groaned. I figured this art had no place in a book like this... I'm glad to have been proven wrong. This was a very pretty book to look at! The Black Panther Hulkbuster armor was especially awesome... even if I'm not necessarily looking forward to seeing more of him in this book.
Bits and Pieces:
If you're following Civil War II, this is a must-read. A bit of a "victim of the event" here, but Pak and Mundo are able to run with it and make it work. This Amadeus Cho character officially won me over with this issue. More like this please (just with less Avengers, k?)
7.5/10
Maybe it's just me, but a lot of this issue felt like the creative team was giving a middle finger to the rest of the Marvel Universe and to the Civil War II crossover. Because that's the sense I got, I really liked it.
ReplyDeleteYa know... I can totally see that!
DeleteMarvel was giving the middle finger to Hulk Fans and readers in general. This was by far the most horrible issue I read in years. The artwork was atrocious and that is being nice.
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