Incredible Hulk #716 Review - Marvel Monday

Writer: Greg Pak
Artist: Marco Lorenzana
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release Date: May 9, 2018
Cover Price: $3.99
Review by:  Dispatchdcu (Check out all of his awesome reviews!)

Welcome to the Oblivion Bar where the first round is on me and the pretzels are free! Be warned: like the pickled eggs at the bar, this issue is going to get SPOILED rotten. 

Again, I say the biggest problem with this Hulk arc is the name. That’s it. Take the name out of it and let’s call it “Rampage” or “Vengeance” or “breaking Hulk” and I think everyone would view it differently. The story really isn’t that bad and it’s a ton of fun with a ton of cameos and pretty cool art. I think Pak just labeled it wrong.
 

Cho Hulk is angry. He’s angry at everyone. He’s angry at Captain Marvel for leading to events that killed Banner, angry at the Avengers for not stepping up to handle these villains who continue to hurt Cho Hulks friends and the world. He’s even angry at his friends in the Champions for trying to put Cho Hulk in a box. He thinks he’s not only the “strongest there is” but the “smartest there is” too. So, he’s basically challenging everyone from Black Panther to Odison. Man, he’s angrier than a crocodile without a toothbrush! 

So, regular Cho uses morse code and tries to get out messages to his sister through twitches in Cho Hulk’s eye. It kind of works. The heroes shoot Cho Hulk with a gamma gun from space that’s supposed to weaken him and turn him back into regular Cho. But, it doesn’t work and it just makes him angrier. Odison takes an ax to him... but that doesn’t work either. So, we end the issue with Cho Hulk trying to put an end to Cho in his mind. 


Honestly, it’s called World War Hulk 2 so Marvel can drum up sales. I’m willing to bet it worked with issue 1 of the arc but that’s about it. The art and action were great. Just try your best to forget about the title and have fun with the read. But there is no World War and Cho Hulk is no Banner Hulk either. And with Immortal Hulk coming out with Banner, I think readers are ultimately done with Cho Hulk. He got us by in Banner's absence but I hope Pak can figure out a good story for Cho or this Hulk may very well disappear. 

Maybe that’s the direction Pak is going? Maybe that’s why he’s labeling these last two arcs Planet Hulk 2 and WW Hulk 2? Maybe it’s literally Cho’s last ride as the Hulk since we see Cho literally trapped in the car? 

If you like what you heard, love talking all types of comics, and are interested in joining a comic chat group, hit me up at dispatchdcu@gmail.com or @dispatchdcu on twitter. Catch you all later! Peace

Bits and Pieces:

Either way, I’m digging Cho Hulk and see an outlet for him with the Champions and feel he should stick around for younger readers. No one can be Banner Hulk but maybe he just needs a different niche? 

7.5/10