Dark, Horrific, Psychodynamic and FUN AS @#$%!!!
THE IMMORTAL HULK #3
Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: Joe Bennett, Paul Hornschemeier, Leonardo Romero, Marguerite Sauvage, and Garry Brown
Inks: Ruy Jose
Cover Artist: Alex Ross
Letterer: Cory Petit and Paul Hornschemeir
Publisher: Marvel Comics
What You Need to Know:
Ewing’s creative team take Hulk’s fans back to the roots of the 60’s and 70’s, an analogy of the fascinating Dr. Jekyll/Mister Hyde aspect between Bruce Banner and his reflection. Hulk is reborn in this horror tale that begins with a crime and explores the dark and morbid nature of humans.
What You’ll Find Out:
Jackie McGee is hot on the trail of Bruce Banner and his monstrous alter ego. The investigation leads her to South Dakota and a series of interviews with witnesses to a recent Hulk sighting. Jackie has to decipher each witness’s different interpretations of both the events and the motives of the green goliath.
What Just Happened?
A police officer who responded to the incident at the old church on Mercer Avenue has a take that reflects Jack Kirby’s recipe of imagination with the style of art that describes the officer’s interpretation. A local bartender provided a different take as a bystander to the events in the church. He describes an alteration with a dirty homeless looking man who he believes was Bruce Banner / Hulk
An old woman in the church has her own interpretation of the attacker being a young James Dean and her infatuation with him. The priest tells a tale of darkness and horror. As each interpretation differ, it is clear that the Hulk intervenes in a hostage situation in the church and the person holding the hostages is both desperate and enhanced. This seems to be a combination to be leading to a bigger mystery in this arc.
Al Ewing does a great job of exploring Hulk as a perception in the minds of the witnesses. Each one interprets the creature in a manner that says more about them than Hulk himself. Hopefully, we will learn more about why the kid took hostages in the first place. What about his girlfriend needing an exorcism? What’s this Green Door to the below place?
How is the Hulk linked to this mystery? And, how different would Hulk’s interpretation of events be different from the others? Will Jackie McGee’s reporting be incomplete or will she find the full story?
The visual style differences provided a well distinguish voices from each individual character’s “point of view”. Each artist brought something unique to Immortal Hulk #3. As the first two issues heavily focused on Hulk and Bruce, this issue gave the reader a chance to breathe and enjoy the mystery of the evolving story.
The Immortal Hulk #3 left me tremendously excited and intrigued for the next issue to find out Walter Langkowski’s agenda by reaching out to Ms. McGee and how it articulates Alpha Flight to the future appearance in Marvel comics!
Rating: 9 /10
Final Thought: Bruce may have more problems than just dodging reporters soon. Will Sasquatch find Hulk? We’ll have to wait for the next issue, but until then – pick this issue up, because damn man – this is @#$%ing good!