Bruce Banner - The Hulk Appreciation 2021

[ChrisIII]

Just read it myself. Really liked the Mike Berengetti bit in particular.


Kind of funny that we got one of the most definitive Joe Fixit storylines in this run, and he didn't even turn Grey the whole time (Unless you count the flashbacks).

[Vordan]

I think the big problem was that The One Below All was established as such an abstract being that it was hard to get a climax.

I mean, how does one fight the laws of physics?

Yeah Hulk can’t really beat him in a fist fight. Whether or not that was the right way to go in a Hulk book is obviously subjective, but it fit with the tone Ewing set. Immortal Hulk was never really a traditional Hulk book and this it didn’t end in a traditional Hulk way.

[Dinosaur Hulk]

I think the big problem was that The One Below All was established as such an abstract being that it was hard to get a climax.

I mean, how does one fight the laws of physics?

Ummmmmm did I say Hulk has to punch the literal cloud of Pure Evil?... This is stupid.

TOAA is there for a reason. It could be Hulk fighting Leader/demon army + TOAA fighting/destroying TOBA. Or, what would be even better, TOAA using Hulk as his vessel, just like TOBA did is # 24-25. Hulk could receive any other Godly power up, not necessarily from TOAA but from Metatron, become The Ultimate Hulk with all his personalities combined into one for this fight. All these solutions sound much better and more interesting than what we received in the end. "Oh it was just a test, you kinda passed. TOBA? Don't mind it, it is just a part of me, you can chill now". But that's just me. As I said- not happy with the ending at all.

[madeforTV]

Disappointed to say the least. This very long run started 10/10 for me, and despite getting weird for no real reason a few times, was mostly incredible. Sadly, there were a few whiffs at the worst possible time (as it came to a close), and the ending was, I hate to say it, lame. I mean, it's a decent story. OK, I guess, but it didn't live up to earlier set expectations that this run could possibly contribute as much to the Hulk mythos as Pak, David or Mantlo. Ultimately, pretty unforgettable despite a few cool moments. Meh. On to the next one.

[The Cool Thatguy]

Ummmmmm did I say Hulk has to punch the literal cloud of Pure Evil?... This is stupid.

TOAA is there for a reason. It could be Hulk fighting Leader/demon army + TOAA fighting/destroying TOBA. Or, what would be even better, TOAA using Hulk as his vessel, just like TOBA did is # 24-25. Hulk could receive any other Godly power up, not necessarily from TOAA but from Metatron, become The Ultimate Hulk with all his personalities combined into one for this fight. All these solutions sound much better and more interesting than what we received in the end. "Oh it was just a test, you kinda passed. TOBA? Don't mind it, it is just a part of me, you can chill now". But that's just me. As I said- not happy with the ending at all.

I don't recall saying you said that, thanks.

I simply observed that the very nature of the villain made a climax difficult. TOBA was in everything and nothing at the same time

[xcoijoi]

Loved the series more than any in memory. And Fixit, for me, was what made the biggest difference. Cool watching Joe deal with a variety of challenges, even without his strength.

The fights with Creel were fun, as well as watching the character move into Gamma Flight and evolve.

The one bit of closure that was missing - again, for me personally - was that Gyrich didn't get his butt handed to him.

The Jackie-Joe relationship at the end was inspiring, and full of promise.

[Vordan]

Disappointed to say the least. This very long run started 10/10 for me, and despite getting weird for no real reason a few times, was mostly incredible. Sadly, there were a few whiffs at the worst possible time (as it came to a close), and the ending was, I hate to say it, lame. I mean, it's a decent story. OK, I guess, but it didn't live up to earlier set expectations that this run could possibly contribute as much to the Hulk mythos as Pak, David or Mantlo. Ultimately, pretty unforgettable despite a few cool moments. Meh. On to the next one.

There’s a bunch of cool concepts I see getting carried forward: The Green Door, Gamma Hell, Devil being Bruce’s father figure, the system of alters and so forth. PAD’s run ended pretty weakly too, granted that’s was because he basically got kicked off, but they basically set Hulk back to “normal” after PAD and Pak both times. There’s the runs that shake things up and the runs that go “back to basics”.

[juan678]

[Cth]

Hrm, was that supposed to be the Godkiller armor? (who knows if Ottley had reference) Or one of those Mech suits?

I'm guessing the former.. and what's with that Monolith thing he's trying to punch? Celestial?

If I had to guess it mysteriously appears and Hulk is drawn towards it, Bruce is determined to find out the source and why it affects him/Hulk.. eventually leading to the multiverse.

[Kingkalamari]

Terrible, but we all knew it was coming. Looks like theyre not even going to entertain Immortal Hulk's events at all, we're getting a repeated "hero community doesnt know what to do with Hulk" plot beat again. Lame, and the thing that annoys me the most is when writers don't even entertain the continuity of other books, it's why Ewing's writing is so great because he respects previous stories even if theyre garbo.

[Frontier]

So everybody gets a Mech? Bruce pilots Hulk like a Mech? Tony gets an ultra-Hulkbuster? MODOK gets a Mech?

Seems like Tony also sics four Hulkbusters on Hulk.

[The Cool Thatguy]

They really should have let Hulk rest in limbo for a few months instead of jumping into a new arc already

[madeforTV]

There’s a bunch of cool concepts I see getting carried forward: The Green Door, Gamma Hell, Devil being Bruce’s father figure, the system of alters and so forth. PAD’s run ended pretty weakly too, granted that’s was because he basically got kicked off, but they basically set Hulk back to “normal” after PAD and Pak both times. There’s the runs that shake things up and the runs that go “back to basics”.

I don't disagree with any of that, necessarily. We did get some new ideas to be carried forward ... if they are. I was just hoping this would be a Planet Hulk/WWH eclipsing story arc, but it just wasn't that. What I think happened is Ewing started believing too much in his "message" and went all in -- he's not the first writer to make that mistake. Sometimes, these concepts are best dealt with abstractly because once you try and put a pin on it, you risk exposing yourself like a freshman philosophy major who gets in over his head lol. I mean, we all can't be a David Bentley Hart, and if we were, a comic book isn't the medium for that level of specificity and decisiveness. Ewing had a good thing going but then flew too close to the sun and his waxy logic melted away and we were left with a mess of feathers.

[Vordan]

Pretty much what I expected, looks loud and dumb. Curious if Cates will just ignore Immortal’s ending or if he actually will factor it in.

[Frontier]

Pretty much what I expected, looks loud and dumb. Curious if Cates will just ignore Immortal’s ending or if he actually will factor it in.

I mean...I know IH and Ewing leave a strong impression and it was an amazing run...but maybe a dumb fun Hulk run isn't the worst thing in the world?

Not to say I'm necessarily advocating for it but it might be endearing in its own right.