The Immortal Hulk #17 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 17, July 2019

Trapped deep inside Shadow Base Site A with a potentially fatal gunshot wound to the stomach, and hunted by a homicidal mutant “outfitted with a cybernetic arm by the C.I.A.”, it probably must have crossed the minds of some “Hulk-Heads” that Al Ewing may well have penned himself into something of a corner concerning the fate of puny Bruce Banner. But whilst the sickly thin nuclear physicist does eventually transform into the "Immortal Hulk" at this comic’s somewhat grisly conclusion, the British writer surprisingly shows in the meantime that there is far more to his incarceration of the mild-mannered boffin than his green goliath alter-ego; especially when the mind outmanoeuvring Agent Carl Burbank actually belongs to “Joe Fixit.”

Indeed, this twenty-page periodical is absolutely packed full of well-written examples of brains outmatching brawn, with the highly dislikeable Bushwhacker persistently being bested by the likes of “radioactive ants in yer eyes”, smashed aquariums, and some impressive close combat fighting techniques; “Guess those ain’t plastic. You havin’ fun yet?” Fortunately, none of these antics are particularly unbelievable either, as the former “2000 A.D.” author makes it abundantly clear to this book’s 87,444 readers that despite his quick wits, Banner’s physical exertions are taking a hefty toll upon his increasingly injured physical form.

Similarly as successful as this publication’s ‘cat and mouse’ narrative, is Ewing’s portrayal of Burbank as a truly deranged member of General Reginald Fortean’s U.S. Hulk Operations team. The one-time catholic priest is initially clearly having the time of his life chasing down the skinny scientist “who sent me to Hell”, and simply drips barbaric sadism as he callously allows a ‘bleeding out’ Bruce to run for his life just so the assassin can “have my fun” before trying to chop his prey’s head off with a hand-chainsaw…

Joe Bennett is equally up to the task of making the seventh best-selling comic in May 2019 highly memorable too, courtesy of some fantastic pencilling. There’s a genuine manic dynamism to the artist’s depiction of an emaciated Joe Fixit desperately fighting for his life in an ill-fittingly feeble body against a hardened super-powered combat veteran. Plus the illustrator even manages to give a nod to “Incredible Hulk” predecessor Dale Keown, by placing the Canadian’s surname on the pencil Banner uses to hack into the installation’s computer system.

First published on the "Dawn of Comics" website.'

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" No. 17 by Alex Ross