The Immortal Hulk #33 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 33, May 2020

Plagued by a narrative which arguably closer resembles a homemade patchwork quilt than a smooth-flowing piece of storytelling, Al Ewing’s choppy script to Issue Thirty Three of “Immortal Hulk” must have struck many of its 68,765 readers as something of mess, what with its utterly bizarre visit to the inner workings of Bruce Banner’s mind and frustratingly rushed conclusion concerning the Green Goliath’s long-running battle against the Minotaur. Indeed, the disappointment this forty-page periodical’s audience presumably felt when it becomes evident that the highly-anticipated physical fight-fest between the super-strong beastman and this comic’s titular character wouldn’t actually occur, must have had a fair few infuriated bibliophiles striking this book off of their Pull List in dismay. 

Of course, that isn’t to say that “The Thoughtful Man” doesn’t contain plenty to entertain and enthral, as even Nick Pitarra’s comically sketched mindscape sequences have their highpoints, such as Joe Fixit looking remarkably similar in appearance to “Marvel Comics” legendary writer/editor Stan Lee way back in the Seventies. But despite the publication’s formidable length, everything still feels hurried, especially when it comes to the Hulk’s impulsive assault upon the Roxxon Plaza, and Dario Agger’s grisly ‘demise’ in the belly of the very extra-terrestrial beast he had thought would help him win the day; “Our deal was satisfactory, Mr. Agger. But not satisfactory enough… You know how the sausage is made…”

Fortunately, this final third of the double-sized comic unquestionably gets things back on track with a healthy dollop of pulse-pounding pugilism and the revelation that Xemnu’s hunger was noticeably greater than the Energy Corporation's CEO ever credited him with. In fact, the sudden appearance of the alien’s converted minions, which look truly horrific as a result of his transfiguration process, is perhaps the apogee of this tome, and in many ways it’s a great pity Ewing didn’t further explore the would-be world conqueror’s treachery across a few more instalments, rather than have the cybernetically-enhanced stooges simply battered off the book within a few double-splash pages.

Equally as appealing as this eye-wateringly gruesome conclusion’s sense-shattering shenanigans, are Joe Bennett’s layouts, which genuinely show the Brazilian artist at his most macabre. Whether it be a gigantic, three-headed Hulk tearing the entrails out of Luke Cage and cutting Doc Samson in half with Captain America’s shield, Bruce Banner literally being ripped asunder from the inside out by his ferocious alter-ego, or the Minotaur’s utter horror when he realises he’s been outfoxed by his ally and is about to be diced to death inside the white-furred monster’s stomach, this comic’s numerous panels are crammed full of imagery that will cause adolescents to have nightmares for months.

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" No. 33 by Alex Ross