The Immortal Hulk #35 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 35, September 2020

Bogged down in the aftermath of the Hulk’s war against the Minotaur and lacking any discernible action whatsoever, the storyline to “A Certain Amount Of Light” arguably must have proved a somewhat sedentary experience to the majority of its audience. Indeed, apart from Bruce Banner’s alter-ego inadvertently crushing a wooden roof beam during a lack-lustre press conference staged by the Georgeville Mayor, all Al Ewing’s penmanship seems to promote is just how grateful humanity apparently is that “Jade Jaws” saved them from Xemnu and his mind-altering Magic Planet show.

Of course that isn’t to say that Issue Thirty-Five of “Immortal Hulk” is entirely devoid of some interesting concepts, with the Devil Hulk’s incarnation being mentally incarcerated inside an enormous iron maiden proving to be a particularly intriguing notion. But this fascinating view of the Atomic physicist’s fragmented psyche soon debatably flounders once another version of “the big dumb ape” sets foot upon the mindscape and floods numerous panels with some wearyingly word-heavy speech balloons; “Hulk is Hulk. Hulk knowing Hulk is Hulk saved all Hulks -- even puny Banner. Puny, stupid Banner! Banner who think him not Hulk like rest! Hulk is Hulk because Hulk know Hulk is Hulk --”

Disappointingly, the former “Judge Dredd” writer’s portrayal of Bruce’s relationship with his estranged wife also debatably seems to be going around in circles within this twenty-page periodical, as the scientist once again unsuccessfully tries to speak to Betty without his spouse’s personality being confined inside the anti-heroic Harpy. If General Ross’ daughter insists on speaking to the real man she married in order to discuss their marital problems, it seems extremely unreasonable that she in return then won’t actually talk to him as the woman he loves rather than as “a creature of rage” who is covered in crimson-coloured feathers.

“On a brighter note” this comic’s artwork is at least pleasantly drawn by guest penciller Mike Hawthorne, who does a great job of imbuing Banner with plenty of pent-up anger during his aforementioned argument with an unrelenting Harpy. The physicist’s face during this scene is positively pulsing with passion, and at one stage it looks almost certain that he’ll transform into the Hulk to either fend off Betty’s cowardly attack upon him from behind with her clawed foot, or at least throw a well-deserved punch in the direction of Doc Samson for arrogantly interfering in Bruce's private conversation with Betty.

Writer: Al Ewing, Penciler: Mike Hawthorne, and Inker: Mark Morales