The Immortal Hulk #44 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 44, May 2021

Apparently penned as “a gruesomely pleasant escape for all” his Hulk-Heads, Al Ewing’s narrative for “To Rule In Hell” certainly shouldn’t have disappointed the vast majority of its readers. In fact, the grisliness of this publication’s bouts of pugilism actually gets increasingly graphic in nature the further into the twenty-page periodical its audience progresses, and disconcertingly concludes with the titular character being burnt to little more than a lifeless husk; “No, you were right -- We’ve had our turn. And we don’t have all night. Let James have the kill… There. That’s that. Anyone else feel like getting barbecue?”

Happily however, this relentless assault upon the senses makes for a compelling read as the U-Foes systematically break down an emaciated Hulk’s remaining strength one-by-one, and show just how deadly a quartet Henry Peter Gyrich’s goon squad can actually be when given half a chance. Of course, not everything goes the former super-villains’ way, as Ironclad discovers whilst attempting to mercilessly pound the green-skinned “bag of bones” into the pavement. But this momentary ‘fight-back’ debatably makes the team’s emphatic victory over Bruce Banner’s alter-ego all the more convincing.

Equally as well written is Ewing’s fascinating depiction of Leonard Samson struggling to keep his gamma-fuelled Sasquatch bloodlust in check when faced with the truly terrifying, physically-merged gestalt of Rick Jones and Delbert Frye. The sheer anger the Doctor has for the tragically-disfigured creature before him is truly palpable, and so it comes as no surprise when the formidably savage hairball launches a devastating clawed attack upon what eventually turns out to be an entirely helpless amalgamation of flesh.

Undeniably this book’s greatest contribution though has to be the pencilling of Joe Bennett, who seems to go to astonishing lengths in order to sketch every sinew and skin cell visible on the Hulk’s increasingly marred body. The Brazilian does an absolutely stand out job in drawing the murderous rage indelibly etched in Doc Sasquatch’s glaring eyes. Yet these incredible illustrations debatably pale in comparison to the artwork on show when the likes of X-Ray and Vector literally strip their pain-wracked opponent of his flesh, muscle and eventually, bone.

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" #44 by Alex Ross