The Incredible Hulk [2023] #11 - Marvel Comics

THE INCREDIBLE HULK No. 11, June 2024

There can surely be little doubt in the minds of any bibliophiles picking up this book that it’s publishing company’s solicitation strapline of Bruce Banner’s alter-ego smashing “Frozen Charlotte once and for all!” is definitely adhered to throughout Issue Eleven of “Incredible Hulk”. True, Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s script also depicts the horrific demon's origin story as she torments the hapless residents of New Orleans for literal centuries. But these chilling flashbacks are actually impressively intertwined with the founding Avenger’s ferocious fist-fight, so never last so long as to slow the bone-breaking slugfest down.

Quite possibly this twenty-page periodical’s most disturbing asset though, is how its Eisner-nominated writer repeatedly reminds the reader that the Hulk’s latest adversary genuinely feels aggrieved that she backed Lucifer Morningstar in his unsuccessful rebellion against God. The ghoul-like villain’s desperate need to hide from both angels and devils alike amongst “the straw of mortals” has clearly snapped the deluded creature’s mind, and seemingly causes her to whole-heartedly believe that trapping a youngster’s soul for all eternity within a sightless shell of bisque is somehow better than letting them lead a normal life.

So devout a conviction, no matter how monstrously misplaced, soon turns to violent indignation once Banner fails to recognise Nephele’s macabre mission as being a blessed mercy, and this resultantly should generate an even greater sense of satisfaction within this comic’s audience, when the Green Goliath goes on to give the spectre a seriously overdue fatal smackdown; “Shut up. Shut up. Stupid whatever you are. Don’t care about you. Came for the kid. And I’m taking her.”

Decidedly adding their own raw energy into all these proceedings is “guest artist” Danny Earls, whose distinctive style of sketching probably won’t be to everyone’s taste. However, for those who find his brusque bravura pleasing to the eye, there’s certainly plenty of limb-crunching punches to both captivate the mind and stimulate the imagination. Indeed, there’s a number of subtle touches to his layouts which can easily be missed, such as Frozen Charlotte’s hellfire slowly withering the right side of the Hulk towards the end of their fight, as well as the impressive attention to detail given to the tiny dolls representing a long-fallen flower girl holding a bouquet, and the facially-disfigured teenage runaway Charlie.

The regular cover art of "THE INCREDIBLE HULK" #11 by Nic Klein