The Incredible Hulk [2023] #20- Marvel Comics

THE INCREDIBLE HULK No. 20, February 2025

Having previously penned “Banner and Charlie’s dramatic escape from Las Vegas” in this ongoing series’ last issue, Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s narrative for “Wolves Of The Old World” certainly seems to walk a delicate tight-rope between making young Tidwell a tragically doomed supporting character whose enthusiasm for her freshly found super-powers has blinded her to their bloody cost, or a highly dislikeable brat who suddenly seems to want to break and bully everything around her. Indeed, there were probably a fair few Hulk-heads within this publication’s audience who by the end of its twenty-page plot were left hoping Jack Russell’s furry alter-ego absolutely cleans the arrogant teenager’s clock; “Oh no… A monster… Whatever will I do.? I’m just a kid, right.? Poor… helpless… little ol’… me.”

Of course, having been threatened and assaulted all her short life by those who should have actually been busy protecting her from such harm, it is pretty clear just why this “scrappy teenager” quickly becomes all that she previously despised - especially when the child can now pummel a hapless ‘pumpjack’ to pieces with her bare hands, and simultaneously garner the praise of the walking Jade Giant which she so unwisely hero-worships. But this sudden strength doesn’t debatably excuse the sheer destructive glee seen in Charlie’s eyes as she’s busy trashing the “puny oil… thing”, or her haughty reaction to Werewolf By Night’s advice by immediately going on the offensive against him.

Fortunately for those bibliophiles who struggle with Tidwell’s superciliousness, this comic also contains an intriguing secondary thread concerning Eldest’s surviving Skinwalkers reaching out to Varcolac, Father of the Wolf Lords, in an effort to take their revenge upon the Hulk. This storyline proves particularly successful, as it also depicts the founding Avenger conceitedly dismissing a lone werewolf who stands in his way, only to then find himself facing a seriously enraged spawn of Chthon who looks scarily able to carve Stan Lee’s co-creation into ruddy-coloured ribbons.

Definitely enabling Johnson to sell all these supernatural shenanigans are the layouts of Danny Earls, who absolutely nails the carousel of physical deformities taking place off-grid. Of particular note has to be the artist’s marvellous sketches showing both Russell and Charlie turning into their respective formidably-fanged wolf-forms, as well as the aforementioned Varcolac rising out of a fiery pit right in front of the incredible Hulk.

The regular cover art of "THE INCREDIBLE HULK" #20 by Nic Klein