The Immortal Hulk #50 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 50, December 2021

Boasting a “giant-sized finale” which would supposedly see the titular character have all of his numerous questions fully answered by the One Below All, this whopping eighty-two-page periodical certainly contains plenty of room for Al Ewing to bring “the last issue of The Immortal Hulk” to a thoroughly satisfying conclusion. But whilst this weighty tome ends with a successfully liberated Bruce Banner confidently making his way out of the Fantastic Four’s Baxter Building, it is arguably not particularly clear just how the Gamma-based boffin’s Joe Fixit persona actually managed to achieve such a euphoric victory over the Leader behind the Green Door.

Indeed, considering that this ongoing series has apparently been heading for a fateful confrontation between the founding Avenger and Samuel Sterns’ monstrously malformed alter-ego for some considerable time, this punishingly long publication seems to be debatably lacking any pulse-pounding pugilism whatsoever; “Smashing ain’t gonna do it. He’s too big. But I figure this cr*p goes right into his giant brain -- and I figure we’re strong enough to pull it inside out.”

Fortunately though, “Of Hell And Of Death” is blessed with a much more enthralling secondary plot set way back in Ohio 1901. This seemingly unlinked tale of treachery and holier than thou murder focuses upon the Reverend Robert Sterns visiting his brother, Samuel, to purportedly witness his scientifically minded sibling’s discovery of Gamma radiation. Steeped in a positively palpable Edwardian era atmosphere, the prolonged flashback sequence is rivetingly penned and takes on an entirely darker tone once the physically intimidating preacher reveals he knows his close relative has been secretly having an affair with his wife, Beatrice [Banner].

In addition, Joe Bennett is on top form when it comes to pencilling this ongoing series’ super-sized culmination. Along with inkers Ruy Jose and Belardino Brabo, as well as colorist Paul Mounts, the Brazilian really manages to project the increasingly hostile presence of Robert Sterns during the aforementioned altercation with his wretched brother. However, it is probably the artist’s ability to sketch some of the stomach-churning atrocities spilling out of the supreme ruler of the Multiverse which will probably ‘haunt’ this comic’s Hulk-heads the longest, especially the likes of an emaciated Leader, whose mortal shell is torn from out of a gross-looking, egg-shaped brain sack.

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" #50 by Alex Ross

The Immortal Hulk #49 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 49, October 2021

Consisting of nothing more than a carousel of splash pages each accompanied by a few paragraphs of text, Al Ewing’s decision to turn Issue Forty Nine of “Immortal Hulk” into more of a children’s reading book than an actual comic doubtless perturbed a fair few of this ongoing series’ followers. Indeed, coupled with the lack-lustre storyline of the titular character simply being invited to walk through the Forever Gate by Benjamin Grimm, many readers were probably of the opinion that this penultimate instalment to the British author’s overall narrative was nothing more than a ‘filler’ edition prior to its “giant-sized” finale.

Admittedly, that isn’t to say that this publication doesn’t generate a modicum of interest with its word-heavy transcript approach, as Joe Fixit’s alter-ego encounters the increasingly dislikeable Avengers and, owing to a non-disclosed communication error, ends up once again fighting the entire roster of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. But it’s arguably difficult to get particularly excited by a single picture of the “Green Goliath” battering upon Captain America’s infamously tough shield, even when the artist is Joe Bennett; “I didn’t see who threw the first punch. Someone must have.”

In addition, whilst Ewing’s short tale does somewhat make sense as far as the Hulk seeking out the help of Reed Richards to finally confront the Leader in “the city of suffering”, just how this option becomes a possibility is never properly explained. Instead, Jackie McGee and Jen Walters simply escort the nonchalant behemoth through the night-time streets of New York City to a presumably pre-arranged rendezvous at the Baxter Building, where he encounters the likes of an extremely hostile Captain Marvel, Thor, Iron Man, Black Panther and Nova.

Likewise, the Avengers’ presence is never rationalised, and simply seems to have been unceremoniously crowbarred into the comic so as to give the writer an opportunity to include at least one pulse-pounding punch-up amidst all his prose. In fact, the Thunder God and his team-mates are quite clearly depicted as the ‘villains of the piece’ for this book, with Invisible Woman’s scathing look of absolute disgust at them when she is forced to separate the fighting forces speaking a thousand words.

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" #49 by Alex Ross

The Immortal Hulk #48 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 48, September 2021

Besides making it abundantly clear that Joe Fixit’s green-skinned alter-ego and the Harpy have just shared a highly intimate, physical moment with one another, most Hulk-heads were probably scratching their heads as to what the purpose Al Ewing’s narrative for Issue Forty-Eight of “The Immortal Hulk” actually was. For whilst the British author’s sedentary storyline includes cameos by both the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, absolutely nothing happens within the twenty-page periodical whatsoever apart from Betty Banner eventually leaving her lover by literally flying out of their bedroom window.

Indeed, for those comic book collectors who struggle to finance the combined cost of their monthly Pull List, it could easily be argued that by simply depicting the two characters conversing for almost the entirety of this publication, the GLAAD Media Award-nominee has penned the perfect instalment to save money on by giving this title a miss, and still not losing any progress when it comes to the series’ ongoing narrative; “We all don’t know. All this time and we all don’t know a damn thing. But I wanna learn. I wanna be better. I want to be a better me.”

Of course, “Hiding Places” isn’t just about the titular character communicating with his fantastically-feathered other half, as the “Gamma Madmen” behind this comic do provide some additional spotlight upon both Jennifer Walters and long-suffering reporter Jacqueline McGee. However, even then all the reader is given is panel after pedestrian-paced panel of the two characters sat upon a sofa talking about whether they’re in control of their own destinies. Such doubts may well add some extra vulnerability or interest to the cast’s personalities, but such a seemingly endless carousel of speech bubbles and word balloons debatably makes for an entirely disinteresting discourse.

Perhaps equally as uninspired by this book’s lifeless script is illustrator Joe Bennett, who despite trying to inject some dynamism into its proceedings with the occasional angry-faced Harpy, still seemingly struggles to do anything except draw Fixit, Ross, She-Hulk and Jackie looking straight towards their audience. In fact, the Brazilian penciller actually appears to be conserving his strength when it comes to his sketches, by reusing either the odd identical or slightly re-touched panel of the Hulk and Betty whenever he presumably believes he can get away with it.

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" #48 by Alex Ross

The Immortal Hulk #47 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 47, August 2021

Containing a mouth-watering confrontation between the titular character and the latest Avengers roster, Al Ewing’s screenplay for “Chaotic Terrain” surely must have impressed the vast majority of Hulk-heads when it first hit the spinner racks in June 2021. In fact, many readers probably struggled to remember another time within the Diamond Gem Award-winning series when the twenty-page periodical was so packed with such a powerfully-large cast all duking it out against one another under the misguided belief that the Green Goliath was about to destroy Manhattan.

Rather gratifyingly though, amongst all this utter chaos and breath-taking destruction are also a plethora of well-penned sub-plots, which see the British author establishing a series of highly enthralling ‘personal’ duels featuring some of the New York City-based publisher’s mightiest heroes. Foremost of these contests is arguably the continuation of hostilities involving Bruce Banner’s alter-ego and Thor Odinson, which is so cataclysmic that at one point it actually results in a bolt of lightning severing the Hulk’s right hand.

But equally as unforgettable are debatably the founding Avenger’s all-too brief encounter with Blade, who somewhat strangely seems to believe the gamma-strong powerhouse is “a stinkin’ vamp”, and T'Challa’s subsequent limb-slicing shenanigans with his maximum-charged energy daggers, which some within the comic book media have used as conclusive proof that the “Black Panther could easily beat the Hulk.” Interestingly however, not all of this magazine’s high-octane antics solely revolve around Joe Fixit’s green-hued persona either, courtesy of Ewing making both the Harpy’s skirmish with Captain Marvel, and Carl "Crusher" Creel’s clash against Captain America mouth-watering prospects too; “Heads up, Flag-man -- You and me, right now --”

In addition to its writing, Issue Forty-Seven of “Immortal Hulk” also owes much of its success to artist Joe Bennett, who manages to quite wonderfully depict the numerous combatants various emotions on their faces with consummate ease. Indeed, Jennifer Walters increasing doubts as to the validity of the Avengers authority to permanently take down the Hulk can clearly be seen in just the character’s eyes for the majority of the well-pencilled comic, and makes the She-Hulk’s change of loyalties at its jaw-dropping conclusion much more believable.

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" #47 by Alex Ross

The Immortal Hulk #46 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 46, July 2021

Absolutely packed with the titular character engaging in some bouts of pulse-pounding pugilism, whether it be Bruce Banner’s alter-ego battering Ironclad or standing toe-to-toe against the might of a certain Thunder God, Al Ewing’s script for Issue Forty Six of “Immortal Hulk” certainly seems to deliver on its ‘promise’ that “the gamma monsters are [all] coming back” to this title’s main narrative. Indeed, despite being somewhat side-lined for the vast majority of this twenty-page periodical, the British author still manages to give the likes of Doc Sasquatch, Jackie McGee, Rick Jones, Del Frye and Betty Ross-Banner some memorable ‘screen-time’; especially Harpy, whose surprise appearance at this comic’s very end must have had many a bibliophile desperately desiring to know when the book’s next instalment would hit the local spinner racks.

However, it is probably the sheer conscious viciousness of Joe Fixit’s incarnation of the green Goliath which is this publication’s most notable asset. Red eyed, and claret-veined, the Hulk facing off against the U-Foes is a marked contrast from the emaciated beast Henry Gyrich’s villainous cronies beat to death just a short while earlier, and creates one of this ongoing series’ most eye-wincing moments when he literally attempts to slowly stab into Michael Steel’s brain with his fingers; “See, that makes me curious. Are ya metal all the way through? Or is it squishy organs in a smooth, shiny shell. Let’s find out…”

Equally as enjoyable, though far less sadistic, is the Hulk’s confrontation with Thor Odinson at the wonderfully named Wein’s public bar in Manhattan. The Asgardian’s cowardly assault upon an unsuspecting jade behemoth suggests just how desperate the Thunder God is to “break” his opponent “like the beast you are” before the gamma-irradiated power-house is able to summon his full formidable strength, and similarly shows just how anxious the rest of the Avengers are to avoid a cataclysmic catastrophe such as the one they deliberately caused in Iowa.

Helping this fight-fest bound along at an enjoyable pace, are the well-detailed panels of regular contributor Joe Bennett, whose prodigious pencilling would strongly suggest just how much fun the illustrator was having sketching both the sound defeat of the U-Foes, and the nervous apprehension of Captain America and his colourfully-costumed team-mates. In fact, one of the highlights of “You And Me Against The World” is the Brazilian’s ability to provide a satisfying ‘thud’ behind every one of the Hulk’s punches whenever he trades blows with either Ironclad or a teeth-clenched Thor.

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" #46 by Alex Ross

The Immortal Hulk #45 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 45, June 2021

Whilst “Marvel Worldwide” were undoubtedly referring to both the physical and mental condition of this comic’s titular character when their pre-publication blurb intimated that “The Hulk is at his lowest point” in this particular book, those readers unable to navigate their way through Al Ewing’s goulash of grisly ideas were probably thinking the same could be said for this particular instalment’s writing too. Sure, the British author somehow manages to cram an incredibly large cast into this twenty-page periodical’s narrative, but in doing so few individuals enjoy much ‘screen time’ and even when they do, it is debatably hard to ascertain just what is actually happening to them.

For starters, having been completely ‘crispified’ by the U-Foes, Joe Fixit and the Hulk’s emaciated psyche once again face the Leader in the bedrock of Hell. However, having apparently had the One Below All enter his flesh so as to ‘complete their circuit’ a horribly mutated Sam Sterns has suddenly been transformed into a mass of writhing, tentacled mouths which fully intend to tear his opponents to pieces; “You will be a true hulk -- A wandering carcass, wreaking destruction. Making me ever stronger. I will be your leader -- And you will follow. As my good and faithful servant.”

This head-scratching situation is made all the more bemusing, as the action unrelentingly leaps to Jackie McGee’s ‘ghostbusting’ on the plains of New Mexico, Doc Sasquatch’s discovery that his body is missing from the vaults of Shadow Base Site G, Walter Samson’s bizarre surprise appearance as a hitchhiker, and X-Ray’s continuous assault upon the Hulk’s frazzled corpse with Cosmic Radiation, before finally bringing some sort of resolution to Fixit’s precarious predicament by having the Grey Hulk’s former alias fortuitously utilise the U-Foes attack to contrivingly reenergise his physical body.

Disappointingly, even Joe Bennett’s usually first-class pencilling seems to be slightly off-key for Issue Forty-Five of “Immortal Hulk”. Indeed, it is hard not to shake the impression that some of this comic’s set-pieces featured on “the bottom layer of reality” were specifically penned by Ewing simply to provide the Brazilian artist with an excuse to go mad sketching a multitude of disconcerting mouths biting limbs asunder, rather than progressing the actual overall storyline.

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" #45 by Alex Ross

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

The Immortal Hulk #43 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 43, April 2021

Despite not containing much in the way of pulse-pounding pugilism, Al Ewing’s script for Issue Forty-Three of “Immortal Hulk” probably kept its audience somewhat entertained with its intriguing insight into just how Joe Fixit is “real good at staying alive” and Henry Gyrich’s recruitment of the U-Foes as Alpha Flight Space Station’s latest super-group. Indeed, witnessing Bruce Banner’s alternative personality working his way up from a penniless bum to a financially-stable nobody through numerous lucratively criminal means, genuinely provides a fascinating contrast as to how the Nuclear Physicist ordinarily survives on the streets whilst trying to keep a low profile.

However, that still doesn’t mean that the former “2000 A.D.” writer’s narrative actually makes much in the way of progress to this ongoing series’ overarching plot. True, the Fantastic Four wannabes’ efforts battling a Hulk-bot for their acting commander’s pleasure arguably provides this comic with some much-needed action. But even this scene is somewhat sedentary in its execution, as each member of the quartet demonstrates their own unique abilities one-on-one with the green-coloured automaton for the benefit of any bibliophile unfamiliar with Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema’s creations from the early Eighties.

In fact, with the exception of Vector’s team finally confronting Banner’s alter-ego at the very end of this twenty-page periodical, the only real step forward this book’s storyline debatably takes is Shaman, Puck and Doc Sasquatch’s visit to Los Diablos in New Mexico. Somewhat dialogue-driven and pedestrian paced, the trio's superficial exploration of Shadow Base Site G at least leads to the revelation as to what happened to the Leader’s heavily mutated body following the facility's mass evacuation a few issues back, before their discovery is infuriatingly then cut short by this book swiftly shifting its focus back upon Fixit; “This ain’t that complicated. They’re lookin’ for me -- If they ain’t found me yet, it’s only ‘cause I ain’t makin’ noise.”

Fortunately though, what this publication lacks in its penmanship it somewhat makes up for with its pencilling. Joe Bennett’s depiction of the U-Foes literally dismantling Gyrich’s robot and subsequently incapacitating his “volunteers” with Tear Gas is very well visualised, as is the Brazilian artist’s excellent illustration of an emaciated Hulk tearing into a hapless patrol vehicle of the New York Police Department.

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" #43 by Alex Ross

The Immortal Hulk #42 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 42, March 2021

Featuring both the disbandment of Gamma Flight under the blinkered leadership of Henry Peter Gyrich, and the departure of Jackie McGee from the Arizona Herald following the newspaper’s appointment of a faceless interim editor, those readers able to navigate their way through Issue Forty-Two of “Immortal Hulk” certainly couldn’t argue that the comic doesn’t make some progress in telling Al Ewing’s ongoing narrative for Bruce Banner’s alter-ego. But the fact that the titular character doesn’t even appear within the entirety of the twenty-page periodical probably made quite a few Hulk-heads think that way just the same.

Indeed, just what the point of the British author’s sedentary script is for “A Game Of Consequences” isn’t particularly clear, unless of course the former “2000 A.D.” writer was simply desperate to pad out an entire publication with disinteresting conversational pieces in preparation for the return of the U-Foes as agents of the American government; “The Hulk is the most dangerous gamma creature to exist - - and Gamma Flight just walked out on their responsibility to catch him. But who needs them? Am I right, Doctor Utrecht?”

Admittedly, the book does still manage some moments of tension, such as when Doc Sasquatch threatens to lethally cut through one of Alpha Flight Space Station’s windows following his new commander’s threat that he’d “drain the gamma out of you” and “maybe take your pelt” to make a rug out of it, if Leonard didn’t remember the location of Shadow Base Site G pronto. But such well-penned scenes are regrettably few, and easily get lost amidst all of the dreary, dialogue-heavy deliberations which this comic’s formidably-sized cast spout on about throughout the rest of the book.

Debatably this magazine’s greatest weakness though must surely lie in editor Will Moss’ decision to utilise a quartet of different artists with which to sketch its interior layouts. All four illustrators, especially regular Joe Bennett, would seem perfectly capable to pencil a prodigious-looking panel or two. Yet because their sequences are scattered across the entire comic somewhat piecemeal, the audience is disconcertingly forced to momentarily readjust their eye for every other page.

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" #42 by Alex Ross

The Immortal Hulk #41 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 41, February 2021

Promising that artist Joe Bennett would be pencilling a stonkingly good rematch against the titular character’s long-time rival, Benjamin Grimm, Al Ewing’s script for Issue Forty One of “Immortal Hulk” must have proved something of a disappointment to the majority of its readers with its predominantly sedentary storyline. True, Bruce Banner’s alter-ego does manage to swap a few punches with the Fantastic Four’s strongest member, but the jade giant’s “puny” physical condition makes this confrontation so absurdly one-sided that it arguably comes as something of a relief when the duo set aside their differences and tuck into a hot meal at a local diner; “Big beef dog and all the extras. Made with my own rocky hands.”

In addition, the usually kind-hearted Thing is disappointingly penned as being a bit of a dislikeable bully in “The Man Downstairs”, who having quickly realised that something is badly amiss with his opponent’s famous formidable super-strength, appears to take great delight in laying down a significant smackdown upon his surprisingly fragile foe. Such a disconcertingly dark version of “Aunt Petunia's favourite nephew” is explained away by the British writer as being payback for when the Hulk “beat me into a coma on my honeymoon”. However, it is still debatably difficult to reconcile a deeply religious hero who had his Bar Mitzvah “thirteen years since the Cosmic Rays” with this comic’s incarnation who seemingly revels in the stark terror of a clearly surrendering adversary.

Sadly, the former “2000 A.D.” author’s narrative also seems to rely far too heavily upon a few illogical plot points to push this twenty-page periodical along. For starters, having established in this ongoing book’s previous instalment that in order to change back into his human guise Joe Fixit’s persona has to literally tear himself out from inside the Hulk’s body, Ewing suddenly reverts back to the green Goliath’s old transformation process simply so he can pen for the Thing to punch an utterly defenceless ‘Bruce Banner’. This inconsistency is then followed up by the authorities, who have been desperate to incarcerate the founding Avenger since the Iowa massacre, impotently standing outside a cordoned-off funfair, whilst Mister Fantastic allows his team-mate to enjoy a cold beer with their ‘detainee’ and ultimately let the man go scot-free.

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" #41 by Alex Ross

The Immortal Hulk #40 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 40, January 2021

It is arguably quite apparent with Al Ewing’s narrative for this twenty-page periodical that “the new Sasquatch was an idea that came to me quite suddenly” rather than being part of some long-term plan by the former “2000 A.D.” writer. For whilst Leonard Samson’s ‘off-screen’ transformation into Doc Sasquatch undoubtedly provided this comic’s Hulk-Heads with a startling revelation when the green furry beast suddenly makes an appearance in front of his astonished Gamma Flight team-mates, the character’s presence within “So Here’s The Thing” debatably makes an already somewhat uneven piece of penmanship even more choppy.

Indeed, considering that much of this comic’s story seems to simply involve setting up the pieces for another confrontation between Bruce Banner’s alter-ego and the Fantastic Four’s muscle, Benjamin Grimm, the abrupt arrival of Walter Langkowski’s replacement may well have struck some readers as simply being ‘shoe-horned’ into Issue Forty of “Immortal Hulk” simply to ensure Joe Bennett had enough material with which to pad out the publication with his pencilling; “The best thing we can do is plot his trajectory -- See where he’s going -- And have someone waiting when he splashes down.”

Naturally, that isn’t to say that Ewing’s script lacks for action, as the Hulk’s violent escape from the holding facility aboard the Alpha Flight Interstellar Defence and Diplomacy Initiative’s orbital space station attests. But even this somewhat disconcertingly dynamic sequence of events appears rather contrived seeing that Joe Fixit inexplicably emerges from the bloated belly of his securely incarcerated host body, and then easily ‘duffs up’ both a heavily-armed guard, as well as Acting Commander Peter Gyrich, with little more than a twist of his Terry-Thomas moustache.

Sadly, this comic’s seemingly ad hoc pacing isn’t the book’s only problem either, with Bennett’s layouts appearing rather rushed in several places, most notably those scenes involving Gamma Flight and Fixit’s extraordinary decision to blow out one of his prison’s glass windows in an effort to be ‘sucked’ back down to the Earth’s surface. Doc Sasquatch is also persistently poorly visualised, something which Ewing touched himself during an October 2020 interview with “Comic Book Resources” in which he admitted the Brazilian artist “didn’t have as much time to prepare as he has in the past.”

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" No. 40 by Alex Ross

The Immortal Hulk #39 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 39, December 2020

There’s quite clearly some sort of protracted plot lurking beneath the surface of Al Ewing’s penmanship for Issue Thirty Nine of “Immortal Hulk”, and for a significant portion of this twenty-page periodical it would seem not to be going in the Leader’s favour. In fact, for a few fleeting moments it very much appears that Samuel Sterns is about to be utterly devoured by the frenzied Devil Hulk inside Bruce Banner’s mindscape, despite the super-villain somehow managing to inhabit the psyche of Green Scar; “Ha! Beg some more, Sterns! I love it! Ain’t it great? C’mon, Snake Eyes! Take him! Kill him!”

Disconcertingly however, the green-skinned criminal mastermind eventually manages to gather his wicked wits in order to shockingly tear off his monstrous opponent’s head and accompanying spinal cord with a blood-wrenching effort. This truly gratuitous fatal fighting manoeuvre is then further emphasised by a suddenly strangely, insectoid-looking Leader, almost nonchalantly ripping the already dying creature’s gurgling heart into gory pieces with one of his multi-tentacled pincers.

Such violent savagery really could be viewed as being a tad unsettling, but seems to be the sole motivation behind this comic’s storyline as the British writer leaps from weird set-piece to set-piece simply to show members of the cast being horribly mutilated or satanically tortured. Indeed, even Brian Banner’s demise at the beginning of this book isn’t for the faint-hearted, as Sterns apparently needs to ‘physically’ suck the man’s innards out through his head so as to better digest the doctor’s “genius, violent paranoia, [and] just a hint of narcissism…”

Positively emboldened by this disturbing journey down into the very bowels of bodily mutilation is Joe Bennett’s pencilling, which seems to go to incredible lengths to show how utterly despicable the Leader has become in his vile quest to control the Hulk once and for all. Faces splitting open to reveal snaking mouths lined with a vast array of sharp teeth, anguished heads haplessly peeking out from inside the throat of their foes, and sightless eye sockets being speared by writhing brain-branches are simply the tip of the iceberg for the Brazilian artist’s spine-chilling contribution to this comic. Yet little of these layouts will arguably help the reader actually understand precisely what is going on within the narrative.

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" No. 39 by Alex Ross

The Immortal Hulk #38 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 38, December 2020

Fans of this ongoing series were probably delighted with Al Ewing’s depiction of the Leader throughout this twenty-page periodical, for whilst Samuel Sterns’ liquefaction of Shadow Base Site G’s hapless staff is truly a horrendous thing to behold, the overall “evil invasive entity” storyline undeniably lives up to the British writer’s promise of making the major villain’s involvement “fit the horror tone of the book.” Indeed, considering that Stan Lee’s co-creation has simultaneous mental control over three different characters within this tome, and clearly isn’t afraid to manipulate the likes of Rick Jones’ heavily mutated body in order to conduct an act of almost unspeakable gratuitous violence towards another, it is hard to imagine this comic’s Hulk-heads encountering a more dread-filled book on their local spinner rack.

To begin with, the former “Judge Dredd” writer does a first-rate job of penning the highly radioactive body of Delbert Frye disconcertingly stalking the dark corridors of General Reginald Fortean’s old headquarters, waiting to sizzle any scientist he might come across into a repugnant puddle of melted flesh and charred bones. Doctor McGowan’s sheer terror at the sight of the fluorescent green monstrosity is truly palpable, and doubtless many readers genuinely felt her sense of pure panic as the “genius-level genetic engineer” eerily approached her with his malformed hands outstretched towards her.

Similarly as gruesome is Jones’ fate, once an emaciated Doctor Samson has literally brained the Leader with a large piece of concrete in the Below-Place, and given Charlene an opportunity to activate the top secret military facility’s teleporter with an all-encompassing "six-foot radius.". His body’s partial translocation into two ghastly pieces of still writhing flesh is shockingly unpleasant to witness and looks like something taken straight out of a John Carpenter film from the early Eighties.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, a lot of this publication’s sense-shattering scares are also down to the excellent layouts of Joe Bennett, who seems to be able to pencil unnatural human anatomy with alarming aplomb. The Brazilian artist’s designs for Rick, Frye and Sterns are marvellously rendered throughout the comic, and only eclipsed by the sheer scaly nightmare which is the lizard-like Devil Hulk; “Hey, Big Guy. I hear you, kid. I love you. I’ll always be here for you. He’s not your Dad. Not a good Dad. A Dad can’t hurt you and be a good Dad. Just let me out, okay? Let me out and I’ll kill him.”

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" No. 38 by Alex Ross

The Immortal Hulk #37 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 37, November 2020

There’s clearly quite the pulse-pounding plot lurking beneath the surface of Al Ewing’s narrative for Issue Thirty Seven of “Immortal Hulk”, as Samuel Sterns’ convoluted revenge upon the titular character finally seems about to be fulfilled. But despite this comic’s dramatic conclusion resulting in Puck being manipulated by events into vaporising the green Goliath’s brain with a technologically-advanced energy weapon, it must have been difficult for many of this book’s Hulk-Heads to actually follow just what the Leader’s long-winded plan actually was.

For starters, it is never explained just how the “would be world conqueror” is able to use the mysterious green doors in order to repeatedly loop back into the past of gamma radiation victims such as Del Frye, and then take over their bodies in the present day. The megalomaniac has clearly developed a frightening power over the jade-coloured gateways, one which he can then seemingly use to actually stop others from being resurrected. Yet apart from cackling to Doc Samson that “that’s why controlling them is so much fun” the British writer doesn’t provide any details as to how the Leader is doing it, nor why he needs to do so when his ultimate aim was simply to have Bruce Banner’s alter-ego shot in the head.

Fortunately, despite some of this head-scratching story-telling, “The Keeper Of The Door” does provide some genuinely grim moments which must have thoroughly entertained its audience. Sterns’ horrific looking conversion into the green-glowing ‘corpse’ of Doctor Fyre’s son and subsequent murder of Leonard by forcing his flesh-melting fingers deep into the superhero’s eye sockets is chillingly told, as is Titania’s trouncing by Rick Jones when the so-called reformed villain finally starts to realise she is being manipulated; “Jones! Who are you talking to? I asked you a question, Pencil-neck -- Unnhh!”

Creative contributors Joe Bennett and colorist Paul Mounts would also appear to be at the top of their respective games for this particular twenty-page publication, with the Leader's aforementioned transformation into a radioactive glowing ghoul visually being the highlight of the comic. The Absorbing Man’s gamma-powered hurricane form is equally well pencilled, and doubtless many bibliophiles could actually hear the billowing wind as Carl Creel generates a storm which literally hurls the hapless Hulk from panel to panel.

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" No. 37 by Alex Ross

The Immortal Hulk #36 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 36, October 2020

Offering a marvellous mixture of Machiavellian manipulation and a seriously savage slugfest, Al Ewing’s penmanship for Issue Thirty-Six of “Immortal Hulk” must surely have assured many of this publication’s readers that the Leader’s presence within the ongoing series was going to generate some sense-shattering shenanigans for Bruce Banner’s alter-ego. In fact, having previously caused the jade giant to spectacularly disintegrate the hapless Mayor of Georgeville in this story-arc’s previous instalment, Sam Sterns arguably goes one better by manipulating the titular character into immediately duking it out against the increasingly cocksure Gamma Flight for the vast majority of this twenty-page periodical.

Happily however, this lengthy swapping of punches, kicks and limb-ripping disfigurements contains plenty of emotional moments alongside its bouts of pulse-pounding pugilism, with Ewing’s use of Titania as a highly annoying catalyst for much of the savage action proving remarkably successful. Mary MacPherran’s personality has always been based upon a ‘hit first, think afterwards’ principle, and in “The Thing In The Tube” the British author takes the human mutate one step further by having her assault Jackie McGee simply because the reporter realises the supposedly reformed super-villain is clearly “escalating” an already bad situation.

Likewise, the former “2000 A.D.” writer does a similar job with poor Puck, who seems a far cry from the popular acrobatic hero depicted in John Byrne’s days on “Alpha Flight”. Without even pausing for a moment to contemplate just how the green goliath suddenly gained the power to cause a violent gamma explosion, Eugene Judd leads a vicious surprise attack against the hapless Hulk, mercilessly gunning down his former “team-up” friend despite Banner making it clear he wants no part of a confrontation; “Little Man? No… H-Hulk… Hulk not want this… Hulk not want fight!”

Joe Bennett should also take a big bow for his pencilling’s part in making this comic such a ‘thrill-a-panel’ ride. The Brazilian artist’s use of body language to depict all the unbearable haughtiness and arrogance of Absorbing Man’s muscle-bound wife is absolutely top-notch, and probably made Titania’s ultimate defeat at the unfathomably strong hands of the founding Avenger garner quite a few cheers from this book’s Hulk-heads when the behemoth finally decides he’s had quite enough of being MacPherran’s punching bag.

Writer: Al Ewing, Penciler: Joe Bennett, and Inker: Ruy Jose

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

The Immortal Hulk #34 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 34, June 2020

Described by “Marvel Worldwide” as a journey through the life of Samuel Sterns “from his rebirth to his final experiment”, Al Ewing’s narrative for Issue Thirty Four of “Immortal Hulk” certainly must have given those within its audience unfamiliar with the convoluted history of The Leader something of a better understanding as to the would-be world conqueror’s background. But such a detailed exposition as to the character’s origin story and subsequent multiple defeats at the hands of Bruce Banner’s alter-ego arguably isn’t enough narrative to completely fill a twenty-page periodical, especially when the majority of the megalomaniac’s historical interactions could simply have been condensed within the confines of a double-splash page illustration.

Indeed, huge swathes of this comic’s numerous journal entries debatably provide little more detail than that which used to be found inside one of Stan Lee’s famous editorial text boxes from the Late Sixties, and resultantly just smack of the British writer desperately scrambling around for something to pen about the former janitor so as to pad out this book’s incredibly limited plot. Admittedly, the initial depiction of Sterns haplessly going about his daily routine “at the plant” hauling garbage “down to the incinerator” imbues the high-school drop-out with some quite considerable sympathy when the man is accidentally exposed to gamma isotopes and irretrievably loses the relationship he so valued with his beloved super-smart brother.

However, this appreciation as to The Leader’s intriguing sense of pain and utter loneliness ends just as soon as Ewing has the villain focus his research upon the Hulk and disappointingly turns this publication into little more than a plotted history of Steve Ditko’s co-creation, with a few extra elements from Al’s own run on this current title, most notably the Green Door, being thrown into the mix for good measure; “I was taking notes. Doctor Banner -- May I call you Brian? I’m a huge fan. Apologies for not stepping in -- But I needed the data. And you were very close. I think all you need for the next attempt is proper leadership. Take my hand.”

Competently providing “The Apotheosis Of Samuel Sterns” with enough pictures to complete the comic is “guest penciller” Butch Guice. The Chattanooga-born artist’s style is a little rough-looking in some sequences, most notably towards the book’s end, where perhaps it could be uncharitably criticised as being rather rushed. Yet some of the splash pages, presumably designed to help this comic’s writer create just enough publishable material for an ongoing monthly, is excellent, most notably poor Sterns “million-to-one freak accident.”

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" No. 34 by Alex Ross

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

The Immortal Hulk #32 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 32, May 2020

Firmly fixated upon the frighteningly formidable mind-control powers of Xemnu, rather than debatably progressing this ongoing series’ overall narrative, Al Ewing was probably right to publically verbalise his gratefulness to “those… who are picking up the book and reading things they don’t agree with.” For whilst “Hulk Is Hulk” contains some minor plot points, such as Charlene McGowan’s apparent ability to reject the intergalactic criminal’s false memories, courtesy of the doctor having “spent a lot of time working out what was me and what wasn’t”, the vast majority of this twenty-page periodical simply consists of a carousel of non-stop dialogues and discourses which arguably do little more than reaffirm the white-furred alien’s success at “posing as a television character.”

Perhaps therefore this comic’s one redeeming feature is its all-too brief ‘look-in’ upon the dastardly doings of Roxxon Energy Corp’s CEO, Dario Agger, whose willingness to sacrifice his loyal killer Travers, so as to sate the appetite of his extra-terrestrial business partner, is as chillingly quick a decision as the hired gun’s death appears excruciatingly painful. Indeed, the relationship between the Minotaur and the “would-be world conqueror” is arguably perfectly penned, with Xemnu’s carnivorous need to consume human flesh there and then being all too readily accepted by the mentally unstable Greek mutate as simply some sort of business transaction; “Sorry Travers…I’ve only got access to the one Hulk. Supply and demand. Old friend. Supply and demand.”

Equally as insane, though debatably far less successfully delivered, is the British writer’s depiction of Bruce Banner and his internal struggle to contain the scientist’s ever-angry Devil Hulk persona. It is quite clear that the nuclear physicist is unwell when he seemingly threatens Rick Jones for simply calling him by his middle name and not Robert, having been found by Captain Mar-Vell’s old side-kick damaging a glass window in one of Shadow Base Site G’s bathrooms. Yet the Eisner Award-nominee later returns to the self-same scene supposedly just to reinforce the message that “Banner smash.”

Joe Bennett is also a little off his stride with some of this comic’s pencilling. True, the Brazilian artist does a grand job of drawing the wide-eyed, almost slack-jawed, gamma expert initially, and his illustration of Xemnu’s cybernetic stomach slicers is disturbingly detailed. But many of his faces, most notably those of Doc Samson and, towards the end of the book, Banner himself, are disconcertingly inconsistent, with several appearing to have been hurriedly sketched simply to help pad out the word-heavy panels.

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" No. 32 by Alex Ross

The Immortal Hulk #31 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 31, April 2020

Brilliantly bookending Issue Thirty One of “The Immortal Hulk” with a fascinating insight into the distinctly dark origins of Charlene McGowan, Al Ewing probably still managed to dishearten a fair few of this comic's 49,545 readers on account of him having to significantly cut down his coverage of the titular character’s highly-anticipated confrontation with the extra-terrestrial Xemnu as a result. Indeed, considering the build-up to Bruce Banner’s alter-ego matching brawn with the cybernetic alien, this publication’s eight-page long ‘fight footage' is frustratingly brief, especially when their frightful fracas is cut-short without a clear victor by the “science woman” translocating the green Goliath back to U.S. Hulk Operations within the blink of an eye.

Admittedly, this momentary displeasure bodes well for a rematch in a future edition of the ongoing series, and quite wonderfully plays into Dario Agger’s fiendish plans to portray “Xemnu from the Magic Planet” as a victim to the American media. But it is arguably such a pity that the pugilism couldn’t have continued for at least a sheet or two more so as to cover the arrival of Crusher Creel and his eagerness to test out his ability to absorb the engines of Gamma Flight's high-tech flying ship; “Ha. Know what I like best about these powers of mine? I got ‘em off a Trickster God. So it ain’t like there’s rules, exactly.”

Mercifully, the aforementioned flashback to Doctor McGowan’s time working for the Kingpin at a Mutant Growth Hormone (MGH) laboratory is thoroughly enthralling, and doubtless helped a lot of Hulk-Heads better understand the scientist’s desperate desire to once again work ‘legitimately’ when offered the opportunity by General Reginald Fortean. In addition, despite the fact she is clearly medically abusing “our source for mutant DNA”, Glowboy, the woman still manages to imbue her criminal actions with an aura of kindness, worrying that the young mutant “always looked tired.”

Regrettably however, Charlene’s scenes do somewhat disappoint when it comes to their artwork, with Javier Rodriguez’s pencils proving a bit too simplistic-looking when compared to the much more animated illustrations of Joe Bennett. It is abundantly clear from the pulse-pounding panels depicting Daredevil bursting through the drug centre’s sunroof that Ewing’s “old partner in crime from Royals” can produce some sense-shattering sequences. Yet somehow, the Spaniard’s sketches of McGowan debatably lack the dynamism Bennett provides the researcher with later on when she is talking down an enraged Hulk.

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" No. 31 by Alex Ross