Friday, May 20, 2011

Incredible Hulks v2: Fall of Hulks TPB


Ah! So here's the missing half of the Fall of the Hulks epic! Jeff Parker and Greg Pak do a great job, as expected, with the other half of the Intelligencia's plot to bring down Bruce Banner. I still haven't warmed up to Skaar, but seeing him rub elbows with so many Marvel U mainstays is keeping me interested. Not surprisingly, my favorite guest-star was Hank Pym, the scientist supreme. He does pretty well against some of the biggest bad guys in the Marvel U. Red She-Hulk makes a big impact too, taking on a weird mix of New and Mighty (and Young) Avengers. I can't help it, I like Red She-Hulk, it's great seeing that character throwing her weight around.

The book opens with the brilliant Fall of the Hulks: Gamma, a fun-filled review of the Intelligencia's history. It's pretty much a counterpart to the Illuminati series, where we see the big brains all working together through the biggest moments in Marvel history like Secret Wars and the fall of Atlantis. I particularly enjoyed seeing Egghead as a founding member who got too wrapped up in taking out his arch-foe, Hank Pym. I respect any use of the Eternals, so I had to love the idea that the Intelligencia has been robbing them (and others) of lost knowledge. And c'mon, who was shocked that Dr. Doom was not to be trusted?

The art is wonderful throughout. Paul Pelletier has always been one of my favorites, and he gets many moments to shine in this trade. The scene where MODOK callously strikes down a Wakandan elder was wonderful; there is so much regret on the faces of the other Intelligencia. They may be evil, but they don't go out of their way to kill bystanders.

Skaar is no Hulk, but he's a fine substitute in this entertaining story.

Good

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