She-Hulk: Cosmic Collision #1

Otherwise known as She-Hulk Annual #1, which is even what the filename is for this comic on Marvel's website. Weird, it must be a sales trick or something. I wonder if more people will try a cosmic-titled one-shot than a regular annual? This comic does read better than Peter David's ongoing series though. By including the Lady Liberators AND the Guardians of the Galaxy, he shunts Jazinda off to the sidelines. I'm not a fan of She-Hulk's Skrully pal, so I am fine with her having to give up screen time for some of the fun interaction that Thundra, Valkrie, and Invisible Woman bring to the book. This issue actually felt like the She-Hulk I enjoy, with Jen and the others grabbed the Celestial The Collector to "save" them from a heroine-killer. The interaction is fun, the guest stars are great, and the story utilizes the classic and current Marvel Universe nicely. She-Hulk isn't mopey like she has been for so long in her title, she actually comes out and says she has missed being a super-hero. She makes fourth wall comments, she makes pop-culture jokes, and she mentions They Might Be Giants. THIS is the She-Hulk comic Peter David should have been writing. I hope there is some sort of plan for a Lady Liberators book, because I have NO interest in a gray-hulkette (daughter of the Hulk) as the new She-Hulk. Give S-H a decent supporting cast and tell some stories in the Marvel U where she can shine. Make her happy and a competent hero. That's the book I have to believe more people than just me wants to see. But since her solo is cancelled, I suppose this is too little too late.

Mahmud Asrar draws a nice She-Hulk. She looks good as S-H, she looks good as Jen. The new villainess looks imposing, and her manipulator is creepy. The Collector looks on-model. These are crazy concepts compared to the artists in the ongoing She-Hulk title. I'd say only Val Semeiks told a clear story. I think Asrar would have made a difference had he been brought on with David at first. The artistic misfires didn't help the title over the last year. I really like Peter David's writing, and I love She-Hulk. Unfortunately, until this issue I never really felt like I was getting what I had hoped for from the combination. And now its too late.

Good