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Comic Book Reviews for 11/14/12
♦ by Unknown Wednesday, 14 November 2012 Friday, 9 November 2012 Thursday, 8 November 2012 Wednesday, 7 November 2012 Wednesday, 31 October 2012 Friday, 26 October 2012 Tuesday, 23 October 2012 0 comments
This was enormous week for comics, as it ushered in four new Marvel NOW! titles -- Fantastic Four, All-New X-Men, Thor: God of Thunder and X-Men Legacy -- while also giving us the next chapter of the epic Batman story Death of the Family. Not to mention, the first issue of the last Locke & Key mini-series hit, along with a bunch of hot Image Comics titles -- including the much-beloved Saga.
A little housekeeping before you go forth and ponder our scores: there will be no review round-up next week, due to the Thanksgiving holiday and our bellies being full of turkey and other such deliciousness. There are some big titles releasing next week though, so we'll have a sprinkling of single issue reviews.
DC COMICS
Written by Gail Simone | Art by Ed Benes & Daniel Sampere
"The Joker’s return to Gotham City means a lot for the Bat-family, but Batgirl takes the cake. When the Joker paralyzed her in the classic tale The Killing Joke, her life changed forever. With the New 52, Gail Simone has given Batgirl her legs back, but the emotional scarring of the incident has always shown through. Now, all of that pain and fear comes to a head as Batgirl must confront the Joker once again, and the results might surprise you." -Joshua
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
8.5
Written by Scott Snyder | Art by Greg Capullo
"The Joker made his presence well known with a theatrical slaughtering at the Gotham City Police Department in issue #13, but now he’s out to show the entire Bat-family that he’s back and he’s gunning for them. Batman #14 is another chilling installment of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Death of the Family story arc, and one that builds on its predecessor by amping up the tension to even greater heights. There are sprinklings of great character moments here, but ultimately this issue celebrates dread and atmosphere above all else." -Joey
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
9.3
Written by Peter Tomasi | Art by Patrick Gleason & Tomas Giorello
"Yeah, so, I’ve never really been very heavy into the zombie genre. I mean, the classics are good: Night of the Living Dead, Shaun of the Dead, and 28 Days Later. After that, it’s kind of background noise for me. That’s a big reason why Batman and Robin #14 failed to grab me." -Poet
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
6.2
Written by Paul Cornell | Art by Bernard Chang
"Demon Knights #14 showcases all the stuff that makes this series so wonderful. It's funny, epic and intriguing. You'll get to last page and wish the next issue was in your hands already. The only major bummer about this issue is that it is one step closer to Paul Cornell's departure from the series, and that is some seriously depressing news." -Ben
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
9.0
Written by Bill Willingham | Art by Jim Fern & Craig Hamilton
"The first original graphic novel spinoff in the Fables franchise, 1001 Nights of Snowfall, hit the stands back in 2006. In addition to exploring many new angles in Bill Willingham's colorful universe, it served as an excellent primer for new readers. I'd even go so far as to recommend it as a better starting point than Fables Vol. 1. With that book being such a creative and commercial success, it's a bit surprising that its taken so long for a second Fables OGN to emerge. Werewolves of the Heartland is neither the accessible gateway to the franchise nor as creatively engaging as its predecessor. However, fans of Bigby Wolf's misadventures will be pleasantly entertained." -Jesse
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
7.0
Written by Matt Kindt | Art by Alberto Ponticelli
"I’m really going to miss this book when it’s gone. Issue #14 is infused with the same strong balance of emotional gravity and comedic whimsy that Matt Kindt, Alberto Ponticelli, and Jeff Lemire have cultivated since the series’ instantiation. Take a trip with Frank on this bittersweet quest to save the world." -Poet
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
8.3
Written by Peter Tomasi | Art by Fernando Pasarin
"At what point does willpower become arrogance? Peter J. Tomasi answers that question in Green Lantern Corps #14 when Guy refuses to call for a retreat during a rather gruesome fight between his Lantern team and the Third Army. The Guardians have been setting Guy Gardner up to fail in a big way, and now that their goal nears completion, Guy must deal not only with them but his own ego. While Tomasi has been not-so-gracefully planting clues to the Guardians’ shenanigans throughout his run on this series, he does manage to use them to good effect here." -Joshua
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
7.2
Written by Dan Didio | Art by Brent Anderson & Philip Tan
"I want to like The Phantom Stranger, but too often it seems as though this series goes out of its way to make me hate it instead. For all the potential it has in showcasing a new, more human version of the character, the book is more interested in cycling through an endless series of cameos than building an ongoing and engaging storyline." -Jesse
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
3.8
Written by Sean Murphy | Art by Sean Murphy
"Punk Rock Jesus is finally bringing the punk in a big way. Last issue started to let it loose, but it is in full effect here. Chris and The Flak Jackets are keen to bring punk rock's message to the world. They are heading down a path that can't end well. This issue is mainly setting up the final showdown of sorts, so it covers a lot of ground and breezes through things a bit too quickly, but it's still of the same high quality that this book has been since day one." -Ben
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
8.8
Written by Adam Glass | Art by Fernando Dagnino
"The tendency with any Batman-related crossover these days is for one writer to tell the actual story and all the other writers to be saddled with pointless, superfluous tie-ins. Death of the Family is proving to be no exception so far. Suicide Squad #14 has more direct connection to the event than the first issues of Batgirl or Catwoman did, but it still does a poor job of either adding something meaningful to Death of the Family or furthering its own plot threads." -Jesse
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
5.8
Written by Justin Jordan | Art by Ron Frenz & Julius Gopez
"I don't disagree with the assertion that Team 7 is a pointless series. It's sort of an inherently pointless exercise to showcase a team formed in the early days of the New 52 universe and comprised mainly of characters that have their own solo books set in the present day. We all know where this is leading for most of the players involved. But the most important thing is that I'm enjoying reading the adventures of characters like Black Canary, Deathstroke, and Grifter more in this series than I am in their own books. So yay for Team 7." -Jesse
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
6.8
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Uncanny X-Men Relaunch Confirmed
♦ by Unknown Wednesday, 14 November 2012 Friday, 9 November 2012 Thursday, 8 November 2012 Wednesday, 7 November 2012 Wednesday, 31 October 2012 Friday, 26 October 2012 Tuesday, 23 October 2012 0 comments
In the wake of the events of AvX: Consequences, Cyclops and his allies are going to be getting a new series of their own in the form of Marvel's latest volume of Uncanny X-Men, set to debut in February.
Written by new X-scribe Brian Bendis, who will also be handling All-New X-Men, with art by Chris Bachalo, Bendis told Marvel.com that Uncanny "came right out of our story planning for Avengers Vs. X-Men. There was a great deal of time where Marvel had asked Jason Aaron and [me] to bring all the elements of the story together. It was during this process that both of us came up with a lot of ideas for the mutants going forward. By this time I knew that I was taking over the X-Men and that allowed me freedom to take his [X-Men] characters into places I probably wouldn't have the guts to [in AvX] if it wasn't my job to clean up the mess so to speak."
The series will focus on Cyclops, Magneto, Magik, and Emma Frost attempting to recruit the new mutants that are popping up all over the globe as a result of AvX. These new mutants will play a huge role in this new series. "They are front and center. They will be interacting with our main cast. Time will show that some might become characters that people grow to love and some may interact with the Marvel Universe in surprising ways," stated the writer.
Those fearing that All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men will be necessary reading for one another, rest easy. "At least initially my goal is to do exactly what I did [with] Avengers and New Avengers. The books will connect thematically and sometimes even story-wise, but you don't have to buy both books to enjoy them. Hopefully I will make you want to buy and read both books with our stories and our characters," said Bendis. "But these books are both looking at mutants and Marvel from their unique point of view. Both of these books' points of view are, in my opinion, very legitimate and very much a concern."
In the interview, Bendis also confirmed that Scott Summers and Emma Frost are no longer a couple. "The romance is done. They are not together anymore romantically. It's pretty hard to come back from what they went through in Avengers Vs. X-Men. Things were said, powers were stolen, and as we will discover in the very first issues of Uncanny X-men, some things happen between them that cannot be taken back. And because they are Scott and Emma, this breakup is going to take a while. And it's not going to be pretty, but fun to write."
For more with Bendis on Uncanny X-Men, head over to Marvel.com.
Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator. Follow Joey on Twitter @JoeyEsposito, or find him on IGN at Joey-IGN. He thinks knows the world needs more horror comic books.
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Marvel Unveils All-Female Fearless Defenders
♦ by Unknown Wednesday, 14 November 2012 Friday, 9 November 2012 Thursday, 8 November 2012 Wednesday, 7 November 2012 Wednesday, 31 October 2012 Friday, 26 October 2012 Tuesday, 23 October 2012 0 comments
Teased in a new teaser a couple of weeks back, Marvel has unveiled its latest title, an all-female superhero series called Fearless Defenders, written by Cullen Bunn with art from Will Sliney. The series will star Valkyrie and Misty Knight as well as introduce some new female characters to the Marvel Universe. Following Fear Itself, Bunn was one of the writers that tackled the enjoyable follow-up series called Fear Itself: The Fearless which, perhaps not surprisingly, featured Valkyrie in a prominent role.
In an interview with Newsarama, Bunn said, "You've got Misty, who's a very street-level character. And you've got Valkyrie, who's a goddess. So you've got very different backgrounds, and I think they will see their potential teammates very differently, and I think you'll see that the two of them have some differences of opinion on who would be the right team for what they're going to be facing."
He added, "This will also be a book that gives us a great opportunity to showcase the women of the Marvel Universe. You'll be seeing a lot of characters in the book who may not necessarily be in the core team, but will have the opportunity to guest-star and rotate into the book."
Bunn also revealed that Dani Moonstar will be another member of this new Defenders team, though the entire team won't be present right out of the gate in issue #1. The writer also coyly dodged a question about the possible inclusion of the Wasp, who was recently brought back in the pages of The Avengers, so take that for what it's worth.
For more on the Fearless Defenders, head on over to Newsarama.
Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator. Follow Joey on Twitter @JoeyEsposito, or find him on IGN at Joey-IGN. He thinks knows the world needs more horror comic books.
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Peanuts Movie to Open Against Marvel's Ant-Man
♦ by Unknown Wednesday, 14 November 2012 Friday, 9 November 2012 Thursday, 8 November 2012 Wednesday, 7 November 2012 Wednesday, 31 October 2012 Friday, 26 October 2012 Tuesday, 23 October 2012 0 comments
Good grief, Charlie Brown! Your studio has decided to open your new movie against a Marvel film.
20th Century Fox has rescheduled its untitled new Peanuts movie from a November 25, 2015 release to November 6, 2015 debut ... which puts it head-to-head at the box office with director Edgar Wright's Ant-Man.
Peanuts takes over the slot originally slated for a different Fox release, B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations, which has been shifted to September 25, 2015 instead.
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Comic Book Reviews for 11/7/12
♦ by Unknown Wednesday, 14 November 2012 Friday, 9 November 2012 Thursday, 8 November 2012 Wednesday, 7 November 2012 Wednesday, 31 October 2012 Friday, 26 October 2012 Tuesday, 23 October 2012 0 comments
This week marks the debut of two of Marvel's biggest relaunches: Iron Man and Deadpool. One delivers the goods and one, well, isn't as successful. This week also marks the conclusion of the beloved Avengers Academy and the continuation of the epic Uncanny X-Force story arc, Final Execution.
At DC, the penultimate chapter of Vertigo's Sweet Tooth breaks hearts while new Green Lantern Simon Baz continues to impress and the epic Rotworld storyline continues throughout Animal Man and Swamp Thing.
Finally, Valiant Comics debuts its latest resounding success in Shadowman. Yes, that character from the N64 game.
DC COMICS
Written by Grant Morrison | Art by Rags Morales
"Each issue of Grant Morrison’s run on Action Comics has been a hit or miss for me, so I’m glad to report that this issue hits. Hard. Superman answers a distress call from an international terraforming team on Mars -- complete with scientists, a soldier, and a family with a child -- and must combat a threat out of his league. By playing to the character’s strength not only as someone who can physically endure more than an ordinary person, but as someone who can inspire people to be as super as he can be, Morrison delivers his purest Superman story yet." -Joshua
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
9.0
Written by Jeff Lemire | Art by Steve Pugh & Timothy Green II
"Stories like Marvel Zombies and Blackest Night sold so well because us fans just can’t get enough of watching zombified versions of comic book characters get hacked to pieces. If that’s your sort of thing then Rotworld’s apocalyptic landscape of a world all but succumbed to the Rot eagerly awaits your $2.99. Hawk and Dove, Deathstroke, Grifter -- they’re all here and more disgusting than ever. The best part? The story supporting all this gore totally rocks." -Joshua
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
8.7
Written by J. Michael Straczynski | Art by Eduardo Risso
"In hindsight, a Before Watchmen mini-series devoted to Moloch the Mystic seems like a logical choice. Alan Moore never devoted more attention than necessary to the retired supervillain in his story. But while the potential is there for J. Michael Straczynski to weave a compelling yarn as he explores Moloch's formative years, the newest addition to the Before Watchmen crop never feels like anything more than filler." -Jesse
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Final Score:
5.8
Written by John Layman | Art by Jason Fabok & Andy Clarke
"Detective Comics fills a niche right now as a Batman book that allows itself to be more free and more fun than the others. The tone of the series under new writer John Layman is not unlike Batman: The Animated Series, with its copious assortment of iconic Bat villains and a tone that isn't too dark or too comedic. It isn't ambitious or ground-breaking, but it achieves what it sets out to accomplish." -Jesse
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
7.5
Written by China Mieville | Art by David Lapham
"Having just completed his first arc on Dial H, China Mieville offers readers a bit of a breather with issue #6. This standalone story strikes a distinctly more humorous tone than those before it, despite the fact that both Nelson and Roxie are dealing with the aftermath of a big battle and two major deaths. The concept is simple enough. While Nelson is forced to wait out his transformation into the racially insensitive Chief Mighty Arrow, Roxie shows off her Refusenik Diary -- a scrapbook highlighting all the bizarre and extremely un-PC transformations her dial has granted her over the years. We don't actually see Doctor Cloaca or the Golliwog in the flesh, but as with so many of Mieville's wacky creations, the name is usually enough to get the point across." -Jesse
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
9.2
Written by James Robinson | Art by Nicola Scott
"The New 52 sure has done a number on the Golden Age superheroes. I have enjoyed bits of Earth 2 since its launch, but it has done little to truly reinvigorate these characters. And no, messing around with their costumes, origins, and sexuality does not count. Being the first generation of heroes who ushered in the heroes of today made characters like Alan Scott and Jay Garrick a special, integral part of the old DCU. In the New 52, they have zero bearing on the other 51 titles, leaving the success of their book to the quality of its storytelling, which has been okay at best." -Joshua
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
6.3
Adapted by Denise Mina | Art by Andrea Mutti and Leonardo Manco
"Denise Mina (Hellblazer, A Sickness in the Family) is right at home here, diving head first into the Swedish crime series without any reservations of losing the reader along the way. There are names tossed our way fast and furious with jarring scene transitions every few pages, but if you’re willing to go along for the ride and put the pieces together yourself, then Dragon Tattoo Book 1 is actually a pretty rewarding experience. The onslaught of information and names is enough to make your head spin, particularly when artists Leonardo Manco and Andrea Mutti don’t do much to differentiate the characters in physical appearance. However, Mina does a great job of letting the reader slowly construct the pieces of the book’s many mysteries alongside protagonists Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander." -Joey
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
7.0
Written by Geoff Johns | Art by Doug Mahnke
"I was amazed by the engrossing political thriller involving Baz and his family in Green Lantern #13, but with the Justice League showing up in this month’s issue the title steers back towards more standard superhero fare. But that’s not a bad thing. Geoff Johns often gets credit for being a writer that develops long form, character-based stories, yet the arrival of the League lets him show everyone that he’s also one of the funniest writers in the business. Just try and get past page seven without laughing your ring off." -Joshua
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
9.2
Written by Peter Milligan | Art by Will Conrad & Cliff Richards
"The loose ties between Demon Knights and Stormwatch have grown much more apparent with this current arc as Etrigan the Demon has awoken and made Stormwatch the target of his wrath. I don't know if it speaks poorly of the series as a whole to say that Etrigan's characterization is currently my favorite element. Peter Milligan writes him as supremely arrogant but also somewhat justified in feeling bitter about being imprisoned for centuries and betrayed by his old team. The fact that Etrigan's tendency to rhyme is exploited for comedy and not overplayed is also a welcome change of pace." -Jesse
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
6.2
Written by Scott Snyder | Art by Yanick Paquette
"There’s something about the Hero’s Journey that gets me going. I don’t know if it’s the repetition of the thousands of narratives that I’ve experienced or whether it’s programmed into my DNA somehow, but watching a hero put on his armor and head into adventure puts me in a good mood. In Swamp Thing #14, writer Scott Snyder expertly uses the Hero’s Journey model to push his main character out of his comfort zone and into danger in the name of love and the greater good. If you’re anything like me, you’ll finish this book craving more." -Poet
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
9.0
Written by Jeff Lemire | Art by Jeff Lemire
"If you’re looking for all the feels, they are in Sweet Tooth #39. The penultimate issue of the series and the conclusion of Wild Game, Jeff Lemire crafts a heartbreaking finale to Gus and Jepperd’s journey. I’ll avoid direct spoilers, but suffice it to say that this is the issue fans of the series have been simultaneously anticipating and fearing, and I can confirm that all of your fears/wishes come true." -Joey
Click to read the entire review!
Final Score:
9.6
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Avenging Spider-Man Annual #1 Review
♦ by Unknown Wednesday, 14 November 2012 Friday, 9 November 2012 Thursday, 8 November 2012 Wednesday, 7 November 2012 Wednesday, 31 October 2012 Friday, 26 October 2012 Tuesday, 23 October 2012 0 comments
There's been a real renaissance of fun, lighthearted superhero adventures at Marvel lately, and you can add one more book to the pile with Avenging Spider-Man Annual #1. Though little more than a slightly longer installment of the main series, it succeeds in offering another worthy team-up between the webbed wall-crawler and Yancy Street's favorite son.
Rob Williams and Brad Walker step in as the creators for this standalone adventure (though it's not as if Avenging has ever had a stable creative team). Williams kicks off the adventure with a clever idea -- what if two brothers go digging for relics of past superhuman battles in Central Park. The result is the uncovering of a device that makes everyone in Manhattan fill with rage and attack each other. I take it that's supposed to be a change from the usual status quo there.
Needless to say, the script is a fun and breezy read that offsets the slowly darkening tone of Amazing Spider-Man nicely. Williams doesn't always pace his humor well, with too many jokes and pop culture references flying about in the early pages, but in this case too much humor is probably better than not enough. The two brothers and their constant bickering provide a fun counterpoint to Peter and Ben's prickly relationship. The limited invovlement of Franklin and Valeria Richards also adds a ncie touch. Only Williams' choice of villain leaves something to be desired.
Walker's art offers an appreciable shift from his usual harsh style. Most notably, his facial work is more relaxed and expressive. Only rarely do characters suffer from "Brad Garrett face." Walker's Spidey is also highly dynamic and detailed.
If books like Wolverine and the X-Men don't completely fulfill your desire for goofy superhero antics this week, you might consider giving this annual a try.
Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.
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Avengers #1: Sneak Peek at the Script
♦ by Unknown Wednesday, 14 November 2012 Friday, 9 November 2012 Thursday, 8 November 2012 Wednesday, 7 November 2012 Wednesday, 31 October 2012 Friday, 26 October 2012 Tuesday, 23 October 2012 0 comments
Jonathan Hickman is known for meticulously plotting his stories. Fitting, then, that Marvel would be teasing his upcoming Avengers run by showing off some of his script pages for Avengers #1. Here's a snippet:
And of course, the magical transformation of words into images by artist Jerome Opena:
So what does it all mean? I have no idea. But we'll find out when Avengers #1 hits in December.
Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter @JoeyEsposito, or find him on IGN at Joey-IGN. He loves superhero pets so hard.
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Hulk: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
♦ by Unknown Wednesday, 14 November 2012 Friday, 9 November 2012 Thursday, 8 November 2012 Wednesday, 7 November 2012 Wednesday, 31 October 2012 Friday, 26 October 2012 Tuesday, 23 October 2012 0 comments
In their second Next Big Thing press call of the week, Marvel turned the spotlight on Indestructible Hulk, which landed the #2 spot in the Marvel NOW! titles that we’re most excited for. Joined by writer Mark Waid, artist Leinil Yu, and editor Jon Moisan, the call shed some light on what’s to come for Bruce Banner and his fan-favorite alter ego.
First and foremost, Waid is aiming to take Hulk in a new direction and tie him more directly into the familiar surroundings of the Marvel Universe. “I’m trying to take [him] on the most imaginative Marvel Universe-based ride we can concoct. Like with Daredevil, part of the edict was let’s make sure we strengthen Hulk’s ties to the Marvel Universe in general. As part of that, you get to see the Hulk fighting villains that he’s not necessarily fought before; we get to see him in locales that are familiar to Marvel books,” said the writer. “We want to bring Bruce Banner and the Hulk into the Marvel Universe tapestry a little more tightly. The most immediate way to do that is to – as implausible and strange as this sounds – to make Hulk an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.”
While Hulk working for S.H.I.E.L.D. certainly sounds like a bizarre idea, Waid is confident that it will showcase Banner himself in a new light. “Banner’s biggest takeaway of Avengers vs. X-Men is that he doesn’t get to be the science hero; he never gets to be the science hero. He’s the guy who smashes stuff,” he explained. “We always speak of him in the same breath that we do Hank Pym and Reed Richards and Tony Stark; we do that as creators and we do that as fans. But in the context of the Marvel Universe, Banner spends almost all of his time in a lab trying to make himself not the Hulk anymore.”
“Hulk is a chronic condition, hence the phrase ‘indestructible Hulk.’ Bruce has come to this post-AvX epiphany that no matter how hard he tries, he can’t seem to get rid of the Hulk permanently,” he continued. “It doesn’t mean that he won’t try in the future and it doesn’t mean that he’s given up on it, but it does mean that he’s decided to take a bit of sabbatical from trying to control Hulk. Instead, he’s taken the new philosophy of ‘Hulk destroys, Banner builds.’”
In light of this realization, Banner will strike a deal with S.H.I.E.L.D., though Waid confirmed that it won’t be as simple as Banner asking the organization for a job. Instead, there will be a “web of intrigue” (isn’t there always with S.H.I.E.L.D.?) in regards to their relationship. “Exactly the deal he cut to make that happen is part of the mystery that spills out over the next few issues,” said Waid.
Yu expressed his excitement working with Waid again, saying that the writer has left him a lot of room in the script to add his own flavor to things. “He seems to be able to read my mind. He knows how to make use of my strengths,” said the artist.
Waid returned the compliment, describing how Yu’s work brings “a real sense of power to these characters,” referring to how we often think of Hulk as “a lumbering brute who stomps around Frankenstein-like when he’s angry,” but in reality, “Hulk moves like lightening when he’s angry. He’s not slow by any stretch of the imagination. Leinil does such a beautiful job of capturing that sense of the Hulk as a force of nature.”
Waid referenced the great reception that his work on Daredevil has received and how its success was an obstacle in terms of being able to catch lightning in a bottle twice. “With Hulk, you don’t get to write witty banter. With Hulk, it’s harder to put him in danger. With Hulk, it’s a less human book; it’s a less street-level book. All of the things that were sort of obvious to duplicate from Daredevil were difficult to translate to Hulk,” explained Waid. “I stepped back further and found that the commonality between the two books it that, like we’ve done with Matt Murdock, Bruce Banner has reached a point in his life where he realizes that the things he’s been doing for the recent past have not worked.”
“What Stan and Jack did so beautifully back in the day was they created the world’s first persecuted superhero,” he continued. “The guy who every day and every moment of his life was filled with angst and turmoil and agony about his super powers. Yes, Ben Grimm didn’t like being the Thing either, but he still could laugh every once in a while. Bruce Banner was the atypical morose, tortured superhero. 50 years later, and you can go to a comic shop and pick up a bunch of superhero comics at random and most of those characters are tortured and angst ridden now. That seems to be the big thing, ‘Oh, I have superpowers, my life is terrible!’ So I thought rather than Hulk continue on that same route, let’s try and turn left. Let’s try to make Hulk’s perspective on his life and his powers unique again, as it was back in the day.”
In terms of Hulk’s intelligence and ability to speak, Waid said that it will vary, but there’s a reason for it. “A lot of the Hulk’s level of articulation or his ability to communicate his interest in doing anything other than smashing has a lot to do with how angry he was when he turned into the Hulk. It has a lot to do with the circumstances of the moment.”
Waid continued to explain that S.H.I.E.L.D. “thinks of him as a cannon, not a bomb,” and that it’s their job to simply point him in the right direction once Banner Hulks out. However, fans know that Hulk isn’t exactly the type of character that’s easily controlled. “S.H.I.E.L.D. has what they believe is a fairly tight leash on the Hulk. They are mistaken.” He referenced the armor-like clothing we’ve seen on Hulk in some of the cover images, which has been speculated as a piece of equipment for S.H.I.E.L.D. to keep Hulk in line. Waid said only, “It’s not for Hulk. It’s for Banner.” He later referenced the “floating robot head” on one of the covers and said that it somehow ties into S.H.I.E.L.D.’s plan for controlling the Hulk.
The writer expressed the fun of writing Banner interacting with S.H.I.E.L.D. head honcho Maria Hill, saying, “They both have a different idea of what the Hulk’s role in all this is.” He said later that Banner isn’t above dropping a heavy box on his foot just to make Hill sweat.
As far as the villains of the book go, Waid confirmed a few: Attuma, Frost Giants, and a revamped Quintronic Man, who Yu added was a lot of fun to redesign. “There is a big bad behind the first year,” teased Waid, offering little more insight into the overarching vision for the book.
Though Maria Hill came up quite a bit throughout the call, surprisingly a bulk of the supporting cast for the book won’t be S.H.I.E.L.D. related or even contain the traditional Hulk mainstays. Instead, the supporting cast will consist of lab assistants and interns that are crazy enough “to work alongside Bruce Banner in a closed space all day long.” Expect their debut in issue #3, each with “a hidden self inside them that may or may not need to be explored.”
Finally, Waid said there is “no question” that Hulk and Daredevil would be meeting up under his watch. “I really want to do ‘Blind Justice’ or ‘Blind Rage’ or something with these guys.”
Indestructible Hulk #1 hits comic shops and Comixology on November 14.
Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter @JoeyEsposito, or find him on IGN at Joey-IGN. He loves superhero pets so hard.
Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com