Hulk: World War Hulk- Incredible Hercules

'Planet Hulk' was one of the most amazing storylines I had ever read. So why have I been delayed reading the 'World War Hulk' aftermath and its numerous tie-ins? The truth is that I still haven't completed my run on those. But I am planning on doing a large dump for books I no longer want (and hope to trade for new stuff). This collection of issues of the Incredible Hulk (#106-111) set during the Hulk's revenge on the Illuminati for killing his wife and child on Sakaar doesn't even focus on the mean green machine. He's more of a secondary character here. Instead, it's more like the Amadeus Cho show. And I hate Amadeus Cho. 

Or at least, I did.

I wasn't a fan of when Cho became the Totally Awesome Hulk. My dislike wasn't the he was Asian. Nor did I care that he was, albeit temporarily, replacing Bruce Banner. I felt that his brashness mixed with awkward interaction as a new superhero was too much like Rick Jones. So much that I really wondered why didn't they just use Rick Jones for this? 

Amadeus Cho is supposed to be like the third smartest person on the planet. So why was he so stupid as a Hulk? He was able to keep his personality, unlike Banner who often is unable to maintain mental control during his changes. Yet despite being a MENSA on steroids, the Totally Awesome Cho was a total meathead compared to his supposed genius. That opinion of the character all changed in this book.

Far from being hulkified, this Cho is rather brilliant. Frightengly brilliant. Amadeus learned the truth behind the Hulk's disappearance and feels that the Hulk's desire for revenge is justified. However, to prevent further bloodshed, Cho bought a million acres in the middle of New Mexico and created a sanctuary for the Hulk; guaranteed to keep away those annoying humans! Too bad Cho used his super brain to rob X-Man Warren Worthington's mega sized bank account to find the project.

Cho's theft prompts Hercules and the Angel to confront the teen. And with proof in hand, Amadeus is able to swing them onto his side, meaning the trio is now in violation of the Superhero Registration Act. With SHIELD and the Illuminati on their tail, Cho and his new allies must make it to the war zone that is Manhattan and convince the Hulk to accept the teen's offer of sanctuary without exacting retribution for the death of millions of his people on Sakaar.

After the events of this book, the title changed from the Incredible Hulk to the Incredible Hercules. Here's where things get confusing. If the cover to this trade tie-in to 'World War Hulk' is to be believed, it was as published as Incredible Hercules. But all 5 issues that are collected here were originally published as issues of Incredible Hulk. Assume either and you would be wrong as the credits attribute this book as being published as merely Hulk. 

I had waited all this time thinking this was the beginning of the Hercules run, which assumed the numbering of the Hulk series for 30 issues. In a way, that's all very true. But if you're trying to collect the entire run, you're going be running in circles with Marvel's maddening way of categorizing and numbering titles as they've done this to at least 6 other 'World War Hulk' tie-ins including a collection of X-Men issues.

I really liked the writing of Greg Pak, which is ironic because he also wrote the Totally Awesome Hulk series of which I was not a fan. Maybe it deserves a second look. Above all, I definitely want to read Pak's Incredible Hercules series, which if it's only half as fun as the contents of this book, I am in for a treat. Let's just hope those books aren't collected under the title of The Avengers or something to that effect or I'll never find them...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Essential Avengers, Vol. 2

The second volume of Marvel's Essential Avengers sees not just the team but the magazine itself going through a lot of changes. When we begin with issue #25, the team's lineup is seriously under-powered. Thor, Iron Man, Giant Man and the Wasp are gone. Captain America is left to lead mutant siblings, the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver as well as the hot-headed sharpshooter, Hawkeye. Arguably this is the weakest incarnation of the Avengers ever!

How the comic book managed to avoid cancellation with such a puny roll call is beyond me. Yet, that was part of the genius of Stan Lee. Love him or hate him, the man knew how to sell a comic book and he managed to keep the World's Mightiest Superheroes relevant without any of Marvel's heaviest hitters. By issue #35, Stan would leave the title in the hands of his most trusted protege, Roy Thomas. Along with Don Heck, some of the weirdest tales ever told this side of Marvel's sci-fi and fantasy books would occur in the pages of the Avengers; including the heroes being abducted by aliens in the Bavarian Alps.

Eventually Hank Pym, stuck at the towering height of 25 feet, along with Jan Van Dyne, would return to the team, becoming the de facto leaders in the absence of Cap. A terrifying story of a fascist group of bigots calling themselves the Sons of the Serpent would do their best to infiltrate the ranks of our government as well as the boards of many Fortune 500 companies, declaring America for Americans only, would be an early test of Pym's leadership. Taking place in issues #32-33, you really couldn't tell if this story was set in 1966 or current day 2025. Extremely unsettling how undated that story of political terrorism was.

Heck would eventually leave after issue #49. His replacement was John Buscema. The change in artwork was so striking. Heck was great. Buscema was just a tad bit better. Along with the new artist would soon come a new character to the title, that Prince of Power, the Mighty Hercules. While not an official member of the team, the hero's presence as an exiled guest of the Avengers adds a powerful punch that has been missing since the absence of Thor. 

But don't fret thinking that Thor and Iron Man have completely turned their backs on the Avengers. They'll both make guest starring returns in a pair of stories, one of who's sees the heroes battling against the Mandarin and his team of 5 of the Avenger's most fearsome does.

I have an early print of this volume. The printing was terrible. I don't think any sort of remastering had even been attempted. Multiple panels were in desperate need of ink. Others seemed to have been over-inked. It was rare to find a complete page where there weren't any print flaws.

I had low expectations for this book. While the Sons of the Serpent story was a gut punch of a read, I really enjoyed this seemingly implausible lineup of Marvel heroes. I just wish my print was given the same amount of love and care as the original works were given.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #41

The one-and-done story involves a corner of the Marvel mutant universe that I wasn't aware of: Freedom Force. Mystique along with several members of Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants agree to work deadly missions for the government in exchange for pardons of their past sins. 

I'm assuming this was the House of Ideas' answer to DC's Suicide Squad. Still, I liked it. 

When a Senator is kidnapped by another group of rogue mutant baddies, Freedom Force is called to the rescue. But will these reformed villains carry through with the extraction when they discover their mission is to save the strongly anti-mutant Sen. Robert Kelly?!

The Hercules story wraps up. It took the final chapter to get good as there is an assassination attempt on the life of both Herc and his progeny. 

Wonder Man's story continues to amuse. Hank McCoy, the Beast, is out of action (and in traction) thanks to the events of the last issue. So stepping up to stop the Avenger actor on a rampage next is Iron Man himself- Tony Stark.

Still can't really get into the Wolverine story. He's hanging around a group of Hong Kong pirates that are on the hunt for an entity that is killing indiscriminately. It's some kind of negative and positively charged being. Only it operates at the same time. The action is good. I'm lost with the backstory plot. 

A better offering after a couple of previous issue duds. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #12

The Man-Thing story ends in gory fashion. 11 chapters with a total of maybe 11 images of the Man-Thing is culminated in 8 pages of Man-Thing rampage. Ironically, this was the worst chapter of the entire storyline. 

With the Colossus story- Peter Rasputin learns that he's got an ally in the group that wants to kill him and a small Midwestern family. 

The two stand alone stories star Hercules and Namorita. Once again, the son of Zeus finds himself being tested by Big Daddy. As for the cousin of Prince Namor, she's about to return to visit her people when she's drawn into a dispute between the police and a villain whom might not be as villainous as they seem.

A pretty weak offering. But that retro-looking cover by Ron Franz (The Amazing Spider-Man) and Joe Sinnott (Apache Kid) was fantastic!

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Essential Thor, Volume 6

This collection of Thor comics proves that the 1970s is my favorite of the Marvel eras. 

The adventure begins in a battle of the myths between the Greeks and Norse as Thor challenges Hercules for the honor of a kidnapped maiden. Then thunder god teams with planet eater Galactus to take on Ego the Living Planet. A plague of fear will engulf the Big Apple leading Thor to return to the guise of Dr. Donald Blake in order to safe his long-lost forbidden love, Jane Foster. And as the pages of this massive volume draw to an end, trouble in Asgard is brewing while Thor is joined by the Warrior Three in a twisty caper through space and time!

This is the penultimate Essential Thor collection. Profits found in insanely expensive color reprints spelled the end of these black and white newsprint beauties. I rushed to my computer to place my order for volume 7 and I wait with baited breath on it's arrival. But as this run of collections is coming to an end, my wish list is about to explore with about 15 years of Thor solo comics from the 80s and early 90s (up to beginning of the Heroes Reborn era.)

A great chapter in not just Marvel history, but Thor's as well. 

Oh, and for those of you keeping score- the events of this volume takes place before Essential Fantastic Four, Volume 8. It's not required to read it this way. But it sure is fun!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Showcase Presents: The Great Disaster Featuring The Atomic Knights

If you are a fan of the classic Jack Kirby disaster title known as Kamandi, this is the essential collection to read! Collecting stories from numerous titles including Action Comics, DC Comics Presents, Weird War Tales, and Strange Tales among others, you will learn everything that lead up to the Great Disaster and the coming of The Last Boy on Earth!

I started this book in September. Then I came across the section on the Atomic Knights. And I fell in love. These post-apocalyptic heroes who wear medieval knights armor (due to it's radiation resistant properties) just resonated with me. Maybe it was because I saw a little of myself in a pandemic atmosphere in the post-nuclear war struggle of those Knights. I'm not saying surviving COVID-19 is on par with surviving the fallout from World War III. But sometimes we find solace in our trials by experiencing worse fates in our fiction reads.

Anyways, by mid-September, I was not looking forward to saying good-bye to the Knights. That's when I came across the 'Thanksgiving. 1990' 2-parter. Being a lover of holiday comics and considering how few Turkey Day books there are out there, I got to extend my goodbyes for a couple of months. Then the holidays hit and I delayed things again.

Thankfully, I knew that there was at least 1 more Atomic Knights story based on this books cover. With the close of that main story, we are introduced to the Greek hero Hercules. The atomic wars weakened the prison in which Ares had trapped the half-human son of Zeus. Upon his released, Zeus befriends a number of humans and seeks revenge on his captor. With a friendly puppy in the mix, I found myself cheating ahead to make sure of one of my unforgivable comic book reading rules isn't broken- That doggie better not die!

While the pages of Atomic Knights and Hercules stories give insight as to why is it that animals turn into humanistic creatures, why do the humans turn into savages and what started the bombs falling in the first place, the last couple of stories inside offer alternatives. One ending is a trippy Superman team-up with those Atomic Knights. The other is a lengthy essay by Paul Levitz that blames the meddling of that dastardly New God, Darkseid. While I liked the adventure with the Man of Steel, I think Levitz's recount is the gospel truth. 

These stories are very Pre-Crisis; which I must admit, I love. The Greek gods aren't as evil as what happens to the Amazons at their hands in the midst of the George Perez Wonder Woman era. So if you adhere to cancel culture, you might have so difficulty admiring the heroic exploits of Hercules and his godly family in this book. But since all this occurs nearly a decade prior to the publisher's 1986's history change, it didn't happen! 

So relax and enjoy an engaging read about a future to come that never come to be!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.