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.

Marvel Age Fantastic Four, Vol. 3: The Return of Doom (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Before the advent of Marvel's all-ages Marvel Adventures imprint, the House of Ideas introduced young readers to their most popular characters with Marvel Age. Along with incorporating a handful of Manga inspired titles from Marvel's failed Tsunami line, Marvel Age retold the earliest adventures of Spider-Man, the Hulk and the Fantastic Four. Updated with modern twists, writer Marc Sumerak and artists Alitha Martinez and Joe Dodd followed the original plots of Marvel's First Family created by legends Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. 

Volume 3 of Marvel Age Fantastic Four, 'The Return of Doom' reprinted the last 4 issues of the all-ages series. 

Issue #9 sees Mr. Fantastic dogged by creditors in 'The End of the Fantastic Four.' Recent bad investments lead Reed Richards to accept an offer from Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner to star in a reality series starring the FF. In a challenge show similar to Survivor, it's a battle for survival as all of Namor 's challenges are secretly rigged as fights to the death!

Issue #10, the title story, ushers in 'The Return of Doctor Doom!' Victor Von Doom has escaped from am orbital prison constructed by Mr. Fantastic thanks to a pair of aliens called Ovoids. From the creatures' space ship, Doctor Doom discovers a way to switch bodies with Reed. Now Doom's mind is in Richards' body and the leader of the Fantastic Four is trapped inside the iron armor of Doom.

After escaping from the clutches of their arch-enemy, the Fantastic Four meet 'The Impossible Man!' In this retelling of the classic second story of issue #11, the are plagued by the madcap antics of the shape-changing visitor from the planet Poppup.

Issue #12 retells the team's epic first encounter with the green colossus, The Incredible Hulk. After another top secret project is destroyed, the United States Army calls upon the FF to investigate. General Thunderbolt Ross is convinced that the sabotage is the result of another Hulk rampage. Dr. Bruce Banner is convinced it's something else and he should know since he's secretly the Hulk!

Featuring modernized versions of some of the greatest Marvel stories ever written, the Marvel Age imprint only lasted from 2004-05. It's predecessor, Marvel Adventures vastly outlived Marvel Age, running from 2005-2012. The success was large part to the addition of Darwyn Cooke who crafted a story Bible that set Marvel's best and brightest into new adventures that were nostalgic without relying completely on the scripts of Lee and Kirby. The artwork was less manga heavy as the Marvel Age books were and reflected a more sleeker style that was more commercial. As with all good things, the imprint was dismantled in order to usher in books based on the Disney XD animated lineup that were set in the Marvel cinematic universe. Being that the Fantastic Four were the property of Fox Studios, young readers were no longer able to find new comic book exploits of Mr. Fantastic, The Thing, The Invisible Woman and The Human Torch by 2013.

Completing this review completes Task #8 (Starring the Human Torch) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Essential Avengers, Vol. 1 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Comic Book Quiz Time: True or False - the Fantastic Four appear in the first issue of The Avengers.

The answer is TRUE. In fact, Marvel's First Family play a very large role in the formation of Earth's Mightiest Heroes becoming a superhero team. 

The Norse god of mischief, Loki, would like nothing more than to defeat his boastful half brother Thor. However, due to being banished to a forbidden zone within the Seven Realms, Loki has to use a proxy via his magical inclinations to defeat the god of Thunder. The chosen lackey is none other than the Incredible Hulk who is duped into destroying a train track after Loki used an illusion spell to make the green behemoth believe there was dynamite about to explode.

Using a ham radio, the Hulk's teenager sidekick, Rick Jones attempts to summon the Fantastic Four for help, as they had dealt with him previously. However, the Fantastic Four must decline and they recommend Jones summon Thor, since he's a heavy hitter. You'd think this is just what Loki was hoping for. Only his ultimate trap is far from set. So when Rick Jones attempts to radio Thor, his transmission is received instead by Iron Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp. 

Eventually, Thor joins the fight against the Hulk with the other heroes. Rick explains that the Hulk is innocent of the mass destruction and Thor with assistance from the All Father, defeats Loki. Enjoying their adventure together, the heroes, along with the Hulk, decide to make this a regular thing. With suggestion of the Wasp, the team take on the name of the Avengers and comic book history is made.

Marvel characters had already been interacting with each other for a couple of years prior to the debut of The Avengers. As mentioned earlier, the Fantastic Four attempted to defeat the Hulk in issue #12 of their first series. Spider-Man asked the FF for a job in his first solo issue. With each of these crossovers, Marvel developed a cohesive universe which was a delight to readers.

As fans were demanding more of such adventures, Stan Lee got the idea to develop a group team title that would hopefully introduce readers to some of the struggling (in popularity) heroes and hopefully enticed them to pick up their solo books as well. Besides, DC has been having similar success with it's flagship group title, Justice League of America. Thus in Stan's mind, what was good for the goose must be good for the gander.

By issue #4, the Hulk departed the Avengers feeling hated and unwanted by his teammates and the remaining Avengers added the World War II legend, Captain America, since frozen in an iceberg, to the roster. Thor, Iron Man, Ant-Man now going as Giant Man, the Wasp and Captain America: they may not have been the original lineup. But they are considered by many to be the most iconic membership of the team's 60 year plus history.

Jack Kirby was Stan Lee's go-to artist and collaborator whenever a new project arose. Kirby was allowed to select the original roster of the Avengers. When asked in interviews years later why he went with the 5 characters that made up the Avengers by the end of issue #1, the King responded 'they were all characters that I had created' and was comfortable drawing. Plus, Kirby felt that he'd receive a higher working wage if he used only characters that he had created previously at Marvel. Familiarity and money might have been the reasons why The Sub-Mariner became a one-time adversary of the Avengers as well as the return of the Sentinel of Liberty, Captain America.

By issue #8, Kirby became bored with the title, as he often did, and went on to plot and pencil other projects at the House of Ideas. Don Heck took over as the series' regular artist. The co-creator of such Avengers stalwarts as Iron Man and the Wasp, Heck would oversee the team's biggest roster shake up in Avengers #16 when Captain America would now lead the team, comprised of former baddies Hawkeye, The Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. Heck would stay on until issue #40. Dick Ayers inked a majority of the first 2 dozen issues with lettering completed by Artie Simek at Sam Rosen. 

Completing this review completes Task #14 (A Volume of Marvel Essentials or DC Showcase) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Hulk: Grand Design- Treasury Edition

The idea of Marvel's Grand Design books is rather brilliant. You take about 50 years of comic book history and you formulate it into a cohesive biography of some of your favorite Marvel heroes. This time around it's the big, bad Incredible Hulk and it's rather appreciated by me that he was given the Grand Design treatment.

With the Hulk coming in varying colors of green and gray; not to mention dozens of multiple personalities such as Joe Fixit and the Maestro, this is a character the fans most deserved a chronicle of their extremely confusing history. Don't expect all of your favorite Hulk moments to be here. That time the Hulk joined the Ringmaster's circus is not covered. Neither is the time Hulk and 3 others became the New Fantastic Four. Also don't expect to have a lot of time devoted to your favorite Hulk moments if they do happen to make the cut. Hulk's first meeting with a certain Canadian super-hero is the subject of only one fair-sized panel.

The writer and artist of this treasury sized collection of Hulk history is Jim Rugg. Originally published as a set of 2 one-shots (Hulk: Grand Design Monster and Hulk: Grand Design Madness), there's a clear separation of quality. But I don't think Jim Rugg is to blame. Monster ends after a New York City rampage that leads the Avengers and Doctor Strange to believe that the Hulk is dead. Instead, we find out in Madness that Hulk was transported to a micro-universe before returning to save his heroic colleagues from the collapse of a gigantic mountain during the first Secret War. After this event, it seems that the writers and artists of the Hulk decided to got bat-crap crazy.

Sometime around 1984, Bruce Banner's psyche just could no longer deal with the monster within. After the death of several lady loves, Banner blames his alter ego and the Hulk connives to destroy puny Banner. Friends and allies will try to cure Banner, first with therapy performed by Doc Samson and then with overloads of gamma radiation by just about any and all members of the Marvel universe that is able to access a nuclear powered gadget. These cures work for about 1-2 issues and then the past trauma of an abusive father who killed Banner's mother right in front of him as a child, comes to light and the cycle begins all over again. Only now, the result is a bigger, badder and much more insane version of the Hulk. Heck, we've even had Berserker Banner on more than one occasion. 

The second half of Hulk history just isn't as interesting to me as his early days. Though, the Immortal Hulk has recaptured my interest. Some people might like a psychologically damaged Hulk. I prefer a Bruce Banner who is haunted by the antics of his dark side much like Jekyll & Hyde. It just seems criminal to put poor Bruce Banner through the wringer like that year after year.

What is indeed criminal is how few properties have been given the Grand Design treatment. First it was the Fantastic Four, which I read and loved despite Tom Scoli's microscopic artwork and then Ed Piskor's account of X-Men lore, which I have not read yet. I would love for Marvel to really get behind these projects and offer histories of characters such as Thor, Black Panther and Doctor Strange. Grand Designs are great reads, even when the source material might lag at times. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars. 

Clobberin' Time #1

I am a sucker for team-up comics. I try to collect every such series there is. From the Batman laced adventures of Brave and the Bold to the arachnid antics of Spider-Man in Marvel Team-Up, if it pits a well known hero with a array of partners ranging from A-list to Z, I will collect it. So when I learned of a brand-new team-up series starring the ever-loving blue-eyed Thing, I was thrilled and requested a copy of issue #1 from my favorite LCS. 

Steve Skroce does double-duty as both writer and penciler in this new team-up comic. Issue #1 has Dr. Bruce Banner visiting the Baxter Building for one of his routine gamma ray check-ups conducted by Dr. Reed Richards. While Mr. Fantastic is pre-occupied by some strange readings, Ben Grimm and Banner encounter a strange-looking intruder in the Fantastic Four laboratories. 

Looking like Iron Man and Doctor Doom were fused together by a bolt of lightning, this intruder sends The Thing and Banner to an alternate universe. In this new world, the pair learn that it's due for destruction by a giant kaiju looking creature. Hulking out, Banner and Thing easily subdue the beast. And then friends of the deceased invader decide on revenge...

I was intrigued by the cover of this book from the very beginning. For the first time in my 45-years of life, I saw just what happens if you were to break off one of those golden stones from Ben Grimm's mutated hide. There's blood and muscle under there! I was expecting something gray and oozing like cement. Needless to say, it really got my attention.

The initial cover art showed such an eye for detail, I was reminded immediately of Frank Quietly. I wish I could say that the interior drawings were just as good. But with the exception of the mysterious infiltrator of the Baxter Building, everything else was subpar looking and inconsistent! There's one scene where Grimm's left eye is all bruised up. Yet throughout the rest of the book, Steve Skroce keeps switching that damaged eye from the left to the right and back. I really felt due a No-Prize on catching this flaw!

The story itself is a mess. Skroce peppers the dialogue with rambling thoughts that never go anywhere. There's the whole scene where Thing is stranded on this other world when he gets a text from Johnny Storm that makes zero sense. It doesn't move the plot anywhere and seems totally unnecessary. 

Then we have the preview of next month's issue. It promises a teaming with everyone's favorite mutant, Wolverine. Okay, I'm on board. That Tony Stark/Victor Von Doom character is back again. Good, because I wanted to know just who in the heck he was. But this fella seems to be ripping Ben Grimm apart brick by brick. Each stone that makes up Thing's body looks like a tiny mushroom cloud erupting from Ben Grimm's torso and it made me sick to my stomach...

My favorite comic book store wanted to know if I wanted to complete the series run by the end of this weekend. For ordering purposes. Once I completed this whole thing, I was left just feeling that I really don't like this book. If I come across the collected trade, I might give it a read. The mysterious villain who sent Thing and Hulk across dimensions is intriguing. But I'd have to find it on the shelves of my nearby library as I do not feel like wasting anymore hard earned money on this. 

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Mini-Books Collectible Box-Set

This deluxe box set collects over-sized facsimiles of the 6 Marvel mini-books kids could get out of bubblegum machines way back in 1966. The original mini-books were barely the size of a postage stamp and yet they were each 48-pages in length!

The stars of the 6 minis were Sgt. Nick Fury, The Amazing Spider-Man, Captain America, Millie the Model, The Mighty Thor and The Incredible Hulk. (Note that the order in which I listed these characters is also the rating I give of the 6 books from best to worst). Licensed by anow defunct tiny novelty company based in Chicago, Il., not a lot is known about the production of these little reads. Mark Evanier (Garfield: TV or Not TV?) does a very good job of recording what he knows in the 7th book in this collection, Marvel Comic Mini-Books: A Mini-History. 

Evanier makes a very good point that many of the artists and writers who might have been behind this project have passed away. Evanier was able to determine that Marie Severin (Not Brand Ecch) was behind the Sgt. Nick Fury story. I also think the Thor and Hulk stories were drawn by her. Mark Evanier also reveals that Denny O'Neil was the writer of the Captain America book.

The main problem I had with Mark Evanier's book is something that probably wasn't even his fault. The history book contains reprints of the 6 books in their original size form. If you read that book first, it spoils the reading of the 6 books, which were what you paid hard earned money for. So if you ever get your hands on this beautiful set, read the supplemental book LAST!

This was a product of its time. Marvel was way behind DC in terms of marketing its big name faces. One might wonder why Millie the Model got included in this set. In 1966, Millie starred in no less than 3 monthly titles. Plus, having a book starring a female character was a smart way to ensure that it wasn't just the boys who spent their allowances on a chance to snag one of these treasures.

While the books themselves are looked at as collector items, not every book is a classic. The Hulk book doubles as a goofy joke book. Plus, the Mean Green Machine talks more like when he's the intellectual Grey Hulk than his regular speak in monosyllable when verde. The Thor book was pretty good. It just had some rather odd looking artwork, the ending was silly and the God of Thunder is really more of a minor character than the star. The Millie book started off with a rather clever story. But the second half devolves into an outdated list of beauty tip cliches.

I thought Nick Fury's story was fantastic. It was a clever mystery tale about the Howling Commandos attempting to rescue a missing general somewhere in Nazi occupied France. Captain America's story is a spy thriller comprised of some goofy named fiends. But full of action. The Spider-Man story was silly. But then 1960s Spidey was pretty silly himself. Plus that story guest-stars a certain caped character from the Distinguished Competition. 

I really didn't know the hardback versions of these books existed. I knew of the minis from '66. But I'm not willing to pay $30 for such a tiny book. (Heck, I'm not willing to pay $30 on a regular comic unless I determine it to be an amazing deal!) But I found the whole set at a book store used for only $15. That deal was a freakin' steal!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #79

In the Crimes Against Comics Dept., the Howling Commandos/Dracula team-up comes to a close. After a mere 3 tiny 8-page segments!

A very bloody World War II story that goes to show that Vlad Dracul will overlook personal blood lust when it involves Nazis rampaging his beloved Romanian haunts.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #61

The Hulk and Wolverine team-up story comes to an end with a surprisingly bright ending. One that I was very very pleased with. And look at that cover. It's so stunning. By Vision and the Scarlet Witch artist Richard Howell, I wonder how many covers starring Wolverine and the Hulk can be considered 'beautiful.' I know this one is!

The one-and-done story has a blast from Doctor Strange's past, Marjorie Brink. Now this is a character that only appears in this one issue. But she apparently played a major role in Strange's life as a former lover. In only 8 pages, this story spans decades. A fanciful tale that does a ton in just a very brief amount of time.

In the Scarlet Witch story, Wanda has awaken in the past. Looking in a mirror, she looks like herself but she's wearing pirate garb. Turns out that the creep from the last issue sent her consciousness into a distant relative who happens to sail the 7 seas while practicing witchcraft. 

I just shuddered. What is happening to Wanda Maximoff's body in the present day?

The Poison story is weird. I'm not sure where her path with the homeless, and possibly mentally ill Mop Man is going. I'm empathetic to her secret identity plight as a struggling single mom. Plus the art by Star Wars' Cindy Martin is amazingly alluring. But I have zero idea where this tale is going.

Not a bad issue. Not perfect either. I guess this is one of those diamond in the rough issues.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #59

 It's Hulk Vs. Wolverine Vs. Wolverine. 

The cover with the original X-Men in the background might reveal who this doppelganger is. I'll try not to ruin it just in case you wanna read this issue. Keep in mind, this is a 30 year+ issue. But maybe it's still too soon to spoil it!

The Werewolf by Night story along with the Namor adventure end in this issue. Both were great. I wish the Sub-Mariner tale was longer. It just had this great banter between the ruler of Atlantis and Sandra Rain, a documentary filmmaker with a quick wit and even sharper tongue. 

Finishing out the offerings in this issue is an 8-pager starring the Punisher. A youth is torn between the anti-hero and an arms dealer. A very powerful story with a message. It's classic Marvel storytelling at it's finest. 

4 very good segments.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #58

The mystery behind the alternate Wolverine is finally revealed. It's a satisfying reveal and it's a blast from the past!

The Werewolf by Night story is getting even more crazier by the minute. We've got an immoral clan of lycantropes with a thing for hedonism on one side. Then we've got a religious nut who thinks all werewolves are instruments of Satan. Poor Jack Russel is caught in the middle with 2 targets on his back. 

I really love the Namor story. The banter between him and Sandra Rains, the director of the underwater documentary crew, is epic. It ranks up there with Sam & Diane, Maddie & David, Kate Hepburn & Cary Grant. Yes- I am implying that there's a little sexual tension here.

The Iron Man one-shot tale is the weakest of the bunch. It's yet another story of somebody stealing Tony Stark's tech. I'm getting kinda tired of that old tale. It's not like other characters in comicdom don't have the same repeated plot. But when it comes to Batman and the Joker, Captain America and the Red Skull, The Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom, there's a thread of originality running through. Not when it comes to somebody trying to become an armored warrior by robbing Tony Stark. The only thing that changes is the serial number of the suit being targeted.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #57

A new wrinkle into the Wolverine/Hulk story. Logan seemingly died. And now Hulk is being attacked by said dead Wolverine. 

Nothing really memorable for this issue's offering from the Werewolf by Night story. 

A new multi-parter starring Prince Namor, The Sub-Mariner. A documentary filmmaking team is attacked by unknown terrors of the deep. While Namor doesn't really approve of humans mucking around it his domain, he's also not going to stand for wanton killing of anyone under the waves either.

Lastly, the one-and-done story focuses on Alicia Hardy- the Black Cat. Can't really say much about the story itself. But I did like the surprise ending. Okay, maybe not a surprise in the sense of like a clown jumping out of a cake instead of a sultry dancer. More like a suspenseful 'oh, damn', moment like when all the pieces of a puzzle come together to reveal who Kaiser Soze real it.  

Not really a standout issue in the series. But not a stinker either.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #56

The Stingray story, written by Len Wein, ends on such a high note. If I could go back in time, I'd do everything in my power to convince Marvel to do a series based on Stingray written by Len Wein! It's so freakin' good! 

Speedball appears in the one-and-done story. It's illustrated by a legend as well. Steve Ditko! Ditko! DITKO!! Written by Mary Jo Duffy, this story has Speedball going up against a gang of men in masks based on the number of pips on a die! Really great story. I've got half a mind to add the early issues of Speedball to my wish list. If the team who did this story is the same on the series, I may very well might. 

The Wolverine/Hulk story adds as clone at the same time as killing off on of the two heavyweights.

The Jack Russell story is so freakin' bloody. If DC published this, it would be a Vertigo level publication. Definitely not for the kiddies!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #55

Wolverine and The Hulk are busy getting acquainted. 

Brother-in-laws Stringray and Tiger Shark get into such a ruckus, they end up hurting the one person both of them loves most.

Jack Russell seeks a tribe of berserk werewolves and ends up becoming the target of a religious fanatic who seeks to cleanse the world of his kind.

But the story that gets my attention is the 8-pager set in China. A group of brothers make up a Communist superhero known as the Collective Man. A hero of the People, the government forbids the brothers from going to visit their dying mother. That's really the wrong move as nothing stops a collective man from his mama!

I've never heard of the Collective Man before. The logo on the back cover for the character(s) is so cheesy looking. But this was a very good story that was action packed. I wonder if he makes a appearance in Shang Chi or is this a character too controversial for Marvel to present least they fear the Communist Chinese government's reprisal in the all too important international movie theater market. But I'd be happy to see him appear in the MCU.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars. 

Marvel Comics Presents #54

A couple of issues ago, I talked about an 8-pager starring the Hulk. I mentioned that Hulk was green and he wasn't being referred to as Mr. Fixit. I wondered if this was a flashback. It appears that that story was indeed a flashback because the Hulk is here and he's gray once more. Whether Hulk is still a mob bouncer by the name of Fixit is unclear. That's mostly because in the opening salvo of this Wolverine team-up, Logan mostly encounters Bruce Banner as he's getting his butt kicked by a grizzly bear! Why isn't he hulking up? I think we'll have to wait to the next issue to find out!

The Stingray story in which Tiger Shark is his brother in-law is fantastic. I'm eager to see where this is going!

Jack Russell, the Werewolf by Night, begins a 6-part story. His wolf form is growing ever more fierce. Every full moon, Jack is chaining himself in a cloistered area. However, there's been a number of slayings that look like the result of a wolf. Is Jack losing control to the point that he's escaping, killing and then re-chaining himself to a concrete wall? It doesn't seem possible. But the evidence of a werewolf killer is pretty damning. 

In the one shot story, the secret Kali-loving hero, the Shroud encounters a dangerous young girl. With her ability to project intense light, this woman is the antithesis of the Shroud and she's sworn to revenge her family by killing any and all followers of the god Kali! That means Shroud has a giant target on his back!

All 4 segments were very good. Wolverine is better when he's not so arrogant. Stingray deserved his own series, as long as if it was penned by the legendary Len Wein (Swamp Thing). I'm intrigued by the mystery at the center of the Werewolf by Night story. And I really enjoyed the Shroud story. 

I was completely surprised by that because from encounters within the pages of Super-Villain Team-Up and Spider-Woman, I loathed this character. But with a much better framework story explaining his whole hero posing as a crime lord shtick and Batman-like compassion, I had a much favorable view of Shroud. It doesn't mean I'm going run out and buy a full run of Shroud appearances. But I don't dislike the character anymore- for now!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #52

Rick Jones and the Incredible Hulk appear in this issue. Just not together. 

Former Hulk sidekick Rick Jones is in the Caribbean taking a much needed break from the rigors of being a touring rock star. When the landlord of his motel is accosted by a gang of brutes wearing animal masks, Jones uses his experience as a former sidekick to Captain America to bring about some vigilante justice.

The Hulk story must be a flashback. In recent issues, he's been going as the gun metal gray Mr. Fixit. Now Hulkster is green again. Maybe Marvel had a special on green ink as the alien race of telepathic pranksters are also green.

The Wolverine/ Wild Child story is actually really good. It's refreshing to see Logan being compassionate and a little vulnerable for a chance. The Comet Man story continues to be trash. I just can't get into this domestic abuse multi-parter.

Once again 3 out of 4 stories are very well executed. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars. 

Marvel Comics Presents #26

This issue introduces a new character to Marvel Comics. Coldblood- a sort of low-budget Deathlok with a talking car instead of a computer chip Jiminy Cricket inside the ole noggin. When Lt. Col. Eric Savin discovers that the military project he's been assigned to is a front for embezzlement and funding enemy nations, the solider is killed in a landmine accident. 

Savin awakens in the future with a new cybernetic eye, replaced limbs and the designation of Coldblood-7. Unable to remember what happened to him, he's given a clue to search out a mysterious woman who will answer all of his questions. But first Coldblood will have to stave off a futuristic looking array of tanks and helicopters that are all out to destroy him!

If you noticed similarities to Deathlok like I did, there's a very good reason. Dealthlok co-creator Doug Moench also was one of the creators of Coldblood. Even though I felt like I had read this before, there was enough differences in story and tone to make me want to read more of this character's story. 

As for the other stories in this issue. Black Panther is stagnant. He's still fighting the same battle for what is 2-3 issues now. (Why is this story so long and boring???) 

The Havok story isn't any better. It's got some kind of ancient Egyptian cult involved. And I don't care what anybody says, Egyptian cults are just boring. You have mummies and deities with animal heads. I get it. It's been done- to death!

The last story- a one-shot- intrigued me. It's got the Hulk taking on the persona of a Vegas enforcer called Mr. Fixit and the blue people of Atlantis. Someone thinks it's a good idea to pit a Hulk robot against Mr. Fixit. Only, Misses Banner's little boy ain't having it and he tears the android to pieces. Ironically, Fixit never learns that it's the Atlanteans who are behind the attack.

2 out of 4 stories were rather good. 2 stories were massive stinkers. At least it's not a political pity party as in issues past. I can see why Marvel went bankrupt and almost went under during this period of time. 

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #6

If you've ever wondered how Wolverine came to utilize the Patch persona, this story set in Madripoor is the origin story you've been looking for. Having read some of Logan's exploits as his alter ego, it's really cool putting those pieces together with this storyline.

Speaking of alter-egos- the one-and-done fourth story involves the Incredible Hulk as that Vegas tough, Mr. Fixit. I've really wanted to read some of this era of Hulk lore. This story involving a version of the Hulk completely unknown to me was a pleasant surprise. 

The Man-Thing story is still very odd and yet really good. 

The Master of Kung-Fu story is still a bit of a chore to read. But! The cliffhanger has peaked my interest. So hopefully the forthcoming penultimate chapter will not disappoint! Fingers crossed but expectations are low.

Killer wraparound cover utilizing the biological abilities of Man-Thing!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Classic Toys from a Madman's Youth: Advent 2019 Day 10

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you'll know that I an obsessed with comic books. For today's we venture back to the late 70s/early 80s to look at a toy from my childhood that sparked that love of superheroes. 

My mother loved to take pictures of me on Christmas day, reveling in everything that Santa had brought for me while I was asleep. One of the earliest photos I recall has me standing next to an inflatable Incredible Hulk Punching Bag. I must not have been older than 5. 

I realize the the proper term for this toy was a bopping bag. But as a youngster, I called it a punching bag. 

I remember how much fun it was to punch it and it would wobble to the floor and come back for more. Also, I recall being in my parent's room and punching it so hard one day that it sprung a leak. (I would later get a Spider-Man replacement at some point.) 

Yes, I have all these memories. Yet for some reason I can't remember just exactly what my Hulk toy looked like. I found 2 versions- both of which look familiar. But I am just not sure. Maybe I had both? For some reason, I remember the yellow box from the image below as well as the Hulk toy in the pic below. Regardless, this should explain why I included photos of the two varieties of bop bags.

If I had easy access to my Christmas photos, I could solve this problem. But if I am being honest, while I am in the holday spirit, I am not in the mood to go looking for one photo out of a stack of 1000s. 

Maybe some day. Just not today!

For my Advent gift for you today, here's a video of Hulk and some friends dancing to Jingle Bells. Because, why not? 

Pour yourself a cup of egg nog and enjoy!

Immortal Hulk, Volume 1: Or Is He Both?

It took me a while. But I finally got on the bandwagon of this critically acclaimed, fan favorite series. Thank you local public library!

Delving back into his earliest days, along with the Bill Bixby led TV series, Bruce Banner and the Hulk are sharing equal time with each other. Bruce leads the way during the day. But the night is Hulk's time. 

In this first volume, Banner travels the Midwest. He wanders based on an itch in the back of his brain. Some would say, it's just the wound from where Hawkeye fatally shot him with a special Gamma tipped arrow. But this newly resurrected Banner believes that this irritation is the Hulk guiding Bruce on a series of missions of mercy. 

I loved this first volume. The first 3-4 issues had great twist endings similar to the EC Comics of the 1950s. Each issue has Banner playing gumshoe with the Hulk leaving a trail of retribution across the US. 

Around issue 4, we then add Alpha Flight's Sasquatch to the mix. In his human guise, Sasquatch is the second foremost expert of Gamma radiation. Can the Canadian hero, along with an intrepid reporter with a secret past that ties-in with the Big Green Machine, find the Hulk before he goes from Hulk Smash to total Hulk Rampage?!

I loved Al Ewing's (Mighty Avengers) writing. He really captures the source material created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby back in 1962 while tying in those great twist endings found in classic horror comics. This series is a perfect mix of terror and sci-fi! Some awesome covers by my all-time fav artist Alex Ross, doesn't hurt the quality either! A great start to a very promising series that has a large following!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Avengers: Season One

The purpose behind Marvel’s Season One was to update the origins of many of the publisher’s most popular super heroes in order to A) help appeal to a newer audience and B) put the origins more in line with the various film properties of the Marvel Universe.

But with Avengers: Season One, you don’t get a reboot of their origin. What you do get is an awesome “lost tale” of the early days of Earth’s mightiest heroes. Angered by his exile at the hands of the Avengers, Loki works his magic pitting Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America in myriad of suspicious happenings while the trio hunts for the Hulk.

Peter David is such a brilliant writer and he works his magic with the awesome tale. There’s also a preview of Avengers Assemble. I loved what I read and hated that the preview ended as quick as it did.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.