Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Incredible Hulk #111
Marvel Comics
Pak, Parker, Kirk & Sotomayor
World War Hulk is over, but this story weaves around those events that take place in the final two issues of the World War Hulk mini-series. In general, Hulk’s main title has been a solid companion to the larger story in the WWH mini, but this issue leaves us well short of what we had come to expect from this title.
This issue focuses on the capture of Zom’s essence. Who is Zom? He is the demon that Strange used to “Hulk-Out” himself when fighting the Hulk. Apparently the Zom spirit is still running around possessing stuff.
So the Renegades help out Strange’s buddy, Wong, to find the Zom spirit and bottle him back up.
Zom, assumes the husk of Iron Man’s hulkbuster suit. Yes, he possesses a suit of armor. So, Hercules and company battle the empty suit for a while. Then the city begins to cave in around them.
Hercules and Namora hold up the street from underground while Wong, Cho and Angel track down the Zom.
Zom takes control of Amadeus Cho for a moment, allowing him to become Zomadeus, much to the horror of his pet coyote. Then Wong jumps in and bottles up Zom.
Cho puts the hulkbuster suit to good use by holding up the city from under the street. Cho, Angel and Wong then happen upon Hercules and Namora making out underwater, while Hercules supports the street. I actually found this to be the best part of the issue.
Hercules and Namora have had a lot to squabble about over the last few issues and it was a nice development to see that they had some chemistry between them and embraced it.
Too bad, that was about the only thing I liked about this issue.
I felt like the build up of the Cho character was totally abandoned over the last few installments of the World War Hulk story. Not that I needed Cho to be the big equalizer in the end to stop the Hulk, but his role here, at the end could have been filled by just about anyone in the Marvel Universe. It could have been She-Hulk or her shrink or Namor or any number of others. Cho became such a non-factor I found it to be disappointing.
In the end of this issue the concept of the Renegades is dissolved as Angel and Namora leave Hercules and Cho to return to their lives. So we get Hercules and Cho continuing this series? How unexciting.
The artwork was good. It has been good all along and this issue with the battles and the burned out city look great as usual.
The dilemma I now have is that l started getting this title because I liked the Hulk. Then I began to really like the creative team behind the Hulk. Now the creative team stays and the Hulk leaves in favor of Hercules. So do I stay with the creative team or ditch out because I find the character to be dull? I’m thinking that Hercules just isn’t my cup of tea, but we’ll see.
In short, I didn’t like this issue and I found it misleading that it carried the “Incredible Hulk” title as well as the “World War Hulk” banner as it really was a C-lister for both topics in my opinion. I’m disappointed, but the art and Hercules and Namora hooking up helped it from flat-lining from my perspective.
1.5 out of 5 geek goggles.
 Incredible Hulk #111 Marvel Comics AUG072227D |
