Comic Review – 25 cent Hulk

Marvel’s got another cheap issue of a comic out shortly before
the film version. This one’s The Incredible Hulk.

General Information

Title: Incredible Hulk #55

Author: Bruce Jones

Illustrator(s): Leandro Fernandez

Original Publication Date: June 11, 2003

Cover Price: $0.25US, $0.40Can

Premise

This is the first part in a five-part story arc, which has been priced
very cheaply to promote the title before the release of the movie.
In
this issue, it looks like the Absorbing Man has found a way to
attack
people from within his high-tech cage.

High Point

Rescuing the damsel in distress.

There’s a great Hulk-themed “got milk?” ad in here, too.

Low Point

Getting attacked isn’t enough to make Banner “Hulk out?”

The Scores

This is a direction I haven’t seen the Hulk take before, especially
if
I’m correctly interpreting the the promo ad for the next issue
(which
goes on sale the week after the movie comes out.) I give the
originality 5 out of 6.

The artwork is a bit cartoony, but it’s still good. I give
it 4 out of 6.

The story is a good introduction to the new story arc.
You
get a feel for how Bruce Banner lives his life, how evil his villain
is, and how the villain is going to attack. I give it 4 out of 6.



The characterization is fairly one-dimensional. The
title
character doesn’t appear, and Bruce Banner gets surprisingly
little
page time. The focus is on the villain’s potential lackeys, and
there’s too many of them to know any individuals well. I give
it 3 out of 6.

The emotional response this produced was limited.
There is
one good joke, and a great moment to cheer, but that’s about it.
I
was interested in where this villain is going, though. I give it 3
out of 6.

The flow is well done. There is switching between
two
storylines, but they’re written with the same pacing, so it doesn’t
impede the momentum of the story. I give it 5 out of 6.

Overall, it’s a decent issue that might get comic fans
into
this title, but I’m not sure if it’ll get non-fans into comics. I
give it 4 out of 6.

In total, The Incredible Hulk #55 receives 28 out of
42.