March 26

Ultimate Fantastic Four: Doom – Ellis, Immonen, von Grawbadger

Collects Ultimate Fantastic Four #7-12.

Before the Fantastic Four can even get accustomed to their new powers, former classmate Victor Van Damme, who was caught in the same experiment that gave the Fantastic Four their superhuman powers, returns to exact his revenge!

 

One from my own collection – I read through a subscription to Marvel Unlimited

 

Keeping the good run of issues going it’s the F4 going up against Doom for the first time. I liked the way Victor’s character was brought to the fore before we see him as Doom.

Holed up in Denmark after the incident (which he apparently caused) Doom has assembled a kingdom of his own in a tented village within Copenhagen. Using mind control over his subjects to keep his commune a safe haven for himself, Victor assembled an army of flying bots which he sent to New York to attack Reed, Sue and Johnny. He learns of Ben’s transformation into The Thing and also correctly realises that after his attack fails the F4 will come for him.

The first real showdown happens in Denmark and it was nicely executed and left me ready for more.

Some great scenes in this collection, not least the introduction of The Fantasticar.

I am enjoying these Ultimate introductions much more than I enjoyed the early issues of the original run. At least the Ultimate F4 are not squabbling amongst themselves every single issue.

The N-Zone is next, I can’t wait!

 

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January 24

Rivers of London: Deadly Ever After – Aaronovich, Cartmel and Bronfman

Illustrations from a mysterious book of fairy tales drawn in the late 1800s are coming to life in the 21st Century and causing havoc. The illustrations were originally painted by a Victorian artist called Jeter Day who disappeared one night in an enchanted forest when he was spirited away by tree nymphs never to be seen again…

Now, with the enchantment accidentally broken by Olympia and Chelsea, daughters of the river goddess Mama Thames, Jeter, twisted by his time spent with the nymphs, has returned to our world bitter and resentful. It is a world he neither recognises nor likes. All he wants is his life returned to him and woe betide any man who stands in his way. With Peter and Nightingale busy on another case, it falls to sisters Olympia and Chelsea with the help of the Foxes to stop Jeter and save the day.

 

 

My thanks to Titan Books for the review copy of Rivers of London: Deadly Ever After.

 

Deadly Ever After is the tenth Rivers of London graphic novel and delivers the quirky humour, supernatural dilemmas and the high levels of enjoyment which readers have come to expect from this series. The book collates the four comics which made up the Deadly Ever After story arc and I didn’t feel I needed any prior knowledge of events prior to this (as the introduction covers it well) and there wasn’t any unfinished plot to frustrate me as I wait for the next comics. As I tend not to pick up every graphic novel as soon it releases the completeness of Deadly Ever After is a real bonus. It also makes for a great pick-up book if, perhaps, you haven’t read all the stories which previously released – this contained volume can be instantly enjoyed and will likely encourage readers to seek out more of the books (assuming they enjoy it as much as I did).

As you may have guessed from the “Deadly Ever After” title, events in this story are taking in a fairy tale theme. Over 100 years ago an artist vanished in a London woodland – taken to another realm by the tree nymphs he had been seeking. Spin forward to the 2020’s and the artist, Jeter Day, has found a way to return and he wants to make good on the promise he made to his daugher all those decades ago and deliver a happy ending to the stories.

Unforunately for Chelsea and Olympia this means they have unleashed fairy story chaos into London. A group of friends who had attended a picnic in the woods near where Jeter Day vanished suddenly find their lives are mirroring fairy tales. One guest finds himself attacking Red’s grandmother, another falls into a deep coma after eating an apple brought to her by her stepmother…you can see how this creates problems.

Olympia and Chelsea can’t enlist the help of Peter Grant and Nightingale as they have a bigger problem to contend with in the London Underground so the girls need to find a solution alone. Or maybe with just a little help from a pair of foxes. I will admit to being a little disappointed initially that Peter Grant does not appear more in this story than in a brief cameo role. However, the story does stand well on its own and Grant’s absence gives Chelsea and Olympia a chance to shine and the story benefits from their strong dynamic. It’s the world of Rivers of London not individual characters which I find so appealing so give me a nice mix of horror/fantasy with humour and dark deeds and I am there and turning those pages.

As it is a graphic novel I do need to give a shout to the artwork through the book. It’s bright, detailed and gorgeous to read. Characters are easy to distingush, the panels are crisp, engaging and never feel fussy or overcrowded – it lets the story flow and gives weight to the words without feeling the dialogue is being lost or the action is getting too busy.

Once the story has been spun there is a bonus or two at the end of the book. Writer notes and panel guidance which would have been sent to the artist. It was fascinating to see what the author envisages when they outline each page of the comic and then have it displayed beside the finished page.

I was a Rivers of London fan before I picked up Deadly Ever After – this book just grows my fanboy credentials. Lots of fun was had and it makes me want to catch up on the graphic novels I’ve missed.

 

Rivers of London: Deadly Ever After is published by Titan Books Ltd and is available as a paperback graphic novel and on Kindle and Comixology.  You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/rivers-of-london-deadly-ever-after/ben-aaronovitch/andrew-cartmel/9781787738591

 

 

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May 2

The Junction – Norm Konyu

When a missing child, Lucas Jones, reappears on his Uncle’s doorstep in his hometown of Medford after an absence of 12 years, the brief moment of joy is clouded by mystery. Where has he been? Where is his father who disappeared at the same time? And how is it possible that Lucas is still 11 years old?

As Lucas is uncommunicative, it is left to Detective Sergeant David King and child psychologist Jean Symonds to attempt to find some answers from the few belongings Lucas returned with; little more than four Polaroids and a personal journal which speaks of his time in a place called ‘The Junction’.

The story unravels through interviews, medical and police reports, and ultimately, through visits to The Junction via the pages of Lucas’ diary, jumping back and forth in time, revealing pieces of the puzzle in a mystery that keeps the reader guessing right up until the end.

 

My thanks to Ricky Claydon at Titan Comics for my review copy of The Junction

 

This book is beautiful – in every sense. The physical copy had sensory overload for me: clean smooth pages which only a top quality graphic novel presents. The “swish” of a turning page was delightful and I was running my fingers over some of the pages as I read (practically caressing the book at times). Then there was that unmistakable new book smell which I wish we could bottle.

But the most pleasing aspect of The Junction was the visual stimulus. The colours chosen by Norm Konyu to tell Lucas’s story, blues, purples and autumnal oranges and reds make this utterly gorgeous on the eyes. Honestly I want to show you more of the internal artwork so you can appreciate it too.  A bit of Google time and a timely tweet chat with the author himself and I have found the promotional trailer from Titan Comics and some (non-spoiler) pictures which have previously been shared online.

Oh, for the record – I did not taste my copy of The Junction which means only four of the five senses were deployed during the writing of this review.

 

 

In The Junction we meet Lucas, he is 11 years old and as we join the story he is being interviewed by the police. It’s late in the day and Lucas has his aunt and uncle with him he needs family supervision to chat with Detective Sergeant King. Det. Sgt. King is very keen to chat with Lucas because Lucas has been missing and people have been looking for him. Lucas has been missing for a long time – Det. Sgt. King has two photographs of Lucas, taken 12 years apart but in both pictures Lucas looks identical – he looks like the 11 year old child he is.

Art by Norm Konyu

How can a child be missing for 12 years and return home still a child? There are mysteries to be solved in the town of Kirby Junction and the journey it took me on was enchanting, perplexing and packed a real emotional gut punch too. It’s no understatement to say this is one of the most beautiful stories I have reviewed in over eight years of Grab This Book.

Lucas has kept a journal which is a key resource in the telling of his story. He has recorded some of the events which led up to his disappearance but some of what he has recorded appears rather nonsensical to the police. A prime example being October 10th when he returned home from school to hear a garden gnome talking to him. Or did it? Because the gnome is swiftly removed as was the well he stood beside.

As we go through the story we see Lucas has many constants in his life – the comfort of childhood. The small town he lives in doesn’t change often but he always sees Mr Singh waiting for his train, he knows he must avoid the West woods and his new friends are fun but they have cartoons on their tv which Lucas doesn’t have on his yet.  He is reading 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and has a recurring dream of falling through water, sometimes with a squid, sometimes a car is there and other times Lucas drifts downwards alone. He will always wake before he reaches the bottom.

Art by Norm Konyu

When we aren’t with Lucas the reader will see the police discussing who this mystery child may be. Their investigations don’t seem to be making any progress on how an 11 year old can vanish for 12 years but not have aged a day when he returns. A therapist is brought in to meet with Lucas and this gives him an opportunity to explain to her in more detail what the events he has recorded in his journal actually relate to. I am not sure it answered many of those questions though!

Finally we do start to see some changes in Kirby Junction . While out on his bike, Lucan meets a stranger. The stranger asks about a town called Medway. It’s a a place which Lucas feels he knows but when he asks his parents about Medway they are not able to offer any clarification. So why does Lucas know the name?  Then there are the new houses in town. Sudden new houses – with lovely new families within. Some of Lucas’s friends live in the new houses but finding out any information about Lucas’s friends is a real challenge for Detective Sergeant King.

Normally my graphic novel reads are packed with superheroes facing off against the worst villains. This gentle telling of a young child looking for answers to his unusual predicament could not be further from those high octane thrillers. Yet The Junction has the story which will undoubtably linger with me for a long time to come. The sympathetic narrative and the emotional landmines which are waiting to catch the reader unawares are exceptionally handled. Damn this is fine writing.

The pure talent of Norm Konyu’s art and his storytelling makes me want to shout about this book from the rooftops. I want everyone to read it – Lucas’s story should be heard. The Junction is a certainty to be included in my Top Ten Reads of 2022 – I want to read stories like this every single day.

 

 

The Junction is published by Titan Comics and is available in Hardback or can be read digitally through Kindle or Comixology. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-junction/nom-konyu/9781787738300

 

 

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September 17

Comic Book Catch-up

As comic book heroes command more and more screen time at our local cinemas, and it now seems cool to be a “comic book nerd”,- I have been spending some time recently reading through the source material…proper comic books.

I have been reading comics for over 30 years and I am loving seeing the heroes I grew up with suddenly finding their way into so many new households. As a book blogger it would be remiss of me not to showcase some of the great graphic novels I have enjoyed (mainly) recently.

JAMES BOND – VARGR

After a mission of vengeance in Helsinki, James Bond returns to London and assumes the workload of a fallen 00 Section agent. His new mission takes him to Berlin, presumably to break up an agile drug-trafficking operation. But Bond has no idea of the forces gathered in secret against him, the full scope of an operation that’s much scarier and more lethal than he could possibly imagine. Berlin is about to catch fire… and James Bond is trapped inside. Dynamite Entertainment proudly presents VARGR, the debut storyline in the all-new James Bond comic book series, as crafted by masterful writer Warren Ellis (Transmetropolitan, The Authority) and artist Jason Masters (Batman Incorporated, Guardians of the Galaxy).

 

If a good story on audiobook can be ruined by the narrator then the equivalent issue for graphic novels is that the art can let down a book.  Here we are with Vargr.  It is a James Bond story from the talented Warren Ellis and I really liked his take on Bond (darker and edgy).  The bad guys were perfectly pitched, the danger Bond faces felt very appropriate within the franchise and I liked how the peril shifts as the books develop.

Unfortunately I did not enjoy the artwork in the book and this tainted the reading experience for me.  If a story is going to rely upon images revealing some of the twists and surprises and is not dialogue driven then the pictures need to be sufficiently clear to appreciate these twists.

Good story, not a great book, but I would read more in this series.

 

JUSTICE LEAGUE VS SUICIDE SQUAD

The members of the Justice League are Earth’s most powerful and famous superheroes…but they aren’t the only team in town.

The Suicide Squad strikes from the shadows and does the jobs too dirty for superheroes to handle. Under the iron fist of Director Amanda Waller, these monsters and maniacs have operated in total secrecy…until now. Batman is on their trail and the Squad’s existence isn’t something he or the Justice League can tolerate. It must be shut down.

But while the heroes and antiheroes are distracted fighting each other, twisted mastermind Maxwell Lord assembles a nightmarish army of DC’s deadliest villains to take out both teams!

I love a big “event” and when DC bring together the Justice League and the Suicide Squad that can certainly be considered a BIG story to get to grips with. Full credit to writer Joshua Williamson as he does a great job with a large cast and he keeps the story zipping along.

Action happens after the recent DC Rebirth events (to allow you to place the timing) and despite being billed as Justice League vs Suicide Squad there is a lot more going on in this book than a simple head to head smackdown.

We do get the expected confrontation quite early into the book, however, once the dust settles we have a significant story flip and some of the dynamic changes between characters. I really enjoyed the opportunity to see some of these DC characters put into this spotlight.

Artwork is a boost to the book too. Colourful, clear and with reader enjoyment put to the fore it was a gorgeous reading experience, no squinting at shaded sketches to try decipher what was happening!

The story collects Justice League vs Suicide Squad 1-6, Suicide Squad 8,9 and 10 and also Justice League 12 and 13…a good number of issues which makes this a longer read for us to enjoy.

 

 

SPIDER-MAN: TORMENT

Collects Spider-Man #1-5. Webs, fangs and voodoo drums! A vengeance-seeking villain binds another Spider-Man foe to her will, but can they really resurrect a third to triple-team the wall-crawler?

 

Torment was the story which flipped me from occasional comic book reader to serious comic collector. I remember being blown away by Todd McFarlane’s artwork and this story of The Lizard on a relentless drive to kill Spider-man was not like any story I had encountered before.

Has time been kind to Torment?  It was 1990 when I first read it and Spidey has gone through some major changes since then but I was happy to find that I enjoyed revisiting this story.

A series of brutal murders in New York leads Peter Parker to suspect that a monster is stalking the city. The Lizard appears the most likely suspect, however, the brutality of the killings is not typical of his old foe.

Readers see that The Lizard is being influenced by a witch using blood and voodoo rituals to control her “pet”.  Her motives become clear as the story develops but her magic is powerful and Spider-man is weakened and vulnerable as his battles with The Lizard have drained him – can Spider-man overcome the ferocity of these foes and get home to Mary Jane?

Art is distinctive. The story a powerful introduction to a new title and as a single volume it was a great read.

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July 29

Knights Club: The Bands of Bravery – Shuky

This middle-grade graphic novel series makes YOU the valiant hero of a fantasy quest—pick your panel, find items, gain abilities, solve puzzles, and play through new storylines again and again!

The year is 1012 in the kingdom of the good king Louis the Little. Three brothers dream of joining the fearless Knights of the Royal Order—and one of these brothers is you! On your adventure you will journey through snowy mountains, mysterious lakes, and haunted forests in search of the coveted bracelets of bravery. You must solve riddles, discover hidden passages, and gather magical objects. Success depends on the choices you make, because the hero is none other than you!

 

My thanks to Quirk Books for a review copy which I received through Netgalley

 

A book where you control the story. Decisions have to be made by the reader and this will dictate how the tale unfolds.  Multiple possibilities so numerous potential story paths and this means the reader can play their way through Knights Club many, many times.

Yes I did say “play their way” as this book is more about playing the adventure than seeing how the author wants the tale to unfold.  Knights Club is aimed at Middle Grade readers so I would suggest readers from age 8 to 12 will probably get the most fun here.

The story features a challenge…you are one of three brothers who want to become a knight.  Take your chosen hero through a series of challenges and puzzles to make his dream come true.

I had a digital copy so I sat my eldest bookworm (11 years old) down. Handed him my laptop at the first page of the book and let him work out the story for himself.  A great way to ensure a few hours of peace and quiet folks!

I got updates as he played.  There were lots of giggles and snickering laughs. A few perplexed sighs as he tried to predict the decision he thought he SHOULD take to get the right solution (rather than the obvious path he WANTED to take).  That’s not how these books work though!

The first read took about 30 mins and then he seemed to have messed up as the story ended (unsuccessfully).  Straight back in for another go and son lasted longer and seemed to have a very different tale the second time around. NB he did later confirm he deliberately took different choices as he had failed the first read…

Knights Club kept him entertained for several evenings before I prompted him for some feedback to help with this review.  “Great pictures” was noted and I agreed, the artwork is perfect for the target age and have lots of visual humour to support the story.  “Fun to flick back and forward to keep the story going” was another observation.  Clearly the unusual approach to reading was a hit.  To clarify:  The story begins at part 1 but may then direct you to page 74, choose between 142 or 44 and then from there you go to page 91. Some of the choices the reader faces are drawn into the artwork so a crossroads sign may give two visual clues where the story leads next.

All good fun and it kept my son highly entertained.

Not due to be released until September but this places it nicely into the “out in time for Christmas” category. Knights Club would make an excellent and unexpected pick-up idea for a reader who may want a bit more input into their latest read.

 

Knights Club is published by Quirk Books and releases on 4 September 2018 in paperback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Knights-Club-Bands-Bravery-Quests/dp/1683690559/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1532813899&sr=1-1

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June 17

Rise of the Superheroes – David Tosh

They Could Be Heroes

Rise of the Superheroes–Greatest Silver Age Comic Books and Characters is a visual and entertaining adventure exploring one of the most popular and significant eras of comic book history. From 1956 to 1970, the era gave us Spider-Man, The Avengers, X-Men, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man and a flurry of other unforgettable and formidable characters.

The Silver Age redefined and immortalized superheroes as the massive pop culture titans they are today.

Lavishly illustrated with comic book covers and original art, the book chronicles:

  • The new frontier of DC Comics, with a revamped Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, and new characters including Hawkman
  • Marvel’s new comics featuring Thor and The Fantastic Four
  • The pop art years that saw Batman’s “new look” and the TV series
  • Independent characters, including Fat Fury and T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents
  • Spotlights new and re-imagined superheroes, like Wonder Woman, who have become central to modern pop culture
  • Includes values of these comics, which are popular with collectors

Thanks to the Silver Age, superheroes are bigger and badder than ever.

 

My thanks to Quirk Books for the chance to review this book.

It seems that Superheroes are cool again.  Marvel comics have set a high bar in our cinemas over the last 10 years as they build up a cinematic universe beyond the wildest dreams of the more mature comic book fan.

DC Comics may not have fared quite so well in the cinema (though Wonder Woman was a notable exception), however, they are ruling the small screen.  From Smallville to The Flash, Arrow and Supergirl they are showing the way forward at producing hours of fan pleasing content which keeps the comic book readers hooked.

But before the heroes had their rise to fame on our homes and in movie theatres they first had to Rise from anonymity in the original comic books.  Why should Spider-Man, The Flash and Thor have been the successful stories while Luke Cage, Cloak and Dagger or Hawkman maybe just didn’t capture the public imagination in the same way?

In the gorgeously illustrated Rise of the Superheroes David Tosh looks at the Silver Age of comic books and charts how the action heroes of their day became the megastar crowd pullers that they are today.  By focusing on the events of the time, the stories which became character defining and by drawing on his own observations a story is built around the names we know so well.

I have been reading comic books since I was about 8 or 9 years old – that is over 30 years of being a Spidey fan (long before it was cool to be a comic nerd).  I love a book which will tell the back stories, look at pivotal moments in the evolution of characters and (one day) I may even understand why there are so many different X-men groups and factions!  This book is very much aimed at readers like me – fans who want to read more about their favourite characters and possibly even learn about the heroes which feature in comics I don’t read.

Let’s face it – there are just too many comics out there to try to read them all.  Some just don’t get an opportunity to shine and some titles just don’t get picked up by readers for reasons which will seem ridiculous to other readers.  For example I have never read a Green Lantern comic, nor have I ever been a fan of Iron Man.  Hulk is great (but not when he is in space) and the X-Men are just too complicated to know where to start.  But I still claim to love comic books and I use books like Rise of the Superheroes to try to make me WANT to read Iron Man or Green Lantern.

David Tosh has done a good job of making his book very accessible.  I was surprised that it was not 100% factual and that some of her personal opinions and observations creep in – unusual for this type of reference book. But his writing style is easy to pick up and put down (we are in coffee-table book country here) and I loved the time I spent pouring over the pages.

If you are discovering comics through the recent influx of film and tv shows then books like Rise of the Superheroes are a great way to understand better where the characters first found their feet. Seasoned readers may find this one a little light on new information, but that does not stop it being a fun read.

 

Rise of the Superheroes is published by Quirk Books and you can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rise-Superheroes-Greatest-Silver-Characters/dp/1440248168/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529270776&sr=8-1&keywords=rise+of+the+superheroes

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June 1

The Legion of Regrettable Super Villains – Jon Morris

Legion of Regrettable Super VillainsEvery hero needs a villain. But not all villains are dangerous some are incompetent, comical, or just weird. In his follow-up to The League of Regrettable Superheroes, author Jon Morris presents over a hundred of the strangest, most stupefying supervillains to ever see print in comics. Meet D-list rogues like Brickbat (choice of weapon: poisonous bricks), Robbing Hood (steals from the poor to give to the rich), Swarm (a crook made of bees; Nazi bees), and many more. Drawing on the entire history of the medium, The Legion of Regrettable Supervillains affectionately and hilariously profiles oddball criminals from the history of comics.

 

My thanks to Jamie at Quirk Books for my review copy.

Factual books talking about fictional stories are brilliant distractions.  I have shelves of books which break down all 36 seasons of Doctor Who. Star Trek is also well represented as are volumes on Spider-man characters, every hero ever to be an Avenger, Batman through the years and even a Thunderbirds anthology.  So when Quirk Books kindly let me review The Legion of Regrettable Super Villains I was like a kid in a sweet shop (or a reader locked in a bookshop).

Jon Morris has trawled the archives of comic book history to find us some of the more obscure villains to grace the pages of comic books.  Spanning tales from the Golden Age (where there were a plethora of characters I confess I had never heard of). To modern times where there were signs some creative teams were rushing toward deadline and the inspiration-fairy had left them in the lurch. There are some weird and wonderful characters to read about and you can decide for yourself if you feel that some may be due a revival.

As with any of these collections I was instinctively drawn to the characters and stories that I recognised (and there were several).  By comparing my own opinion on some of the Regrettable Villains against that of the author I could benchmark how fairly, or not, they are being treated.  Overall I was very pleased with the outcome of that experiment as I seemed to be quite aligned to the author’s way of thinking for the most part.

Each Villain gets introduced, some of their history explained or the reason for their appearance outlined and we hear who they were pitted against.  There are some dark and twisted creative minds at work in the comic book world, some of these crooks are seriously disturbed and I am not sure some of the stories would be agreed by editors these days.

Regrettable Super Villains isn’t the type of book I can sit and pour through in a single sitting or two.  It was enjoyed over a few weeks as I dipped in and out of it and jumped from section to section. For a comic book fan it was sheer browsing pleasure, we need more books like this…these oddball weirdos must never be forgotten.

 

The Legion of Regrettable Super Villains is published by Quirk Books and is available now in gorgeous hardback and a digital version too. Copies ordered here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Legion-Regrettable-Supervillains-Oddball-Criminals/dp/1594749329/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1495404300&sr=1-1&keywords=league+of+regrettable+supervillains

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April 20

Hulk: Gray – Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale

Hulk GrayThis tale examines in new detail the earliest days of the Incredible Hulk. As Dr. Bruce Banner makes his first transformations into his brutish alter ego, relationships that will influence his life and the life of the Hulk are forged… and destroyed! Collects Hulk: Gray #1-6

 

Reviewing the comic via my comiXology app

I’ve been a reader for as long as I can remember and comic books have been a regular feature on my bookshelves (and in very long, white boxes) for around 30 years. When I was very young I was introduced to Spider-man and The Incredible Hulk through a weekly comic published by Marvel Comics UK.  They are nothing like the monthly publications that you find in stores like Forbidden Planet – think the Beano or Dandy but with more Thwip and Smash.

Hulk SpideyThese days I cannot afford to feed my comic book addiction to the extent that I would like so I rely upon my local library for many of the Graphic Novels that I read and I make very good use of an app on my phone and tablet called comiXology.  A phone app to let me read comic books…mind blown!

Hulk: Gray is a six part adventure featuring Dr Bruce Banner and his angry alter ego. The blurb describes it as a story which “examines in detail the earliest days of the Incredible Hulk”.  It is that – the story plays out in the immediate aftermath of the gamma explosion which changed Dr Banner’s life forever.  Technically it is a flashback recounting of the events as Banner is chatting to his friend Doc Sampson and trying to explain his side of events.

What initially drew me to Hulk: Gray (other than a love of the character) was the creative due of Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. I had read, and loved, their Batman series The Long Halloween. Loeb writes a great story and Sale’s artwork really appeals. I do find that some comics can be a bit of a let down for me if I don’t like the art style (Secret Invasion I am looking at you).  But Loeb and Sale are a great duo.

Hulk is in a “Hulk Smash” persona. Poor vocab and limited comprehension he just wants to be left alone. But General Ross and the US Army are hot on his tail – particularly when Hulk finds someone to take with him as he escapes the troops…Ross’s daughter Betty. Loeb does a fabulous job of showing how Hulk cannot express Banner’s love for Betty but that Hulk somehow knows that this girl is important to Hulk.

The immediate suspicion of General Ross is quickly put in place and the friendship of Hulk and Rick Jones is established too.  For fans there is also an unexpected cameo from another Avenger founding member to enjoy (a meeting which had never been documented prior to this story).

A highly entertaining story from one of the best writing teams of recent times.  Hulk: Gray has a lot going for it.

Until next time True Believers, Make Mine Marvel.

 

Hulk: Gray is a Marvel Comics publication which is available as a single volume Graphic Novel and on Kindle or a Comixology App.  Order it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hulk-Gray-Jeph-Loeb-ebook/dp/B00AAJR0FY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1492720057&sr=1-1&keywords=hulk+grey

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January 9

World War Hulk – Greg Pak

world-war-hulkAn epic story of anger unbound! Exiled by a group of Marvel “heroes” to the savage alien planet of Sakaar, the Hulk raged, bled and conquered through the pages of last year’s “Planet Hulk” epic, rising from slave to gladiator to king. Now the Hulk returns to Earth to wreak his terrible vengeance on Iron Man, Reed Richards, Dr. Strange and Black Bolt ? and anyone else who gets in the way. Stronger than ever, accompanied by his monstrous Warbound gladiator allies, and possessed by the fiercest and purest rage imaginable, the Hulk may just tear this stupid planet in half. Collects World War Hulk (2007) #1-5.

 

 

Hulk stories are hit or miss for me. I love the earth-bound stuff but stick him in space and I am less of a fan.

World War Hulk is an Earth story so I came at it with high hopes and it does deliver, unfortunately it was just a bit too “Hulk Smash” and quite story-lite. There is a need for all the fighting as Hulk is returning to Earth to seek revenge on Reed Richards, Iron Man, Black Bolt and Doctor Strange – they banished him to space for the safety of people on Earth.

What they could not have known is where Hulk may end up, the battles he would face and the loss that he would suffer. Hulk has never been more angry and he will let no hero stand in the way of his rage.

The high battle count in this 5 part adventure means much of the artwork depicts fight scenes and battered and bloody heroes, split over 5 months this may have been easier reading – as a single volume it needed more story to break up the punching.

A high profile EVENT in the Marvel universe but not on the scale of Secret Invasion or Civil War. Hulk Fans will love it but casual readers will find it a bit more tricky to embrace.

 

 

Category: From The Bookshelf, Graphic Novels | Comments Off on World War Hulk – Greg Pak