I’m having a blast with Indestructible Hulk by Mark Waid and Leinil Yu. This creative team continues to build a better beast with each action and humor packed issue. In case you’re just joining us…Bruce Banner works for S.H.I.E.L.D. showing the world he’s just as brilliant as Tony Stark and Reed Richards while Maria Hill gets he Hulk as a Weapon of Mass Destruction. Young geniuses with their own secrets have signed on to work for the ultimate Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
In this week’s Indestructible Hulk #4 Waid and Yu takes us first to Bannerville, USA where Bruce meets and has a little fun at the expense of his eager, edgy lab assistants. The action then goes deep as Banner leads a S.H.I.E.L.D. team to the bottom of the ocean on a top-secret salvage mission. What’s cooler than SHIELD’s Helicarrier? Continue reading HULK Gets Deep!
It’s not too late to jump on one of the most enjoyable titles of the Marvel Now relaunch. This week’s Indestructible Hulk #3 is the third outstanding example of how great storytelling has made one of oldest icons fresh and fun again.
I definitely have to call this book cinematic. If you enjoyed Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner and the Hulk from The Avengers then you’ll enjoy the ride Mark Waid and Leinil Yu will take on in this new series.
Banner is now working for S.H.I.E.L.D. Bruce gets to be a great scientist. Maria Hill gets a big green W.M.D. After showing up Tony Stark in a battle of the brains with his new invention, Bruce HULKED OUT on Iron Man to prove a point.
Maria Hill has given Bruce a job, a lab and the chance to show Tony and Marvel’s other big brains that he’s their scientific equal (or perhaps better as the series go along!) In this issue Maria recruits Banner’s lab team. Seriously who would want to work for a boss who could become a monster?
While science geeks audition to be part of Banner’s think tank, Bruce goes on a mission against A.I.M. and discovers a technological blast from the past that could pose a new threat. Waid and Yu craft a confrontation packed with action, humor and moments that may inspire a “awesome!” from you.
This is the best issue so far in a new series that’s big on action and fun.
Two titanic talents team up for a clash of titans in Asgard! Legendary Thor writer/artist Walter Simonson is joining Mark Waid for an upcoming arc of Indestructible Hulk guest starring Thor in April. Expect Banner’s trip to Asgard to be a SMASH!
In Marvel’s The Avengers Hulk famously sneaked in a sucker punch on the Odinson. In Indestructible Hulk #2 Bruce showed up Tony Stark in the labs of SHIELD and by unleashing the Hulk on Iron Man. Could the reinvigorated and bold Bruce be testing his power by going after the God of Thunder?
Mark Waid told Marvel.com how the first arc leads into the second and Banner’s mission:
“Bruce Banner learned a lot about his new crew of assistants; as he points out, their common denominator is that they all have a big secret in their lives—a “hidden self,” if you will –and the secret one of them is harboring is what makes the mission to Jotunheim, land of the Frost Giants, a priority for Bruce.
On the face of it, Banner claims that he’s taking his crew to Jotunheim in search of a specific element that exists only at Frost Giant temperatures. But Bruce has a hidden motive, as well. The real fun of it is how Bruce and his team get to Jotunheim in the first place; it’s a nifty piece of applied science, if I do say so myself.”
Banner reports to Maria Hill now so obviously SHIELD has an interest in the journey to Asgard.
“S.H.I.E.L.D.’s buying in to Bruce’s search for the Frost Giant metal—the scientific applications are myriad—but it’s one of Bruce’s assistants who has the most to lose or gain, and you’ll be surprised at the who and the why.
Indestructible Hulk #6 smashes into comic shops this April! For more of Waid’s interview here’s the Marvel.com link.
Marvel's Avengers The Hulk courtesy Marvel Studios
Mark Ruffalo plays Dr. Bruce Banner and the Hulk in Marvel’s The Avengers. The actor talked with IGN Movies about his approach to playing the heroic monster and Banner’s state when the action picks up in the movie.
“Yeah, it’s hard to watch a movie with a guy who doesn’t want to be there. I think Banner’s aging and living with this thing since — now it’s been two years since his last “one.” We’re kind of going for this world weariness of accepting — trying to get to the point where he can live with it, and maybe master it. Come to peace with it. And so there’s this kind of nice ironic wryness to Banner. He’s not sulking and miserable, you know. I think that’s sort of a throwback — we had talked about it being a throwback to Bill Bixby, which was the Banner that I grew up on basically. He had kind of a charm about him, and this world weariness. He was on the run, but he was still able to flirt sometimes and smile sometimes, and occasionally he’d crack a joke. When you have a movie where there’s so many characters you end up getting about 10 minutes screen time with your particular character. So in the screen time that we have we’re trying to bring out this charm in him, and maybe this idea that he wants to be a superhero. I mean, he looks at Stark and he’s like, “That’s the dude who did what I was intending to do. He’s the model. He made it work.” So Banner and Stark have a very cool relationship in the movie. ”
Marvel's The Avengers courtesy Marvel.com
When asked about a Hulk solo movie:
“Why not! It was the one character — you know, I was a comic book fan when I was a kid and I always loved the Hulk. When The Incredible Hulk, that show, came on, I would not miss that. And so if I was going to find myself in that world, this would be the guy that I would be most interested in doing. To make a very short answer long: Yeah, I’d love to have him do his own movie.”
Ruffalo confirmed his Hulk will talk in The Avengers.
This Geek’s Opinion: I love that influence of Bill Bixby. The Incredible Hulk was a can’t miss show for me as a kid. It’s has one of the best theme songs ever. As for a Hulk solo movie? I would love to see Marvel to get inspiration from Peter David’s long run on The Incredible Hulk. I loved when Banner and Hulk were merged and he was part of the Pantheon. I could see a Hulk-led Pantheon vs. SHIELD epic. Here’s a link to one of the many Peter David Incredible Hulk visionaries collections if you want an idea of the story.
