Incredible Hulk #84
Writer – Peter David
Artist – Jorge Lucas
“Terra Incognita” Part 2
One of the highlights of working in the office is bringing old comics with me to read before my shift and during my breaks. I put the brakes on doing this to re-read Gideon Falls and after a hiatus, I brought this issue of Incredible Hulk with me to work on Thursday, June 13th.
I recently re-read House of M via Prime Reading on my Kindle Fire and thought this issue was a good choice to both read and review to get back in the swing of things.
Bruce Banner found peace with a tribe of Aborigines in Australia, until Exodus and his group of mutants shattered his quiet life and enraged the scientist, bringing forth his monstrous alter ego for revenge.
In the House of M reality, mutants are the dominant species and humans are treated like second class citizens. Exodus may have bitten off more than he can chew, sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong, leading The Hulk to team up with A.I.M scientists to fight back against the mutant leader’s reign of evil and tyranny.
This version of The Hulk is smart, cold, and calculating. Although he has aligned himself with A.I.M, he knows he can’t fully trust the organization and can see through Dr. Rappachini’s shallow compliments and empty bravado. If the two sides can work together, they can overpower Exodus and free a frightened populace. Who will stand triumphant once the dust settles and the smoke clears? The Hulk or A.I.M?
Peter David has a long and storied history with the Jade Giant and he has a little bit of free rein to take the hero in a different direction readers aren’t used to since this story is out of continuity. The art design of this Hulk, brought to life by Jorge Lucas, definitely stands out when compared to other versions of the character with his bald head and tribal markings on his chest.
One thing I miss about comic books, which I’ve mentioned before, are the in-house advertisements. I made a note of each movie and video game that was shown to add to my movie watchlist and video-game playlist. Some notable movies in this issue include Stealth and Steve Martin’s remake of The Pink Panther. Destroy All Humans!, Conker Live & Reloaded, and Fire Emblem – The Sacred Stones round out the video game spotlights. Nowadays, comics just advertise other comic books. Where’s the fun in that?
House of M – Incredible Hulk is collected and available on Hoopla. If you haven’t read House of M before, I highly recommend it. It’s ending would affect the Avengers and the X-Men for years to come.