HULK versus SILVER SURFER
Planet Hulk: Exile Part IV (Marvel)
Where: The Incredible Hulk #95 When: July 2006
Why: Greg Pak How: Carlo Pagulayan

The Story So Far...
Approached by SHIELD to undertake a mission in space against a rogue satellite; Bruce Banner, as he so often has, attempted to turn his burdened curse into a force for good. As his alter-ego, Hulk, the conflicted hero learned of a plot to rid the Earth of his existence, hatched by Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, Dr. Strange, and Black Bolt -- members of the secret cabal of heroes known as The Illuminati. Having grappled with internal rogue elements as dangerous as the reality altering Scarlet Witch, they no longer saw a tennable solution for the Hulk's unpredictable and devastating rampages.

Ejected into outer space; Hulk attempted to free himself from The Illuminati's vessel with brute force. The assault knocked his ship from it's course to a remote, habital planet, instead sending the green goliath through a wormhole, which deployed him to a distant, savage planet called Sakaar.

Weakened by his intergalactic journey, Hulk is quickly sold into slavery on Sakaar, powerless to prevent his admission into the Empire's gladiatorial system held in the Great Arena. Inadvertently thrust into a group of surviving warriors, Hulk's powers begin to grow anew, posing a threat to the Emperor's rule as he aids his fellows in their battles. A win away from freedom, with the Emperor's blood on his mighty green hand, "The Green Scar" and his Warbound must now face the ultimate challenge. A warrior captured from the stars and forced to fight. A master of the power cosmic. A former ally to the Hulk himself -- The Silver Savage!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Hulk 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Silver Surfer 5 (Professor)
Speed: Silver Surfer 7 (Light Speed)
Stamina: Draw 6 (Generator)
Agility: Silver Surfer 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Hulk 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Silver Surfer 7 (Cosmic)


Real Name: [Bruce Banner]
Group Affiliation: [Warbound]
First Appearance: [Incredible Hulk #1] Year One: [1962]
Win Percentage: [59.26%] Last Opponent: [Rulk]
2006: [#6] 2007: [#10] 2008: [#5] 2009: [#36]

Dr. Robert Bruce Banner, a slight and insignificant scientist, lives slavishly dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, as funded by the United States military.
Though Banner justifies his goals as means for peace, he becomes one of America's leading weapons designers after inventing a gamma radiation bomb.

During preperations for a test launch in the desert, Dr. Banner spots a reckless youth on the testing ground, and in a moment of magnificence, knowingly throws himself on a bullet that would grant a far crueller fate than death. Bitterly aware of the Communist conspiracy of his fellow scientist, Banner struggles to usher he and the boy to safety while his colleague continues to countdown the launch.

After succumbing to an ordinarily lethal doses of gamma radiation, Dr. Banner soon finds himself undergoing a horrific transformation. Originally by night, but soon triggered by rage or unease, Banner discovers the superhumanly strong alter-ego within himself, dubbed simply - the Hulk!

As Hulk, Banner's brilliance is reduced to a childlike lumbering, while his slight frame conversely comes to possess size, strength, and durability never before imagined. After being ejected into space by the secretive superhero Illuminati, Hulk came to land on a planet called Sakaar. While there, he developed a moderate intelligence with a keen mind for combat, hardened by forced gladiatorial combat. In The Great Arena, Hulk is joined by Korg, Brood, Shadow Warrior, Elloe, and Miek, collectively the Warbound.

Hulk has no specific known weaknesses, but is fiercely protective of the few who earn his favour. Though generally good hearted, Hulk is prone to wild rages and varied personalities, particularly provoked by any challenge to the identity of his persona, particularly where matters of his physical dominance are concerned.

Real Name: [Norrin Radd]
Group Affiliation: [Galactus' Heralds]
First Appearance: [Fantastic Four #48] Year One: [1966]
Win Percentage: [50%] Last Opponent: [Beta Ray Bill]
2006: [#21] 2007: [#22] 2008: [DNR] 2009: [#119]

Once an inhabitant of the paradise world Zenn-La; Norrin Radd was forced to enter into a faustian pact for his soul in order to protect his planet and beloved, Shalla-Bal, from the endless hunger of omnipotent world devourer, Galactus.
Pledged to serve as herald to the devourer and seek out planets to satisfy his sustainance, Radd was bathed in the Power Cosmic, transforming him into the chrome-coated space rider and harbinger of death, the Silver Surfer.

When first leading Galactus toward Earth, the Silver Surfer was engaged by the Fantastic Four, who were aided by The Watcher. During battle with Thing, the Surfer was knocked into the studio appartment of a blind artist, Alicia Masters. The kind touch and concern of the sculptress was key to reawakening the spirit of Norrin Radd, who then chose to use his powers against his master. Galactus spared Earth, but exiled his herald to the confines of the Milky Way Galaxy. As a result, he briefly held membership with The Defenders, along with adventuring many more times alongside the Fantastic Four.

The Power Cosmic grants Silver Surfer a near limitless array of abilities, many of which are rarely explored. At the outer limits of his skill, the Surfer has been shown to adapt telepathy, convert matter into alternate substances, and even time travel. More typically, he possesses greatly enhanced strength, stamina, and endurance sufficient enough to withstand even the harshest of environments unphased. He channels cosmic energy into projectile bolts as a means of combat, and can also control all aspects of his board, upon which he travels. The board is an extension of his being, but does not have any inherent baring on his power.

Additional: On designate Earth-2149, Silver Surfer had an encounter with zombie versions of Hulk and the other Avengers. In this reality, Silver Surfer was still herald to Galactus, arriving on Earth much later than his counterpart in mainline continuity. Hulk was strong enough to bite through the Surfer's cosmic chrome, leading both Silver Surfer, and his world devouring master, to suffer the ironic indignity of being eaten. The Surfer's fate was sealed in Marvel Zombies #3.

Despite a long association between the characters, which includes their mutual status as founding members of The Defenders, this is the first time the two have met on The Comic Book Fight Club.

History: N/A
Statistics: Silver Surfer Ranking: Hulk (#6)

What Went Down...
A triple drum call echoes throughout the realm, announcing a public holiday for the citizens of The Imperial Crown City. It means but one thing for those whose path leads to the Great Arena -- "It's gonna be a bloodbath."

Entering the arena first are the challengers, whose record includes victory over the Maw and Wildebots, with the loss of only one warrior, Lavin Skee. They are Horoim the Shamed, the mighty Shadow Warrior; the descriptively titled Brood, from Broodworld; the stoney Korg of Kronan; loveable fighting bug, Miek the Unhived; and the hulking hero of the people, The Green Scar!

Their opponent, the ultimate contest for these Warbound warriors, is a chrome skinned hero from the stars, repackaged for the Great Arena as a board-shielded, mace wielding bad ass, The Silver Savage!

The Green Scar, Hulk, clearly recognises his opponent, revealing his identity to be that of former ally, The Silver Surfer! Controlled by the same retarding slave discs that punish any sign of rebellion amongst the Warbound gladiators, Silver Surfer is unable to resist the Emperor's demand for combat.

The first blow belongs to this Silver Savage, who delivers a devastating charging uppercut with fixed mace, powerful enough to shatter Hulk's shield and send the armored Green Scar and his fellows toppling like never before!

Hulk ties up with his former Defenders teammate, to share a piece of his mind. The Surfer plays it a little more direct, however, sending Hulk careening across the arena with a cosmically charged headbutt, for his troubles. His utterance, "forgive me...," offers little consolation to his fighting foe.

The rest of the Warbound join the fray, but Brood and Miek are just as easily defended against. Using his modified board as a shield, the Surfer blocks Miek's leaping attack, whilst tending to the more effective Brood with a swing of his arena supplied, energy crackling fixed mace.

A rampaging Kronan would likely rock any other being to their core, but the Silver Savage is swift in his dismissal of the undisciplined assault, counter attacking with a simple rise of his board. The impact of Korg's landing sends a destructive crack through the Great Arena seating!

With an eye for a more strategic attack; Hulk, still recovering from his first dash against the cosmically powered Surfer, formulates a motivated assault on the Surfer's only obvious weakspot, on the same page as former Shadow Warrior, Hiroim. The fallen former imperialist leaps into the air for an overhead strike!

The Silver Surfer confidently raises his shield to defend against the aerial attack, leaving himself wide open to a head-on collision from the incredible Hulk! Hulk drives Hiroim's spear directly into the control disc attached to the Surfer's chest, successfully rupturing it! The effect is quick working, freeing the Silver Surfer from the device's controlling influence. His gratitude is swift. Hulk is swifter...

As the Green Scar's mighty fists come crashing down upon the limp silver form beneath them, something primal, old, inherent in his DNA comes out. The crowd's cheers turn to shocked silence, but the Hulk hears neither, unleashing a rage that decimates a Silver Surfer who is no longer a threat. The stoney hand of Korg stays Hulk's pounding fist, "Hulk, no. We've won."

A monster's roar gives way to a sense of clarity.

The third victory is secure.

Hulk has earned his freedom...

The Hammer...
Given recent history, I'm reluctant to promise a lot of these 2011 updates, but I do so very much enjoy the prospect of returning to these meaty, instant classic battles. In the scheme of things, The Comic Book Fight Club has dwelled so often in obscurity, the contemporary, or personal obsession, that some of the biggest battles and most famous comic book rivalries have failed to make an appearance. In the scheme of things, this is a comics blog that has only scratched the surface of it's subject matter -- an exciting prospect!

I have to admit straight away, I passed Planet Hulk up on it's initial run. Worse still, what really inspired me to bring this particular battle to the site was the animated film based on the comic, which notably omits this fight in favour of an adaptation featuring Beta Ray Bill in Silver Surfer's place, who was licensed elsewhere. This really isn't an illigitimate way to breach characters, or stories, but as a die hard old comics reader with designs to be a credible source of information, I guess I'm just not used to resorting to second-hand second-glimpses, like that.

Ultimately, even after comic and cartoon, I'm not entirely convinced this is a story for me, but I so totally admire the conviction of Greg Pak's story, and the Planet Hulk concept as a whole, that I cannot deny it it's dues. To really get a grasp of Planet Hulk from this context, I think you need to look at the whole.

In these heavy thinking times, Hulk has become a far more difficult character to write than the basic concept might suggest. A brilliant, peaceful scientist who becomes victim to the raging beast within is still a very interesting and viable concept, but the Hulk's legend has grown over time so much so that accepting his simple existence in a Marvel Universe has become a tricky subject.

Some of my favourite features on the site come from guest-spots, or one issue stories, but Hulk can no longer meander from one appearance to another as freely as he did in decades gone by, certainly not without raising larger questions from an increasingly savvy audience. Causality is nothing new in superhero comics, but the bredth of it's reach has expanded and intertwined with other concerns, such as a tone of consistency and greater, more plausible balance of risk and threat in fiction that depends on the survival of it's iconic characters.

This conspiracy of ideas, to refine the purity of Hulk's status as "strongest one there is," alongside the desire to do so with a sense of superhuman versimiltude, has meant that the classic enterprise of pitting the Hulk's mindless strength against other heroes now demands an event unto itself. It's not enough to have Matt Murdock meet Bruce Banner in New York City by chance [Daredevil #163], or let Hulk walk away from a clash that threatened the lives of the American Winter Olympic team [Marvel Treasury Edition #25]. Now there must be consequence, and if forty years of an unpredictable power of Hulk's significance demands a sense of consequence, then attempts at longterm solution become inevitable.

I like Planet Hulk because it comes from a couple of good places.
On the one hand, the premise of ejecting Hulk into space comes from the simple perspective of wanting heroes to have the credibility of recognising a threat, in a world where an ultimatum between franchises can never be made. Ejecting the character into space, even in the knowledge that it won't last, is as elegant a way to make everyone look good without creating an unsolvable, impossible situation. Quite the contrary, when, this is the basis for an opportunity to work with a high concept that, in one sense, plays very much to the character, but in another, takes it to a whole new place.

[Greg] Pak credits Marvel Editor-In-Chief, Joe Quesada, with the invention of the Planet Hulk story. There seems to be no denying, however, that the success of the story comes straight from the writer himself, who was given enough rope to tell an unlikely story, his way. The result is a textured approach to event comics, as big an idea as something like Civil War, without the loss of character that comes from such a large scope. This is "event comics" with the grounding of the tried and true method of writing storyarcs, bolstered by a dedication to a focal point, even if attention is shared with other strong characters.

The gladiatorial aspect of Planet Hulk seems right up a vintage alley, relevant to some of the earliest Stan Lee adventures, which gleefully pitted Hulk against his fellow Marvel heroes in some of the earliest examples of these classic rivalries [ie; Tales to Astonish #79]. The idea of dropping Hulk on an alien planet, where his powers aren't at their height, is twisting that original combative premise on it's head in a way that makes good use of the unique situation. Combine this with the presence of the Warbound supporting cast and their converging plotlines, and you've got a very admirable and unique chapter in the Hulk's illustrious history.

You couldn't talk about the event of Planet Hulk without mentioned World War Hulk, which bridges the gap between then, and now. The most enduring legacy of World War Hulk remains the invention of Red Hulk -- gamma irradiated alias of General Thunderbolt Ross -- which has very specifically represented a rebuttle to the kind of thinking that brought us to now. "Rulk" and Hulk have been a part of a couple of years of storytelling under Jeph Loeb [and Ed McGuinness], who've very much retreated back into a way of approaching the Marvel Universe that has very few signs of consequence, initiated by the mass destruction of World War Hulk, but taking it much farther in it's disregard for other characters.

Personally, I think Planet Hulk got it right.
There's a balance in the world that takes a very individual, removed perspective, but retains a referencial tone. Pak balances his own goals with the pop precepts that drive Loeb's action-heavy guest spots, giving us this rather exciting issue of Hulk versus Silver Surfer, with a more organic consideration for what's plausible or appropriate. Granted, the story makes a time-based exception to allow for the concurrent Annihilation event that featured Silver Surfer, but does so quite elegantly, with the overriding consideration that Silver Surfer is an enticingly connected character within the Hulk mythos, with every potential to be there. It's something the Loeb stories lack, or at least, fail to exhibit with as much delicacy.

Back matter in the letters page of single issues includes blog-like scans and reference material from classic Hulk comics -- a feature that almost redeemed farcical opus, Cry For Justice -- which reveals Pak's efforts even further. As a side, it not only makes buying the back issues well worth it, but also exhibits a technique that really should've been more prevelant in comics since the 2006 cover date. As an invested fan, I enjoy the context and wallowing in the history and continuity of the canon. For younger readers who have become notoriously characterised as stupid and lazy, this kinda stuff should be a good way to indoctrinate some backstory and perspective into them without the contextual vagaries of Wikipedia descriptions.

Visuals are vibrant and exciting, with Pagulayan looking equally comfortable when emoting the melodramatic expressions the story demands, or having the Silver Surfer explode into a fullpage assault with a fixed mace. He's joined by Marshall Rogers early in the issue, who contributes for a flashback sequence describing how the Silver Surfer came to be on the planet Sakaar.

All in all, if you fully comprehend that this is as far removed from the Marvel Universe and Hulk stories of the norm', then there's no reason to hesitate in getting a closer look. By it's removed nature, I'm not sure it can ever stand as one of the all-time great Hulk tomes, but as time goes on, I'm sure Planet Hulk will be fondly remembered as something a little bit different.

Winner: Hulk & Hiroim [w/ Brood, Korg, and Miek.]
The Fight: 5 The Story: 4.5 The Pictures: 4.5

US MILITARY versus HULK
(Marvel)
Where: World War Hulk #3 When: October 2007
Why: Greg Pak How: John Romita Jr

The Story So Far...
After an emotionally unstable Scarlet Witch unleashes her powers in an event that threatens reality, and tears Earth's mightiest heroes apart; a secret sect of superhero powers dubbed, The Illuminati, are forced to reconsider the potential threats they harbor within their own number.

Recognising the erratic rampages of the Hulk as a longstanding and overlooked threat on their back porch, the group, though morally divided, conspire to lure the jade giant into a craft that will rocket him into deep space. Their message is one of peace, but for the Hulk, it is the beginning of a dark period in his existence.

After crash landing on the planet Sakaar, the Hulk becomes a gladiatorial warrior amidst an ethnically diverse alien community. He rises through the combative ranks and recovers from his initial wounds to become the new ruler of Sakaar, leading a rebellion by might. As King, Hulk would find love and sire an heir to his throne, but his happiness would sour when the ship that brought him to Sakaar detonates in an explosion that kills thousands, and sets off an environmental chain of events that would destroy the planet.

Rallying the survivors, the Hulk leads his Warbound to Earth where he seeks revenge against Reed Richards, Tony Stark, Dr. Strange, and the other heroes he believes responsible for the carnage. Hulk gives the innocent time to clear, and swiftly takes Manhattan, leaving the military no choice to turn their weapons to New York City.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Hulk 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: General T. Ross 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Hulk 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Hulk 6 (Generator)
Agility: Hulk 2 (Average)
Fighting Ability: Hulk 6 (Warrior)
Energy Power: General T. Ross 4 (Arsenal)


- In his career as a life-long military man, General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross's defining moment would come as head of the Gamma Bomb Project, designed to test and develop a new radioactive weapon for the United States.

Sabotage during the testing phase of the project would result in the mass exposure of one of the scientists working on the project, Dr. Bruce Banner. The accident would radically alter Banner's genetic composition, giving birth to the rampaging behemoth that would become Thunderbolt Ross' green whale; the incredible Hulk.

The Hulk's constant ability to overcome and escape military opposition has earned Thunderbolt Ross his share of disgraces. In the pursuit of his foe, Ross has held memberships with SHIELD, Hulkbusters, and even allied himself briefly with the gamma irradiated villain, the Leader, which would eventually result in his dishonorable discharge for treason. Even so, General Ross prevails in parallel to his violent counterpart, always ready to step into battle with the Hulk.

- Dr. Robert Bruce Banner, a slight and insignificant scientist, lives slavishly dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, as funded by the United States military.
Though Banner justifies his goals as means for peace, he becomes one of America's leading weapons designers after inventing a gamma radiation bomb.

During preperations for a test launch in the desert, Dr. Banner spots a reckless youth on the testing ground, and in a moment of magnificence, knowingly throws himself on a bullet that would grant a far crueller fate than death.
Bitterly aware of the Communist conspiracy of his fellow scientist, Banner struggles to usher he and the boy to safety while his colleague continues to countdown the launch.

After succumbing to an ordinarily lethal doses of gamma radiation, Dr. Banner soon finds himself undergoing a horrific transformation. Originally by night, but soon triggered by rage or unease, Banner discovers the superhumanly strong alter-ego within himself, dubbed simply - the Hulk! As the Hulk, Banner's brilliance is reduced to a childlike lumbering, while his slight frame conversely comes to possess size, strength, and durability never before imagined.

Hulk has no specific known weaknesses, but is fiercely protective of the few who earn his favour. Though generally good hearted, Hulk is prone to wild rages and varied personalities, including the calculating persona adopted during his time on the planet Sakaar, where he adopts a military savvy.

The Math: Hulk Ranking: Hulk (#5)

What Went Down...
With Mr. Fantastic and Black Bolt among the many heroes already felled; General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross takes grim responsibility for taking down an opponent he has watched through many revolutions. For Ross; World War Hulk is the event he has spent decades attempting to avert, and anticipated as leaders have continued to pardon the Hulk at his changing whims.

A rain of missiles fired from attack copters signal the military's entry into the skirmish. In the middle of a ruined Manhattan street, the Hulk does not see the attack coming. It does not seem to matter much.

The spray of munitions leaves the Hulk bathed in his own blood, but the raging warrior remains unmoved by the military forces. With a defiant leap, Hulk launches himself at one of the passing choppers, using the power of his bulging muscles to crush the machine in a mid-air bearhug!

Hulk's mid-air attack is cut-short as the jade giant suddenly stops.
Watching on, General Ross and his men are unaware of the struggle beginning within the Hulk, as Dr. Strange makes his astral presence felt in the battle. [That, however, is a battle for another day, folks!]

Having plummeted to Earth in a trance state, Hulk experiences an out-of-body experience within his own mind, courtesy of Strange. The Warbound are forced to protect their fearless leader, forming a protective phalanx around him, until he emerges once more with the bile of vengeance on his breath!

The behemoth throws himself into the heart of the battle, this time turning his destructive attentions to the earthbound machines of war used by the military. Like so many times before, Hulk effortlessly bends the metals of their tanks, turning their weapons against them in the most barbaric of ways.

A tank canon quickly becomes a giant-sized club for the rampaging Hulk, who smashes through three tanks, before launching the barrel as a missile that destroys a hovering chopper.

Soldiers move in bravely to face the Hulk at the frontline, but their bullets do little to phase the target. With a simple clap of his mighty hands, the Hulk sends a shockwave that fells the entire platoon of puny humans.

Renewed fire from the above suddenly pours down upon the Hulk as General Ross personally interjects from a mounted gun turret aboard his helecopter. Like all other weapons used in the skirmish, it proves ineffective in stopping the Hulk, who once again uses his powerful limbs to leap skyward.

Ross meets his arch-nemesis without fear, drawing a pistol as they both tumble at the whim of gravity. With nothing but animosity for the Hulk; Ross unloads his entire clip point blank into Hulk's eye, declaring the infinite scope of a military dedicated to rising again and again in pursuit of Hulk's death.

They fall, and fall, until they hit the ground.
What happens during impact is unclear, but against all odds, Thunderbolt Ross survives. An act of fate, or perhaps a mercy from an incredible Hulk who, despite his volitile nature, remains a force for good.

Bruised and beaten, Ross joins the Warbound's prisoners in the gladiatorial arena of Madison Square Garden. World War Hulk continues...

The Hammer...
Better late than never!
As is plainly evident, Hulk walks away with yet another comprehensive victory against the establishment, after dismantling the toy soldiers of the US Military!

Much like the feature film that debuted in June; it probably helps to know you aren't in for a complex psychological analysis when you approach World War Hulk. That, however, as previously noted [World War Hulk #5], is not to say that there aren't some interesting underlying elements beneath all the smashing, bashing, and destruction of New York City!

For many fans, it's Sam Elliot's performance as General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross that provides the resounding voice of approval for Ang Lee's otherwise maligned feature film, Hulk. With that in mind, it was always going to be a point of comparison when William Hurt stepped into the role for the detached 'sequel.'

One finds many cues from Elliot's Ross in the pages of World War Hulk, which I find quite interesting. It's here on the page that we're explicitly reminded of the distance put between Ang Lee's version of Thunderbolt Ross, and what we knew from the source material. Like so many others, Elliot's Ross marks one of the few examples where license taken might be more favourable than the original version of a character.

The iconography of a starchy moustache and militant dedication to destroying the Hulk remain much the same, but it's Elliot's physicality that brings new life to the role. Traditionally a bellowing, pudgy General in the comics; Elliot's Ross becomes far more present in every battle, despite rarely engaging the Hulk personally. I'm inclined to think to Frank Miller's intentions as he describes them for Jim Gordon in Batman: Year One. It's his notion of making Gordon Captain, rather than commissioner, to give the illusion that he was fighting on the frontlines as much as Batman, that helps infuse the relationship between supporting and lead with a sense of tangibility and importance.

While Ross' role is of antagonist, I feel the same can be said for making him a physical presence as a commanding officer. It not only places Ross stylistically in range of action pieces, but also alludes to a more even footing in the arch-rivalry between two very big, but very different, characters.

William Hurt reverts the character back to less involved roots.
Perhaps as is in the inclination of the actor, he appears to approach the role with a characteristic distance that only further emphasises the differences between his, and the far more involved Sam Elliot version of the character.

Hurt ultimately takes this more traditional role in an effort to facilitate the graduation of Emil Blonsky from soldier, to Hulk's sinister gamma-irradiated counterpart, Abomination. In this respect, it's easy to forgive the structural shift in the Thunderbolt Ross character, but that can't change personal preference.

Inspite of the endless cycle of reptition, I still kinda like Thunderbolt Ross.
[Greg] Pak deserves credit here for painting one of the most pragmatic and agreeable versions of the Ross character in years. As is the case across the entire series, he fleshes out the superhero-fight vehicle by investing in the [not-so] subtlties of the characters. His Ross becomes less arbitrary than previous versions that provide abstractions of establishmentarian figures and sentiments of brainless war mongers -- instead embodying a damned soul who sees what we, the reader, do not.

For a book like this, Pak rather cleverly references the tumultuous history of the Hulk, recalling his shifting roles as hero and villain, and the concessions that have had to be made to allow that. For those of us who still indulge in the heroic qualities of Hulk - perhaps even now in Jeph Loeb's post-WWH romp - Pak's Ross is the counter balancing realist. He sees the constant threat the Hulk has represented (and fulfilled) over the decades, and manages to remain unmoved by incidental, or trinket, efforts to the contrary.

Unfortunately changing whims, and the luxuries afforded to 'superstar' creative teams, mean this Ross has quickly been undermined by certain qualities in the recent Red Hulk series. As with the film, I'm pretty willing to forgive these shifting tones, but again, they do little to change my personal preference.

As Warren Ellis jetisons from his run on Thunderbolts - one can't help but see potential for the post-Norman Osborn team! It was the Baron Zemo-led team who got their start antagonising Hulk in their first appearance [Incredible Hulk #449], and despite a lasting association with the green goliath, the team has remained unassociated with General Ross against all odds! Could it be time for a promotion for the former overseer of the Hulkbusters?...

I've said nothing of Romita Jr's pencils which are at their bombastic best here, fully indulged with sweeping splash in a series with an explicit premise. Those like me who are typically not fans of Romita's excessive use of lines might find the grimey destruction of New York a welcome justification for the dirty style. Ultimately, love it or not, you have to acknowledge a certain skill for the entertainment quality of JRjr's work here. Together with Pak's underrated effort to elaborate on the smash fest, the team are quite successful!

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 5

Enjoyed Edward Norton and the CG troop in "Incredible Hulk"? Tittilated by the prospects of a Hulk/Iron Man showdown? Want to know more about Hulk's mindless rampages through the Marvel Universe? If you've been unconvinced until now, hopefully the Infinite Wars has helped sway your decision. By using Amazon purchasing links provided, you help sponsor future entries in the Infinite Wars! Which is good for everyone! Except puny humans who hurt Hulk... What won't hurt are the low prices you'll find on World War Hulk, and all other titles reviewed and available in the Infinite Wars Amazonian Gift Shoppe! Hulk is cheapest one there is!!! Grrr!