Comic Review: Hulk #1 (2021-)

Hulk #1

Marvel Comics

Writer: Donny Cates

Artist: Ryan Ottley

The strangest thing happened to me the other day: I realized I’m kind of a Hulk fan. I had always liked the Big Green Unit, but only until recently did I find myself compelled enough to dig into his books a bit deeper. This is my roundabout way of saying that Hulk #1 by fan-favorite writer Donny Cates and trail-blazing Invincible artist Ryan Ottley couldn’t have come at a better time. Layered beneath it’s bombastic overtones are multiple compelling plot threads that will make for, at the very least, an interesting take on the character.

Immediately upon opening the book, the reader is slammed with some masterful Ryan Ottley artwork. His Hulk is monstrous and grotesque in all the right ways, and this choice in artist sends a loud message about the book’s direction.

Early on, there’s a fight between this new “Starship” Hulk and Iron Man. It was this scene that I was struck with how much influence I saw in Ottley’s work that I had never quite connected before. I noticed a strong resemblance to John Romita Jr in his prime, at least in terms of the figure drawing and dynamic action. Additionally, I saw some hints of Bachalo, Quitely, and other artists who were hugely inventive in terms of their layouts. I don’t know if this is a result of the natural evolution of Ottley’s style, or if Ottley’s work is just so strong that I was brought back to the artists of my childhood that originally captured my imagination, but I do know that this is some the best stuff he’s ever done.

I had a great time with this book. It’s not without issue, though.  Also, for the record, I haven’t read much of Immortal Hulk. I’m not sure how much of this book continues forward from there, but it seems to be relatively stand-alone. Certain aspects of the book left me lost. For instance, the repeated reference to the “El Paso” incident that seemed to be of some significance. If this is a new plot point that’s new and I’m meant to be curious about it, then that’s great. If it’s a holdover from previous issues, then it will probably have me continue to scratch my head in future issues. Not to mention, there’s more than one tired superhero cliché that I wasn’t thrilled to see. Specifically, ‘two heroes fight’ as well as ‘hero seemingly goes bad’. These aren’t story beats that thrill me after all this time, but I was easily able to overlook it due to the craftmanship of the creative team.

One more thing that I think really helps this issue succeed is Donny Cates’ incredible ability to pivot his style based on the artists’, and the characters’, needs. His Thor is currently running with some incredible artists (Nic Klein and Aaron Kuder, for example), but their more European-inspired fantasy styles result in a Cates script that’s quite dense. It’s flowery and the words do a lot of the work because of the slower pace, but with someone who excels at the more momentous and dynamic style of storytelling like Ottley, Cates reigns it in. He allows Ottley to do what we all came to see, and his words are delivered very well because of it.

Hulk #1 is another hit by guys who only know how to make hits. This creative team takes The Hulk barreling in a new direction and appears to have no intention of stopping. Ryan Ottley’s art has ascended to new levels, and Donny Cates continues to be one of the most consistently strong writers at Marvel. Its problems are slight and not yet critical, the character is in good hands, and I’m very much excited to see what happens next.