Comic Review: Hulkverines (2019-) #1

Hulkverines (2019-) #1

Marvel Comics

Writer: Greg Pak

Artist: Ario Anindito

“What if the Hulk had Wolverine Claws?” and then the higher-ups at Marvel applauded the rambunctious ten-year-old who had snuck into their offices. The idea of the “Hulkverine” is dumb to me, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the character. It’s dumb and fun and he’s got a backstory and motivations that are captivating. More so than another gray character from another company who had a debut at the same time and will remain nameless.

Clay Cortez, Weapon H, made a deal with Dario Agger to keep his family safe and free. But, using a loophole in his wording, Agger instead sends people to harm Clay by himself. Things are now in motion that sees Weapon H face off against both the Hulk and Wolverine.

There’s a kind of ridiculous feeling I have when it comes to Weapon H that I can’t help but enjoy the comic. I still hold that the idea came from a 10-year-old, but again the character is fun and enjoyable. The same goes for this first issue. The premise is a bit “out there” but once you get to the meat of it, we get a fight between two Hulks, one of which has adamantium claws. It’s awesome. The few things I’m a little unsure of in this issue are mainly because I’m not familiar with a certain character. The Leader sets off the Hulk vs Hulkverine fight, which is fine by me. But early on he escapes a prison cell using some moves that seem like they would take Longshot type luck powers to pull off. But he’s also super smart, so maybe I’m wrong.

Hulk, Hulkverine, and The Leader all have some larger proportions to them, and they could’ve come off a little goofy looking. But that’s not entirely the case we have here. Regular human characters look good for the most part, and the backgrounds get a little simple on some pages. But it’s good, mostly. When Clay and Bruce Banner come face to face as humans they look more than a little similar. In a couple of panels, they both have the same 5 o’clock shadow, and the same expression, with the only difference being the hair. Once they both Hulk out though things get a bit better. The action is good, and there’s blood. It’s green blood, but it still totally counts. The fight is a bit static, but it’s still a good looking brawl between two hulks.

Wayback in the yesteryear of early 2018, I did not like the idea of Weapon H. Now I’m a full on fan, and this crossover/mini-event is pretty cool. This first issue is pretty fun. It sets up the characters a bit for anyone unfamiliar and lays out the “battlefield” the main story will stop by. Storywise, the few things I didn’t like are minor and a result from my unfamiliarity with the characters. The art has some spots where it could be a little better, but I don’t think it’s too distracting to enjoy the story. If you’re not a fan of Weapon H, I don’t know if this comic will do anything for you. If you are a fan (and why wouldn’t you be?) you’ll enjoy this comic. It’s got two Hulks fighting (TWO), what else could you need?