Comic Review: Immortal Hulk #35

Immortal Hulk #35

Marvel Comics

Writer: Al Ewing

Artists: Mike Hawthorne, Mark Morales, and Paul Mounts

Al Ewing has established a wild and complex story in the past thirty-four issues of Immortal Hulk. As much as I love it, I’ll admit that things can often get confusing. With the multiple identities of Bruce Banner and The Hulk, and the many callbacks to previous Hulk runs, it’s easy to feel lost at times. In this issue, Ewing does something different. He steps back a little and lets us all catch up. And with that, he creates a great jumping-on point for new readers wanting to see this run to the finish.

This issue starts with a “Previously In Hulk” page that breaks down the different forms of Banner and The Hulk. This is extremely helpful for those that are unfamiliar with some of The Hulk’s mythos. The personified inner mind of Bruce Banner was introduced a few issues ago. This land shows the different versions of The Hulk living inside of Banner, and this first page helps differentiate them. This information is sure to be important as the story progresses. I don’t know if these recaps will be appearing regularly for the rest of the series, but it certainly helped me get a better grasp on the story at hand.

Another thing unlike the majority of this series is how strangely calm this issue is. We see our characters in the aftermath of fighting Roxxon, and for now, everything seems more-or-less fine. With no big villain in the picture at the moment, the group takes some time to deal with personal conflicts instead of other-worldly ones. The Devil Hulk, which has been the primary Hulk throughout this run, has now been replaced with Savage Hulk. Despite the name, this Hulk has garnered public appeal, making Hulk seen as a hero again.

Banner’s mindscape, located inside of his brain, looked like a sunny desert the last time it was shown. This time, however, the sun is setting over the land, and the blue light across the ground against a pink sky makes for a beautiful background. The mindscape itself is a great location that I hope gets utilized more as the story progresses. The different forms of Banner and The Hulk all having a space to be their own has already led to several good moments.

Everything feels much calmer right now, and the art style itself reflects that. There is a guest team of artists for this issue, so the artwork is different than usual, but it actually fits the current tone really well. Instead of harsh shadows and disturbing imagery, the colors are brighter and the designs are smoother. This is most apparent in the design of The Hulk himself.  This Hulk’s design instantly reminded me of Lou Ferrigno’s Hulk in the classic television show. Instead of the bulky, veiny, terrifying look that Devil Hulk’s had this entire run, the artists give us a Hulk that looks more human and surprisingly friendly.

I think it’s safe to assume that this tamer issue is just the calm before the storm. The Leader, the newest villain in the series, is lurking and observing, waiting for his opportunity to strike. While everything seems nice for now, it’s likely that it will all turn very soon. For now, however, this is a pleasant change of pace that works as a clean slate for whatever exciting stories Ewing has planned.

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Read Immortal Hulk #35 on Comixology