Immortal Hulk #45

Marvel Comics

Writer: Al Ewing

Artist: Joe Bennett

This latest issue of Immortal Hulk is all about setting up the stage for the end of the series. Sometimes, this can be a bit boring, a bit slow. But this is the Immortal Hulk we’re talking about – I can’t remember if there’s been a single moment in the entire series that I would call boring.

Now, I won’t get into any specifics about the plot of the issue because I really don’t want to spoil anything (not even the stuff in the preview pages) since there’s a whole lot of awesome things going on. In short – some long-absent characters make a comeback. Some characters that were put on the sideline recently enter the spotlight. There are some extremely cool moments, be it down below or on the surface, and we are treated to a delightful cliffhanger, one that makes you extremely impatient for the next issue. And that’s as much as I’m willing to say about the plotline.

But Ewing’s writing isn’t the only thing that has made this series great so far. Joe Bennett is equally (hell, sometimes even more) responsible for just how fantastic the book is. Truth be told, I’m not sure there’s currently anything remotely resembling his work on Immortal Hulk. There’s a certain ‘retro’ flair to the art, making it look like it’s from a different era. It’s honestly the thing that allows the body-horror-thing feel way more grotesque than you’d normally expect from a comic book. Couple it with Paul Mounts’ highly contrasting colors and you get a disgustingly beautiful book going on…

… Most of the time. There are some instances in the book that do feel a bit subpar if I’m being honest. Some pages feel rushed and lacking in detail. I’m not sure if it’s Bennett’s fault, or if the inkers – Ruy José and Belardino Brabo – were working under a strict deadline, but some pages around the middle of the book aren’t on the same level as the rest of the issue. Especially the closeups on some of the more, uhhh, ‘human’ characters.

Another quick shout-out I’d like to make is to the letterer, Cory Petit. There’s nothing spectacular going on – it’s basically just a plain-old all-caps black text in (mostly) white speech bubbles, with an occasional red outline. But the thing I feel Cory Petit does extremely well is his usage of emphasis. I know, I know, using the bold function isn’t a groundbreaking achievement. But I feel like Petit gave the progression of the book a fantastic flow, gave it that extra punch.

So yeah, Immortal Hulk #45. Great issue, great series, great creators. You should read it, ASAP.