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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
Re-read
3.5 stars.
This was also even better than the first time I read it but I'll get into that, later.
So, I'll preface this by admitting that I have a soft spot for Bruce/Betty and the 2008 Incredible Hulk film. I'm probably one of the only people that actually liked that film but I think they did a fantastic job portraying Bruce and Betty's relationship and, after Tony & Pepper, they are probably my favorite MCU pairing. They have a connection that's so fascinating to me. I'm kind of in love with Betty because she's protective and fearless in the face of her piece of shit dad. So, yeah, some of my affection for Liv Tyler's portrayal of her seeps into this review. Sorry.
Anyway, I mention that to explain my slight bias and because they re-create the classic shot of Hulk in the cave in this book and in the MCU film. It's a classic Tarzan/Jane situation but it works pretty damn well.
Everyone knows a version of how Bruce became Hulk. I can't speak for the Ang Lee film but I'm pretty sure the montage at the start of Incredible Hulk didn't feature Rick Jones. But, as the story goes, he tries to save Rick from the Gamma bomb and becomes Hulk. He starts out grey, which, if I remember correctly, was only changed because it was cheaper to make him green later on. This book follows the days after his transformation. Betty is pretty sure that Bruce is dead, the army wants to capture him for several reasons and Bruce isn't sure what's happening either.
Matt wrote Karen a letter, Spider-Man recorded his message to Gwen on a tape recorder; in this book, Bruce talks about Betty to his Leonard Sampson. There's an added element there because we get interjections from Sampson to suggest that Bruce may have been an unrealiable narrator. He takes the defensive and tries to suggest that Bruce is being harsher on himself than he needs to be. It's pretty interesting.
Anyway, Hulk is a giant, overgrown child in this book and I mean that affectionately. All he wants is to be safe with Betty and Rick and the army keeps attacking him. He's quite sympathetic if you like the Hulk, however I know several people that don't care about him. He kidnaps Betty in an attempt to protect her which leads to the cave scene that I like so much.
Hulk doesn't understand that he's scaring Betty, even as he does his best to help her. He continues trying to protect her when the army comes and there's an scene that, to me, is so incredibly heartbreaking. Throughout this book, the narrative is gloomy because Bruce Banner talks about himself and the Hulk as though they are monsters. He doesn't seem to find himself deserving of any benefit of the doubt. Any time Sampson tries to give the Hulk credit for not hurting someone or trying to help Betty, Bruce shuts him down. He doesn't find himself redeemable at all, so this scene with Ross really got to me.
And then Hulk's face in this scene was really well done.
Bruce Banner had a shitty, alcoholic, abusive father. He competes with Tony in the Shittiest Dad competition (not that there should be one). His father was a monster and there's a long time theme throughout Hulk comics where Bruce refers to himself that way. Part of him thinks he turned into the Hulk because, deep down, he was always a monster, undeserving of anything. Having that context makes the conclusion of this book so much more upsetting.
This book ends with the line "She's gone now... there are so many other stories of what happened afterwards. But... they will now always be colored by the knowledge that she loved me for all the wrong reasons."
Without this context, this story is still pretty effective. Even without knowing Bruce's long time struggle with identity and self-loathing, Loeb does a pretty good job including those elements in this book. It's a soft recommend from me. Not as good as Spider-Man: Blue and Daredevil: Yellow is probably more accessible. But, as I said earlier, I have a soft spot for this story.
3.5 stars.
This was also even better than the first time I read it but I'll get into that, later.
So, I'll preface this by admitting that I have a soft spot for Bruce/Betty and the 2008 Incredible Hulk film. I'm probably one of the only people that actually liked that film but I think they did a fantastic job portraying Bruce and Betty's relationship and, after Tony & Pepper, they are probably my favorite MCU pairing. They have a connection that's so fascinating to me. I'm kind of in love with Betty because she's protective and fearless in the face of her piece of shit dad. So, yeah, some of my affection for Liv Tyler's portrayal of her seeps into this review. Sorry.
Anyway, I mention that to explain my slight bias and because they re-create the classic shot of Hulk in the cave in this book and in the MCU film. It's a classic Tarzan/Jane situation but it works pretty damn well.
Everyone knows a version of how Bruce became Hulk. I can't speak for the Ang Lee film but I'm pretty sure the montage at the start of Incredible Hulk didn't feature Rick Jones. But, as the story goes, he tries to save Rick from the Gamma bomb and becomes Hulk. He starts out grey, which, if I remember correctly, was only changed because it was cheaper to make him green later on. This book follows the days after his transformation. Betty is pretty sure that Bruce is dead, the army wants to capture him for several reasons and Bruce isn't sure what's happening either.
Matt wrote Karen a letter, Spider-Man recorded his message to Gwen on a tape recorder; in this book, Bruce talks about Betty to his Leonard Sampson. There's an added element there because we get interjections from Sampson to suggest that Bruce may have been an unrealiable narrator. He takes the defensive and tries to suggest that Bruce is being harsher on himself than he needs to be. It's pretty interesting.
Anyway, Hulk is a giant, overgrown child in this book and I mean that affectionately. All he wants is to be safe with Betty and Rick and the army keeps attacking him. He's quite sympathetic if you like the Hulk, however I know several people that don't care about him. He kidnaps Betty in an attempt to protect her which leads to the cave scene that I like so much.
Hulk doesn't understand that he's scaring Betty, even as he does his best to help her. He continues trying to protect her when the army comes and there's an scene that, to me, is so incredibly heartbreaking. Throughout this book, the narrative is gloomy because Bruce Banner talks about himself and the Hulk as though they are monsters. He doesn't seem to find himself deserving of any benefit of the doubt. Any time Sampson tries to give the Hulk credit for not hurting someone or trying to help Betty, Bruce shuts him down. He doesn't find himself redeemable at all, so this scene with Ross really got to me.
And then Hulk's face in this scene was really well done.
Bruce Banner had a shitty, alcoholic, abusive father. He competes with Tony in the Shittiest Dad competition (not that there should be one). His father was a monster and there's a long time theme throughout Hulk comics where Bruce refers to himself that way. Part of him thinks he turned into the Hulk because, deep down, he was always a monster, undeserving of anything. Having that context makes the conclusion of this book so much more upsetting.
This book ends with the line "She's gone now... there are so many other stories of what happened afterwards. But... they will now always be colored by the knowledge that she loved me for all the wrong reasons."
Without this context, this story is still pretty effective. Even without knowing Bruce's long time struggle with identity and self-loathing, Loeb does a pretty good job including those elements in this book. It's a soft recommend from me. Not as good as Spider-Man: Blue and Daredevil: Yellow is probably more accessible. But, as I said earlier, I have a soft spot for this story.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Tim Sale is the star of this book. His Hulk feels magical. He's emotional, without being cartoony. Vulnerable but always intimidating. This is a real feat in comics where portraying strength in a hero/villain is the go to choice. Emotionality is not a strength for many comic book artists. Tim Sale is the absolute peak for me, specially with his 'monsters'.
Jeff Loeb is not great a writing women. I have more complaints about this in Spider-Man: Blue, but his Betty Ross isn't great. Her appearance is usually arbitrary and her emotional life felt fairly empty. She loves Bruce... where is Bruce...oh my god, Bruce... is he dead? There are version of Betty where she is scientist as well. Not this version. I believe these are Loeb and Sale's version of Hulk's classical origin, so better is just a girlfriend, with no life outside her father and her lover.
That was the low point of the series for me. The high point was this one particular moment with Hulk and a small animal. Absolutely devastating and, yet, perfect. All you need to know to understand the hulk in just a few panels. That was excellent comic book writing. I'm crying right now just thinking about it. (Loeb and Sale have done this for me before, with Dark Victory. The power of good pacing and evocative art. There is not substitute for it.)
Jeff Loeb is not great a writing women. I have more complaints about this in Spider-Man: Blue, but his Betty Ross isn't great. Her appearance is usually arbitrary and her emotional life felt fairly empty. She loves Bruce... where is Bruce...oh my god, Bruce... is he dead? There are version of Betty where she is scientist as well. Not this version. I believe these are Loeb and Sale's version of Hulk's classical origin, so better is just a girlfriend, with no life outside her father and her lover.
That was the low point of the series for me. The high point was this one particular moment with Hulk and a small animal. Absolutely devastating and, yet, perfect. All you need to know to understand the hulk in just a few panels. That was excellent comic book writing. I'm crying right now just thinking about it. (Loeb and Sale have done this for me before, with Dark Victory. The power of good pacing and evocative art. There is not substitute for it.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Minor: Child abuse
Okay, so, nsfcats isn't quite right, because the "cat" is a bunny. When the Hulk pulls a George with his little gray friend, I ABSOLUTELY CRIED. "Why friend wet?" = OH NO HULK NO CRAP NO. Poor Hulk!! So sad!! (Plus I was super naive and was like, "No, no, they won't let him smash his new friend. He needs a friend, it'll be fine." :| YUP NOPE I WAS WRONG.)
Very sweet story...I was already really leaning towards loving the Hulk from my very limited exposure to Marvel so far, but this comic actually really clinched it that I love this guy.
BUT THAT RABBIT. OMG.
Very sweet story...I was already really leaning towards loving the Hulk from my very limited exposure to Marvel so far, but this comic actually really clinched it that I love this guy.
BUT THAT RABBIT. OMG.
Although I do find Hulk a fascinating character in the Marvel Universe, he is limited as basically his stories (at least the ones I was exposed to) play on his Jekyll and Hyde/Frankenstein's Monster complex. Hulk Gray focuses on the latter side of Hulk's character.
As such Hulk: Gray is a Frankenstein rewrite - After the famous gamma ray accident that changed Bruce Banner, Hulk goes searching for his love Betty and he tries to persuade her that he is not the monster that society makes him out to be.
Tender, heartfelt, yet with an undertone of brutality, Hulk: Gray is an excellent introduction to understanding Hulk Psyche.
As such Hulk: Gray is a Frankenstein rewrite - After the famous gamma ray accident that changed Bruce Banner, Hulk goes searching for his love Betty and he tries to persuade her that he is not the monster that society makes him out to be.
Tender, heartfelt, yet with an undertone of brutality, Hulk: Gray is an excellent introduction to understanding Hulk Psyche.
i'm not a huge fan of the hulk...pun not intended. but i enjoyed this story
A good look back at the Gray Hulk. Makes me want to read more of the Green/Gray Giant!
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sales art is great. The colors are great. The frame is very mediocre.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Stunning gothic tragedy applied to a superhero story. Also maintains the “gray” in the title not just through Hulk’s color but the nighttime desert scenes full of dark gray rocks.