punchout part 2

drive-by readings

Hulk #24 (Marvel) "The Strongest There Is" Jeph Loeb Ed McGuinness Mark Farmer Morry Hollowell Richard Starkings/Comicraft McGuiness/Farmer/Frank D'Armata (cover) Dale Keown (variant cover)

what we learned: the final battle (yeah, right) between the original Hulk and Rulk (hey, they could be like Shake n Bake in Talladega Nights). Banner's masterplan unfolds and knowing he could beat Ross in a fight (laying waste to DC memorials in the process), backs him into a corner of defeat and humiliation. that is of course, until they need him again. that's a mistake that might blow up in their faces.
oh shit moment: great in-your-face artwork from Ed McGuinness. this is how it should end.
what's next: anybody still wondering why Red Hulk would be in Secret Avengers?


Honest Abe: "and what the hell are you two gonna do about this mess you made??"

snaps: Hulk #23

... where everything about the Red Hulk and General Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross is revealed. so do you feel like a chump after Jeph Loeb just put you on that rollercoaster ride the last couple of years? do ya??


uhhhh ... that Rolling Stone guy just published your drunken comments, sir.



i guess we know which Friend he didn't like.


seriously?? everyone can just revive everyone now? why is this not being mass-marketed? this spells the death of insurance and big pharma!!!


and here i thought ignorance was bliss.



streaks on his face? i don't even wanna go there.



the Redeemer Armor: because Mysterio and Bob the Uranian just wasn't enough.


Gen. Stanley McChrystal was surprised at the reaction of the Obama Administration.

Red Hulk is a redneck!

oh-HO-HO, Jeph Loeb, you did not!!!



so i was partly right. it was a red herring. i had my money on Glenn Talbot somehow.

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Hulk #22

Fury's 11

drive-by readings

Dark Reign - The List: Secret Warriors one shot (Marvel) "Leviathan" Jonathan Hickman Ed McGuinness Chris Sotomayor Dave Lanphear Tom Palmer McGuinness/Dexter Vines/John Rauch (cover)

should we still call them "Secret Warriors"? Nick Fury practically operates in the open these days (to the chagrin of Contessa LaFontaine), and he has two teams already at his disposal - his Warriors, and the reborn/reconstructed Howling Commandos. all he needs is a YouTube channel and a Twitter page.

so breaking in Avengers tower (with some help from Ares - what, is he another Fury plant, that kind of trick that beats us over our head with "hey-am-20-steps-ahead-of-everyone-else"? NO. we have to read Secret Warriors #9 on sale 10/28/2009. whooopeee.) and appearing in your current enemy's bedroom (creepy - why can't he just call? what if Norman had a date?), smacks of not-so-secret for me. and for what? to steal something under H.A.M.M.E.R.'s nose. that really paints that target on you, Nicky Boy.

and that something actually tells us that ... oh hey, is the Zodiac in this gig? and Nick is Gemini? oh yeah, he was, years back. 'cause his dead brother Jake was Scorpio. or is. i smell resurrection!!!!

by the way, Norman, a couple of things:

everyone seems to be penetrating the Tower these days ... change the goddamn locks. or go live on the moon.

let me just present your fandangled "list":
- neutralize Clint Barton
- eliminate Daredevil
- kill Namor
- kill Frank Castle
- kill Nick Fury
- neutralize Bruce Banner
- control the world
- kill Spider-Man

that's just 1 out of 8 so far (Barton, you hotheaded punk, you never change). Frank's probably smug he's on the list. i don't see Tony Stark in there. he's probably dead. or dumb as a rock.

only Santa has a list that works.

the ultimate Hulk vs Wolverine

drive-by readings

Giant Size Wolverine: Old Man Logan (Marvel) "Old Man Logan: Conclusion" Mark Millar Steve McNiven Dexter Vines Mark Morales Morry Hollowell Cory Petit Paolo Rivera/Ed McGuinness/Chris Sotomayor (variant covers)

so it ends. i thought this would come out in 2010. providing a much more satisfying conclusion than the rightfully-maligned Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk, Mark Millar pulls out all the stops (ass jokes about the cover aside, heh) with his Civil War cohorts and bangs out the final confrontation between a not-really-old Wolverine and the surprisingly redneck (greennecks?) and inbred Banner Gang (who live in RVs. huh.).

actually, am not totally blown away with Millar writes anymore (after Kick-Ass, everything gets bloody anyway) - which is why am waiting to be really knocked off my feet by Ultimate Avengers. Steve McNiven, obviously drawing from a cinematic script, is his usual gorgeous self, albeit simplistic generally yet detailed in close ups.

having done his patriotic duty, Logan goes home to settle personal debts, as his family has been wiped out by the Banner Gang. the theme of Western style justice is prevalent here, crossed with those hillbillies from Deliverance. there is a twist of course, plus another which really isn't. i mean, destroying one from within isn't a new trick in the book, and the Hulk could've bitten Logan's head off first (there, i spoiled it for you. sue me.). lesson: do not be greedy, just like those people my friend Matt rants about.

so is this the end? judging by the way Logan rides off into the sunset ... you'd think it is. but maybe it isn't. especially if its gonna sell (2007-09 House of M spinoffs, anyone?)

Hulk hate DDoS!!!

Hulk not able to tweet!

Hulk smash stupid puny hackers!!!

Puny hackers just like Banner!!

Hulk will smash Banner's skull like fruit!!!





oh ... now Hulk can tweet!

but Hulk still hate you, Banner!!!

drive-by readings: Skaar Son of Hulk #12

Skaar Son of Hulk #12 (Marvel) "Skaar: Son of Hulk" Greg Pak Ron Lim Greg Adams Elizabeth Breitweiser Jeremy Eliopoulos Ed McGuinness (cover)

booted out of his own book, i barely kept up where the hell the real green Hulk was. there was a Red Hulk (Rulk) running around and they fought a couple of times. then there was Skaar, his child with Caiera, now artificially-grown to manhood and ready to take on his dad. ho-hum. well, do you expect anything less than earth-shaking fistfights? of course not. maybe this could be World War SkaRulk! where is Norman Osborn in all of this? shouldn't he be laying the law down on these two?

maybe Hulk #600-601 would renew interest in the character, as the unbeatable partnership of Hercules and Amadeus Cho trumped their old pal on the popularity scale.

red tide

Red Hulk slaps Thor around. and even gets to carry his hammer to pound his Asgardian ass.




no need to show Thor getting his punches in, the outcome is the same.

somewhere, somehow, Tony Stark is laughing.

they better explain the whole shebang next issue, or am gonna pummel someone.

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Hulk #5
Jeph Loeb/Ed McGuinness/Mark Farmer/Jason Keith/Comicraft