Some ghosts are far too real.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Al Ewing
Art: Joe Bennett
Colors: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
What They Say:
Guest-starring Alpha Flight’s Sasquatch! The monster inside Bruce Banner is fully unleashed — in a brutal, bloody battle with the monster who made him. Blood will flow. The truth will come out. There can only be one winner…and it won’t be the IMMORTAL HULK.
Content: (warning, spoilers)
Al Ewing’s amazing run on Hulk continues! Jackie McGee has finally come face to face with Bruce Banner, a man still thought dead by most. The reason for this meeting? Walter Langkowski, AKA Sasquatch. Something is not right with the Alpha flight member, and doctors learn that the hard way when Sasquatch comes out killing! Banner leaps to confront his old roommate, but upon Hulking out, discovers the thing that drives the issue- Walter Langkowski isn’t controlling Sasquatch. There’s good, old-fashioned Hulk action to be had here, and the big twist comes when Hulk discovers who really is in control- David Banner! It would seem that the same thing that allowed Bruce and Hulk to return to life also enabled Bruce’s long-dead father to come back through Sasquatch. Here, we learn about a concept of both David and Hulk call “The Green Door”, and how it may have impacted the previous issue of the story. We also get introduced to a new power here- Hulk can absorb Gamma from people. He had used this undefined power a few issues ago but now it’s more clear. Hulk literally absorbs Sasquatch out of Walter. The meat of this issue is a fight scene, so the big focus really lies there and to the two revelations found during it.
In Summary:
I realize it’s a short content summary since the bulk of the issue is a fight scene, but let’s focus on the big revelations here. First, David Banner is back! This is a character not seen for decades since by all accounts, he died when Bruce was a child. Ewing having David be the one thing that scares Hulk makes total sense. Bruce’s father was the biggest thing that scared him. His father was the reason Bruce’s second personality is a thing by some counts, so The Hulk would have a special loathing towards him. If Hulk is all of Bruce’s rage and pent-up frustration, his father was bound to be a part of that. Second, this “Green Door”. We heard a character claim there was a being called “The one below all” a few issues ago, and this may be tied to the concept here. All these Gamma powered beings suddenly coming back or being possessed must mean something or someone is bringing people through this door. Hulk didn’t fully manage to get away though. In absorbing all the gamma from Walter’s body, David seems to have hitched a ride over with it, and now Hulk and Bruce have to deal with David potentially being there with them.
The art is, as usual, really well done, and I honestly can’t imagine it looking any other way now. Al Ewing’s writing just screams “Hulk Comic” and works for literally every character presented. If I were to ever recommend you read a Hulk comic, It would be this one! Al Ewing and the team have crafted a masterful horror story that not only call back to the origins of the character but takes us in a new direction that’s turning out to be super fun. If you are reading Marvel stuff currently, do yourself a favor and pick this series (and this issue) up! Everything is just so well done that it just works.
Grade: A
Age Rating: T+
Released By: Marvel Comics
Release Date: September 5th, 2018
MSRP: $3.99
