This week, our main review takes a look at the new age of monsters with The Infernal Hulk #1. Meanwhile, in the rapid rundown the team tackles new issues of Black Cat, Cloak or Dagger, and The Mortal Thor!
Sit back and buckle up … the Marvel Rundown begins now!
The Infernal Hulk #1 
Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Artist: Nic Klein
Color Artist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
This has been one killer week for writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson. Not only did he announce his Marvel-Exclusivity, but he continued his Hulk run with this week’s The Infernal Hulk #1. PKJ’s Hulk run has been characterized by its more horror-leaning and exploration of the mystical and that is no different here. Of course, I would be remiss to not point out that The Infernal Hulk also continues the Marvel trend of relaunching a writer’s comic run following the end of an Act in the story all to generate a sales bump. Often these Marvel Act II relaunches come off a bit more impenetrable to new readers and, at the same time, serve as an off-ramp for the enfranchised. I haven’t had the time to read the back half of PKJ’s Hulk run, So I am coming in cold to the story and I feel like this would be a great way to judge the book as jumping on point. I am pleased to report that the book works quite well as an on-ramp for new readers.
The ease of entry for this book is carried by PKJ’s attention to natural exposition and story structure. What information I needed as a “new” reader was conveyed in the dialog between soldiers attempting to fight off Hulk. The Infernal Hulk is obviously off but that is the point of the story and PKJ window dresses the situation multiple times. The structure of the story is focused less on the Infernal Hulk and more on its impact on the world, be it through the lens of the soldiers in the trenches or the Avengers watching the reports on the news. There is a bit of mystery going on with this Hulk, and while it’s likely explained in the previous volume, PKJ plays up that mystery for new readers.
Nic Klein’s art is visually interesting in the issue. There are a lot of visceral textures and hard shadows throughout the issue to give this book a unique visual identity compared to the rest of the Marvel line. The horrific and asymmetrical design to the Infernal Hulk and the Monsters is magnificent. Everything looks disgusting and full of green ectoplasm. The action sequences are well-constructed and just as kinetic as the monsters are repulsive. While the battle between the Infernal Hulk and the army is typical Hulk fare, the level of gore and violence in the battle elevates it to something different. This is complemented by Matthew Wilson’s impeccable colors. The color palette is full of greens and purples that contrast well and sets the eerie, eldritch horror tone that the book is aiming for.
Sure, The Infernal Hulk #1 is yet another relaunch for the sake of relaunching, but it is still effective as serving as a jumping on new point for readers who are looking to get in on PKJ’s underrated Hulk run. The art is visually unlike anything else Marvel is publishing, and it is just fantastic.
Final Verdict: BUY
The Rapid Rundown
- Black Cat #4
Black Cat #4 - I am not a fan of the fourth wall breaking narration that frames G. Willow Wilson and Gleb Melnikov’s Black Cat, but I have come to appreciate the metatextual themes at play: Namely, Marvel’s superheroes have abandoned street level stories. With all of the big events and relaunches and “anniversary issues,” Spider-Man has no time to help the little guy. Every story for these A-List characters has to be a big blockbuster event, this latest one has sent him into space. But someone has to help out the average joe, and Felicia Hardy, The Black Cat, is the unsuspecting and somewhat unwilling hero the city is left with. It’s a fun dynamic for the character, who has always had a complicated relationship with the law to put it lightly, and it is a niche that needs to be filled at Marvel. These quieter b-level books, like this and Steve Orlando’s Scarlet Witch (at least until the upcoming Sorceress Supreme story), get a chance to focus on more personal and low-stakes drama focused on helping people and fighting crime. It’s a reminder of a winning formula that is often abandoned in the chase for the next big story. G. Willow Wilson’s script is smart and full of character-driven humor. She writes Black Cat not as a stereotypical seductress but as a proudly feminine and capable improvisational criminal with a heart of gold. Gleb Melnikov brings the script to life with pitch-perfect facial expressions and vertical compositions that emphasize Cat’s acrobatic physicality. This issue is a bit more heavy on dialogue than previous issues but it breezes along on the strength of its well-defined characters and Melnikov’s framing. Felicia is able to flip her expressions on a dime, whatever it takes to try to schmooze her way out of a situation. Brian Reber’s colors are bold and bright, befitting the lighthearted tone, relying more on a two-tone cel shaded approach than heavy rendering. It suits the thick blacks of Melnikov’s inks well. VC’s Joe Caramagna letters this, as he does all things Spider-Man, and he’s clearly having fun with the humorous tone and all of Wilson’s SFX. Black Cat is a fun read, a welcome change of pace from the super serious, ever-apocalyptic tone of most of Marvel’s line.- TR
- Cloak or Dagger #2
Cloak or Dagger #2 - For almost 40 years, Cloak and Dagger have been B-list Marvel superheroes, but with the current X-event Age of Revelation storyline, writer Justina Ireland and artist Lorenzo Tammetta give them a chance to shine with a fun twist on their partnership. Cloak or Dagger is an interesting spin on the body swap technique that has been used in other Marvel comics, like the various Captain Marvels with Rick Jones, but more than that, it is highly reminiscent of the ’80s movie Ladyhawke, two lovers are forced to live apart as one spends the night as a wolf and the other a hawk during the day, it’s a great 80’s movie look it up. And that’s the strength of this series, Cloak and Dagger have a daughter, to keep her safe from the X-Virus, the plague that’s sweeping across America, they stashed her away in the dark dimension. So she’s not alone, one stays with her while the other’s in the real world, doing superheroic things, and swap as needed. The story itself is an interesting side plot to the overall X-event, utilizing the Jack Kirby Fourth World concept structure, the division of generals, soldiers, and civilians, with Cloak and Dagger as the soldiers helping the civilians get out of the way of the overall war. The action is solid as they are fighting the Fenris Twins, but the strength of this book is Cloak and Dagger’s relationship, the love that they have for one another, and the love that they have for their child. Tammetta’s artwork has a fun, high-energy vibe, along with artist Mike McKone’s cover is very reminiscent of Rick Leonardi’s artwork for the 80s mini series. – GC3
- The Mortal Thor #4
The Mortal Thor #4 - “For it was promised me, he who craves it shall of the feast partake.” are the first words of this issue of Mortal Thor #04, which doesn’t continue from the excellent cliffhanger from issue #03, but instead takes the readers to Asgard. Writer Al Ewing and artist Juann Cabal take the adventure of Thor into Asgard. However, instead of focusing on Sigurd, the duo focuses on Magni Thorson, a character I’ve admittedly never heard of until this issue, which makes this issue difficult to read for someone who isn’t entirely familiar with Thor lore. Especially with the intense amount of characters thrown into the mix. It’s an overall fine issue, but it left me confused at multiple points. For new readers who hopped onto Thor with Mortal Thor #01, it might be a challenging read if the Asgardian characters are unfamiliar to you, like they are for me. It’s still an ultimately fun issue, with a nice character moment for Magni as he bridges the bonds between old enemies. Unfortunately, the more interesting Sigurd storyline takes a back seat in this issue. So if fans are more interested in that aspect, it’s best to skip this issue and wait for more hammer-throwing action in the next one. –LM.
