INCREDIBLE HULK #94 - More "Planet Hulk" Goodness - Review & Spoilers

[Expletive Deleted]

INCREDIBLE HULK #94 . . . Pak and Pagulayan . . . out today . . .

By the way, this is probably the only "Review & Spoilers" thread I'll be doing on this board today, so if anyone else wants to start one go right on ahead.

Anyway . . .

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Remember how last month the rebels burst into Hulk's victory feast and asked for his help? Yeah, not the best of moves on their part. Hulk compares them to puny humans and goes back to his meal while the rebels get arrested and/or slaughtered.

Minus one team member (the native girl sided with the rebels), Hulk's gladiator squad is brought back to the capitol city for some R&R. Hulk is approached by the Red King's Lieutenant, who comments that he's getting stronger and faster while offering him a way out of the gladiator gig, but Hulk rebuffs her. Then it's on to a new match. Unfortunately the match is with a spaceship nuking the gladiators from orbit. The Red King must still be pretty pissed at Hulk. As the bomb is dropping, however, Hulk leaps up and smashes it, causing it to prematurely detonate and saving everyone in the arena.

With the plan gone awry and Hulk presumed 'sploded, killer robots are dispatched into the arena to take care of the remaining gladiators. The acquit themselves well, but . . . let me put it this way: I'll give you three guesses on the question of who climbs out of the debris and smashes the killer robots, and the first two don't count. In a nicely drawn sequence from Pagulayan, Hulk smashes killer robots.

In spite of all that, the gladiators are subdued and placed in a holding cell. One of them, the native man whose daughter left earlier, is dead. The remaining gladiators (Hulk, the Brood, the Bug, the Stone Man, and the Nomad - they all have names, but I forget them) share their origin stories in a series of fun one and two page spreads by different artists and decide that for better or for worse, they're a team.

Then we cut to the arena's staff, getting ready for the next day's match. The team's opponent the next day will be . . . the Silver Surfer!

I am really digging this storyline. Plenty of action, a nice batch of new supporting characters with interesting back stories, good art, and a great sense of momentum building and building. The origin pages were great, especially Oeming's Thor (http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/Hulk/Hulk94/Hulk94_3.htm) and the Stone Men from Saturn (http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/Hulk/Hulk94/Hulk94_4.htm) and Allred's Hulk (http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/Hulk/Hulk94/Hulk94_5.htm). The latter especially. Summing up almost everything you need to know about the character in one page, from his point of view? Nice.

Anyone else digging "Planet Hulk"?

[dingo]

I'm not going to see this one for a few days, how is the Silver Surfer involved?

Is he being coerced into this somehow?

[Expletive Deleted]

We don't know yet.

The last page shows him in a cage wearing some gladiator armor and being referred to as the "Silver Savage." He doesn't say anything, and there's not a lot of exposition.

[dingo]

We don't know yet.

The last page shows him in a cage wearing some gladiator armor and being referred to as the "Silver Savage." He doesn't say anything, and there's not a lot of exposition.

Cool, thanks E.D.

Should be interesting to see why he is there.

[Androo]

The surfer's also wearing one of the blue badges (obedience slugs) that all the gladiators have. And the board has been fashioned into a shield.

I'm wondering if he's still at low power from coming through the portal or if he's laying low on purpose. I'd figure it would be tough to cage the Silver Surfer. It would be cool if we find out he's there because Doc Strange asked him to check up on Hulk and make sure their teammate made it to the peaceful planet. I find it a little foolish for the Illuminati to send him off and just assume everything would work out. Don't they ever read comics? :p

I really enjoyed this issue and can't wait for the next.

[Tony Starkz]

It's amazing how much substance there is here.When I heard about Planet Hulk a year ago,I was skeptical to say the least.There is so much going on here and that makes it more than just Hulk off planet as a gladiator.

[kal_el2100]

A couple months ago I was 99.9% sure I was going to drop this title. Then I read the "Planet Hulk" issues. Wow! The writitng and the artwork have been great and this book has climbed into my top 5 regular/non-mini titles. I can't wait for then next issue to what happens between the Green Scar and the Silver Savage. Have the Hulk and the Silver Surfer ever faced off before?

[Soundrave]

I can't wait for then next issue to what happens between the Green Scar and the Silver Savage.


Check out this preview pic (http://www.hulknews.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/04/get-attachment.aspx.jpg) from www.hulknews.com (http://www.hulknews.com/)!

[xzilledangel]

I'll just say WTF on that...if it is indeed sivler surfer does it have any tie in to the anihilation series.

The first few Planet hulks have been so action packed and fun reads im scared that the next Planet hulk series is going to slow down and get all psychological. Sigh, just hurry up and get the man back to Earth.

Hulk Hit list.
Thor (just cause i want to see the fight)
FF4 (well Reed for sure)

And the knockdown dragout fight
Dr. strange vs Hulk....two ultimate powers on different sides of the coin with. Oh and dont bring up the whole banishment thing...hulk has been a nexus between univereses since heros reborn and some of that is still in him (i hope)

[Tony Starkz]

I don't see Hulk going after Thor.Thor had nothing to do with his banishing,if anything,I could see him as an ally to Hulk.

[xzilledangel]

oh i dont see hulk going after Thor but I do see thor trying to stop him. Hulks rage never hits one target he is a weapon of mass destruction in the strickest of deffinitions. If hulks goes after those that banished him the destruction that will insew would be enough for Thor to stepup and possibly try to wranggle him in. But for the most part I would like to see them really duke it out.

[Soundrave]

I'll just say WTF on that...if it is indeed sivler surfer does it have any tie in to the anihilation series.


I think one of the editors (either Schmidt or Paniccia, I forget) said that Surfer's appearance in Planet Hulk takes place just prior to events in Annihilation.

Did anyone notice on the letters page how they gave the little blurb about the Planet Hulk Gladiator Handbook in July? It looks like there's going to be a lot of new material in it focusing on histories of all the major characters and maps of the planet. Sounds great!

It'd be cool if the gladiator team comes back to Earth with Hulk and wreaks havoc on the puny humans! I hope they survive that long!

Miek vs. Spider-Man!!
Korg the Stone Man vs. Iron Man!!
Brood vs. Mr. Fantastic!!
Shadow Guy vs. Black Bolt!!

[cable guy]

I don't see Hulk going after Thor.Thor had nothing to do with his banishing,if anything,I could see him as an ally to Hulk.

I see Sentry vs Thor on the horizon.

Thus Hulk vs Thor would make sense.

[Sabrinaset]

A couple months ago I was 99.9% sure I was going to drop this title. Then I read the "Planet Hulk" issues. Wow! The writitng and the artwork have been great and this book has climbed into my top 5 regular/non-mini titles. I can't wait for then next issue to what happens between the Green Scar and the Silver Savage. Have the Hulk and the Silver Surfer ever faced off before?


Agree completely on this. I look forward to reading the Hulk now...been a long time. Hasn't been on my pull list since Jenkins.

Hulk/Surfer faced off in Tales of Astonish, just before the Surfer got his first mag, I think...and Hulk #250. Probably done it many other times as well..

http://www.biccomix.com/hulk25098.jpg
http://www.samcci.comics.org/astonish/tta_93.jpg

[JuggernautRM]

Robots: Enemy Down. Enemy Down.
Hulk: ENEMY MAD!
Robots: Enemy Mad. Enemy Mad.


Man im loving this book.

[mandog]

HULK is close to becoming the best book out there. its great.

[Brian888]

I haven't followed the Hulk in a long time, but this series drew me in. It's so awesome.

Quick question, though; I thought the Hulk had insane levels of regenerative power. Yet for a good chunk of the first three issues, he's walking around scarred and burned by the lava monster in the Maw. Have his regenerative powers been weakened, or does he normally just not heal that quickly?

[Expletive Deleted]

He was generally weakened by the trip through the spacewarp.

Plus it looks cool.

[Brian888]

He was generally weakened by the trip through the spacewarp.

Plus it looks cool.


It does look cool.

Oh man, I can't wait until he gets back up to full power. They ain't seen nothing yet.

[Zero Hunter]

Yeah I liked when he was talking to the kings sidekick there and told her flat out he was stronger and getting stronger all the time. And that fight with the Death Heads man was that brutal.

[CyberCoyote]

This is what it took to get a really good Hulk, toss him in an enviroment where he can really cut loose and do what it is he does.

When he's back up to full strength he'll own the Red King, no doubt, but the Surfer's been known to draw the radiation out of Hulk and reduce him to Puny Banner :) Wonder if that's in store (Banner wouldn't last very long, fer sure) Seems Radd isn't quite with it (what the heck can leave him this messed up?)

All in all this is just a great issue. The long running standards at Marvel haven't really been keeping my interest like they used to, but The Hulk is a bright spot.

[Will.S]

Another amazing issue of Planet Hulk. I still almost can't believe that it was written by the same Greg Pak that wrote 1602: The New Age and Iron Man House of M.

I loved all the character moments such as Hulk refusing to help because of the many times it's backfired on him, it gives him so much character and it plays out well for him since he doesn't have to fight and get in trouble. I think the best parts of the book outside of the action scenes where Hulk beats the crap out of everything are when the warriors tell their tales, especially Miek's since he's so young that his best memory is when the warriors saved him. I really like Miek, he show's alot of heart and is probably the most sympathetic out of all of them. I also loved when they formed warrior pact on Skee's dead body. They get much closer as time progresses and they work well as a team. Consider my interest peaked at it's highest with the Silver Surfer's addition to the gladiators. It would take some considerable effort to tame him with his cosmic powers so I can only guess that he was weakened like Hulk during the wormhole transportation.

It should be a hell of a match, Silver Surfer vs Hulk. So far I see like this, Hulk is gonna knock around Surfer alot but not really going to be able to hurt him while Surfer gets in a couple of good cosmic shots. Artwise Carlo keeps up the terrific work he's done so far with help from flashback artists Mike Allred, Mike Oeming, Alex Nino and Marshal Rogers so kudos to them for those great flashback shots.

[Sheldon]

This comic makes my heart flutter it is that good.

[Will.S]

This comic makes my heart flutter it is that good.
Heheh indeed.

BTW does anyone know what it was that destroyed that Broodworld? Was it the Dark Phoenix or something?

[Slumber Hulk]

Hulk Exile has been awesome! Great action and it is even funny without making oblique references to the real world!

I think Planet Hulk is the best thing out there right now! I doubt Civil War will be as good of a read!

It was cool when he refused to help because first they cal you monster, then they beg for help, then they call you monster again!

Are we going to see any of Bruce in Planet Hulk? If so what will his reaction be?

[batdan]

Hulk Exile has been awesome! Great action and it is even funny without making oblique references to the real world!

I think Planet Hulk is the best thing out there right now! I doubt Civil War will be as good of a read!

It was cool when he refused to help because first they cal you monster, then they beg for help, then they call you monster again!

Are we going to see any of Bruce in Planet Hulk? If so what will his reaction be?


believe there is a giant size hulk special out soon with bruce's first apperance in the planet hulk storyline.

[Canadian]

I haven't read Hulk in several years and then I heard about Planet Hulk. I bought the the Planet Hulk issues and I am totally impressed. I'm definitely following this story line and can't wait to see where it goes with regards to the rest of the Marvel Universe.

[Starkicker]

BTW does anyone know what it was that destroyed that Broodworld? Was it the Dark Phoenix or something?

I think it was Phoenix, but I'm not sure.

I'm loving Planet Hulk, got the first three parts last week, awesome.

This version of the Hulk seems to be more like the "classic" Stan Lee Hulk. Almost a villian, not really evil just looking out for number 1.

[Expletive Deleted]

does anyone know what it was that destroyed that Broodworld? Was it the Dark Phoenix or something?Their living spaceships turned on them, sort of.

UNCANNY X-MEN #166 by Claremont and Smith. It's in ESSENTIAL X-MEN Volume 4, I think.

[Will.S]

Their living spaceships turned on them, sort of.

UNCANNY X-MEN #166 by Claremont and Smith. It's in ESSENTIAL X-MEN Volume 4, I think.
Ah I see, thanks.

I read the wikipedia entry on X-Men #166 the Brood and it mentions the soul source that destroyed the planet once Binary took ahold of it.

[Mick Martin]

It would be cool if we find out he's there because Doc Strange asked him to check up on Hulk and make sure their teammate made it to the peaceful planet. I find it a little foolish for the Illuminati to send him off and just assume everything would work out. Don't they ever read comics? :p

I thought about the same thing, too. Though, of course, there's another possibility. Since Namor was so PO'd about Hulk's exile, maybe he found a way to contact his fellow spaceborne Defender to either A) check on Hulk or B) bring him back home.

Of course, he just could've been hanging out in space and someone grabbed him. In fact, that seems like the more likely possibility. The guy who's talking to the woman warrior at the end of 94 seems to imply that they were specifically looking for Silver Surfer.

Because of a hint Bendis made on Newsarama, I don't think Strange or anyone from the Illuminati (other, maybe, than Namor) would've sent SS to go check on Hulk. If I recall correctly, when talking about a creator's summit about what's going down AFTER Civil War, Bendis made something of a hint about Hulk. He mentioned they came up with a good idea for some kind of story when they asked themselves WHY The Illuminati would have bothered to send the video feed to the spaceship to tell Hulk what they were doing. I'm assuming a bit, but I'm taking that to mean that they probably WANTED Hulk to go nuts and knock his ship off course (or maybe even kill himself in space), because they had to know how he would react to the vid message.

And so, if they meant for him to go off course or die, I doubt they'd send someone to go check on him.

Though, I guess they could've asked him to do it with the intent of making sure the Hulk was lost or dead.

Okay, now I'm back at square one.

:confused:

[Aufbach]

This continues to be an excellent series so far ... Hulk's personality and lessened powers reminds me a little of the Mr. Fixit days, which were my favorite. SS at the end of #94 was completely unexpected and compelling at the same time. Great stuff.

[jackolover]

The surfer's also wearing one of the blue badges (obedience slugs) that all the gladiators have. And the board has been fashioned into a shield.

When did they apply the obedience disk to the Hulk? What issue?

[Quinch]

When did they apply the obedience disk to the Hulk? What issue?

1st issue of PH - 4th page or so.

[ComicCollector777]

I wonder if anyone could break free from the "obedience disk"? I was actually kinda surprised to see that the EVEN the Silver Surfer was unable to do so!

[Bulky Brent]

I don't think any of earth's heroes can break free of the obedience disk except maybe The Sentry

[Mike Smash!]

No reason to bump this thread, guys.

[jackolover]

1st issue of PH - 4th page or so.

Thanks Quinch