Pipeline 1.6.2009

[jbelkinsii]

I usually enjoy your column, but don't feel the need to respond... except this time.

I completely agree with your take on this Hulk collection, though I wish they had included the She-Hulk/Rulk story from King-Sized Hulk or was it Giant-Sized (remember when King Sized & Giant Sized really meant something... Giant Sized Superman vs. Muhammed Ali... cover that announced "80 page Giant sized Special Edition!"... but I digress).

While I love Dale Keown and would love to see him back on the Hulk, I think he would have brought a darker tone to the book. McGuniess is essential to bringing the fun that is this first arc. Look at the contrast between Cho and Adams (two other artists II love) in the second arc. The Cho Rulk parts are a little darker in texture and mood than Adams Grey/Green Hulk.

What I would really like to see is Hulk become Incredible Hulk again and go back to it's original numbering... Like the just did with Thor.

[pmpknface]

I think the #-ing will happen again... eventually.

That would have been a good idea, to add that story in. On a side note, the 1-shot with Thundra is also important continuity wise. Maybe they'll do for the Hulk what they are doing with Wolvie and collect all of these 1-shots into a tpb.

On a side note to the column -

I don't really see DARK REIGN as an event, but more of a status quo. Secret Invasion, War of Kings, Annihilation, and Messiah Complex were events. This is just a banner to descriube the new way the Marvel U looks. Now, will it lead to another event? Probably. Most likely next summer.

[torippu]

On a side note to the column -

I don't really see DARK REIGN as an event, but more of a status quo. Secret Invasion, War of Kings, Annihilation, and Messiah Complex were events. This is just a banner to descriube the new way the Marvel U looks. Now, will it lead to another event? Probably. Most likely next summer.

I thought that Dark Reign was just be a branding (similar to the Initiative was after Civil War) but with the recent solicits of some Dark Reign tie-in mini-series, I am fearing for the worse.

[bh123]

Come on, it is blindingly obvious who Red Hulk really is. It totally has to be... Tommy Elliot!!!

Oh, um, wait, wrong company. Never mind :biggrin:

Seriously, I think the reason that a number of readers are so critical of Jeph Loeb's work on Red Hulk is that a large portion of the reputation and good will he built up on Legends of the Dark Knight, Long Halloween, and Superman For All Seasons kinda got washed away by recent stuff like Batman: Hush, Superman/Batman, and Onslaught Reborn, all of which left a lot of people unimpressed, myself included. For many readers that is the stuff that comes to mind when the name Jeph Loeb is mentioned, and his recent underwhelming projects have eclipsed a lot of his earlier prestigious writing. So that's the perception readers may be bringing with them when they approach Red Hulk.

[pmpknface]

I hear ya. Like I said, I'm sure that eventually be some kind of event that comes out of this, just not for a while. I was actually thinking about this yesterday as I wasplowing my driveway.... I don't consider DR and "event" because it doesn't have an ending.

For example: SI, FC, Annihilation, etc... all had a specific starting and ending point that we knew going in. A specific number of issues. DR isn't like that.

Also, you are correct in that there are a few new titles, but Marvel is cancelling some others too. She-Hulk, New Warriors, and I heard that Young X-Men is getting canned too - has anyone heard that???

[jbelkinsii]

I hear ya. Like I said, I'm sure that eventually be some kind of event that comes out of this, just not for a while. I was actually thinking about this yesterday as I wasplowing my driveway.... I don't consider DR and "event" because it doesn't have an ending.

For example: SI, FC, Annihilation, etc... all had a specific starting and ending point that we knew going in. A specific number of issues. DR isn't like that. Also, you are correct in that there are a few new titles, but Marvel is cancelling some others too. She-Hulk, New Warriors, and I heard that Young X-Men is getting canned too - has anyone heard that???Dark Reign doesn't have an ANNOUNCED ending.

As far as beginnings, I think this whole thing started with the Secret War/Dis-Assembled stories which leads into House of M... all Bendis. This Sets up all of the mini-events (Planet Hulk etc.) which leads to Civil War (Bendis) and the Initiative, Planet Hulk, Secret Invasion and Dark Reign (Bendis and Bendis).

I'll bet if you were to go back to 2002 or 2003 there was a big meeting that mapped most if not all of this out and in a hidden room at Marvel there is a flow chart that keeps everything on track (with room for slight variations, deviations and additions... Annihilation, War of Kings, ) til 2010.

As far as cancellations some of those titles probably had planned obsolescence in them (New Warriors, Young X-Men), and some of these new series have planned obsolescence as well (Secret Warriors, Dark Avengers). Dark Reign is to Secret Invasion what The Initiative was to Civil War. There may be an event (ala World War Hulk) that will happen before it but Dark Reign has an end.