God help me, I'm starting to like Rulk

[Arschloch]

Somebody help me.

I've absolutely hated Loeb's run right up past the Offenders/Defenders arc, but after that I've begun to enjoy Loeb's run on Hulk... and I'm finding Rulk more and more appealing, now that he's no longer on a crusade to one-up every major powerhouse.

I don't want to enjoy Loeb's Hulk, but I can't fight it. Is anyone else experiencing these conflicting feelings?

[Karl O'Neill]

You said it.

God help you.

:eek:

[Addams]

Poor bastard, we have to help you !! You can't stay like that !!

Loeb man, Loeb !!

Do you realize ? :tongue:

[Gabe De Los Muertos]

This happened to me with Sentry. All you need to know, is that you're not alone.

[Addams]

This happened to me with Sentry

I like him fine in World War Hulk.

Depends who the writer is i guess.

[Westgarth J]

Jeff Parker's take on the origin in Fall of the Hulks: Alpha was at least entertaining (if at odds with the lowbrow tone of the Rulk books thus far), but it might be too little, too late, as Rulk's a bit played out now.

If he has a fistfight like that bit in They Live between him and Molly Hayes, though - I'm there. Anyone who says they wouldn't be is a fool or a liar.

[wishpig]

God can't help you now...

[StoneGold]

I'm of opposite mind. I liked Rulk more or less when he was just an unstoppable foe for Hulk. But f all if I ever really cared about him. Now that he's supposed to be the protagonist... no. This last arc was just plain terrible. And not the fun kind of terrible, either.

[mikekerr3]

Somebody help me.

I've absolutely hated Loeb's run right up past the Offenders/Defenders arc, but after that I've begun to enjoy Loeb's run on Hulk... and I'm finding Rulk more and more appealing, now that he's no longer on a crusade to one-up every major powerhouse.

I don't want to enjoy Loeb's Hulk, but I can't fight it. Is anyone else experiencing these conflicting feelings?

If I did I would seek immediate professional help

[mikekerr3]

If he has a fistfight like that bit in They Live between him and Molly Hayes, though - I'm there. Anyone who says they wouldn't be is a fool or a liar.

I would pay for a bok where Molly Kicks his ass.

[Shai Hulud]

Somebody help me.

I've absolutely hated Loeb's run right up past the Offenders/Defenders arc, but after that I've begun to enjoy Loeb's run on Hulk... and I'm finding Rulk more and more appealing, now that he's no longer on a crusade to one-up every major powerhouse.

I don't want to enjoy Loeb's Hulk, but I can't fight it. Is anyone else experiencing these conflicting feelings?

http://www.readthesmiths.com/articles/Images/Humor/Fail/1FAIL.jpg

[Somebody]

Quod perditum est, invenietur.
Nici mort, nici al fiintei,
Te invoc spirt al trecerii
Te implor Doamne, nu ignora aceasta rugaminte!
Lasa orbita sa fie vasul care-i va transporta, sufletul la el.
Este scris, aceasta putere este dreptul poporuil meu de a conduce.
Asa sa fie! Asa sa fie! Acum! Acum!

[Beast]

Jeff Parker is writing the Red Hulk part of Fall Of The Hulks.

So you'll just end up liking him more. Cause Jeff is awesome.

He made Sentry not suck in the recent Age of Sentry mini-series, after all.

[Beast]

Frackin' Double Post!

[HulkSmash!]

Jeff Parker is writing the Red Hulk part of Fall Of The Hulks.

So you'll just end up liking him more. Cause Jeff is awesome.
QFT! (And not just because the awesome foundation was laid in FotH Alpha this week, explaining why Rulk looks just like....well, green Hulk.:evilsmile:

~G.

[nieman]

I have been purposely ignoring. I think he has a good premise though, but now that they have exponentially multiplied Hulk is it too much? Tell me this, are they still playing the "guess who?" game or have they moved on from that? And if they have moved on, is he a character that may seem better if they leave his true identity blank and go on to his purpose in the MU?

[HulkSmash!]

I have been purposely ignoring. I think he has a good premise though, but now that they have exponentially multiplied Hulk is it too much? Tell me this, are they still playing the "guess who?" game or have they moved on from that? And if they have moved on, is he a character that may seem better if they leave his true identity blank and go on to his purpose in the MU?
Red Hulk's true identity is still unrevealed in the books....but just about anyone who can read the clues knows who he is at this point. FotH Alpha provides some of the biggest nudges of all, trust me.

~G.

[tassa_kay]

It amazes me that some of the same people who take issue with Rulk beating various characters in battle have no issue whatsoever with Banner being a deus-ex-machina of intelligence, forethought, and technological savvy. I think the fact that Pak writes Banner this way gives Banner a free pass... and I'd be willing to bet that if Loeb wrote Banner this way, people would pick it apart mercilessly.

Rulk has his flaws, most if not all of them in his execution, but I don't see what makes him a "bad" character by any means. Can someone give an example other than "because he beat so-and-so without breaking a sweat"? I'm genuinely curious, because I don't think that premise alone is enough to make a fair judgment call. That's just fan entitlement rearing its ugly head, methinks.

[ResIpsaLoquitur]

Comics always gravitate back to the status quo. Assuming that Ross is Rulk, he'll inevitably be "just Ross" again. The question is: will we always look at Ross and see Rulk, the same way we look at Hank Pym and see a wife-beater? Or will we look back on it as Ross' "wacky" period, along with clone-Spidey, no-nose Wolverine, and demonic-killing Punisher?

[HulkSmash!]

Comics always gravitate back to the status quo. Assuming that Ross is Rulk, he'll inevitably be "just Ross" again. The question is: will we always look at Ross and see Rulk, the same way we look at Hank Pym and see a wife-beater? Or will we look back on it as Ross' "wacky" period, along with clone-Spidey, no-nose Wolverine, and demonic-killing Punisher?

Two words: Zzzax Ross.*

In other words, pretty much.

~G.

(* A long time ago, about 22 years now, Ross usurped the power of Zzzax, and went a little power trippy, trying to kill the Hulk, who he didn't realize was Rick Jones. Well, a lot power trippy. And he died 3 issues later.)

[Sabrinaset]

I'm of opposite mind. I liked Rulk more or less when he was just an unstoppable foe for Hulk. But f all if I ever really cared about him. Now that he's supposed to be the protagonist... no. This last arc was just plain terrible. And not the fun kind of terrible, either.

SG is correct, but let me add this: When Rulk came out, I thought it was actually a pretty good idea ... until he started punching out the Watcher for no apparent reason, flying about on a surfboard, and basically becoming Loeb's Mary-Sue. And the identity question has just dragged on and on and on ...

[Hrungr]

Comics always gravitate back to the status quo. Assuming that Ross is Rulk, he'll inevitably be "just Ross" again. The question is: will we always look at Ross and see Rulk, the same way we look at Hank Pym and see a wife-beater? Or will we look back on it as Ross' "wacky" period, along with clone-Spidey, no-nose Wolverine, and demonic-killing Punisher?
Bear in mind that Loeb hinted in a previous interview that a big team book was looking to get their hands on Rulk next year so don't expect him to disappear regardless of who he winds up being.

[Sabrinaset]

It amazes me that some of the same people who take issue with Rulk beating various characters in battle have no issue whatsoever with Banner being a deus-ex-machina of intelligence, forethought, and technological savvy. I think the fact that Pak writes Banner this way gives Banner a free pass... and I'd be willing to bet that if Loeb wrote Banner this way, people would pick it apart mercilessly.

Not necessarily, because Banner has had a habit of doing this many times under multiple writers. Nowhere near as many as Reed Richards, who was doing that in the earliest issues of the FF, but still ...

[tassa_kay]

Not necessarily, because Banner has had a habit of doing this many times under multiple writers. Nowhere near as many as Reed Richards, who was doing that in the earliest issues of the FF, but still ...

But was Banner as smugly self-assured as he is now? It's grating, irritating, and the only reason IH isn't on my pull list. I cannot stand Pak's Banner... or Amadeus Cho, for that matter, for pretty much the same reasons.

[Talisman]

But was Banner as smugly self-assured as he is now? It's grating, irritating, and the only reason IH isn't on my pull list. I cannot stand Pak's Banner... or Amadeus Cho, for that matter, for pretty much the same reasons.
Yes. Read him during the smart hulk run with Mantlo.

[Hrungr]

But was Banner as smugly self-assured as he is now? It's grating, irritating, and the only reason IH isn't on my pull list. I cannot stand Pak's Banner... or Amadeus Cho, for that matter, for pretty much the same reasons.
And my opinion is the exact opposite. I can't even remember the last time Banner's been this interesting (and clearly there's a little of the Hulk influencing his personality). I'm hoping this proactive Banner manages to stick around after the Hulk comes back. IMO, after all that he's seen and been through over the years he's earned the right to be a little cocky. :biggrin:

[tassa_kay]

Yes. Read him during the smart hulk run with Mantlo.

Kinda defeats the purpose of avoiding this kind of Banner if I go back and read this, heh. But I'll poke my nose into it, even though I only really read Hulk comics for Rulk.

[Sean Whitmore]

God help me, I'm starting to agree with tassa_kay.


SEAN

[tassa_kay]

I totally feel like donning a black hooded cloak and chuckling in a Palpatine-esque manner now, thank you. :)

[Somebody]

God help me, I'm starting to agree with tassa_kay.

That's concerning, but not panic-worthy yet. When you start nodding along to one of "Make Mine Mar-Vell"'s rants, THEN you panic :)

[tassa_kay]

That's concerning, but not panic-worthy yet. When you start nodding along to one of "Make Mine Mar-Vell"'s rants, THEN you panic :)

... don't make me Rulk out on you. :biggrin:

[Treqqor]

But was Banner as smugly self-assured as he is now? It's grating, irritating, and the only reason IH isn't on my pull list. I cannot stand Pak's Banner... or Amadeus Cho, for that matter, for pretty much the same reasons.

I'm half with you on this. I disagree on the Amadeus Cho part, I think he's alright and works well in the Marvel universe.

But time-distorting/teleporting/ipod-can-do-ANYTHING Banner is just WAY too much. Reed doesn't do this stuff as often as Banner does, and he's actually got the resources to do this!

Banner's smart. Very smart. But since when is he an expert on time-distortion fields? People thought Rulk was a Gary-stu? Not even close.

And Pak also has trouble writing the Leader.

For all the criticisms, Loeb's a book that's entertaining me. Pak is doing what only Bruce Jones did before. He's making me drop the main title.

[Hrungr]

Banner's smart. Very smart. But since when is he an expert on time-distortion fields?
Banner's invented a time machine gun in the past. However that bit of tech he used in the last issue is a modified time bomb that was used against him in the Hulk's tie-in issue of the "The List".

Pak isn't giving skills to Banner he hasn't had in the past. He's just applying them better as he doesn't have the Hulk's power to rely on anymore. He's reminding us that he really is that smart, it's just been a long time since we've really seen that side of him explored. Banner used to build all kinds of funky tech back in the day.

[Addams]

As long as they keep that crap away from Incredible Hulk i would be happy.

Let the red abominations in their own book.

Well, sadly there is crossovers but we are brave, we can support (i hope) to see those atrocities once or two in a year.

[Aziz Abbasi]

Somebody help me.

I've absolutely hated Loeb's run right up past the Offenders/Defenders arc, but after that I've begun to enjoy Loeb's run on Hulk... and I'm finding Rulk more and more appealing, now that he's no longer on a crusade to one-up every major powerhouse.

I don't want to enjoy Loeb's Hulk, but I can't fight it. Is anyone else experiencing these conflicting feelings?I love Loeb, I used to bash his Rulk just for the fun of bashing with bashers because he does have what it takes to bash about, but generally I really like Loeb, and I think you'r alright with it, no need to panick

If I did I would seek immediate professional helpCareful now, the professional therapist (taking the possibility that this is what you had in mind) might consider J.L (Justice League is not what I mean) a favorite

[Castel]

God help me, I'm starting to like Rulk

Ho my god.

I...i just don't know what to say....that's so horrible....you...you actually like Loeb's crap ?

You have to hold on man, get a grip on yourself, it's just some kind of silly phase i'm sure, you will get through it.

HOLD ON MAN !!

[Dog]

Seriously, I know people have differing opinions and everything, but if you can read the last two issues of Hulk and still call it absolute garbage, I think you're just bashing for the fun of it. You may not like it, sure, but it's not bad. They seemed to have worked a lot of the stuff people complained about into the story and come out better for it on the other side.

[lou-bert vs. q-bert]

I don't see what's wrong with liking Rulk. I've been reading some of the stories. Sure, they're simplistic, but still entertaining.

[PympMyQuinjet]

I'm afraid the only option now is euthanization. Im sorry.

[blackphoenix]

This happened to me with Sentry. All you need to know, is that you're not alone.

The original Sentry series was AMAZING(and I will SO totally fight anyone who does not agree!!). The second mini...not so much. Nowadays, he's like a badly written, mind addled Superman.

I hate Red Hulk(I refuse to call him RULK). I am so dropping this whenever Fall of the Hulks ends

[Hindsight lad]

I still believe that Loeb is history's greatest monster (take that Jimmy Carter and Joel Schumacher), but I will admit that after reading Parker's intriguing Fall of the Hulks: Alpha, I might read his Red Hulk mini series, just to see if he can make Rulk interesting.

Hindsight lad

[HulkSmash!]

For all the criticisms, Loeb's a book that's entertaining me. Pak is doing what only Bruce Jones did before. He's making me drop the main title.

By crystallizing everything Banner's done over the years? (And who's to say Banner didn't play some get-rich-quick scheme using his tremendous intellect to finance his newfangled tech, a la Amadeus Cho's "appropriation" of the Worthington fortune, or that he doesn't have some benefactor somewhere?)

Remember, this is Bruce Banner, a scientist who has...

-invented the G-bomb, ostensibly whose purpose was to be the inverse of a neutron bomb, destroying property and sparing lives (yes, we know how well that worked out, but....)
-invented a gamma ray device to enable him to metamorphose into the Hulk whenever he employed it, which he had to have built stealthily under the government's watchful eye (HULK #4)
-designed Project 34, a missile defense system (FANTASTIC FOUR #12)
-built a robot for the military, one that was by all rights, almost totally indestructible (TALES TO ASTONISH #60-61)
-built the Absorbatron, designed to absorb the entire fallout from a nuclear detonation (TTA #68-69)
-designed and built the T-gun, which propelled the Hulk through time to a dystopic future (TTA #75-77)
-built the Orion Missile, strong enough to level a city and unable to be brought down once in flight (TTA #81-86)
-understood and repurposed the Bi-Beast's machines in the sky city of bird-people long enough to cure Betty Talbot of being the Harpy (HULK #169)
-built the Recordasphere, a sentient metallic ball that flew and supervised his scientific experiments (HULK #286-289)
-modified his gamma gun devices for medical applications to heal the sick, including an animal (HULK #294-296)

I'm sure I can think of more (these are just off the top of my head), and I know his inventions have trailed off especially since Banner's secret was revealed to the world (TTA #77...a point cleverly referenced in the new HULK #17). But it makes considerable sense that he would maximize the use of his keen intellect without the Hulk being around to get in the way.

Plus, I fully attribute Banner's cockiness to having a little Hulk in him these days....he's not as Hulk-free as he claims, physically or psychologically...

And as we've seen in #604, he's not totally cocky....it's yet another veneer, as he's revealed to Kate Waynesboro. It's still socially awkward Bruce underneath it all.

~G.

[Alexrules]

Not the worst idea they ever had. He has a personality and some cool power traits to him. It actually looks like they thought this thing out sometimes.

[Addams]

but if you can read the last two issues of Hulk and still call it absolute garbage, I think you're just bashing for the fun of it

It is garbage, as everything with Rulk in it, and believe me i don't say it for the fun of it.

Now if you like crappy stories, ridiculous characters and if you like to pay some nice dollars for it then go, read that crap, you're just the kind of fan Loeb needs.

[tassa_kay]

Wow, what an insulting thing to say. And here I thought total strangers weren't at all qualified to comment on another person's personal tastes. ;)

[NickGuy]

maybe im in the minority, but i liked the latest arc of red hulk LESS than anything before it. the defenders arc was my favorite so far.

[Shai Hulud]

It is garbage, as everything with Rulk in it, and believe me i don't say it for the fun of it.

Now if you like crappy stories, ridiculous characters and if you like to pay some nice dollars for it then go, read that crap, you're just the kind of fan Loeb needs.

I approve of this post.

[Dog]

I approve of this post.
Then I'll ask you both:

Did you guys read issues 16 and 17?

[Shai Hulud]

Then I'll ask you both:

Did you guys read issues 16 and 17?

Yes I did, and I thought it was some very cheap and amateur character development Loeb was trying to make.He's simply not good at this.

[Dog]

It appears we shall continue to disagree, good sir.

[James Conniff]

Quod perditum est, invenietur.
Nici mort, nici al fiintei,
Te invoc spirt al trecerii
Te implor Doamne, nu ignora aceasta rugaminte!
Lasa orbita sa fie vasul care-i va transporta, sufletul la el.
Este scris, aceasta putere este dreptul poporuil meu de a conduce.
Asa sa fie! Asa sa fie! Acum! Acum!

Too perfect.

[Shai Hulud]

It appears we shall continue to disagree, good sir.

peace, my friend.:cool:

[HulkSmash!]

maybe im in the minority, but i liked the latest arc of red hulk LESS than anything before it. the defenders arc was my favorite so far.

Defenders arc, favorite? *spits out my coffee and has to wipe off the screen* Sure, okay...

And yes, there are many who feel the same way about "Code Red" being the least of the arcs, because it's just so much fun to root for the Red Hulk to cause mindless stupid mayhem, and less fun to watch the character development that feels tacked-on as result of dwelling on the mindless stupid mayhem.

~G.

[InSovietRussia]

Rulk is the Poochy of the Marvel Universe. He's worse than the New X-Men (the kids, not Morrison's run), Ultimatum and Hudlin's take on Black Panther combined.

[DKR]

Rulk is the Poochy of the Marvel Universe.

So when does he return to his home planet but die on the way there?

[NickGuy]

Defenders arc, favorite? *spits out my coffee and has to wipe off the screen* Sure, okay...

And yes, there are many who feel the same way about "Code Red" being the least of the arcs, because it's just so much fun to root for the Red Hulk to cause mindless stupid mayhem, and less fun to watch the character development that feels tacked-on as result of dwelling on the mindless stupid mayhem.

~G.

yes i liked the defenders arc the best. i just got the volume 3 hardcover and the mcg sketches are amazing. but i enjoyed the defenders arc the most simply because it was right up my alley, the kind of big goofy comics i like to read. Im not going to bother arguing about wether you see it as "good" or not, but it was the arc that made me laughing the most and looking forward to the next issue. the latest arc didnt do that. and im not looking forward to the portacio arc, if its him drawing that means the story will probably get more "serious" and less bombastic violence mcg, adams and cho did so entertainingly.

[Alan2099]

"Oh no! I like something that other people make fun of! I must be a horrible person! What's wrong with me? I should be a mindless sheep and blindly make fun of somethign not half as dumb as what's going on in other books because it's the in thing to do right now!"

Personally, Red Hulk has always struck me as being a lot like what Joe Fixit would have been like with the full power of the stronger greener Hulks. It's an interesting idea and it's been fun so far. I loved him punching out the Watcher. That was just plain hilarious.

Banner is being a bit ovr written, but not too bad in context.

[contreras9977]

I've enjoyed Rulk since issue #1 came out. I suspect that the Loeb hate is more of the 'in' thing to do. If Loeb was so terrible he would not be making Marvel the money he brings in.

[HulkSmash!]

I've enjoyed Rulk since issue #1 came out. I suspect that the Loeb hate is more of the 'in' thing to do. If Loeb was so terrible he would not be making Marvel the money he brings in.
Not necessarily; look at the critical reception to a Michael Bay movie, or either of the "Twilight" movies (I can't come to call them "films") versus their box office gross. They may sell and appeal to a broad audience, but they by and large don't appeal to film enthusiasts or those with more discriminating tastes.

It's the time-honored argument that never gets old: if something is popular, does that necessarily mean it is good?

I do think there's too much Loeb-bashing on the Internet in general for the sake of bashing, but I do think there's a nugget of truth to be had, even moreso in the more constructive posts.

~G.

[wishpig]

I've enjoyed Rulk since issue #1 came out. I suspect that the Loeb hate is more of the 'in' thing to do. If Loeb was so terrible he would not be making Marvel the money he brings in.

Ya... you want some proof that it's more then the 'in' thing? Dude sucked so hard he got fired from heroes. You don't fire a major writer of the show and hire someone more expensive just cause... you fire him cause he sucked at his job!

And I don't just hate the guy, I loathe him. He is SO bad! SO BAD!

Now, ok, I can see how a person would like Rulk. It's fun... a big red guy beating up all the marvel big guys.

But when Loeb is given the riegns to a major event he damages the universe with his poor writing. Look at what he did to wolverine! Wolverine is technically not a mutant... rather he is descended from a race of wolf people.

But loathe is a strong word, and you can't LOATHE someone beacuse their not a good writer. I loathe him because he takes other people's works and s***s all over them. He takes aspects of a character that worked and that other writers worked hard to develope and utterly changes them seemingly on a whim, to make them HIS character and his alone. Pathetic, petty, and arrogant.

[Shai Hulud]

Who wants to follow the adventure of The incredible General Ross? Fail.

[tassa_kay]

Is that the only word in your vocabulary, "fail"? You say it every chance you get.

[Shai Hulud]

Is that the only word in your vocabulary, "fail"? You say it every chance you get.

Nope, I have other words That I used to describe your last post for instance:

Epic Fail.

[tassa_kay]

Nope, I have other words That I used to describe your last post for instance:

Epic Fail.

The only "fail" here are the words I was trying to come up with to describe how completely idiotic your posts have gotten. Consider yourself ignored.

[Alan2099]

But when Loeb is given the riegns to a major event he damages the universe with his poor writing. Look at what he did to wolverine! Wolverine is technically not a mutant... rather he is descended from a race of wolf people.
Wasn't that Wolverine's real origin in Earth-X?

[Shai Hulud]

Consider yourself ignored.



Awesome, this is a Win.

[wishpig]

Awesome, this is a Win.

Looks like you insulted her favorite pathetically one dimensional Loeb creation one to many times.

Ha, I just realised one of the very very very few threads complimenting a Loeb work starts with "God help me"...

[keilthetarheel]

Yeah, Dostoevsky said that when he was in a Siberian prison, he eventually got used to getting ravaged by bedbugs and fleas all night, and was able to sleep through it. So, it shows that you can get used to anything after a while

[Darrell D.]

Yeah, Dostoevsky said that when he was in a Siberian prison, he eventually got used to getting ravaged by bedbugs and fleas all night, and was able to sleep through it. So, it shows that you can get used to anything after a while

Uh, what?
How is being in a prison comparable to the choice to buy a disposable pop/junk culture product?

[Jeff-E]

I never had a huge problem with Rulk, I didn't like the Watcher, Terrax, or Surfer treatment, but other than that I was cool with him. Side note, I'm really hoping he isn't Ross, but that Loeb is trying to pull a fast one. I don't know who I want him to be, just not Ross.

[HopeLantern]

I've always liked Rulk even though some of the writing is questionable. Welcome to the team.

[docholliday504]

RULK has never been at the top of my pile, but I never thought it was as bad as some made it out to be until this latest arc. Bringing in characters like Punisher and elektra who have no place in a book like this really chapped my behind.

[Talkie Toaster]

Side note, I'm really hoping he isn't Ross, but that Loeb is trying to pull a fast one. I don't know who I want him to be, just not Ross.


I'm the exact opposite. I don't care if they get Alan Moore to write him, if Rulk turns out to be anyone other than Ross I'll lose any interest in the character

[tassa_kay]

RULK has never been at the top of my pile, but I never thought it was as bad as some made it out to be until this latest arc. Bringing in characters like Punisher and elektra who have no place in a book like this really chapped my behind.

Their presence was more than adequately explained, for starters. Second, and perhaps more importantly, how do either of them have "no place" in a book like this? Is a "Hulk" title limited to Hulk-related characters only? :confused:

[docholliday504]

Their presence was more than adequately explained, for starters. Second, and perhaps more importantly, how do either of them have "no place" in a book like this? Is a "Hulk" title limited to Hulk-related characters only? :confused:

It was gimmicky. Most of those characters had no point in being there (sorry but the "explainations" were flaccid at best) and were clearly tossed it to sell a few thousand more copies of a book that already sells very well. I've got a little problem buying that 1) the Punisher or Elektra would ever work with someone like RULK who they know next to nothing of (even if it was a setup). Frank, in particular, doesn't trust his own mother, let alone Doc Sampson or the RULK and 2) I have tough time believing an Omega Class character would have any use for a base-level human in a fight. Rulk can lift mountains?? How is a guy with a pop-gun gonna help him out.

AS much as some people hated it, RULK fighting Thor made sense to me. They are both Omega-Level and its not like that's the first time a "New" character handed Thor his ass. Rulk teaming up with deadpool, Elektra and the Punisher made little sense to me.

[Alan2099]

It was gimmicky. Most of those characters had no point in being there (sorry but the "explainations" were flaccid at best) and were clearly tossed it to sell a few thousand more copies of a book that already sells very well. I've got a little problem buying that 1) the Punisher or Elektra would ever work with someone like RULK who they know next to nothing of (even if it was a setup). Frank, in particular, doesn't trust his own mother, let alone Doc Sampson or the RULK and 2) I have tough time believing an Omega Class character would have any use for a base-level human in a fight. Rulk can lift mountains?? How is a guy with a pop-gun gonna help him out.

AS much as some people hated it, RULK fighting Thor made sense to me. They are both Omega-Level and its not like that's the first time a "New" character handed Thor his ass. Rulk teaming up with deadpool, Elektra and the Punisher made little sense to me.
You take comics far too seriously, my friend.

Instead of asking yourself "how much sense does this make?" you should be asking "how awesome is this?"

[HulkSmash!]

You take comics far too seriously, my friend.

Instead of asking yourself "how much sense does this make?" you should be asking "how awesome is this?"

Don't you mean, "How stupid is this?":cool:

Couldn't resist. Anyway, valid points he has. But also, he's got to keep in mind that Frank Castle knows Red Hulk could smash him flat as a pancake. Ditto for Elektra. Best to hear him out.

And as specified in the story, it isn't always about muscle. What happens when you need finesse, or specialized skills that brute strength doesn't cover?

~G.

[Alan2099]

Don't you mean, "How stupid is this?
Only when talking about other people's posts.

[HulkSmash!]

Only when talking about other people's posts.

I'm sorry, I really don't think the answer to everything is that we have to jump for joy at every outrageous idea just because "it's comics." What may be acceptable to you may not be to the next person, and vice versa. It's the height of arrogance to do what you're doing here on this board. Telling someone what to think. "It's kewl!" You know, if you're going to joke, you can at least do the rest of us the courtesy of winking to let us know you're halfway kidding around. (Like I did.) If you're dead serious, then, well....arrogance again comes to mind.

I mean really, if you enjoy something, you give the writer certain concessions, and if you don't, then you don't. You enjoyed it and gave Loeb those concessions. docholliday504 didn't find the story so enjoyable and so he didn't.

So, your comments? Don't beat around the bush hiding behind infantile snark.

Tolerance. Learn it.

(Sure, I may have made the "stupid" comment but at the same time, look at the smiley. Kidding. I also went back and made points that made sense out of the original poster's perceived lack of story logic.)

~G.

[docholliday504]

You take comics far too seriously, my friend.

Instead of asking yourself "how much sense does this make?" you should be asking "how awesome is this?"

I don't think I take comics too seriously but I do appreciate good writing. For me personally, the questions of "How much sense does this make?" and "How awesome is this?" are not mutually exclusive. For a comic to be "awesome," the story has to make sense to me on some level. I'm not the type who sees Punisher, Wolverine, and Deadpool in the same book and automatically says "Schweeet!"

Also, I'm no Loeb-basher and like I said before I actually enjoyed some previous issues of HULK but I stand by my assertion that the latest arc is gimmicky and poor.

[docholliday504]

Don't you mean, "How stupid is this?":cool:

Couldn't resist. Anyway, valid points he has. But also, he's got to keep in mind that Frank Castle knows Red Hulk could smash him flat as a pancake. Ditto for Elektra. Best to hear him out.

And as specified in the story, it isn't always about muscle. What happens when you need finesse, or specialized skills that brute strength doesn't cover?

~G.

You make some good points and I'll admit Loeb did specifically talk about the need for "specialization" a bit during this arc. The stuff about Frank and Elektra fearing RULK smashing them makes sense too but I don't remember Loeb really getting into that all that much and I guess I couldn't fill in the blanks like you did.

Also I think normal humans can fit well in a story with Omega-Class threats (Hawkeye has done it for years). And I even think Frank Castle can fit into a story with omega-class threats.

I think my problem with the latest arc of HULK is that Loeb was so eager to get to the Royal Rumble that he put this team together in about 6 pages. I didn't understand anyone's motivation for being there with RULK or RULK's motivation for wanting them around. Once the "twist" was revealed, I thought it made even less sense. The idea that Frank Castle would participate in such an elaborate hoax against a omega level character he doesn't even know seemed patently "Un-Punisher" to me.

[docholliday504]

Blasted Double post

[Alan2099]

I don't think I take comics too seriously but I do appreciate good writing. For me personally, the questions of "How much sense does this make?" and "How awesome is this?" are not mutually exclusive. For a comic to be "awesome," the story has to make sense to me on some level. I'm not the type who sees Punisher, Wolverine, and Deadpool in the same book and automatically says "Schweeet!"

Also, I'm no Loeb-basher and like I said before I actually enjoyed some previous issues of HULK but I stand by my assertion that the latest arc is gimmicky and poor.
Fair enough. From the earlier posts you came across as one of the people that seemed to show up to bash Loeb simply because he was Loeb rather than anything to do with the story itself.

I still don't agree with you on that there was any real problems with this one, as this group getting together made about as much sense as countless other team-ups that have shown up over the years with no explination.

As for Punisher and Hulk, I'll admit, Frank doesn't have any real connections with this Hulk, but he's fought with and against several of the past incarnations of the Hulk, both green and gray. It's not out of the realm of beluivability for him to see a big Red Hulk and just assume it's pretty much the same guy (or some close variation there-of) having another of his personality shifts.

(I will admit that I haven't had a chance to read all of this latest one yet though, so there may have been some problems in some of the stuff I've missed.)


I'm sorry, I really don't think the answer to everything is that we have to jump for joy at every outrageous idea just because "it's comics." What may be acceptable to you may not be to the next person, and vice versa. It's the height of arrogance to do what you're doing here on this board. Telling someone what to think. "It's kewl!" You know, if you're going to joke, you can at least do the rest of us the courtesy of winking to let us know you're halfway kidding around. (Like I did.) If you're dead serious, then, well....arrogance again comes to mind.

I mean really, if you enjoy something, you give the writer certain concessions, and if you don't, then you don't. You enjoyed it and gave Loeb those concessions. docholliday504 didn't find the story so enjoyable and so he didn't.

So, your comments? Don't beat around the bush hiding behind infantile snark.

Tolerance. Learn it.

(Sure, I may have made the "stupid" comment but at the same time, look at the smiley. Kidding. I also went back and made points that made sense out of the original poster's perceived lack of story logic.)
I was going to come back and appologize over what I said before I read this post, and if anybody else had said this, I might have still done it, but you got some nerve to toss out the first bit of "infantile snark" then jump all over me for following suit simply because I didn't stick a little smilie face at the end of it to make everything all nice and pretty. That sounds pretty much like the height of arrogance to me.

As for telling everybody what to think, you check half the posts in pretty much any topic, you're going to find tons of posts telling others what to think of a story or character with out much more reason why other than "It's kewl", "It sucks," "It's Bendis/Millar/Stan/Loeb/PAD/whoever" or such vague reasonings.





(Still not using a smilie. By all means, mentally insert them were you see fit.)