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Return of the Monster
First, the Hulk is rarely present, at least in the pages drawn by John Romita Jr. and Tom Palmer. Instead we find Banner, who, apparently, through meditation has gained some control over his raging metamorphosis. He is now a victim, rather than an instigator, of circumstances. The Hulk manifestation trembles just beneath the surface of each panel, allowing us to see him for who he really is and not just what he looks like.
The monster, though largely unseen, chases Banner's psyche throughout the Midwest. Along the way, Banner must elude federal agents as well as a growing posse of the undead, a premise Jones could have abducted from "The X-Files," which adds a film-noir quality to the series.
For those of us who remember the television show "The Incredible Hulk" from the early '80s with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno bumbling and flexing, this new incarnation is a welcome retake that casts the main character as less of a superhero and more as a psychological menace. Considering that the time in which we live is predominated by distrust and paranoia, it is only natural that we should be faced with such a persona as the Hulk. He is quaking beneath the daily events of our lives, threatening to destroy what sanity is left.
— Christian Horlick
The monster, though largely unseen, chases Banner's psyche throughout the Midwest. Along the way, Banner must elude federal agents as well as a growing posse of the undead, a premise Jones could have abducted from "The X-Files," which adds a film-noir quality to the series.
For those of us who remember the television show "The Incredible Hulk" from the early '80s with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno bumbling and flexing, this new incarnation is a welcome retake that casts the main character as less of a superhero and more as a psychological menace. Considering that the time in which we live is predominated by distrust and paranoia, it is only natural that we should be faced with such a persona as the Hulk. He is quaking beneath the daily events of our lives, threatening to destroy what sanity is left.
— Christian Horlick
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