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The Incredible Hulk searches for Charlie in the lair of “Frozen Charlotte” or Nephele, Queen to Lucifer Morningstar. What secrets does she keep deep below New Orleans? Is it too later to save Charlie from the clutches of the fallen angel?
- Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson
- Illustrated by Danny Earls
- Colors by Matt Wilson
- Letters by Cory Petit
- Published by MARVEL Entertainment
The Incredible Hulk Finds A Fallen Angel
The current run of The Incredible Hulk has been a joy to read. I’m loving the horror aspects with demons, Eldritch horrors, and frightening monsters hunting the Hulk. It’s a great spin on him running away from the authorities, or just trying to isolate himself to protect others. Instead, there are some very powerful and dangerous things that want it for the purpose of unleashing the monster of all monsters, The Mother of Horrors.
The Hulk is an unstoppable, immortal being that has been put through every possible conflict and situation imaginable. It’s incredibly hard to find ways to make him vulnerable, or to give him a reason to run without nerfing his abilities in some way. Philip Kennedy Johnson has crafted a story that actually has stakes for The Hulk, while still making him the irresistible force that he is.
Who is Frozen Charlotte?
Previously in The Incredible Hulk, he was in search of his traveling partner Charlie. With the help of a ghost detective in the back alleys of New Orleans, Hulk makes his way to a local shop that is a front for something much more diabolical. He made his way in and descended into the shops basement to find a vast underground lair of the monster known as Frozen Charlotte.
This whole issue is a fight and it is non stop, hard hitting action! The Hulk is going toe to toe with Nephele, a fallen angel who was the consort of Lucifer Morningstar himself. She was promised the title of Queen and Mother of Angels when he conquered heaven, but we know how that went down. When all the others were cast into a fiery oblivion, she fled to Earth, to hide among the humans.
The Incredible Hulk is the Good Guy, Right?
Throughout this issue long fight, Nephele reveals a lot about herself, almost to the point that she becomes a bit sympathetic to the reader. As she tells her story, Hulk is relentless in pursuit and continues to pummel her. At time Hulk looks like the monster everyone says he is as his sickly yellow eyes bulge and his big toothy grin shows that he is enjoying the pain he is inflicting on her.
In the end, Hulk is too much and he finishes the fight just as Lucifer himself appears and takes her soul away. Lucifer tells Hulk to go on in peace and never disturb himself nor Nephele again. Hulk searches the lair for Charlie who calls out to him. He follows her voice and finds her, but her time with Frozen Charlotte may have done more damage than can be undone.
An Incredible Guest Artist
This issue of The Incredible Hulk has a guest artist in Danny Earls and it couldn’t be better fit. Earls’ art is so well suited for a horror story. The book feels like a classic horror monster comic. The art moves panel to panel in a beautiful and captivating way. The action is brutal, but it’s also beautiful. There’s a lot of vertical movement as the 2 heavyweights fight their way lower into the depths of the city.
Nephele’s design is a thing of beauty. She’s a terrifying monster, yet she’s drawn with such grace. The beautiful color palette of the underground fight contrasts with the brutality of the action. Blues, pinks, and purples highlight the background. The Yellow of the Hulks eyes pop so well, a does the yellow used to represent his devastating attacks.
Everything Point To 8/10
Phillip Kennedy Johnson continues to build on an interesting narrative involving the Hulk. It’s so much fun to see these monsters and eldritch horror creations that bring a fresh feel to the Hulk.
Charlie is an important piece to this puzzle and her tragic backstory was fleshed out a little more, even though she wasn’t really present during the majority of this issue.
This stop on The Hulk and Charlie’s journey has felt more like a filler episode, but it was quite the amazing one. Where Lucifer and Nephele will fit in later in the story, if at all, is unclear but I really hope they do.
Danny Earls work as the guest artist was phenomenal. It really took the horror vibe to another level in what was really just one long street fight between Hulk and Frozen Charlotte. Everything moved so well and the character design of Nephele was so good.
