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Ganymede’s quest for justice knows no bounds! The Sensational She-Hulk finds herself caught in the middle of a really chaotic situation. Ganymede is on the attack in the name of justice for her boss Drapurg and She-hulk is her target. It only adds insult to injury that Ganymede had just recently swept in and stole Jennifer’s boyfriend, Jack of Hearts!
- Written by Rainbow Rowell
- Illustrated by Andrés Genolet
- Colors by Dee Cunniffe
- Letters by Joe Caramagna
- Published by MARVEL Entertainment
The Relatable, Sensational She-Hulk
The Sensational She-Hulk is that current comic book that I just can’t help but love in every way that matters. It’s not making headlines, it’s not controversial, nor is it making statements about current geo-political issues. What it is though is what most superhero comics miss the mark on…it’s real.
Obviously it’s not real on the level that She-Hulk and her cosmic powered boyfriend are on a vacation at a Sun adjacent resort. It’s also not real in the way that an evil galactic conqueror with a horde of powerful minions, one of which is an ex-girlfriend of your current boyfriend, just so happens to be there on vacation also. What is real about it though, is how this really crazy, over the top settings and situations can be relatable in a way that you never thought possible.
Check out part 1 of this 3 part arc of The Sensational She-Hulk!
Rainbow Rowell has consistently been writing one of the best ongoing Marvel series, starting with She-Hulk and continuing into The Sensational She-Hulk. Jen is going through a phase of self discovery, she’s starting over. Everyone can relate to that. What’s more is she has to juggle her professional and personal life. On top of that, she has to explore romantic feelings, deciding if she’s looking for true love or just a fling. Most importantly though, and this is definitely the most relatable, nothing ever seems to go right.
It’s a Small Galaxy for a Love Triangle This Big
Issue #8 drops us right into the action as Ganymede attacks The Sensational She-Hulk in the name of her lord Drapurg, He of The Horde. It’s a really good fight that establishes Ganymede as a force to reckoned with. Lucky for Jen, Jack intervenes, explaining to Ganymede that Drapurg is not exactly who she thinks he is. She-Hulk decides that it’s definitely time to go home after all the chaos, but Jack of Hearts shows up to her room and convinces her to stay.
This scene is the highlight to this issue. Jack and Jen have a really deep and nuanced conversation about their relationship. They both really lay it out on the line, being completely vulnerable with one another. I often find moments like this that make me reflect on my feelings, but that usually only happens in an award winning movie or TV show. To have this real relatable conversation draw that out of me without all of the cinematics is really saying something. Rainbow Rowell has a firm grasp on these characters and is pulling the strings with absolute precision.
The Sensational She-Hulk: Color and Craft
The artwork in The Sensation She-Hulk remains consistent with past issues. Andrés Genolet style is beautiful and dynamic. This book produces some seriously underrated action panels that rival much more popular books. What’s more impressive in the nuanced facial expressions. Jen’s face in particular in always telling a story all on it’s own.
The Colors from Dee Cunniffe are what gives The Sensational She-Hulk that extra push, taking from extraordinary to, well, sensational! Pinks, purples, orange, and blues dominate the pages which enable She-Hulk to stand out in a way that only elevates the beauty that Genolet has already crafted for Jen. Finally, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, from the drawing to the colors, Jen’s hair is a masterpiece in this run.
Everything Points to 8/10
Rainbow Rowell has been putting Jen through the ringer, and this issue is no different. It was absolute pleasure to see the way she works through She-Hulk and Jack of Hearts relationship, especially in this issue. This issue as a whole had a really face pace to it, with the dialogue between Jen and Jack slowing things down, but not in a bad way. For a final part to this arc, it really kinda felt like a filler episode though. Regardless, I’m excited to see what’s next for this power couple, and I really hope we get to see more of Ganymede in the future!
