Share this
The Incredible Hulk put a pin in the Mother of Horrors arc in issue 19 and now we move on to a new horrific evil! Charlie is having fun experimenting with her new Lycana powers as Hulk is reminded by Banner that these powers come with a price. Things seem light and introspective until werewolves start showing up with grudges. What will Hulk and Charlie do when a God shows up?!
- Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson
- Art by Danny Earls
- Colors by Matt Wilson
- Letters by Cory Petit
- Editor Jordan D. White
- Published by MARVEL Entertainment
The Incredible Hulk and Charlie Keep Moving
Phillip Kennedy Johnson took us on an amazing trip through abysmal horrors and took us to the peak with a battle against the Mother of Horrors. No where to go but down from there, right? Wrong! There’s always a bigger fish and another cause. Johnson hones in on the werewolves he introduced previously and their powerful Godskin Lycana, who Charlie is now a vessel for!
Werewolves Want More
This issue opens with the werewolves abandoned by Charlie and their Godskin seeking something with the power to bring vengeance on the one who broke their pact. What we get is a primal horror thirsty for destruction! While this is happening, Hulk and Charlie play around in the forest with Charlie’s new powers! She’s fast and strong, capable of keeping up with Hulk. This seems to deepen their bond. SO much so that Banner has to remind Hulk that what Charlie has now is more than just raw power, she has a curse.
What Happened in Vegas Did Not Stay in Vegas
In the middle of all this, Werewolf by night shows up to warn Charlie that she has broken a serious pact. After explaining what she’s done and how careless she’s being, the two of them transform a face off. Meanwhile, Hulk is confronted by one of the werewolves from Las Vegas. After a display of Hulk’s power and bit of a tantrum, the werewolf is stomped into the ground. What arrives from the crater left behind is something much more than a simple werewolf!
Speaking of werewolves, how excited are you for this movie!?
The Incredible Hulk Continues Strong
Johnson has done a tremendous job with this series so far and this issue does so many great things to set up more to come. Honestly it seemed like we got to peak in the previous issue, but not so much. Now that Charlie has what she always wanted, powers like Hulk, it’s time to start dealing out the consequences. As we know: “With great power comes great responsibility” and in this case the responsibilities aren’t exactly noble ones. Having Bruce make a subconscious appearance was a great tool to put that into perspective.
The Balance of Art in the Incredible Hulk
Danny Earls brings a great lance to the issues he creates. There’s a fun, light-hearted, traditional comic book vibe to his work that comes with some really graphic and intense supernatural horror elements. It all comes together in harmony that makes reading all the more fun. His werewolf designs are awesome and remind me of some of the ll time great cinematic Lycans and their transformations.
The colors by Matthew Wilson are a perfect compliment to Earls artwork. It brings an eeriness to the moments of peace. The serene moments of the Hulk and Charlie being at rest are kept under a canopy of colors that remind us of the horrors that surround them. Backs and shading in pivotal moments keep the eye and the mind in the proper mindset for the big horrors to come!
Everything Points to 8.5/10
I wasn’t sure what to expect after the previous issue of The Incredible Hulk so I kept my expectations low. Where Johnson could have easily went into filler, he transitioned perfectly into another big bad all while furthering Charlie’s story! Overall, this was a great issue of balance and pace. New things are happening, while old things breath. All of the threads are still there and they seem to be pivotal to the stories to come!
