Planet Hulk #1
Script by: Sam Humphries, Greg Pak
Art by: Marc Laming, Takeshi Miyazawa
Colors by: Jordan Boyd
Letters by: Travis Lanham
One of my favorite things about comics is that the absolutely fantastic can happen, but I won't question the lunacy of it all. Case in point: Planet Hulk. This new Secret Wars mini-series is a lean, mean fighting machine.
It relies on spectacle and a stellar sense of style to keep the motor running. Sam Humphries' plot and characterization are bare bones, a shell to hold all of the ridiculousness up. In some ways, it's very similar to the recently released Mad Max: Fury Road. It's a load comic, but not a talkative one. Bombast and spectacle load the forefront of the story while plot and characterization take a back seat. However, it is yet to be seen whether the rich subtext of Fury Road will be present in Planet Hulk. Even if the subtext isn't present, it won't detract from the fact that this is a crazy thrill ride that will satisfy almost any action junkie.
The fury of the story is derived mostly from Marc Laming's incredible art. The amount of time and effort put into each panel is jaw-dropping. Intricate and detailed (check out the scales on Steve Rogers' armored skirt, or Devil Dinosaur's creased and cracked skin), the art is relentless in grabbing your attention. This book certainly wouldn't be as good if a lesser artist was in charge.
Following up the main story is a back-up by Greg Pak and Takeshi Miyazawa that elaborates on how this terrible wasteland was created. It's a fun little story, but isn't really necessary unless they are going to follow up on it with more back-ups. k
Despite the simple plot and barebones characterzation so far, Planet Hulk is bolstered by pure spectacle and breathtaking art. It's a thrill ride worth paying the price of admission.
Art by: Marc Laming, Takeshi Miyazawa
Colors by: Jordan Boyd
Letters by: Travis Lanham
One of my favorite things about comics is that the absolutely fantastic can happen, but I won't question the lunacy of it all. Case in point: Planet Hulk. This new Secret Wars mini-series is a lean, mean fighting machine.
It relies on spectacle and a stellar sense of style to keep the motor running. Sam Humphries' plot and characterization are bare bones, a shell to hold all of the ridiculousness up. In some ways, it's very similar to the recently released Mad Max: Fury Road. It's a load comic, but not a talkative one. Bombast and spectacle load the forefront of the story while plot and characterization take a back seat. However, it is yet to be seen whether the rich subtext of Fury Road will be present in Planet Hulk. Even if the subtext isn't present, it won't detract from the fact that this is a crazy thrill ride that will satisfy almost any action junkie.
The fury of the story is derived mostly from Marc Laming's incredible art. The amount of time and effort put into each panel is jaw-dropping. Intricate and detailed (check out the scales on Steve Rogers' armored skirt, or Devil Dinosaur's creased and cracked skin), the art is relentless in grabbing your attention. This book certainly wouldn't be as good if a lesser artist was in charge.
Following up the main story is a back-up by Greg Pak and Takeshi Miyazawa that elaborates on how this terrible wasteland was created. It's a fun little story, but isn't really necessary unless they are going to follow up on it with more back-ups. k
Despite the simple plot and barebones characterzation so far, Planet Hulk is bolstered by pure spectacle and breathtaking art. It's a thrill ride worth paying the price of admission.
A Look Inside
