Adam Chapman
January 7th 2005, 03:43 AM
Reviewer: Adam Chapman adam.chapman@sympatico.ca
Quick Rating: Good
The title sums it all up pretty well.
<a href="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/media/1/whatifhulk.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/thumbnails/1/whatifhulk.jpg"align="left" border="0"> </a>Writer: Peter David
Penciller: Pat Olliffe
Inks: Sal Buscema
Colours: Chris Sotomayor
Letters: Virtual Calligraphy's Randy Gentile
Cover: Gary Frank and Morry Hollowell
Editor: C.B. Cebulski
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Review: This What If? one-shot is definitely the most classically told of the bunch, complete with Uatu the Watcher introducing the story, and the story broken down into bite-sized "chapters" much like the very first appearance of The Incredible Hulk 40-some odd years ago. And you know what? It's a well-told tale, which runs the gamut from fun to tragic in a fell swoop.
As Bruce Banner prepares for the initial test of the Gamma Bomb, Rick Jones, dared by his friends, drives onto the testing area, and General Ross, not Bruce Banner, goes onto the testing area to get rid of him. What happens as a result is plausible and entertaining, as Igor, the spy responsible for the gamma blast that unleashed the Hulk in the first place, still ends up triggering the blast, although this time it is General Ross who finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and is quickly transformed into The Hulk, although slightly different from the Banner Hulk who readers are well acquainted with.
The concept behind this issue may not seem that intriguing, but David manages to weave a very interesting and engaging story here, and it's refreshing to witness how a different human being would handle the initial blast that created the Hulk. General Ross can't totally control what has happened to him, but he is at least conscious of what he is doing, something the Banner Hulk never really had going for him, especially not at the earliest point in his career as The Hulk. Ross goes after Igor, and soon finds himself slipping into rage, which subsides tragically when the result of his Hulk outburst hits extremely close to home. The book ends tragically and surprisingly, in a way you may not expect, which increases the shock factor.
The art by Olliffe is much like most of his work, combining the simplicity of the 60s-era comics with a slightly modern sensibility, much like his work on Untold Tales of Spider-Man and Spider-Girl. It's pleasant stuff, and his Hulk really looks great in some of the panels.
This issue is surprisingly entertaining and enjoyable, and proves that there's a lot more to the initial premise than you might expect.
Ratings:
Story: http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/none.jpg
Art: http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/none.jpg
Overall: http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/none.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World and Save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1606&cat=WHAT+IF%3F)
Quick Rating: Good
The title sums it all up pretty well.
<a href="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/media/1/whatifhulk.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/thumbnails/1/whatifhulk.jpg"align="left" border="0"> </a>Writer: Peter David
Penciller: Pat Olliffe
Inks: Sal Buscema
Colours: Chris Sotomayor
Letters: Virtual Calligraphy's Randy Gentile
Cover: Gary Frank and Morry Hollowell
Editor: C.B. Cebulski
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Review: This What If? one-shot is definitely the most classically told of the bunch, complete with Uatu the Watcher introducing the story, and the story broken down into bite-sized "chapters" much like the very first appearance of The Incredible Hulk 40-some odd years ago. And you know what? It's a well-told tale, which runs the gamut from fun to tragic in a fell swoop.
As Bruce Banner prepares for the initial test of the Gamma Bomb, Rick Jones, dared by his friends, drives onto the testing area, and General Ross, not Bruce Banner, goes onto the testing area to get rid of him. What happens as a result is plausible and entertaining, as Igor, the spy responsible for the gamma blast that unleashed the Hulk in the first place, still ends up triggering the blast, although this time it is General Ross who finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and is quickly transformed into The Hulk, although slightly different from the Banner Hulk who readers are well acquainted with.
The concept behind this issue may not seem that intriguing, but David manages to weave a very interesting and engaging story here, and it's refreshing to witness how a different human being would handle the initial blast that created the Hulk. General Ross can't totally control what has happened to him, but he is at least conscious of what he is doing, something the Banner Hulk never really had going for him, especially not at the earliest point in his career as The Hulk. Ross goes after Igor, and soon finds himself slipping into rage, which subsides tragically when the result of his Hulk outburst hits extremely close to home. The book ends tragically and surprisingly, in a way you may not expect, which increases the shock factor.
The art by Olliffe is much like most of his work, combining the simplicity of the 60s-era comics with a slightly modern sensibility, much like his work on Untold Tales of Spider-Man and Spider-Girl. It's pleasant stuff, and his Hulk really looks great in some of the panels.
This issue is surprisingly entertaining and enjoyable, and proves that there's a lot more to the initial premise than you might expect.
Ratings:
Story: http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/none.jpg
Art: http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/none.jpg
Overall: http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/none.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World and Save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1606&cat=WHAT+IF%3F)