"what if he comes back?"
Originally written 7-3-11
While performing a mission for the authorities, Bruce Banner aka the Hulk, agrees to disarm a weapon created by the terrorist network Hydra. The weapon is hidden inside of a cave, and the Hulk discovers that it's actually a gamma bomb. The bomb explodes in his face reverting him back to the savage and destructive brute he used to be. The Thing along with the Human Torch are sent by Reed Richards to stop him. -summary
Written by Daniel Way and Micheal Straczynski, Planet Hulk Prelude is a two part story that sets the stage for the epic Planet Hulk storyline. The book collects Fantastic Four issues 533 - 535, and Incredible Hulk issues 88 - 91. The stories are below average and I was never gripped to either of them.
The first story is standard savage Hulk fare, but it feels watered down when compared to many of his other mean streaks. You really don't see anything new here or the least bit breathtaking. The story mainly revolves around the Thing trying to calm him down, instead of taking him in a one on one fight. The Hulk rampages through Las Vegas destroying a few things and battling his internal demons while he's at it. There's a bit of comedy carried by Thing's sense of humor, and one funny moment stood out when a casino was taking bets on who would win the slugfest between Hulk and Thing, and no one would put a dime on the Thing. There's also a side plot at play with child welfare taking Reed and Sue Richards two children. This was an interesting story that examined on how much of a threat it is to be a superhero with a family. I won't spoil the outcome of this story because it even caught me by surprise.
The second story which is the four part tale, Peace In Our Time, is what this book will mainly be remembered for. S.H.I.E.L.D. catches up with Banner and asks for his assistance as the Hulk to destroy a satellite. This would normally be an easy mission, but the satellite is ran by a self aware AI. The Hulk is taken into orbit, and a battle ensues between him and the android controlling the satellite. This is another average story that really doesn't excel in any area; action or imagination. The only point worth noting is the great betrayal which takes place in the end.
In the pages of the Fantastic Four, I found the artwork passable with some decent action panels; but I did not like the design for the Hulk at all. He came off looking like an over-sized ape, and he's just been done much better than this before. I also didn't care for the oil like artwork in his story. The character designs really didn't have many features and just came off looking stale, and action wise, this story really didn't impress me either. On the plus side, it is easy to read since the dialogue bubbles are well placed.
Overall, this is a book that is mainly for completest and serious Hulk fans, since it really isn't essential to understand the Planet Hulk storyline. Everything you need to know is covered there, and is also covered in Road to Civil War. In fact, I recommend both of those books way before this.
Pros: Sets the stage for Planet Hulk
Cons: Most of it is a below average Hulk story, not really necessary