The Hulk in a Tux? I'm Sold Already
This issue contains a considerable less number of Hulks. That means more focus on the one I really care about.
The Good
The idea of Hulk having other Hulks to hang out with has been interesting. It showed that Hulk didn't actually want to be left alone as he used to always say. Finally he had a family of his own. The problem with this is the focus is taken away from our Hulk and I can't say I really cared about all of the others. Finally we're seeing some attention on Bruce/Hulk and Betty/Red She-Hulk. Obviously I'm rooting for the two to rekindle their relationship but the changes that Betty's gone through might make that a little difficult. Greg Pak does a remarkable job in setting up the story that requires Hulk to go after Betty alone as well as a reason for Hulk to be wearing a tuxedo (and I assume it's made of unstable molecules or something similar). The appearance of Amadeus Cho is also welcome as it shows Bruce isn't beyond asking for help. And let's not forget the new problem that sets off the focus of this story arc.
What about the art? I'm a huge Tom Grummett fan. With all the comics coming out, I either missed or had forgotten that he would be doing the art in this issue. We've been getting quite the treat lately. We just had Dale Eaglesham for an arc and now we get Grummett. There's something about seeing his art on some of my favorite characters that just makes me happy.
The Bad
Even though I'm a long time Hulk fan, I can't say I'm overly excited about the villain here. It is an interesting choice and I appreciate his history with Hulk but I suppose I should just sit back and see what his endgame is. Also while I simply enjoy Grummett's art, Betty looks a little different than what I recall her looking like. Sure she's gone through some changes recently and it's bound to have an affect on her human form/body but if I were to see a page or panel with just her, I probably wouldn't have been able to identify her.
The Verdict
Less Hulks means more focus on the Hulks I really want to read about. Ever since the reveal of who Red She-Hulk is, I've been wanting to see what that will mean for her and Bruce/Hulk. I can appreciate Hulk wanting to have a family but I can't say I've been buying the issues for the appearances of the other Hulks. Greg Pak wrapped up the Savage Land adventure and starts another crazy adventure featuring Hulk and Red She-Hulk in Italy with Hulk wearing a tux. That right there was reason enough for me to want to read this issue right away. Pak clearly knows what he's doing when it comes to writing Hulk and it's such a fun ride. The addition of Tom Grummett doing the art makes me happy as I've always admired his work and love seeing his interpretation of the different characters. I'm not crazy about the villain but I can appreciate his place as a long time Hulk villain.
