Indestructible Hulk On Ice
I'm usually one of the first people to jump to skepticism when a company has something illustrated by a 'Legendary' artist, like Norm Breyfogle on Batman Beyond, and based on the covers for this arc I had major concerns. Especially since Walt Simonson's simple and loose style clashes heavily with Yu's excessive details; but somehow it works. The interior art looks a lot better than the cover art, and the colors somehow make everything work. There's also the sense of this being a new arc that helps smooth out the transition. The action is still big with plenty of impact.
There's also another secret reason the art is so fitting when there's a big twist between the lines. Something VERY unexpected happened with their Uru-generated portal, causing what should have been a simple mining operation to become something far more dangerous.
What's really promising about this arc is that it seems we're finally going to start digging into the personalities and secrets of Banner's lab assistants, rounding out the supporting cast. This arc starts to explore Dr. Patricia Wolman, a.k.a. Patty. She's definitely got some troubled emotional spots, so it's a little curious to try to figure out what her deal is.
In Conclusion: 4/5
There's still a bit of an adjustment to Walt Simonson's style, especially after Leinil Yu's artwork, but Waid really dug deep to make damn sure that it fit perfectly. I'm amazed at how little the art bothered me in this issue. Beyond that, this issue marks a turning point for the series as it fully breaks free from the formula.
