Now that Hulk and Banner have been separated, what are each up to? Who the heck are we supposed to root for?
The Good
Everyone loves a good mystery and we're still wondering what is going on with Hulk and Banner. One question from last issue was how did Banner get to his current state? We know it was at the end of FEAR ITSELF where the two somehow separated but there was almost a leap as to how Banner became so...obsessed. Also, what happened to Betty? Why is Banner alone? These questions and more are answered.
With the new secret government agency trying to recruit Hulk to help take down Banner, we have an interesting set up. Hulk is at a crossroad here in where he's going to go. The nature of the HULK comics is to continuously shake things up. Hulk's been through so many incarnations and it's nice not knowing what to expect.
There's also more Hulk with a beard AND Hulk fighting sharks.
The Bad
What's going on with the art? You might have heard some of the uproar over how many people worked on this book. Thankfully, there aren't any major discrepancies. Usually when different artists work on the same book, it can be jarring when the art shifts from one style to another mid-scene. Unfortunately there are still some. For example, Amanda Von Doom's hair has different lengths and there was a shift in inking styles where I was wondering if there was a printing error with once page looking almost faded compared the harder inking on the accompanying page. The story is enough to keep you hooked but the art changes was a little distracting.
The Verdict
The build up to Hulk versus Banner is building. We still don't now how they were separated but Hulk has to make a decision in whether or not he will join the secret government agency set to take Banner down. The downside to this issue is the numerous pencilers, pencil assists, finishers and inkers. There were some minor inconsistencies in the art and the difference in inking styles did cause some distractions. I am still on board with this book and do want to see what will become of Hulk and Banner. And we still have the mystery of how they were separated. The direction and motives for Banner and the cliffhanger were enough to make this a fun read.