Man, do I love that cover by our friend Joe Jusko (here credited as Joseph Jusko)--the Hulk just looks like one giant pile of rippling muscle, utterly out of control and terrifying.
This issue's inside cover pin-up also features early work by a soon-to-be-Big Time Comics Pro, John Romita Jr., here inked by his Dad:
This issue's story, by Doug Moench, Ron Wilson, and Ernie Chan, picks up where last issue left off, with a traveling circus now in shambles after a run-in with the Hulk.
The Hulk, as he is wont to do, just took off after the trouble was over, but of course trouble always follows Ol' Greenskin:
While one of circus' members, a strongman named Bruno, channels his rage, the Hulk is in downtown Chicago, where he ends up in the middle of a confrontation between the cops and some local youth:
The Hulk, as he is wont to do, just took off after the trouble was over, but of course trouble always follows Ol' Greenskin:
...wow, times have changed.
Bruno ends up being the lab rat of your classic Comic Book Mad Scientist, who transforms the strongman into a superhuman-level strongman. Who, of course, thinks he's strong enough to tackle the Hulk. The Hulk shows Bruno how wrong he is:
Bruno ends up being the lab rat of your classic Comic Book Mad Scientist, who transforms the strongman into a superhuman-level strongman. Who, of course, thinks he's strong enough to tackle the Hulk. The Hulk shows Bruno how wrong he is:
Bruno actually manages to survive this, but death is never far behind when you're talking about the Hulk.
Moon Knight continues as the back-up feature, which debuted last issue. Sadly, the legendary Gene Colan was not retained for the strip, and here is replaced by Keith Pollard, Frank Giacoia, and Mike Esposito:
Moon Knight continues as the back-up feature, which debuted last issue. Sadly, the legendary Gene Colan was not retained for the strip, and here is replaced by Keith Pollard, Frank Giacoia, and Mike Esposito:
The story (also by Moench) is still pretty good, but the art is so simplistic at times its almost shocking. Part of the expectation of these Marvel mags--in addition to the extra pages--was that the reader was getting something they couldn't get in the regular color line. Whether it be the more mature subject matter or complexity of the art, Marvel mags felt different than their other books, except when you got pages like this:
Moon Knight aside, this issue of The Hulk! is still fun, thanks to the Jusko cover, the Romita pin-up, and the main story. Imagine what the Occupy movement could do with the Hulk on its side!
1 comment:
This is the second cover I ever did for Marvel (the first being the Marvel Preview STARLORD piece). I was 18 years old and still working as Howard Chaykin's assistant. Howard actually redrew the Hulk's left hand for me. HUGE painting (30"x40") because Howard told me editors were impressed with big paintings. LOL. This was terrifying as I had no idea what I was doing. Man, brings back memories!
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