Monday, March 08, 2010

Comic Book Report: World War Hulk (Various)



That's it? Really?

The above is my overall reaction to this recent Marvel line-wide crossover event. I mean, first of all, the title is completely misleading. The story doesn't involve the whole world (it's only Manhattan), and it's not actually a war (just a couple days of superheroes clobberin' each other).

It's not even really about the Hulk, come to think of it. I mean, yes, he is the inciting event which causes all this mayhem, but in the end, it's not really about the not-so-jolly green giant or Bruce Banner. There are a few good moments here and there, but in the end, we gain no real insight into either character.

And the way in which Earth's heroes finally stop Hulk is almost a literal deus ex machina--even Marvel's editors acknowledge this, in a Mad Libs-style interstitial page in the Damage Control collection. But hanging a lantern on a weak third act doesn't make it any less of a cheat.

CKL

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