I have never read The Hulk by Greg Pak but have obviously heard good things due to the success of Planet Hulk. I took the re-launch, with Jeph Loeb at the helm, as an opportunity to get into a much loved and revered character.  The run of Hulk up to #601 has been roundly criticsed for Loeb’s handling of the whole property and I am in general agreement with those sentiments. Reading Pak’s vision of the Hulk’s world has been like day and night when compared to Loeb. Although the Hulk doesn’t actually feature, and looks like he wont for some time, Greg Pak seems to be able to represent Banner and friends in a much more consistent and relatable way in one issue than Loeb did in the previous 10.

Immediately Pak sets an excellent tone by putting Banner as the man and genius level intellect front and centre. He brilliantly shows Bruce as the Heroic character who has a strength of morals and mental acumen that are powerful, like the hulk, but subtle as one might expect a  quiet man might have. 

The story skips along throughout the book and I hold much hope for the ongoing story from Pak. Olivetti’s art is solid. I enjoyed it in Cable and it has the same smooth textures and colours as that book. Unfortunately his work still retains a rather static quality that makes the characters look a little stiff. However, Olivetti still makes a pretty picture and is deffinately up to the task here.

The second feature continues to intreague me. I reviewed The Incredible Hulk #600 last month from the perspective of a She-Hulk fan. I have always loved Jen Walters and her mis-management from Peter David and Jeph Loeb has really disappointed me. When Fred Van Lente stepped up with Lyra, the Savage She-Hulk. I was further upset as she seemed like a totally un-necessary replacement for a loved character. However, I have been patient and as such I have been rewarded. Van Lente does a great job of making a fun little feature and is bringing Jen Walters to the fore as the main motivating factor of the story. Fred obviously respects the original She-Hulk and it is good to see her not forgotten. I absolutely love Michael Ryan’s art. The 5 I give the art here is down to him. It is dynamic and bright and he draws a great super-heroic woman. Again, this is a story I am looking forward to as the months go on.

Overall, a great little book. I have little experience with the Hulk or Greg Pak but I am hugely confident I will be getting the real deal as his run goes on. Fred Van Lente clearly seems to be continuing a rich vein of form, which I first encountered in MODOKS 11, another book that I fully recommend.

Get on The Incredible Hulk this week, I’m gonna stick my neck out and say a great run is in the making.