Books like HANK JOHNSON, AGENT OF HYDRA don't come along too often. The idea that one of the nameless grunts working for the evil organization of HYDRA in the Marvel universe isn't totally and completely new. Many are familiar with Bob, Deadpool's sort of friend. Hank is a different character altogether. He offers us a great look into what makes HYDRA operate the way it does.
In different media, we often see these humongous evil entities. You have to wonder about the little guys behind the scenes. Who are these grunts or foot soldiers loyally following and working for something so evil. With Hank Johnson, we see he's pretty much a typical suburban dad. He has a wife and kids. We see his struggle with respect in the household and at work. He has to deal with making lunches and school conferences. At the same time, he has to avoid getting killed when they go up against someone like Nick Fury or having Madame Hydra as a boss.
David Mandel brilliantly combines action with the mundane. We see the ins and outs of Hanks world in a comedic fashion but the comedy never feels too forced. Joining Mandel is Michael Walsh on art and Matthew Wilson on colors. These two have worked on some of my favorite books and their work combined with Mandel's script is just a win-win situation for readers.
I can easily say HANK JOHNSON, AGENT OF HYDRA is one of my favorite books for the month. David Mandel crams in a lot of humorous moments and situations that don't make the story feel like a parody of the Marvel Universe. Michael Walsh and Matthew Wilson's art and colors are perfect for the story. You'll find yourself laughing at the funny parts and cringing at the inappropriate parts. It's unfortunate this is just a one-shot. I would absolutely love to see more. The Marvel Universe needs more Hank Johnson and so do we.