Seeing as the new Hulk title relaunches after Indestructible Hulk #20, i thought i make a new thread for it. The new title will simple be called "HULK" and we already have previews up to the 4th issue.

HULK #1 & 2

MARK WAID (W) • MARK BAGLEY (A)

CoverS by JEROME OPENA

Issue #1 - Variant Cover by MARK BAGLEY

Issue #1 - ANIMAL VARIANT COVER BY CHRIS SAMNEE

Issue #1 - Captain America Team-Up Variant Also Available

Issue #1 - Blank Variant Also Available

Issue #2 - Variant Cover by MARK BAGLEY

ALL-NEW DIRECTION! THE EPIC “BANNER D.O.A.” BEGINS NOW!!!

Following the shocking events of last month’s INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK finale, Bruce Banner lies at death’s door! If he survives, it WON’T be as the Bruce Banner we’ve known! How will the Hulk wreak vengeance on Banner’s assailant? How CAN he?

Gallery

HULK #3

MARK WAID (W) • MARK BAGLEY (A)

Cover by JEROME OPEñA

Artist variant by Mark Bagley

“BANNER D.O.A” GETS READY TO TAKE YOU INTO A NEW TWIST IN HULK HISTORY!

• BANNER goes to a dark place and could take the AVENGERS with him

• Only HULK can save Banner…but will he?

• After last issue’s surprise resurrection, a new threat enters the scene.

Gallery

HULK #4

MARK WAID (W) • MARK BAGLEY (A/C)

“BANNER DOA” TAKES A MIND-BLOWING TURN!

• To stop HULK from destroying the AVENGERS a dangerous plan is put into play

• Bruce Banner’s brain damage is cured, but at what cost?

• What forbidden knowledge has TONY STARK used to save his friend?

Glad to see this new twist lasted a whole four issues!

At what cost they ask? Probably some good ol' fashioned Hulk action.

@theacidskull: Really? I haven't found it myself. I only know of the Indestructible Hulk thread and Indestructible ends in the next issue.

@theacidskull: I see, anyway how do you feel about the fact that Hulk is going up against Avengers(for the billionth time lol)? Personally i don't see it as that of a great thing i have said before i am not that into heroes fighting amongst each other so i am not a fan of that aspect in the new Hulk series, just like i am not that much of a fan of the same thing happening in Savage Hulk with Alan Davis i am much more excited about him bringing Abomination and Leader and Jim Starlin launching Hulk into space.

Well Indestructible Hulk #20 was another meh issue... Once again the previews for it where misguided and while there are some little moments i liked and thought where funny like Banners password being "smashtony" it's not enough to hold an entire issue. Hopefully with new Hulk title things will change, though i still don't think Waid is the right writer for this series.

@raynorj:

Doesn't bode well does it. Is Waid actually capable of writing a good Hulk story? Some writers just cant do certain characters. I am a huge Geoff Johns fan, but a lot of the Bat fans cant stand his Batman stuff!

...another point, perhaps I am a bit twisted, but I actually quite like it when Hulk fights other heroes!! Some of my favourite old Hulk stories are the battles with Thor, Wonder Man, Hercules et all...!

I really wonder myself... there is no denying that certain writers are just not fit to write certain character and Waid has shown that he is quite capable of writing Banner but so far he can't write a decent Hulk, maybe things will change once he gives him his own motives and some level of intelligence. Though i am still not convinced from all the Waid titles i have read(which admittedly aren't much) i haven't seen him cope with powerhouses and action....

Don't get me wrong i love those classic fights he had but you know after seeing them so many times they just become boring... I can read Hulk smash the same Avengers and X-men only so many times before i get bored of it. If he is to fight someone than he should fight powerhouses on his level like Thor, no matter how many times he fights Thor it never get's old other than that the formula get's pretty old especially when he fights teammates much weaker than him...

I wish i had your optimism. Anyway i can't wait for Jim Starlin to write Hulk i still can't believe this is happening and not only that but he is taking Hulk into space to face cosmic threats, excuse my language but F@CK YEA! This is what i've been waiting for.

Oy... another lame issue in the form of Indestructible Hulk 20. If this is what Waid intends for his relauch, count me out. I've only been underwhelmed by a Hulk comic thrice. First was Bruce Jones; Second was Jeph Loeb; Third was Jason Aaron. And now Mark Waid. Will this madness ever end? As long as Waid is on the series, it's not very likely.

@raynorj: For once, I actually agree with you. I don't think Waid has a problem writing powerful characters though as he's written some of the best stories for Superman and Wally West and those 2 are the most powerful beings in Pre New 52 DC. Nor is his problem with Marvel because of his Fantastic Four and Daredevil runs. But something just hasn't worked with Hulk since Agent of TIME and I don't know what it is. I've counted myself out of Waid's relaunched title for once because I just don't care about his Hulk anymore and I can't justify it as being good.

@lvenger: I was talking about writing action around powerful characters. He can write good stories but not action from what i saw. And before you tell me "but all you care about is action" well what is there else from Waids Hulk? For the first third of the entire series he did not even speak a single word and after that he barely spoke a couple of words per issue, all i could look forward to is "HULK SMASH", but i never really got it. He was closest to the mindless incarnation but at least the mindless Hulk always had epic action around him, while Waids action is lackluster at best. Maybe he can write good action for powerhouses but he certainly can't write it for Hulk as far as I've seen the character just does not fit him and i don't think Waid understands the Hulk. Though i am very surprised you are dropping Waids new Hulk i thought you would defend him to the bitter end but i guess the boring issues got even to you.

Still i said i will give him this one last try mostly because it's Hulk and it's hard for me to drop his title no matter how disappointing it is, but partly because he promises to give Hulk his own character now, so if he still doesn't deliver on the action part at least i could look forward to seeing some characterization around Hulk, unless it turns out bad....

I flicked through IH 20 today and yep, disappointing AGAIN....

...Starting to wonder whether to bother with next months issue and just wait for Savage Hulk...I just don't think waid can do Hulk. Weird isn't it. First Aaron, now Waid, two superstar writers who have written some of my favourite stories and neither has written a decent Hulk story!

@greenscar1990:

Funny you should mention Bruce Jones, as there isn't much love for his run on here, but I bought the "Abomination" book a weeks ago and really like it! Its different, but has its place on my shelf amongst my Pak and Mantlo books! Agree about Waid. I will try the first issue and if it doesn't at least show "promise" I am out of there!

@theacidskull: Thanks, unfortunately i don't have much to say lol. Abomination shows up as was told and he is kicking Hulk around. To be honest i am not interested in their fight much the only thing i am interested from Mark Waid is how he handles Hulks persona, when it comes to action i think i will stick to Savage Hulk.

@theacidskull: The original sin looks like crap, agreed. I just hope they don't f@ck up Hulks origin story... Add some BS like it was Tony Stark that created the Hulk and not Banner.

@theacidskull: I just dislike that they are changing Hulks origin, they run out of ideas to do new stuff so they go back and change history... I hope they don't screw up much. It's ok that Abomination is coming back, but after you see Hulk beat someone several times it isn't exciting the next time. That's why i think he needs and upgrade like he had in Chaos War.

@theacidskull: Well everyone is different and that's a good thing you should always challenge other opinions and question everything, that's how i do things at least.

@theacidskull: Who knows, my guess is they are running out of ideas so they are reaching far out and doing extreme things, as well as trying to copy DC rebooting their universe without doing the exact same thing.

@theacidskull: Yea i'll just ignore the whole thing.

What i am looking forward to is Savage Hulk written by Jim Starlin.

Just want to say that I'm not looking forward to the Original Sin garbage at all. If Stark if responsible for creating Hulk, it's gonna really tick me off. It cheapens the character immensely. The self-loathing and angst that Banner's felt through the years due to the Hulk coming into creation is interesting. Banner blamed himself for releasing the Hulk upon the world, and to retcon that in any way is downright insulting and idiotic.

And am I the only one sick of Marvel shoving this Banner & Stark bro-fest down our throats? These two are not friends. Not in the least. They have the utmost contempt for one another. And given the fact that Stark is such an arrogant, selfish ass... it's not difficult to comprehend this. Can we get more intriguing, interesting team-ups with Banner/Hulk please?

Art wise? It looks great. Story wise? That's something else that we'll have to wait and see to find out. However, unless Emil is amped like he was in Chaos War, I honestly don't see him being a solid, formidable challenge for the Hulk. And being this will most likely be Counter-Earth Abomination, I'm not expecting him to be at that level of power and will be pummeled by the Hulk in a matter of minutes... unless Waid once again continues to ignore/downplay Hulk's power set.

I mean, he regressed Hulk so far back that if you were to compare Waid's incarnation to the Savage Hulk, Savage Hulk would be comparable to a genius in terms of intellect. I honestly think Mantlo's Mindless Hulk has more smarts than Waid's Hulk, not to mention far more power and nigh-resistant to draining attacks (Unlike what transpired in the lame Humanity Bomb arch where Monster Jessup drained Waid Hulk, which would not have happened to more formidable, competent incarnations of the character).

All in all, my expectations are very low.

Now, when regarding the new Savage Hulk ongoing, that's a different story.

@theacidskull:

Parker's explanation in the Annual made little sense. Banner has accepted Hulk before, but that's no true reason for his regression. First Waid said it was the Chronarchists who were tampering with time that was causing Hulk to fluctuate, then in the Annual Parker claimed that it was because Banner accepted Hulk. Not very strong explanations. Not at all.

Banner accepted Hulk in Mantlo's run, thus gaining an intelligent Hulk, so why not in Waid's Indestructible? Hulk and Banner worked together in Pak's tenure, though reluctantly and the same could be said of PAD's run in numerous cases. When it all comes down to it, dude, this is simply Marvel & Waid regressing a character to fit their narrow-minded, self serving views on how a character should act and be. It's like Bendis whom you claimed that Hulk would always revert to Savage Hulk IQ levels, which is a load of BS considering the numerous incarnations.

PAD's Hulk during Tempest Fugit/House of M & Greg Pak's Planet Hulk/World War Hulk is the Green Goliath's naturally progressed state of being. That's how he should of been when Pak left, and it's how he should be right now. But thanks to the likes of Jason Aaron, Mark Waid, and Marvel itself... we're stuck with this version which leaves a lot to be desired.

Sorry for the rant, but I just wanted to get the facts straight and tell it like it is. :)

I'll also say that i am not sure how i feel about Bagleys art on Hulk, his face looks very weird and derpy.

@theacidskull: I dunno, i look at this

and all i can think about is DERP. Hulk is a rage monster he is emotion personified and yet his "angry" stare looks extremely blank here. But at least the artist will stay consistent, unless the series starts doing poorly once again then everyone will jump ship...

Am i the only one who finds this pretty silly and redundant? Why have Hulk shrug off adamantium bullets in his weakened state no less when even in his strongest states Adamantium always hurt him and that's the point of it. Why give him a feat that will never EVER stick with the character? And why does he keep ignoring Hulks strength? The thing he is known for the most? And he doesn't have to have him lift a planet or anything just lifting a car or a house would honestly be enough for me at this point after 20 issues of Indestructible Hulk where he doesn't have a single clear strength feat... that's just criminal to me. I am a big fan of physical strength it's one of the reasons why i love Hulk so much and why i love working out myself, so reading a Hulk story without his trademark ability really kills it for me.... How long will i have to wait? Indefinitely?

@raynorj said:

Am i the only one who finds this pretty silly and redundant? Why have Hulk shrug off adamantium bullets in his weakened state no less when even in his strongest states Adamantium always hurt him and that's the point of it. Why give him a feat that will never EVER stick with the character? And why does he keep ignoring Hulks strength? The thing he is known for the most? And he doesn't have to have him lift a planet or anything just lifting a car or a house would honestly be enough for me at this point after 20 issues of Indestructible Hulk where he doesn't have a single clear strength feat... that's just criminal to me. I am a big fan of physical strength it's one of the reasons why i love Hulk so much and why i love working out myself, so reading a Hulk story without his trademark ability really kills it for me.... How long will i have to wait? Indefinitely?

Dang. That's one tough Hulk.

I guess he's just weaker comparitively speaking. Power fluxuations come and go i guess.

@raynorj:

I haven't bought IH at all, where do these scans come from?

Get Issue 1 of "Hulk" tomorrow. If its rubbish I will drop it and just stick with Savage Hulk. Lets hope Waid doesn't mess up!

But I agree, we should have Hulk strength feats, Hulk without strength feats is like a Flash book where he never ran fast....

It's from the previews of the new Hulk 1 http://www.comicvine.com/forums/comic-book-preview-1988/exclusive-preview-hulk-1-1552833/

@raynorj:

Cool, oh well I will find out if its any good today when I trundle along to Forbidden Planet.

Not sure I dig him being able to take adamantium bullets. How does that work when Wolverine can still slice and dice him with his claws?

@theacidskull:

I read the first issue too and maybe need to read it again when I pick up my own copy too (I was in a different comic shop today!) as my immediate thoughts were 3/5 or 3.5/5.

Anyway look forward to your review shortly. re the adamantium bullets, in the wolverine Origins film an adamantium bullet even pierced Wolverine's skull causing the amnesia that he had at the start of the first X men movie, so are we to gather from this comic that Hulks body is even tougher than Wolverine's when he is agitated?

@theacidskull:

Will read through my own copy tomorrow and then make a decision. I want to get Savage Hulk and don't think I can afford two Hulk titles each month, unless they're both really good!

It's just Waid retconning things...

Anyway this was pretty underwhelming start to a series, the Indestructible Hulk #1 was far better than this and that series turned out bad at the end. I don't have much if any hopes for this series. I think it's time we moved on to a new writer, i wish there was a way to petition Waid to stop writing Hulk....