Once again, it's the amazing art of Ed McGuinness that reigns supreme in HULK Issue #4 "Red Light, Green Light" as the Red Hulk and the Green finally go mano-a-mano in a no holds barred battle to truly prove which Hulk is the strongest one there is.
Of course, the first ever confrontation between these two titans has various widespread implications in the Marvel universe, so much so that it has come to the attention of Uato the Watcher to observe. BIG MISTAKE. In a controversial move, Red Hulk's cosmic energy enables the arrogant beast drunk on power & rage to give Uato a fistful of dissent, giving him a beat down he never experienced nor will forget. Repercussions for these actions are not even an afterthought when you consider yourself the most powerful force in the universe, so it's fortunate for the brutalized Watcher that the Green Hulk intervenes when he does... leading to the main event between the two monsters with thunderous results.
After successfully ripping through Abomination, Iron Man, She-Hulk, A-Bomb, Robot Harpies and a Helicarrier singlehandedly, writer Jeph Loeb successfully frames the intriguing question as he faces off with the Hulk.. can anyone stop the Red Hulk? Big Red doesn't think so... "THERE'S NO ONE WHO CAN BEAT ME" Rulk roars.. and also reveals his true identity holds a lot of resentment towards the Hulk. With lines like "For years all I wanted was to destroy you" and "I'm going to choke the life out of you, ending years of ruining other people's lives" Loeb gives the readers a taste of what hatred lingers in the dark corners of the Rulk's mind towards the green goliath.
Albeit, while the story is still thin, its main design is to showcase the amazing artwork of Ed McGuinness. Clearly put on this planet to draw the Hulks, this battle royale of artistic brilliance leaves the reader staring at splash pages with awe much longer than any balloon of dialogue or narrative could hold one's attention. The monsters' brute strength McGuinness conveys in their frames, feels like an abundance of power just barely contained by all the skin that holds the muscles in place. And his sinister look of the Red Hulk remains unmatched.
Ending with an appearance of our favorite god of thunder teasing what the next Red Hulk challenger will be, this book is a very enjoyable read. It may not be extremely deep... but it sure is fun.
4 out of 5 Stars
-A.J.
A general falls. A red monster rises. Stay tuned.
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