The Good
This issue gets really existential in a very interesting way. I definitely went into this issue expecting it to be about She-Hulk fighting other heroes and a lot of action and crazy fights, but that's not what happens. Instead, Jeff Parker seems to have constructed a somewhat Matrix-y type story that really goes in a completely different direction. However, it's not something that comes out of nowhere and there definitely is a lot of set-up to the events that take place in this issue. In this issue readers are introduced to a "super-machine" that is revealed to be the equivalent of what Aaron Stack (Machine Man) would consider a God. Although some of the ideas presented in this issue are a little bit confusing, they're still very interesting.
The story continues to be told from the perspective of the Machine Man who is on the hunt for Red She-Hulk. As he retraces the steps she has taken, Machine Man comes closer to understanding an entity he was previously unfamiliar with, and in turn, gets closer to locating Red She-Hulk. I think the decision to tell the story from his perspective as opposed to Red She-Hulk's perspective is important, and it really adds to the story. It feels a lot more interesting because it allows the reader to learn along with the character -- we don't know anything that Machine Man doesn't know.
The issue is organized well, we pick up where we left off and then we follow Machine Man on his search for Red She-Hulk. The pacing is good and the art, for the most part, is very well executed.
The Bad
I think the cover as well as the end of issue #59 really sets readers up to think that there will be a crazy fight happening between Red She-Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Captain Marvel and Iron Man. The thing is, though, that all these characters appear in this issue very, very briefly. There's no crazy fight that happens between them, and although that's okay, it was something I was sort of looking forward to. Then again, who doesn't look forward to seeing Red She Hulk pummel into other superheroes because, well, she's a Hulk?
The Verdict
I did find some of Machine Man's dialogue to be a little bit obnoxious in this issue; like the scene where he compares himself to Ultron, for example. I think it could have been better executed and less annoying. Aside from that moment, his character is very interesting. You're not supposed to like him (I don't think), and Parker doesn't help you (the reader) to like Machine Man. However, just because he's not likeable doesn't mean he is an impossible character to read, and I think that's important. Although the issue didn't start out with a lot of action, you do, by the end, get a lot of action. I felt it also important to note that the story that is being crafted by Parker is more interesting and a lot deeper than I had originally anticipated, and that makes it a very interesting read.
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