Comic Vine Review

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Red She-Hulk #61 - Hell Hath No Fury, Part Four

4

Secrets are revealed and the Red She-Hulk's connection to Eleanor is explored in the latest issue of her series.

The Good

I think there is a great balance between all-out Hulk action and the break-down of Betty Ross's character in this issue. One of the things that really struck me while I was reading this issue was the way that the writer captured a broad spectrum of different emotions exhibited by Betty Ross. She's not just angry as the Red She-Hulk, she's scared and confused and ashamed. There's a great page spread where Ross is racing across western Colorado and stops to drink water. In that moment, she sees her own reflection and it's almost a little bit sad. There is no dialogue in this scene and the art speaks for itself. It's a great moment that really captures Ross's inner turmoil and pain. She isn't just angry all the time, she's far more than that. It's a great scene and leads to a great moment that shows readers just what Betty is going through.

This issue gives readers the background we've been waiting for and explains the importance of Eleanor, who she is, and what she represents. Beyond that though, readers also get to see the different sides of Betty beyond the side of her that she really can't control, and it's well done. In her brief monologue Betty explains that becoming a Hulk has planted a seed of adventure in her -- that it has allowed her to, in a sense, take control of her own life in a way she wasn't able to before. The issue goes on to depict Betty on different types of adventures. It even shows her fighting a crocodile.

The thing that impressed me the most about this issue was the way that the creative team was able to so effortlessly create a balance between all the action, the exploration of Betty;s character and finally, the explanation of the over arching story. How is S.H.I.E.L.D. involved, for example? There is just a lot to see and learn in this issue that goes way beyond Betty's character.

This comic is kind of far out there. It takes a variety of different concepts and throws them all together -- and if I had read the synopsis and not the comic itself I would have thought there was no way this story could work, but I was wrong. Even though the premise goes into crazy territory, the comic still works.

The Bad

I may be in the minority but I didn't love the very start of the issue. I felt it was a little bit out of place with all the talk of the force field that would have been able to contain Red She-Hulk for months. This comic, however, gets infinitely better once you get past those first few pages.

The Verdict

I think this is a really fun superhero comic, so if that's what you're looking for then you should definitely give this comic a look. I like the way the writer is telling two stories simultaneously. First we get the story of Betty Ross, who she is, and we explore her character a little bit. Then we also have a very interesting overall story. This issue gives us a good balance of both; we get to see different sides of Betty and we get to see her uncover this big secret of the World Computer. It's completely far-fetched, and I normally like my stories to me a lot more grounded, but this issue is a lot of fun.