Incredible Hulk: Planet Hulk by Greg Pak
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Book Reviews of Incredible Hulk: Planet Hulk
Book Review: Not a Hulk fan, but this is good
Summary: 4 Stars
I've never been a huge fan of the Hulk. I don't read it very often and I outright disliked World War Hulk, one of the few Hulk series I have read. So I didn't have great expectations for Planet Hulk when I ordered it on a whim. I was pleasantly surprised. This isn't just the best Hulk series I've read...it's among some of the best comics I've ever read. I immediately passed it on to my friends--other middle-aged comics readers like myself--and the opinion was unanimous...this is great stuff.Book Review: Excellent read
Summary: 4 Stars
A great complete read just by itself. No need for any prior knowledge, previous Hulk history, tie-ins, or subsequent Hulk stories. More like Science fiction / Barbarian fiction than Super-hero genre.Book Review: Came in slightly beaten up...
Summary: 4 Stars
...moreso than I expected, but came promptly. Speedy delivery and great price. I approve of this seller very much.Book Review: Best Hulk story since Peter David's run
Summary: 3 Stars
Review by Brian Grindrod
Since Peter David's departure from the Hulk series, the character and the story arcs lacked a modicum of appeal. Subsequent writers were accentuated in trying to either deconstruct a decade's worth of brilliant storytelling or failed to build upon it. Greg Pak takes a route that only the likes of Steve Englehart and Frank Miller dared to tread with Batman as well as John Byrne on his Superman and Fantastic Four run alongside Grant Morrison's tenure on X-Men. Pak strips away the baggage that was suffocating the Hulk mythology and left only the core essence that Stan Lee & Jack Kirby created in order to make him accessible to new as well as long-time readers.
Pak does not reinvent the comic book wheel with this saga but he does succeed where Bruce Jones miserably botched the character. That is, he makes Hulk the central focus of the story in a script that heavily borrows from the great works of Alex Raymond's Flash Gordon and Edgar Rice Burrough's John Carter Of Mars. Hardcore fans of the Hulk will instantly recognize the influence of Steve Englehart (him again!), Roy Thomas and Len Wein's classic stories from the 1970s. A period in Hulk's history that is underappreciated yet filled with some of the greatest fantasy ever within the super-hero genre. Pak's interpretation of the character is faithful to the one that was presented in the first six issues of The Incredible Hulk back in 1962; a monstrous brute that is sceptical and ominous but not necessarily an irritated recluse.
While there is no questioning about the high octane action, there are flaws and weaknesses in the script. Most notable is that the plot is stretched way too thin for the number of chapters that Pak utilized to tell this saga. At times, there is a certain redundancy that arises between the interactions of the characters as well as being evident that there are way too many of them for the reader to give a damn about. Perhaps it is my recent read of the Annihilation hardcovers that is to be blamed but I have had enough of sentient insectoid beings. They do make for great enemies à la Starship Troopers but as a supporting cast, they are extremely boring. My educated guess as to the reason why Planet Hulk is needlessly lengthy (therefore dreary at times) is that the editor had to coincide the ending with the conclusion of Marvel Comics' Civil War. A mega crossover that would have been ordered prolonged due to its initial success. The proof of my theory is that the sequel to this story arc, World War Hulk, also happens to be the sequel to Civil War. Thus I am not ready to lay the entire blame on Greg Pak.
The majority of the artwork of this hardcover is pencilled by Carlo Pagulayan and Aaron Lopresti. Pagulayan's style is a hybrid of Brandon Peterson and Andy Kubert while Lopresti's reminds me of an amalgam between David Finch and Barry Windsor-Smith. While the setting is extraterrestrial, the realistic renderings by both artists make this alien world and its inhabitants believable. Their cinematic design truly convey the experience of a blockbuster film but it is the coloring team of Sotomayer, Martin & Kindzierski that imply how the planet Sakaar is hostile, barren as well as scorching. Veteran Hulk readers will also appreciate Gary Frank's artwork in this 11.2 x 7.5 inch dimension as well as the splendid covers by Jose Ladronn that made the original issues stand out on the shelves.
After years of being assigned second-rate talent on the series, this book is a welcome change of pace that brings back the `incredible' in Hulk. Plenty of carnage and battle that is a homecoming for the comic book fan who wishes to reacquaint or experience for the first time Marvel's green goliath.
Book Review: Wait, now what's happening?
Summary: 3 Stars
When I first heard of Planet Hulk, I was excited. finally, something NEW. Hulk has had his ups and downs through the years, and dang it, it was time for another up.
I had missed the original comic release, so I waited anxiously for the trade, and when it finally released I almost ran to the store to get it.
The Story for Planet Hulk is certainly epic, and the concept fairly original. The problem, however, was the execution. Planet Hulk features some fairly newfangled art, and it's drawn well, the problem here is in quality but rather quantity. Every panel is so crammed with detail, has so many creatures and landscapes packed in, it's nearly impossible to fully discriminate what exactly is going on. Couple that with a staggered pacing that seems to jump from scene to scene without a smooth transition, even the most practiced of comic readers is left a little lost and confused. The dialog and character portrayals don't help either, as many of the characters, Hulk included, seem to change their mind on their beliefs and loyalties so often that you're shocked at their betrayal in one panel and then wondering why they're back with their friends in the next.
I had high hopes, as it seems that Marvel tried something new and even took their time, allowing some 12 issues or so to evolve the story. Unfortunately, the book is so sloppily put together, you may have to have a friend tell you what that story was.