Let’s do the time warp with Huuulk!!
After battling Frost Giants and being blinded by terrorists, you’d think Hulk and puny Banner would deserve a little rest. Nope, no rest for the wicked. A man named Zarrko has started predicting bizarre time anomalies. When they start coming true, thanks to some time traveling aliens calling themselves Chronarchists, Banner is sent into the time stream to stop them. Naturally, it can’t be that easy. Banner’s consciousness has been programmed into a small robot named ROB. Banner’s job as ROB is to make sure Hulk does the job (see what I did there).
Hulk’s first stop is 1873, the wild west. One of the Chronarchists has taken over a small town. Three gunslingers, Kid Colt, Rawhide Kid and Two-Gun Kid, stand with their jaws agape as Hulk slugs it out with a dinosaur. Seems the Chronarchists picked up some dinosaurs to use as horses. After smashing up the dinosaur, the three outlaws, Hulk and Banner the robot ride off to take out those who hold the small town in a grip of terror.
What follows is essentially a classic western with a sci-fi twist. Clearly, writer Mark Waid is working out his love of fantasy fiction with this “Agent of Time” story arc. All the elements are here. Banner is the tough sheriff, working out a plan to help save the town. The three gunslingers are the arm of justice, using their cold steel to take out the zombie-like soldiers of the Chronarchists. Finally, there is the Hulk, the Man With No Name, the dark horse who takes on the biggest of the big bads.
I’m not sure where all this is going and, to be honest, I don’t care. It’s been so long since Hulk has been enjoyable, since somebody decided to stick the strongest there is on a big time adventure. Waid’s dialogue crackles, and the plot zips along at the pace of pulp novel. Outside of that, it is hard to beat the Hulk wrestling a pterodactyl, or three gunslingers taking out a time jumping alien. Across the board, Indestructible Hulk #12 is a blast.
I’ve always found Matteo Scalera’s work to be hit and miss. In issue #12 he pulls out all the stops, giving us his best work since taking on the series. The line work is the same, a combination of Rafael Albuquerque and Mike Mignola. However, this time Scalera opens up the action with both barrels. Not only is the movement wonderful, but Scalera uses a combination of panel placement and splash pages to really bring the excitement home.
The Indestructible Hulk continues to smash its way into Hulk glory. An awesome spectacle.
(4.5 Story, 4.5 Art)
