Written by Greg Park
Art by Frank Cho
Colors by Sonia Oback
Published by Marvel Comics
Comic book reviewers these days can be so fickle. There’s one review on a comic site regarding this week’s Totally Awesome Hulk where the reviewer can’t seem to make his mind up about Bruce Banner. Despite identifying with Bruce Banner, he goes on saying, “I don’t think he’s needed in the Marvel Universe anymore” and then adds “Kids will always want to be the Hulk, but no kid has ever wanted to be Bruce Banner because of his anger issues.” This review was patronising, and of course it was a slap in the face of Hulk fans, especially one who commented on a forum “Kids are scared of Hulk BECAUSE of Banner. And that no kid ever wanted to be Banner; sorry, some of us did!”
The reviewer failed to realise how progressive Banner has been for the past few years following Greg Pak’s departure. Jason Aaron took a cue from John Byrne and separated Banner and Hulk, but also brought them back together. Then, Mark Waid instilled “Hulk smash, Banner builds” which didn’t last long. More recently, Gerry Duggan had an Extremis powered Hulk, who constantly stymied Banner that was left over from Waid’s storyline.
Totally Awesome Hulk #1 is like 2008’s Hulk, written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Ed Mc Guinness, which was the start of the Red Hulk storyline.This left Banner sidelined from the beginning, and in the first issue of Totally Awesome Hulk by Pak and artist Frank Cho, it marks a new beginning for the smart aleck that is Amadeus Cho. Cho was created by Pak, and the character has come a long way since his first appearance in the second volume of Amazing Fantasy ten years ago. It came as no surprise that Amadeus would be the new Hulk, and he’s following a long tradition of supporting Hulk characters such as Betty Ross, Rick Jones, and Thunderbolt Ross, who have all a shade of gamma powered red or green over many years.
Whilst it’s not the Hulk that we know and love, Totally Awesome Hulk has the energy of a entertaining Saturday cartoon. Undoubtedly, Cho’s artwork is the main draw. Aside from being synonymous with the female figure, he has this cartoonish flair to this work, and he invests it quite well as the new Hulk loses his pants fighting a Gamera-esque monster and trying his luck with the opposite sex. He’s aided and abetted by his sister Madame Curie, who aims to keep him in check. This draws parallels with Rick Jones, who attempted to keep the Hulk under control in the very first six issues of his first volume back in 1962.
Since it’s written by a Hulk aficionado, Totally Awesome Hulk digs heavily into Hulk lore. Cho revels in his found strength, which is what Banner did when he gained control of the Hulk’s abilities. Of course he’s stated “he’s not Banner” and he’s found a way to control himself. As for Banner himself, his cameo appearance in the form of a flashback is the only time the book ventures off into darker waters. Pak invites the reader into a mystery surrounding his fate, and perhaps we’ll see another new Hulk incarnation in this or another book.
Whilst it’s true that books like this and Spidey #1 are geared towards a younger readership, who are less cynical about comics these days compared to older readers, whether Totally Awesome Hulk has staying power beyond Cho and Pak only time will tell.
