COMIC BOOKS: Immortal Hulk: The Weakest One There Is

Dean Poling, The Valdosta Daily Times, Ga.
·2 min read

Jul. 24—After "Hulk smash," the green giant's best-known quotation is likely "Hulk strongest one there is."

The latest collected issues of "The Immortal Hulk" uses a subtitle that places that phrase on its head: "The Weakest One There Is."

In the last "Immortal Hulk" collection, "The Keeper of the Door," The Leader, Hulk's arch-enemy, destroyed the ultimate persona driving the Hulk/Bruce Banner collection of multiple personalities. Leader also yanked the Banner essence out of the psyche, leaving only a weakened child-like Hulk and Joe Fixit, the usually sharp-dressed, grey Hulk, trapped looking like Bruce Banner with a mustache.

The weakened Hulk is often reduced to tears while Joe Fixit works scams to keep them safe from the law. The Hulk has always been a fugitive but now he's wanted in connection with the annihilation of an entire community televised to the horror of a nation.

Horror is still the key to writer Al Ewing and artist Joe Bennet's run on "Immortal Hulk."

In addition to the weakened Hulk and the shattered remnants of his psyche, the storyline includes the Thing for once being in a position to mop the floor with the Hulk; Doc Samson rejuvenating himself in the gamma-irradiated body of Sasquatch; a new group of super-powered beings charged with destroying the Hulk.

A lot happens here but none of it is resolved. This is a collection that started with the last volume and continues into the next one. Of course, people who don't want to wait for the next collection can buy the monthly issues of "The Immortal Hulk."

And it should be noted, the actions of "The Weakest One There Is" started in the first issue of Ewing's run on "The Immortal Hulk" about four years ago.

"The Immortal Hulk" is well worth reaching back for all of those past issues.