Hulk Gray


Any time Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale get together, I’m sold. Their three Batman books are my favorite in the Dark Knight library. Yep, I like them even more than Dark Knight Returns or Year One.

Image hosting by PhotobucketOf the duo’s (Loeb and Sale, not Bats and Robin) Marvel efforts, I found myself entertained but not blown away like I was with “Long Halloween” and “Dark Victory.” Long story short, that’s why I missed all but a single issue of “Hulk Gray” when it first came out more than a couple years ago.

The other day, roaming the bookstore, I was looking for a good read and happened upon the trade.

It may not be nearly the lengthy, engrossing read that Loeb and Sale put together for Batman, but it’s an extremely fun take on the early days of the Hulk that manages to stay very relevant to the current goings on of the character (and when does that ever happen?). I won’t spoil it, but the conclusion brings a very personal realization to Bruce about his most important relationship.

Loeb’s Hulk is big, nasty, dumb and funny. His Bruce Banner is scared, nerdy and in love. His General Ross seethes, Betty provides a female foil in the vein of “King Kong’s” Ann Darrow and Tony Stark is an egotistical schmuck with a fancy suit in need of a good SMASH!

Of course, just as good are Sale’s drawings. And here he has a project that suits his style well. The outlandish size, strength and emotion of the Hulk comes across perfectly, as does the chaotic scenery of the southwest. One panel, where Betty comes to the door and sees only a huge eyeball through the peephole, had me flipping back to the page again and again.

And now, I have my favorite Hulk book.