REVIEW: ‘Hulkling and Wiccan,’ Issue #1

Hulkling and Wiccan #1 is a one-shot comic published by Marvel, written by Josh Trujillo, art by Jodi Nishijima, colours by Matt Milla, and letters by Ariana Maher. Since the end of Empyre, Hulkling and Wiccan have been ruling the unified Kree/Skrull Empires, beacons of true love. But after a few newlywed arguments, an unseen force seeks to separate them and find them new partners.

This is a plot built on one thing: love. The story itself is really nice, with methodical pacing that helps illustrate that this is not an action comic but a slow-burning romance issue. It starts where we left the new emperor and his husband, sitting comfortably in his new reign. But it is not an invading army or mutiny that causes distress. Instead, it is someone messing with their relationship. From there, two varied stories begin with the air of a bad dream. They are effective and interesting, and the different perspectives they fit within match the personal themes of the characters. Neither of the stories has a real sense of peril with the expectation being what will happen by the end, blunting the power of both sub-plots. The final moments show some real heartbreak but aren’t fully wrapped up. The end of the issue is satisfying, however, as the intense love that can be found at the start of the comic returns.

Trujillo taps into a part of Hulkling and Wiccan #1 that is synonymous with these two characters. That is their sometimes cheesy but always adorable love for each other. The writer beautifully captures how close they are. Billy and Teddy are just content with each other but also always hopelessly in love with one another. It is one of the warmest, most affectionate, and most heartfelt relationships Marvel has to offer.

The art in this issue is fantastic. Nishijima brilliantly depicts the youth of both men, reminding us that they are still young even after being in the comics for so long. There appears to be a manga influence on the art, most noticeable in the faces of the characters. There are two brand new figures introduced just for this one-shot, both looking spectacular in their design. They have both been created to fit the body shape and origin of Wiccan and Hulkling. There are other guest stars included in the opening part of the one-shot, all fantastically rendered by Nishijima. Whilst the characters are all amazingly illustrated, the universe around them is disappointingly vacant. It would have been nice to have more backgrounds or something to denote location.

The colours are glorious. The a lack of detail in the backgrounds may have been made up by the intense shadows in the comic. It allows the wonderful vibrancy of everything else to shine through. The blending between the light and the shadows is solid, creating whole areas of bright colours. The fantastical tones provide the issue with unique energy and personality. The lettering has a distinct font that really suits the art style and the tone o the comic.

Hulkling and Wiccan #1 is a very sweet love story. There are large parts of this comic that feel like a Yaoi manga chapter due to the lack of action and intense focus on the romance. Trujillo truly celebrates love in this one-shot, with every part of this comic revolving around that one theme. The art is adorable and full of positivity. It is exciting that this one-shot also serves as a prelude to more Hulking and Wiccan on Marvel Unlimited.

Hulkling and Wiccan #1 is available where comics are sold.