REVIEW: ‘Incredible Hulk,’ Issue #3

Incredible Hulk #3 is published by Marvel, written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, art by Nic Klein, colors by Matthew Wilson, and letters by Cory Petit. Banner was lured into a church filled with strangely religious zombies, but their attempt to sacrifice him only brought out The Hulk.

The start of this comic is exactly what might be expected: Hulk versus zombies. This first confrontation is a pure release, frantic and noisy. Although simply stated, the plot of this book is anything but. As an enormous brawl is unleashed, the religious undertones of the comic play out over the top. A brief interlude to try and build a rapport between Charlie and Hulk is only a breather before they are both brought down below the church. The previous issue had this repeated name, the Brother Deep, and here we get a glimpse of what the undead have been chittering about. The exposition is outstanding, turning flashbacks into an extreme folk horror tale. What follows takes a Lovecraftian turn, digging deep into the primordial horror that this run has been tapping into. But these Lovecraftian creatures have never met the Hulk before. It obliterates the first confrontation in readers to scale, speed, or spectacle. It’s a terrific reveal and only hints that something much bigger is yet to come.

The dialogue is awesome. Kennedy crafts some immensely creepy monologues from the monsters over the top of Hulk’s rampage. Even outside of the church, the zombies speak their gospel, always in reverence to their lord. It adds a different and dramatic layer to the comic and is always unsettling. What counteracts the heaviness of this near-endless commentary about Brother Deep is the personality of the Hulk, as well as that of Charlie. Hulk is hilariously unphased by whatever he comes up against. Zombies, demons, or creatures that are revered as gods, it doesn’t matter. Hulk approaches them with the same attitude every time. Sheer indifference until they provoke him, and then smash. He doesn’t say much in Incredible Hulk #3, but that makes every word even more powerful. They can often be repeated, but that is a technique Johnson uses frequently. At the same time, Hulk’s dialogue and personality are being picked up on and mimicked by Charlie. She has fully latched on to both Banner and Hulk, which creates conflict due to the hatred they have for each other. But how that connection builds between herself and the green guy over this issue is fascinating.

The art is mindblowing. Klein takes the battles to excess, reveling in their magnitude. They become double-page spreads to really increase the carnage. The story is Hulk versus monsters, and so that is taken to a maximum intensity. That tagline cannot be wasted. The sheer size of this version of Hulk, with the long hair and rippling muscles, only makes him more fearsome and imposing. Against the weak, spindly zombies, the difference between the beings is rather humorous. But the second half of the comic then introduces a being that dwarves the Green Giant. It’s a design that just naturally caused revulsion and fear and is practically indescribable. When Hulk throws a punch, it causes severe damage to everything around him, giving fragility and consequence to each action he takes. And through all of the chaos is the tiny, vulnerable Charlie standing nearby.

The colors are gloomy and atmospheric, fitting the tone of the whole series so far. It’s dark and emotive. Often, the green of the Hulk’s skin is the brightest part of the issue, and even that is duller than usual. But anything more vibrant would lighten the mood and dispel the darkness that every creature in the comic seems to thrive in. The lettering is superb, with the violence and noise described perfectly with some evocative SFX.

Incredible Hulk #3 is a cacophonous display of carnage. The first two issues have featured a lot of creepy creatures and threats of worshipped beings, but nothing to really demonstrate what lurked underground. This chapter not only drags them up but then launches a Hulk at them. It’s an absolutely unstoppable rollercoaster at some points as the fights seem to escalate beyond comprehension. The imagination of the creators is immeasurable. Not only has Kennedy created so many ideas within this run, but Klein and Wilson are bringing them to life in ways that could seem impossible, especially in the latter stages of this comic. Hulk has reached the peak of primal horror.

Incredible Hulk #3 is available where comics are sold.