Writer: Al Ewing

Art: Joe Bennett, Ruy José, Belardino Brabo, Marc Deering, Roberto Poggi, Paul Mounts, VC’s Cory Petit, and Alex Ross

Price: $3.99

Release Date: October 2, 2019

As the war with Shadow Base reaches its brutal, bloody end, Bruce Banner has a choice to make in this week’s all-new IMMORTAL HULK #24 by Al Ewing. However, the repercussions of that choice will have consequences on every single life on this planet… including the Immortal Hulk. Let’s plunge into this issue and see what single choice could be so devastating to all life as we know it!

This reviewer appreciates stories that really get my brain firing on all cylinders. A great book is one that prompts the reader to sit down with a cup of their favorite coffee and truly ponder some of the deeper themes, ideas, and influences behind the plot, as well as the prospective direction of the series. This critic prefers to challenge what he’s reading but doesn’t want to leave a narrative too bewildered. This brings me to this issue, as well as Al Ewing’s IMMORTAL HULK series in its totality. Many issues are straight forward. However, there has been some category of otherworldly, supernatural, or even cosmic themes to this anecdote that has been driving this reviewer bonkers (in a great way)!

Something massive is transpiring throughout Ewing’s story and he has been deliberately dropping subtle hints throughout his main storyline. On the surface, readers see a new General take action against Banner. Ironically, this new General falls prey to the same course of developments and traps that haunted General Ross. In the end, General Fortean is defeated just like everyone else who tangles with the indestructible Hulk. However, throughout the issue, Ewing has posted small nuggets of a second meta-story that emerge to stand for a much deeper and entirely more crucial overall narrative. Quite frankly, this is the story that has constantly intrigued this reviewer from day one.

Ewing has been scheming an orchestrating something much bigger since this series was presumably pitched to editorial. Each issue has gradually broadcasted bits and pieces of this cosmic theme while giving the average aficionado the horrifically, action-packed explorations of this green behemoth. Furthermore, Ewing has never been afraid to undertake a unique or exotic concept. A writer can’t simply render new ideas up from one week to the next on the spot. This has to be thoroughly aligned, strategize, calculated, and justified every issue.

This reviewer presumes writers do not like to be compared to other writers in this industry BUT Ewing’s style is very reminiscent of Jonathan Hickman, who is currently writing HOUSE OF X, POWERS OF X, and aiming to relaunch the X-Men. Both writers can see the widespread importance of a larger story and can map out the pieces towards the end result. This is something many writers aren’t currently doing in comics today, which in my humble opinion is what makes Al Ewing stand out as one of the best writers in comics today. Trust this reviewer’s opinion, if not for my words, or your own eyes, but because this critic has nothing to gain from these statements, especially after Al Ewing has blocked me for no apparent reason on Twitter other than my continual praise of his IMMORTAL HULK story.

Additionally, if the inventiveness, imagination, ambition, and masterful dual storyline isn’t enough for readers, or if the metaphysical tale is becoming too overwhelming, fans can simply rely on the bone-chillingly, terrifying art from Joe Bennett and his art team. Bennett leads an art team that has generated some of the most gruesomely frightening art that this reviewer has ever seen, let alone in a Hulk comic. Furthermore, the way Ewing and Bennett counterbalance each other is completely evident on each and every page. These two intuitively play off of one another with ease and show how dynamic comics as a medium can be when art and composition are connected so well.

FINAL THOUGHTS

With such a surprise ending for both overarching plots of Ewing’s narrative, readers will leave this issue welcomingly disturbed with uncertainty and eagerly awaiting the next issue for more clues and fiercely vibrant action sequences that may keep fans up at night. Readers will need to have the stomach for some of Bennett’s art but will also genuinely appreciate the impact Ewing’s story will have for the future of the Hulk, as well as the Marvel Universe. You may be confused, especially with name drops from the Great Lake Avengers, but you’ll love every minute of this issue and leave pumped for a story billions of years in the making! Pick this issue up and add this series to your pull list. It’s deeper and possibly crazier than any Hulk comic you’ve ever embarked through to date. This reviewer has no doubt you’ll be happy you did!