Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Artist: Travel Foreman
Color Artist: Matthew Wilson
Cover Artist: Nic Klein
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: StoryBabbler
Bruce Banner and the Hulk are on the move. They are being hunted by a mysterious ancient creature called the Eldest who is determined to waken the so-called “Mother of Horrors”. To do this, she’s sent out a call to the many monsters inhabiting Earth in the Marvel Universe, where a familiar monster has heard it and so has a new one. Read The Incredible Hulk #4 to see the Hulk confront Man-Thing and a new monster in the night.
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Review:
The comic starts off with a pretty ominous touch as a simple man, who’s clearly had one too many drinks in him, is approached by a mysterious woman who calls his name. The man recognizes this woman, desperately wanting it to be the woman from his past, crying his eyes out as he gets closer and closer to her, only for it to end in more tragedy. This comic is the beginning of a two-part story showing the Hulk and Man-Thing as well as a new monster for the story, the Swamp Siren. Admittedly, this comic isn’t the most action-based story but it does deliver engaging character interactions and some nice surprises with a couple of monsters.
After the incident, the comic shifts to Bruce’s perspective as he drifts around but with the teenage Charlene, or Charlie, paling around so she can be close to the Hulk. The previous issues established that she’s a runaway who left and even beat her abusive hick father and wants to stick around the Hulk because being around him makes her feel stronger. But she’s not a big fan of Bruce since he’s the opposite of the Hulk and is trying to get her to leave.
One thing this comic does very well is have Bruce just come out and be real with Charlie. He doesn’t talk down to her but he doesn’t hide the grim truth either. He recognizes that she’s mad because of her past life, as he can sympathize coming from an abusive home, but she won’t get Hulk powers. He points out that if she sticks around him long enough, she’ll get killed and die for real, but he does somewhat end on an inspiring note saying that she doesn’t need the Hulk to feel strong, that she can go and make her own life since she has the skills for it.
From there, the comic does get to what the cover shows, a clash between Hulk and Man-Thing, but of course there’s more than meets the eye with this encounter. Man-Thing and his human alter-ego Ted Sallis play their own role in the story that directly ties the storyline with the Swamp Siren. And even Charlie factors into the story in a natural way without it feeling forced or anything. Phillip Kennedy Johnson and the guest artist Travel Foreman, yes that’s their name, do a good job in bringing these characters to life and delivering a new monster bash in the Hulk. And yes, Foreman is a guest artist for this two-part story, so after the next issue we should get back to having Nic Klein as the interior artist again.
Final Thoughts:
The Incredible Hulk #4 brings the Green Goliath into contact with the familiar and always strange Man-Thing while introducing a new monster into the series. There are more interactions between Bruce and Charlie that continues to develop their dynamic with Bruce having an excellent moment where he gets real in a way that hits all the right points without feeling condescending or too soft. And of course there’s some shocking developments with Hulk and Man-Thing as the comic sets the stage for a confrontation with the new Swamp Siren.