The Sensational She-Hulk: The Return

The Sensational She-Hulk (1989) #31-46, 48-50

by John Byrne, Howard Mackie (Contributor), Michael Eury (Contributor)

John Byrne makes his sensational return to the series he started, and She-Hulk's adventures as a super hero who knows she's in a comic book get wilder and more hilarious than ever! Shulkie will face problems high and low as her signature writer/penciler pits her against Spragg the Living Hill and sends her on a puntastic Jenny to the center of the Earth! But will she say "I do" to the Mole Man? She-Hulk will banter, body-swap, and battle tooth and nail as she tackles foes like the Black Talon and his Unliving X-Humed — and the Living Eraser, who may just wipe her out of comic-book continuity! But is She-Hulk's greatest nemesis Xemnu the Titan, or John Byrne himself?!

Collects: Sensational She-Hulk #31-46 and #48-50.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Superheroes, Fiction, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics

453 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 20, 2016

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

John Lindley Byrne is a British-born Canadian-American author and artist of comic books. Since the mid-1970s, Byrne has worked on nearly every major American superhero.

Byrne's better-known work has been on Marvel Comics' X-Men and Fantastic Four and the 1986 relaunch of DC Comics’ Superman franchise. Coming into the comics profession exclusively as a penciler, Byrne began co-plotting the X-Men comics during his tenure on them, and launched his writing career in earnest with Fantastic Four (where he also started inking his own pencils). During the 1990s he produced a number of creator-owned works, including Next Men and Danger Unlimited. He also wrote the first issues of Mike Mignola's Hellboy series and produced a number of Star Trek comics for IDW Publishing.

Reviews

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge John Byrne fan and have up to this point enjoyed immensely but i did not enjoy what he did with this series. The wonderful art is the only thing that saves this series. Recommended

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still with the lamest villains, but I really do love the fourth wall breaks they consistently give She-Hulk in this series. Not just knowing that we are out here reading her comic, but also giving her active input on the design and story flows.

[B. P. Rinehart · Rating 4 out of 5]

There isn't much more I can say here that I have not said in my review of volume one of John Byrne's run on this title. I was very impressed by how sophisticated the meta-commentary/fourth-wall breaking was. Very much of its time, style-wise. I recommend this for folks who are a.) use to reading comic books & b.) read volume 1 of this series. This book only works when you are in on the joke, but would just leave you confused if you are not.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4.

It is with a sad heart that I say this gave me mixed feelings. After the absolutely delightful romp that was the first John Byrne's She-Hulk, I was really looking forward to more of the same in The Return. And it started out great, with Byrne in the first cover including a joke about trying to push deadlines, as always breaking the fourth wall in funny and sophisticated ways, and very aware of comics history. Great stuff! But it turns out that the joke was foreshadowing - a few issues later, Byrne was finding clever ways of phoning it in. When She-Hulk fights the Living Eraser from Dimension Z, we get blank pages for about a third of the issue. Funny to a certain extent, and quite a clever way to work with artist's block/frustrations... but we do end up with a third of pages less of plot. Recaps start to take up more and more space, which Byrne must have been doing on purpose, since his homage to Jim Lee shows that he's perfectly capable of summarising in one or two pages. I can only imagine he was stretching himself thin as both writer and penciller for She-Hulk, Namor and West Coast Avengers. But he still delivers fun content with the most ridiculous villains from Marvel history, so his cheeky approaches to writing and drawing less pages would have been a pardonable offence it it hadn't been for one thing - his sexualization of She-Hulk. What starts innocently enough with what Byrne calls cheesecake shots, ends up being a recurrent "joke" to the point that half of an issue is literally just tawdry pin up splash pages of She-Hulk. Since I'm not a teenager in search of titillating images, this only serves to infuriate me. I want to enjoy fun She-Hulk stories, not the body of a made-up 2D character. Even Byrne is aware of how cheapening this is since it's addressed several times in the comics, but to no avail. When Xemnu fights She-Hulk and he threatens her with sexual slavery and humiliation, the panels are showing She-Hulk posing for John Byrne for panels and covers we've seen in this run. It's all very clever and self-aware, but it doesn't change the fact that Byrne is sexualizing She-Hulk to sell more issues.

So take my rating with a pinch of salt, because I felt really conflicted about the whole thing. It's clever and funny and it has moments of sheer genius, but it also carries a lot of baggage.

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a unique and charming book. No wonder it is still fondly remembered.

The basic premise is that She-Hulk has become Daffy Duck in "Animator's Revenge " and is fighting low-key war with author John Byrne as she goes about her life.

The biggest downsides are the plot ultimately seems inconsequential and Byrne seems obsessed with women's figures, which he tries to play off as comedy about readers' interests but does not work.

[Jack Phoenix · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's brash, it's madcap, it's ahead of its time with its self-referential humor, and it puts Deadpool's fourth-wall-breaking antics to shame, proving that the She-Hulk character can be a titan of fun.

[Michael Emond · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the first volume was cute and I was smiling (not laughing) with the jokes and fourth wall breaking - in this volume the joke wore thin and the stories wore even thinner and the art started to go downhill (even with Byrne inking his own stuff).
In the 80's I was a HUGE Byrne fan. From X-Men to Iron Fist to Fantastic Four to Hulk (meh) to Alpha Flight to his move to DC to reboot Superman. I loved his art and I loved his storytelling. I did see his art (IMO) go down in quality over the years (just a bit) and I talked to inkers at conventions who claimed a Byrne pencil started to be nothing more than a layout.
I got the first issue of She-Hulk back then but I was on my way out for collecting floppies (single issues) and this new series didn't seem engaging so I never got issue 2. Fast forward to this month and Hoopla had the volumes available for me to read.
As I said - the first volume was cute and I liked it. This volume started to get kind of offensive and was really lame. A lot of people think they can write comedy...but they cannot write comedy. Byrne is one of those people. How was it offensive? A large part of the jokes were either about She-Hulk showing off her curves or a sidekick Weezie battling with her weight.
How was it lame? About 25% of each comic (and this volume) is a recap of the last issue(s) - now in those days we didn't have a lot of collected works so recaps were more justified (nowadays you KNOW it will get collected in one volume so writers leave out recaps) but the AMOUNT of recapping he does is insane. I have never seen it before take up so many pages. And it wasn't like he was recapping interesting stories. Byrne had a mission statement "To only use lame villains" which could actually be fun but he doesn't really do much with them. He doesn't take them an elevate them or make them a cool spoof.
It also wore thin how much he broke the fourth wall. I mean when Ambush bug does it (a comedy super hero from the 80's) - it is because he is a cartoon (like Bugs Bunny) and Giffen actually had some comedy chops. But when She Hulk does it - it is weird because she is a serious super hero and not cartoonish at all. When a character "refuses to be in the issue because she doesn't like how Byrne made her fatter" the comic loses all semblance of narrative...I mean - why even have a resolution to the story if characters don't obey any rules? You can't have it both ways. Either you make it REALLY goofy or play it straight - you can't go back and forth.

Anyhoo - a big miss for me. It was Byrne when his art was going downhill and someone needed to tell him "ya ain't that funny" and "making fun of a woman's sexuality or body image doesn't age well - and probably was offensive at the time".

[Gary Sassaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Byrne first tackled She-Hulk in January 1989. He left the series after just eight issues, only to return with issue 31, two years later. This trade paperback collection collects the rest of his run on the series from issues 31 through 50 (with one fill-in issue, 47, by someone else and not included in this book). This was published in 2016 at $39.99 (ouch, Marvel!), and is a little hard to find these days for a decent price, but someone on ebay must have found a stash of them, because I got one for 25 bucks, instead of the $80 or so others were asking for it. Anyway, this is a very enjoyable read, combining Byrne’s great (at times) art and storytelling skill with a fourth-wall breaking humorous bent. He also resurrects some old Marvel heroes and villains and has fun showcasing She-Hulk in various cheesecake poses, in hopes of getting more sales for the series. After a while Byrne decided to both ink and letter the book (jeez, John!) and the art goes downhill a bit. He also pokes fun at some of his contemporaries in the comics field and himself. He left the book with issue 50 (I won’t tell you how), but if you’re looking for a nice, angst-free, 1990s comic book series that is fun, with a nod towards Marvel history and with some great guest stars (Blonde Phantom? Sure, why not?), this is definitely a great read. One quibble: The horribly over-colored cover. Marvel had a thing about “realistic coloring” (for lack of a better term) at the time this was published; still do, I guess. Look for the original coloring for this cover (issue 43) inside. (The TPB that collects issues 1-8 has even WORSE coloring on its cover!)

[A.L. Bellettiere · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sensational She-Hulk: The Return is a fantastic collection that compiles John Byrne’s second stint on She-Hulk (Sensational She-Hulk #31–46, #48–50), bringing back the self-aware, fourth-wall-breaking, and humor-driven storytelling that made this run iconic.

Byrne's She-Hulk isn't just a superhero—she's a meta-commentary on comics themselves, constantly poking fun at the medium, the industry, and even her own creative team. This collection leans hard into absurdity, with Jen navigating ridiculous legal cases, battling obscure Marvel villains, and reminding the reader (and the editors) that she knows she’s in a comic book.

While Byrne’s return captures much of what made his original run so beloved, the humor and pacing can be hit-or-miss, especially when jokes overstay their welcome. Some storylines feel like they're carried more by their meta-narrative than their actual plots. That said, the final issue (#50) is a glorious sendoff, with She-Hulk literally throwing Byrne out a window—an ending as fitting as it is hilarious.

This is a must-read for fans of Byrne’s She-Hulk and anyone who enjoys comics that break the mold. If you loved the first part of his run, The Return delivers more of that same energy, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and sharp satire. Just don’t expect deep character drama—it’s all about fun, and it delivers exactly that.

[Mark Plaid · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Byrne is Great for She-Hulk!

The looks and style John Byrne gives to She-Hulk are the best version of the character to the time this review was written. The meta-comedy he utilized for this series was ahead of its time.

Unfortunately, there are other aspects of this series that are either very much of their time or behind the times, even for the early 1990s. One, is the repetition of exposition in each issue. I understand that the idea was that each issue could be read by a first time reader and they wouldn't be lost. However, it was wasteful and quite tedious for loyal readers or those with the wherewithal to buy back issues. The bigger problem is the repetition of backstory within the same issue.

Another glaring fault was Byrne's petty old man gatekeeper remarks about other artists, especially new ones or those that dared to try something new. Way to kill comics by keeping them stale!

Fortunately, the art makes this collection worthwhile despite its cringiest moments. Almost every comic from this time has those.

[Ian Raffaele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Byrne gives us a She-Hulk that is self-aware that she is in a comic book that delivers stories as if they belonged in a Mad Magazine parody. She-Hulk is purposely pitted against long forgotten D-list Marvel villains, gets put into cheesecake poses, and subversively mocks everything subjected to a female character in comics. This could easily be misogynistic if She-Hulk wasn't in on the joke. She is, of course, and fights with her writer/artist John Byrne. I read John Byrne's run, along with She-Hulk's other runs in the last 30+ years, in anticipation of the Disney+ series. I have seen a wide variety of interpretations of the character from body type to tone of the story. This experience has taught me that those complaining about the upcoming series have not put in the time to read these comics. I've enjoyed what Marvel has done on the page. I eagerly anticipate what they will do on the screen.

[Dan Trudeau · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Byrne's original run on She-Hulk. It's one of my favorites from that era. It created a template later followed to even greater success by Deadpool; she knows she's in a comic book and uses that knowledge to her advantage.

I was excited to FINALLY read his later run on the book, but was a bit let down by the results. The concept is still amusing, but isn't used in the same clever way. In fact, the joke wore thin as Byrne seemed to be using it to pad out issues. There's nothing in this volume to even compare with the time she escaped a villain by tearing a hole in the page and fleeing through a Mile High Comics parody ad.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice to see John Byrne back! I love his writing and drawing and this was wonderful. A nice mix of silly with action of the 90’s.

I wish they had included Issue #47 with this trade. I ended up finding a copy and let’s just say that there was a reason behind leaving it out of this issue. But I’m a completest so I still wish it was there.

The only flaw to this is the lame C class (and that’s being generous) villains that they came up with. Kudos for some of the D-E-E-P dives in comics lore and in digging up some past villains, but still they were Lame with a Capital “L”

But, yes, overall, it was wonderful to see Shulkie back with John and he and his team did an amazing job!

[Michael Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely liked this run a lot more than the first run John Byrne wrote for issues 1-8. There was a fun through line with Weezi, and since body switching / power swapping is one of my personal favourite tropes, seeing how it all built towards a She-Hulk Weezi was a great ending of Byrne's run.

I felt Byrne's humour was a bit more subdued, for the better. I loved that the fourth wall was being broken again, and She-Hulk spoke once again directly to the audience. I hope it continues in the last 10 issues of the 90s run. There were still some cringe worthy issues (It was the 90s!) but not as bad as I've seen past issues.

[Hagay Hacohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, witty, charming

Perhaps one of the smartest comics out there that seriously dealt with such powerful issues like comics and women, comics and fantasy, and comics as an art that needs to sell. I can only compare it to the much more academic 'Bitch Planet', which is a much blunter way to face similar issues. Worth every penny.

[Russell Pearce of Sector 2814 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long before Deadpool was doing it She Hulk as envisioned by John Byrne was shattering the 4th wall. If you are looking for a deep compelling narrative, this is not the book for you. But if you are looking for a funny, irreverent story with minor villains, this is the book for. I would classify this as a book you read between longer runs as a great pallette cleanser.

[wbforeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 enjoyed the meta- humor, but at a certain point the meta-humor became the focus and diluted the story, and made me not care about what was actually happening. John Byrne also loved to draw she hulk in cheesecake, pinup drawings/ sexy outfits. I never felt like they were 90s image gratuitous, but at a certain point it a bit too much.

[Sal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Byrne returns to She-Hulk for issues 31 to 50 (minus 47). The first several issues are perhaps the best that he created, but the Weezi/Jen body-swap story was a dud although the 50th issue special does compensate for it a bit.

[Kendrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fun in the ways it broke comic book form, broke the 4th wall, and was very self referential. Outside that I thought the plot dragged in many places and I found myself pretty bored reading different storylines.

[Zachary King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sensational is right! Couldn’t put it down. Byrne retakes the reins of She-Hulk’s ongoing adventures, with madcap antics, offbeat adversaries, and a veritable sledgehammer to the fourth wall.

[Cweb · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not impressed. Many pages are filler. Looks like it's out of continuity.

[Julia Cannistra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ridiculous fun

A fun light-hearted run that regularly makes fun of itself. I enjoyed this run; similar to Byrne's first run on She-Hulk.

[Boo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shamazing. Loved it so much I printed the whole first issue onto a t-shirt. H8 spragg though.

[James Verreault · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious, audacious, incredible.
There is nothing that was already said in the first volume review that couldn’t be said here.

[Alex B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much like John Byrne, I want large women to yell at me.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The incredible artwork of John Byrne, and the 4th wall breaking She Hulk make for a fun and exciting collection. I'd forgotten how much I missed Shulkie!

[LanaDelReyIsMyMom · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a really good comic and i love anything with she-hulk 👍

[John Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn’t love how cosmic this run got, but the character and the weirdness of this side of Marvel is still appreciated.

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic She-Hulk. Still funny to this day

[Mateo V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fully onboard the She-Hulk fan train. Hilarious, witty, and an overall badass! Now time to save up for the omnibus of John Byrne’s She-Hulk!