Hulk #1

Hulk (2016)

by Mariko Tamaki, Jeff Dekal (Cover Art), Nico Leon (Artist)

JENNIFER WALTERS has survived the Civil War…barely…and having risen from the rubble, she re-enters the world a different kind of hero. Fueled by a quiet rage, she is determined to move forward, to go on with her life, but the pain of the past and all she's lost is always there – an undercurrent, a pulse, waiting to quicken and trigger Jen's transformation into the one thing she doesn't have control over…

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Comic Book, Comics Manga, Superheroes, Sequential Art, Graphic Novels

22 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 28, 2016

About the author

Mariko Tamaki is a Toronto writer, playwright, activist and performer. She works and performs with fat activists Pretty Porky and Pissed Off and the theatre troupe TOA, whose recent play, A vs. B, was staged at the 2004 Rhubarb Festival at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Her well-received novel, Cover Me (McGilligan Books) was followed by a short fiction collection, True Lies: The Book of Bad Advice (Women's Press). Mariko's third book, FAKE ID, is due out in spring 2005.

Mariko Tamaki has performed her work across Canada and through the States, recently appearing at the Calgary Folkfest 2004, Vancouver Writer's Festival 2003, Spatial III, and the Perpetual Motion/Girls Bite Back Tour, which circled though Ottawa, Montreal, Brooklyn and Chicago. She has appeared widely on radio and television including First Person Singular on CBC radio and Imprint on TVO. Mariko Tamaki is currently attending York University working a master's degree in women's studies.

[MacMIllan Books]

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I post this mainly to say that Mariko Tamaki, the writer of the much acclaimed This One Summer, is starting a run of Hulk, and not, finally, as She-Hulk! Jennifer Walters is an attorney committed to issues of social justice. She’s also She-Hulk, but in the events of the recent Civil War her cousin Bruce Banner, AKA The Hulk, is killed by Hawkeye. Jen is also injured, but healing, and voila, She-Hulk no more.

The focus of this story is about Jen’s struggle with trauma in the wake of her cousin’s death. It’s very personal and contemplative, but it also somewhat surprisingly introduces us (via the centerfold of the issue) to some strange creatures that hope to be Jen’s clients. I am on board!

[Chelsea 🏳️‍🌈 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, this was f*cking fantastic!

[Siona Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can already tell I'm going to love this series.

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to attend the 2016 ComiqueCon in Dearborn, MI this past October. It is a one day comic book festival that celebrates female creators in the industry. Mariko Tamaki, co-author of This One Summer and the writer on this new Hulk series, was the featured guest at the event. I was lucky enough to attend a panel that she was speaking at, and I asked her about why the new She-Hulk series was just titled Hulk and how awesome that was. She said that it was actually Marvel's decision, not hers, but that she was thrilled by it because it was sort of ridiculous to have gender indicators for female superheroes. Mariko Tamaki was just so smart and funny, and she was so nice when she signed a copy of This One Summer for me. I immediately went home after the event and put Hulk on my list of comics to watch out for.

Now it is here, and how fabulous it is! I have never read any of the Hulk or She-Hulk story arcs before, but the story doesn't require you to know much. I was really engaged in this issue, more so than in some series I know and love that I read beforehand, and I was very impressed by the writing. I love how this issue deals with trauma. Jennifer Walters clearly has a lot of trauma she's not dealing with, and it is affecting her in very vital ways. I can't wait to go on this journey with her. I loved her kindness with her client, how she deals with the asshole landlord, and how she responds to the awkward comments of her coworkers. I think that Jennifer Walters is going to be a character I love unabashedly like I do Natasha Romanoff and Bobbi Morse. The art is understated yet lovely, and I love how everything gets more complex when she rages out. I also love the cover. I love everything about this first issue. I can't wait to read more.

[The Sapphic Nerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes! This is what I want! I want to see Jennifer Walters in both her She-Hulk and human forms. I want to see her live a "normal" life as well as her superhero one. I want to see character development, internal struggle. She's been too one-sided and too green lately. I think this new run is heading in the right direction. Hopefully she'll also have good interpersonal relationships to ground and work off of her, like Patsy Walker.

Love the cover art. The interior is more plain and uses cooler palettes and also looks good. Way better than the art from Soule's run of She-Hulk.

[Pranay · Rating 4 out of 5]

During the civil war, She Hulk clashes with Thanos and goes into a coma. After she wakes up she finds out that her cousin Bruce (Hulk) was executed by Hawk Eye. Now there is no She Hulk only the Hulk and that is Jen Walters.
The comic starts from Jen getting ready for work after a long break. Mariko does a wonderful job of showing how Jen is vulnerable and nervous about resuming work, resuming life. She meets a mysterious person who has been asked to evict and Jen promises to help her.

Since this is a start there is a lot of build up.

[Lindsi (Do You Dog-ear?) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really, really wanted to like this. It only took a few issues for my initial misgivings to turn into complete loathing.

It started off okay-ish. We get a little background on Jennifer Walters and her life after the death of Bruce Banner/Hulk (her cousin). I didn't expect everything to be explained in the first issue, but it still didn't make sense after the 11th. The stories are inconsistent and bounce around all over the place. They change artists nearly every issue, too. It was aggravating. I get that there are different twists and plots and whatever else, but I still want a big, overall story to follow. She also wasn't the same character from one issue to the next. Her entire personality would change. 😠

I hate that I hated this. The first 3-4 comics are decent. They follow the same story, you watch Jennifer Walters trying to readjust to life, and then -- nothing . There is a lot of story-building and craziness, but when Hulk finally figures out what is going on, a battle ensues and then -- nothing . It made absolutely no sense!! At first I thought it would be continued in the next issue, but it wasn't. It started off with something completely different, and it didn't even address what had happened previously. There was no conclusion, just more blah. The same thing happened with her second baddie.

The only good thing about this comic was her assistant, Bradley.

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on October 23, 2017
http://www.doyoudog-ear.com/2017/10/h...

[Trey Piepmeier · Rating 3 out of 5]

I blame Charles Soule and Javier Pulido for making me think I loved She-Hulk. I've tried other She-Hulk stories since reading their run on the character's (since-cancelled) eponymous title and none of it has resonated with me. I thought it was very interesting this is a She-Hulk comic that's dropped the "She-" (and the cover was super interesting), so I made a special trip to pick up a copy of the first issue. It definitely wasn't bad, but it still didn't click for me like Soule's title did. I do like that the focus of this story seems to be on Jennifer Walter's mental health (after the death of her cousin, The Incredible Hulk [I guessed that that was why they dropped the "She-" from a She-Hulk comic and I was right--I don't keep up with all the goings-on in the Marvel Universe]) and other non-superhero things. That's the kind of stuff that drew me to Soule's series in the first place. It was funny and smart and not all about pounding super villains into the ground. When it did happen, it was surprising and refreshing.

Olivia pointed out that the author of this series is the same person who wrote This One Summer (which I really enjoyed). I'm now even more compelled to check out the paperback of the first volume when it comes out.

[kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I really should read Civil War II before I read the rest of this series. But I really like Jen and I like where this is going so far.

[Cecillie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never really been interested in Jennifer Walters (She-Hulk) as a character, actually I'm not a fan of any of the Hulks. But after reading this issue I think I'll give her a chance.

[Marisa Carpico · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine not great. Was hoping for a bit more.

[Mr. Cody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agreeable.

[Vinton Bayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so stoked on this series. Definitely showing promise.

[Solace Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's dark, it's deep, and it's a good set up for the next story.

[Cree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first venture with Jennifer, but I can tell I will already enjoy it. It was very interesting seeing her struggle and how it compares with Bruce. I'm also reading Totally Awesome Hulk and Amadeus Cho's Hulk is okay, but the dichotomy between Bruce and Hulk is what made me liek the character. So, I can't wait to see what Jennifer's Hulk is like.

[Casey Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this. It's not a typical superhero comic. In fact nothing at all superheroy even happened. It was mostly a brief intro into PTSD in a superhuman. I really liked this perspective and am curious to see how it pans out. Liked the artwork and LOVE LOVE LOVE the cover.

[Michael Doll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Such an amazing book. Cannot speak highly enough of this.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good start to a promising series.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad for an intro to a new series. Unsure if I'll wait for the full trade in July or continue with this in issues but I'm intrigued by the story so far.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

A uneventful issue but the writing was good.I do appreciate that we got a good insight into Jennifer Walters thinking process in this one.