The Incredible Hulk, Vol. 6: Split Decisions

The Incredible Hulk (1999) (Collected Editions) #9

by Bruce Jones

Doc Samson plots in secret to obtain a sample of Hulk's bood, and Hulk finds himself up against the mysterious Mr. Blue and has encounters with both Sandra Verdugo and his old girl friend, Nadia Blonsky.

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

144 pages, Unknown Binding

First published March 10, 2004

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm getting tired of this conspiracy story. It was interesting at first but now the heroes seem like newbies for not solving it yet and the bad guys are just farting around. Jones tries to sell these guys as smart but they seem to have no game plan other than get beat up the Hulk. Threat-wise, while the last two volumes had the Absorbing Man and the Abomination, this volume has some vampire beetles. The art is beautiful, dark, and moody, but there needs to be more in this than just confusion.

[Roman Zarichnyi · Rating 4 out of 5]

У сюжетній арці «Неймовірний Галк: Розділені рішення» #60-65 художником знову був Майк Деодато мл. Тут він видав просто шикарні сторінки, які були надзвичайно ефектними.

У цьому томі на перший план виходить знову таємнича «Організація», яка бажає захопити у свої руки Галка. Він знову стикається з новими могутніми мерзотниками, які бажають використати його кров для клонування схожих створінь. За допомогою свого старого друга і ворога Дока Самсона і його таємничого благодійника, загадкового містера Блю, Брюс Беннер намагається дістатися до осередку цих негідників.

Брюс Джонс також почав використовувати жіночих персонажів з якими зустрічався Брюс Беннер під час переховування у минулих сюжетах у цьому томі. Вони досить непогано взаємодіяли між собою. Але певні моменти мені нагадали Чака Остіна на рані «Неймовірні Люди-Ікс»🥰

Арка знову виявилася динамічною й цікавою, але мені здається, що Джонс вийшов на пік цього рану. Глянемо.

[Malum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts a bit slow and the whole conspiracy plot is wearing pretty thin at this point, but once the Hulk starts wrecking stuff near the end it gets pretty fun.

[Jdetrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of plot threads are wrapped up here, although I don't know how well.

[Dean · Rating 3 out of 5]

an extra star just for deodato's art from this era. damn he was good.
it feels like this is the big culmination of the whole run but there is undoubtedly more to this spy story.

now there's a banner clone. another Ricky myers Android has been killed. Sandra may have died in the desert base explosion but I doubt it. every time someone appears dead it's a rug pull. really sick of that. everyone is a double agent. the start of each issue or arc is intriguing then as they go on, every spy trope is used to the nth degree abd poorly.

and everyone seems to know nothing, then know everything. cop pulls Bruce over why? tells him where Nadia's place is despite Bruce already knowing why? so dumb. scene not needed.

Samson has removed an eye, but there was only an implant in his eye. why not get surgery to remove the implant?

overly sexualising the female characters with Sandra stripping and Nadia not wearing a bra. the women fighting over the men. these aren't real people, their someone's idealised woman which is gross.
the writer also thinks it's okay for Bruce to be promiscuous but not betty when she tries to get together with a grieving Samson.

this run is frustrating in that it is so close to being good. good ideas poor execution.

[Troy-David Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this volume to be good but not great. There is a lot of intrigue but not a lot of substance.
It was certainly different at the time for a Hulk story, but not what I would consider an all time great.
Bruce Jones does very well with mystery and conspiracy and suspense, and Deodato’s art is as good as ever, but again, this story has no real substance. Once the cast of main characters is drawn together, nothing of consequence really seems to take place. Perhaps this volume would have been better served by being shorter.

[Derek Moreland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barely scrapes up to three, and that’s on the back of Deodato Jr’s art.

I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to realize that Bruce Jones cannot write women. He does handle the horror elements of this arc pretty well though, so I have to at least give him that.

[Michael Keskeys · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a weird era of the Hulk series, a lot of clandestine spy stuff, Doc Samson is an action hero more than he's been in the past there's double crosses, double agents, and intrigue mixed in with a little Hulk action. A familiar character returns with a new face and more all in this volume.

[Eligos Vespillo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jones' fun conspiratorial story continues to excite, but his character work crumbles under cliche and an obsession with making his large female cast strip down at every possible oppertunity to the point of absurdity.

[Odo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5.0

[Beelzefuzz · Rating 4 out of 5]

ca. 2001 quote for how I felt during this whole book:
Banner, "you da bomb in Phantoms, yo!"

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mike Deodato Jr. returns on art duties and Bruce Jones continues the main storyline of his run, namely the conspiracy involving "the Organisation" and their pursuit of Bruce Banner.

It is revealed that what "the Organisation" are after is a sample of pure Hulk blood, so that they may clone him many times over. Banner blood is NOT Hulk blood, so that explains why they want the Hulk, and not Banner. Still with me?

The mystery surrounding the identity of Mr.Blue is once and for all laid bare. Mr. Blue is in reality Betty Ross! The story behind that is naturally convoluted, but hey - these are comic books! What're ya gonna do?

Mr.Blue sought refuge at Nadia Blonsky's house and, so that they ["the Organisation"] can deal with these loose ends and accomplish their main goal of procuring Hulk blood, lure Hulk over there and send a horde of Krill, cybernetically-enhanced lizards with - wouldn't you know it - specifically-designed fangs made to pierce Hulk's tough skin and retrieve some of his blood. Those Krill really are creepy, especially when they swarm all over the landscape and our heroes!

It is revealed that Ricky Myers, the boy Hulk had supposedly & inadvertently killed (see The Incredible Hulk, Vol. 1: Return of the Monster) and the whole reason for Banner going on the run, is apparently alive and well in the villains' secret base. One Krill manages to get a blood sample and is speedily returning to the base, with Hulk in pursuit. What follows is massive amounts of destruction, and not everyone makes it out alive.

The mysterious leader of "the Organisation", of whom we've seen only his sneering mouth since he was first introduced, is still out there and so the story's not over yet.

This book was probably the peak of Jones' run, as far as things happening, and also in terms of the overall quality of the storytelling. The suspense reached its climax and will not be felt as much in the subsequent volumes.

Onward to The Incredible Hulk, Vol. 7: Dead Like Me!

[Fugo Feedback · Rating 2 out of 5]

Resurrecciones innecesarias, diálogos que se quieren hacer los crípticos y terminan siendo aburridos, excusas boludas para dejar a los personajes femeninos prácticamente en bolas y poco más.
Ya veré si le doy una chance más al "aclamado" Hulk de Bruce Jones o si me paso a otro pochoclo más sanito.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some decent intrigue and building suspense, but overall lacking some gravity.

[Timo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The conspiracy plot has been going on a bit long by now. But Deodato Jr. is still one of my favorite artists.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cybernetic Lizard creatures infused with Hulk blood = *facepalm.

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hulk smash!