The Incredible Hulk, Vol. 8: Big Things

The Incredible Hulk (1999) (Collected Editions) #11

by Bruce Jones, Mike Deodato Jr. (Illustrator), Darick Robertson (Illustrator)

All is revealed in this arc - including the identity of the man behind the sneering lips! When Banner awakens in a post-apocalyptic future, his problems are just beginning. The mastermind behind the plot that made him a fugitive has big plans for the Hulk. Plus: The Hulk goes toe-to-toe with the Invincible Iron Man in a classic super-hero showdown! Collects INCREDIBLE HULK #70-76.

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

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 27, 2004

Reviews

[Malum · Rating 1 out of 5]

A very uneven (but mostly not great) Hulk run ends with a big stinking turd of a volume. It's like they didn't plot this ending out at all and just made it up as they went.

[Roman Zarichnyi · Rating 3 out of 5]

​​Підійшов до завершення ран «Неймовірний Галк» Брюса Джонса. Останній том «Великі речі» #70-76 складається із трьох сюжетних історій.

У «НГ» #75 Брюс Беннер далі тікає від закону і зійшовши з поїзду у містечку Сіметрі, іде у кав’ярню відпочити. Там зустрічає невідомого чоловіка, який стверджує, що знає все про Беннера і навіть був під час вибуху гамма бомби, яка перетворила його на Галка. Непогана детективно-маніакальна історія.

Випуски «НГ» #71-74 зосереджені на особі Тоні Старка, якого остання подруга Ліза Каммінґс була знайдена мертвою у своїй квартирі. Це виглядає на самогубство. Намагаючись розрядити потенційний скандал, Старк скликає відкриту прес-конференцію під час якої стає все тільки гірше. Одним із глядачів був Беннер, який вирішив розібратися із цим. Згодом у них починається бійка, після чого Старк рятує Беннера від поліції й запрошує до себе додому. Уночі у спальню Беннера прокрадається вбивця, який хоче знищити Тоні через смерть своєї сестри. Ось в цій всій катавасії у будинку, де бігають напівоголені жінки, треба розібратися, де криється правда. Часом у мене було враження, що бідного Брюса Джонса захопив Чак Остін (якщо ви знаєте про що я). Як на мене жахливо розказана історія, найгірша із усіх у цілому рані.

У «НГ» #75-76 Брюс Беннер прокидається в постапокаліптичному майбутньому, де зустрічається із Лідером. Це особа, яка зробила його втікачем і, яка має великі плани щодо подальшої долі Галка. У результаті сюжету в стилі «Галк б‘є» він потрапляє у таємничу лабораторію разом із своєю колишньою дружиною Бетті, Надією, Тоні та доком Самсоном. Там відбуваються трагічно-жахливі події, після яких Беннер тікає і ще більше ненавидить створіння у середині себе. Хоча другий випуск був цікавіший за перший, але все ж вийшла досить дико нецікава історія, де легко занудьгувати за діалогами.

На мою думку, це просто жахливе завершення хорошого горорного рану про Галка. Тому якщо візьметеся читати його, пам’ятайте, що варто читати його саме за всі попередні арки.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow. This is the end of an author's run? The great reveal of the big bad is about as inconsequential as I had feared. This series was great for intrigue and drama, but oh, so light on the importance of it all.

[Odo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5+

[Eric · Rating 1 out of 5]

How did this series get so bad? Bruce Jones told a few good stories in his run but since the Absorbing Man, nothing has been worth reading. I was hoping for a better finish, especially with Iron Man making an appearance but Jones found the perfect recipe for making Tony Stark boring. Between Stark and Banner, the whinny genius schtick gets old fast. Even the fight between the Hulk and Iron Man was a letdown. But the real killer, the real disappointment, was the resolution to the whole conspiracy arch. Not that Jones just writes a bad Leader, the whole plan behind it all was stupid. The last few pages were completely unearned and Jones seemed intent on ruining Betty as a character. The only redeeming element of it all is that Peter David wrote the next story and claimed it all a dream. A little Dallas but not a bad choice.

[Jdetrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure that Bruce Jones actually knows all that much about the Marvel Universe and the characters he's writing. in any case, this storyline has overstayed its welcome.

[Dean · Rating 1 out of 5]

finishing with a whimper. what a disappointment.
the first issue is a single issue story which i enjoyed to a degree. I barely remember it but I remember it was okay.

then there is a four issue story with iron man. in the first issue they forget to mention the Assassin is the dead woman's brother until the second issue but they act like that was revealed the whole time. that annoyed me, and as the arc goes on it only gets worse. there are bait and switches galore, fights for no reason, sexism galore. the art was only okay for me.

the last two issues are a time travel/possible future 'adventure' with the Leader and Banner. so much exposition, but still times the Leader explains their plans from earlier in the run and says dont worry about the blood thing. that was the driving force of the villain's agents the last forty issues.

so disappointing. this started with great promise but dropped until deodato issues, then drops again.

[Beelzefuzz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ends with the most whimping whimper ever whimped.
Most of this book is a mediocre Iron Man story that happens to feature the Hulk then we get back to the intrigue and are told there isn't much to see here.
Did anyone else notice the big bad guy was a drawing of George W. Bush with a mustache (and spoiler alert: a big green forehead)?
I loved Bruce Jones up to here. I can't help but think something went on behind the scenes to hurriedly whisk him away before House of M and WW Hulk.

[Shawn Ingle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bruce Jones' run on the Incredible Hulk concludes with mostly a disappointing whimper. For all of the build-up, the final villain reveal and his motivation were a letdown. Overall, there were some really high points along the way on this dark journey.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending was moving.

[Eligos Vespillo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bruce Jone's Hulk run ends here, but not before a confrontation with Iron Man that largely distracts from the finale, where the mind behind the shadow org is revealed...and quickly dispached.

[Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bruce Jones' run on Incredible Hulk concludes and, after a dynamite start, goes out with a fizzle. Three different artists worked on this, and while the quality of the art is good, it cannot salvage a sub-par story.

Issue #70 was the best of the the bunch, even though it did nothing to forward the over-arching plot of the conspiracy against Bruce Banner.

The next four issues involve Tony Stark having to design an Iron Man suit which can absorb radiation, and involves a sub-plot of Stark being somewhat suspected - unconvincingly - of being entangled in the mysterious suicide of one of his assistants - which may not have been a suicide, but murder. This story could've been left out. It appears it was just a way for Jones to maneuver [read: shoehorn] Stark into the last 2 issues' story, in which the big baddie that's been pulling the strings since day one is finally revealed.

It turns out that the mastermind behind the plot is none other than Samuel Sterns, also known as Leader, and that the whole point of dogging Bruce Banner for 41 issues was to weaken his mind so that he [the villain] could take over the Hulk's body.

The way Jones ends his run was disappointing, considering the stellar beginning. Marvel sort of voided anything's that happened by having Peter David write - in the following volume (Incredible Hulk: Tempest Fugit) - a story which "explains" Jones' run as... a dream. One of the cheapest ways to go about it, almost as cheap as having, say, the Scarlet Witch re-write reality as we know it. Oh, wait - that did happen. D'oh!

[Timo · Rating 2 out of 5]

How come something that started so cool and massive end up on thighs?
This ending to the big conspiracy run of Bruce Jones was just flat with nice Darrick Robertson art.