Don’t make fun of the crazy Hulk theory.
So anyway, I was going to do this whole thing about Iron Man #178, the “Assistant Editors’ Month” ish. For those of you who don’t remember, “Assistant Editors’ Month” was when the assistant editors got to do a little of the crazy-go-nuts things on their titles, while the regular guys or gals in charge were away at a convention. Like, say, pitting the Aunt May/Franklin Richards team against Galactus, for example. Always kinda liked that one.
But the Iron Man one is probably my favorite of the bunch. The lead story follows a group of kids who dress up as the Avengers and protect their neighborhood from crime. However, their close emulation of their idols causes a problem when the real Iron Man leaves the team, and it’s decided that the kid-Avengers must also cast out their Iron Man.
Like I said, I was going to do a whole big illustrated review of the thing, but Prettyfakes beat me to it, and made pretty much all the same points I was going to make. (Plus, bonus discussion of the Assistant Editors’ Month ish of Captain America!)
So go read that overview. And I really wish we had more of this kid team…I seem to remember them only appearing once or twice. If I’m wrong, set me straight. I love this story.
I will post one pic, because the little girl who’s the team’s Hulk analogue:
..she could totally beat the tar out of any of the other kids. I know the folks at Prettyfakes say she wasn’t really trying with her costume, but, honestly, does she look like she needs to?
The Vision costume makes me laugh, too. That kid is so serious.
In other news, if I may use the term loosely:
- I haven’t Googled this up to see how widespread this theory is, but former employee Corey thinks the Red Hulk is, in fact, Betty Ross, the allegedly-deceased wife of Bruce Banner. I like that idea. Who says this particular transformation into the Hulk wouldn’t, er, “do away” with, or disguise, certain gender-specific characteristics?
In other words…if true, we’ve had a Marvel comic starring a topless woman for several issues. Eat it, Comics Code*!
…
Yeah, I know it’s a crazy idea. But it would explain the motivation behind the Red Hulk’s killing of the Abomination (who had “killed” Betty in the first place).
Don’t look at me like that.
- Speaking of the Hulk, we’ve got a movie opening at the end of the week. Once again, I’ve noticed no extra interest in Hulk comics from customers in our lead-up to the film, like with the Iron Man movie. When Iron Man came out, it was so remarkably well received some of the excitement did leak over and drive some comic sales, at least briefly. I don’t know that this new Hulk flick will do the same, since general reaction to the trailers from my customers seems to be “well…it might be okay.”
But if there is some spill-over from the film, and there is some increased interest in the comics, we’re in a good position. Two Hulk specials, with a third on the way this week, featuring half new Hulk stories and half reprints, plus that recently launched Red Hulk series, which ain’t half-bad. Granted, the Red Hulk looks different from the movie Hulk, but the premise is simple enough to briefly explain, and the first three issues are in plentiful supply, with several reprintings. Plus Iron Man has been popping up in this series, which may not hurt.
And we’ve got paperbacks for World War Hulk and Planet Hulk, and, er…Skaar, Son of Hulk is coming out this week, but we may be getting a little astray from the familiar Hulk formula at that point, which could be a hard sell to any theoretical movie-driven customers.
At any rate, we’re better off that we were with that last Hulk film, where the big promotional comics push was a 25-cent issue of Incredible Hulk that featured exactly one panel with the title character…and even then, only a glimpse of his arm. Hey, I liked Bruce Jones’ run on the Hulk, which mainly kept Hulk “off-screen.” I thought that was an interesting take. But boy, that sure wasn’t what customers wanted who were looking for Hulk comics around the release of that film. That was bad timing.
- Who wants free, downloadable PDFs of Rick Veitch comics? Sure, you all do! Well, Mr. Veitch has been linking to some science education comics he’s been contributing to over the last few years, and I wanted to share those links with you. The comic at this link features work by Veitch, along with Josh Neufeld, Mark Evanier, and Tom Yeates, and the comic here (in the Teen Guide) has Veitch over an Evanier script.
- I finally got around to watching the Stephen King film adaptation The Mist, starring Thomas Jane, and it’s actually quite good. There is one scene when some members of the character risk the monster-inhabited mist outside their safe haven of the grocery store to get medicine from the pharmacy next door. Once inside, they pass by a comic book rack:
Pretty happenin’ pharmacy to have a rack full of Hellboy, The Goon, and Conan. Dark Horse Comics must have nailed down that pharmacy-distribution deal…good for them. By the way, Thomas Jane’s character had promised his kid a comic book, and grabs a Hellboy off the rack, to reveal a copy of Bad Planet beneath. Hey, how’d that Image Comic get in there? Oh, well, Bad Planet is a co-creation of Thomas Jane, that’s how.My eyes always go straight for the comic rack whenever I see one in a movie or TV show. I’m still bothered** by the anachronisms in Drugstore Cowboy. Zell Sworddancer, on a ’70s comic rack? C’mon.
* Yes, I know Marvel doesn’t submit books to the Comics Code Authority any more.
** Actually, I’m not really bothered that much.
