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Asgard's Advocate
Incredible Hulk Annual 2001
Posted: Wednesday, September 12
By: Jason Cornwell
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Writers: Erik Larsen (main story) & James Kochalka (back-up feature)
Artists: Jorge Lucas & James Kochalka (p), Al Milgrom, Al Vey & Greg Adams (i)
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Plot:
When the Hulk goes on yet another rampage, we see Thor decides that enough is enough, and that the time has come for the Hulk to be taken down before he endangers more human lives. What follows is a big, old slugfest, in which both the Hulk & Thor manages to get their shots in. Highlights of the contest include a trip to two alien worlds, as Thor attempts to find a battle ground where the battle won't harm others. We also see the Hulk struck down twice by Thor's lighting & the Hulk bring down a mountain side on Thor's head. The question of what has more power behind it, the Hulk's fists, or Thor's hammer, is also answered. Other highlights include the Hulk escaping from quicksand, and his raining a fury of punches down on Thor. However, the answer to the question of who would win is never fully answered, as Thor discovers that in his effort to bring down the Hulk, he's endangered just as many lives as the Hulk does during one of his rampages.
Comments:
If you read the previews, or even looked at the cover before you bought this comic then you knew this issue's main plot would be Thor versus the Hulk, and if this is all you went in expecting then you won't be disappointed, as this issue is a grand old slugfest. This issue allows both characters to get their shots in, be it the Hulk getting struck down by Thor's lighting, to the Hulk bringing down an entire mountain on the Thor's head. I also must confess I love Erik Larsen's decision to have the Hulk provide his overly simplistic commentary on the battle, as there are times when this running dialogue had me cracking up, such as the Hulk's explanation for why Thor's use of a hammer makes him less powerful than the Hulk. This issue doesn't aspire to be anything more than a battle between two of Marvel's big guns, and I can still appreciate a comic that caters to slugfest happy fans, so frankly it gets a thumbs up from me.
However, I'll never stop being annoyed by a writer's inability to commit to an outcome when they are delivering the battles that fans ask for. Now I won't pretend that I was among the group that want to see Thor battle the Hulk, and frankly these two are too evenly matched for my liking, but I've read enough letter pages to realize that when fans write in asking for this battle, they want a contest that will have a definitive answer to the question of who would win. However, once again we get another battle where this question is ducked. I understand why they try to avoid the ending where one hero emerges as the clear winner, but when this annual devotes over twenty pages to the battle, frankly it's disappointing to have it end undecided. Now there is a moment in the issue that Thor fans can point to the Hulk having to be rescued by Thor, but given the Hulk played a key role in getting himself into that life-threatening situation, one can't really use it as the final answer.
Jorge Lucas greatly impressed me when he delivered the final issue in last year's "Inhumans" miniseries, so when I heard he was slated to be the artist for this annual, and that it was going to be Thor versus the Hulk, I was quite excited. Now that I've read the issue, I can't really say that I'm as impressed as I expected to be. I mean, the issue looks quite nice, and I'm sure most fans will enjoy this annual's art. However, I must confess I'd rather Jorge Lucas have used his own style rather than his Jack Kirby impression, as it would've given this battle a more epic feel. Still, there's several very nice splash pages in this issue, whether it be the wonderful opening shot of Thor, or the page where the two combatants initially confront each other. The battle itself is also well delivered, as the strength of the attacks used are clearly displayed, and project a sense of power. The cover to this issue is an eye-catcher as well.
Final Word:
In an age where Marvel's annuals are on the verge of becoming an endangered species, it's nice to see some effort being put into making these last few a strong reminder of why annuals exist. This issue is a strictly a response to the demands of fans to see the Hulk & Thor go at it in a no holds barred contest, and for the most part this annual makes use of its expanded page count to deliver the goods. Sure, I was disappointed by the ending, as once again fans are cheated out of the answer they enter these contests seeking the answer to, but one can't deny that this issue provides more than enough moments to keep fans of both characters sated. In fact, while this battle won't be going on my all-time top ten list when it comes to battles, I do recommend this issue to any fan looking for a good, old fashioned slugfest.
from: www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com