Customer Reviews

Incredible Hulk Vol. 4: Abominable

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Still trying to evade the organization that is after him, Bruce Banner stops at a small diner in the middle of nowhere; only things aren't what they seem. Meanwhile, the mysterious organization tries to recruit one of the Hulk's most deadly enemies.

While still good, the "conspiracy theory" storyline does seem to wear thin in some parts while dragging along in others. Bruce Jones' storyline doesn't really progress much in this five-issue collected volume because it mostly leads up to an action-packed climax, but the conspiracy mystery continues to deepen and raise more questions. The saving point in this book is Mike Deodato Jr's fantastic artwork. Following Romita Jr, Weeks, and Immonen's great story arcs, Deodato Jr continues the superb artwork. The characters look exquisite as do the backgrounds, and Studio F's colors add even more life and tone to the great art.

While not exactly a fantastic story, the conspiracy plot deepens, but does not offer any closure in the already 4+ volume storyline; the artwork is definitely the high point of this collection and worth checking out.

(NOTE: While this book is rated PG by Marvel, it is certainly not for young children due to quite a bit of violence/blood and sexual themes)

One of the most intense runs of any comic title ever - the Bruce Jones-written extended Hulk saga concerning the aftermath of the 'Ricky Myers incident' and the search for the Hulk's blood by a secret cabal with seemingly limitless resources - continues in the "Abominable" Trade Paperback, reprinting numbers 50 - 54 of the ongoing Incredible Hulk series. Obviously, from the title, one can tell that a deadly new angle in the form of one of the Hulk's oldest adversaries is going to enter the arc here.

To recap a brief bit of what's got us - the readers and the characters - to this point, the "Abominable" story continues the same mega-arc that began back in Incredible Hulk # 34 (reprinted in the "Return Of The Monster" Trade Paperback, along with Hulk #s 35-39) that finds Bruce Banner on the run after the alleged death of a little boy named Ricky Myers in a Hulk rampage. More alone than he's been in years, aided only by a mysterious 'Mr. Blue' Banner communicates with through a special laptop computer, he has to try and prove the innocence of his other half while avoiding the authorities and, more dangerously, one of the most powerful (and convincingly depicted) of the many secretive power-hungry organizations in the Marvel Universe. This cabal isn't looking for any truth or justice regarding the Myers incident, just the blood of the Hulk. The cabal has worked genetic wonders (some would say nightmares) with normal DNA; the prospect of what they could achieve with Hulk DNA has them determined to go to any lengths.

In "Abominable", Bruce Banner - who's found himself evolving some rather unexpected attributes outside of his Hulk state - comes to the defence of a young, beautiful diner owner (a highway diner in a pretty desolate stretch of desert) named Nadia, who's being accosted by a group of thugs, while more or less simultaneously the cabal (I don't think they're refered to as that in the story, but that's how I think of them) are upping the firepower in their Hulk-hunting efforts by seeking out and recruiting the Abomination. With Nadia, Bruce finds someone who he hits a spark with in more ways than one, and in the isolated desert home owned by Nadia (who it instantly appears is, like Banner and the Hulk, something of a lost and wounded soul) it appears that both characters are going to, at least temporarily, find a measure of the peace and happiness that's eluding them. Except, of course, that the Abomination is being set on their trail.

One point about this whole run of Hulk that I neglected to mention in writeups for some previous chapters is the major sexual electricity that runs through a lot of the issues, hot enough to make the New Mexico deserts where many of the stories take place seem cool and frosty. When thinking of comic book titles that would have the potential for this kind of appeal, Incredible Hulk may be one of the last books one would think of, but it works in this run. The erotic angles are often charming and romantic (a counter-balance to most of the rest of the goings-on in the books) or, at times, of a tense and suspenseful nature that hints of something more sinister lying either behind them or off in the shadows waiting to pounce. The electricity really hits a high mark in "Abominable" ("Split Decisions", another great chapter of the arc that I'll try and do a writeup on soon, succeeds immensely here too). There's another, strongly contrasting, angle that's been running from "Return Of The Monster" onward that also gets amped up here - the 'real-life horrors' kind of thing that you read about in the newspapers is a big part of this Hulk era, and it plays a major role in this volume, right alongside the more fantastical horrors of the Abomination.

Speaking of Abomination, though a part of me will always sorely miss the much-more-sympathetic version of the character that developed during Peter David's great run on Hulk through the 80s and 90s, that ship has long since sailed. The Abomination started moving in a much different direction long prior to "Return Of The Monster", and here he's at his most horrendous, one of Marvel's most evil villains as shown not just in his current state but in the new revelations about his back history that are coming to light. Writer Bruce Jones is, in addition to his Hulk work, best known for his horror and 'weird' stories in legions of titles over the years including Twisted Tales, House Of Mystery, Alien Worlds and Flinch, and he's created one of comicdom's great horror tales in his extended Hulk arc. It's my hope that all these volumes will act as sort of a 'gateway' - getting fans of the Marvel Universe (and similar fare like the DC Universe titles, like the old Malibu Ultraverse stuff, and so on) to take a look at the broader horror field both in comic books and outside; and will also bring horror fans over to check out Marvel's comics and other publishers's superhero/adventure/fantasy-based books that they may have otherwise overlooked. Whatever background of reading you're coming from, these Hulk volumes that sprang out of IH # 34 represent some of the best the entire world of story-telling has to offer, and are definate Marvel must-haves.

Bruce Jones is unquestionably the best writer to come along to the Hulk comic series since legendary Hulk scribe Peter David, and while I don't find Abominable the best chapter of Jones' Hulk saga; it is a great and enjoyable read nonetheless. The mysterious organization hell bent on capturing the Hulk has hired Emil Blonsky: also known as the Abomination who is one of the Hulk's deadliest foes. In the meantime, Bruce Banner finds himself getting very, VERY, cozy with Blonsky's estranged wife Nadia. The storyarc manages to make Banner the center of the story, not his monsterous alter ego which was a main point of the series for years. The final showdown between the Hulk and the Abomination is worth the price of admission here alone, but the beautiful art by Mike Deodato makes this book very worthwhile. Before picking this up though, it is a very good idea to start with the beginning of Jones' Hulk stories or you'll find yourself lost in the conspiracy storyarc.

Wow!, what a great issue in Bruce Jones Hulk run. The Story is awesome the government hire Emil Blonsky (Abomination) to hunt done Bruce Banner , but abomination has a personal vendetta with Bruce. Banner meets a woman in a cafe and shares some attraction to her but, it is revealed to be Blonsky wife and the tables turn. The story is good complex and has pushed Jones's run continuing the arc of the story with things about the hard disc that the government are all fighting over then it is reveled what is on the disc. The artwork is incredible very colorful and beautiful at times. The ending fight is amazing between Hulk and Abomination reminds me a lot of the Incredible Hulk Movie which heavily pulled material from this series.
Overall if your a Hulk fan and you want a good Hulk Vs Abomination Story this is it. Also If your a fan of the film and wanna now what source material the pulled from check out Bruce jones run. There's only one word to describe this book Incredible!!!!!

While I am not a big Hulk fan, I do enjoy his tales. This one has got to be one of the best I've ever read!

Without giving away too much, this was part of a bigger story arch. We find Dr. Banner on the run from some rogue organization while trying to prove his innocence over a murder he didn't commit as The Hulk. During this travel, he runs across a woman named Nadia who he hits it off both as a friend and as an intimate partner!

Meanwhile, this rogue group enlists The Abomination in their efforts to take down The Hulk. To this end, they even show him taped footage of Bruce having sex with Nadia.......WHO IS THE ABOMINATION'S WIFE UNKNOWN TO BRUCE! This sets up one big green donnybroke!

There are so many twists and turns in this story that I don't want to give them away but rest assured your $12 will be well spent on this book!

This is the best Hulk book I own! Abomination is my # 1 favorite Hulk villain of all time, Hulk is my 5th favorite comic book hero topped only by Punisher, Wolverine, Spider-Man, and Tigra, the art and writing is excellent, the hate, love, rage, friendship, and will in the book are solid, the suspense and intensity is out of this world-NUFF SAID! GET THIS COMIC IF YOU ARE A HULK FAN! HULK COMICS DO NOT GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS! YOU WILL HAVE SPENT YOUR MONEY ON A WORTHY ITEM! END OF STORY!

I don't get to read comics that much anymore. I still like to look at this once in a wile but that's about it. This was a great story. These comics are more like movies. This is about David Banner, who helps a women from gangs. The woman envites David into his hous and they start loving each other. Meanwile, to agents trying to kill the Hulk, go into a govermint lab to hier this experament called The Abomination. The woman David is with is the Abominations ex-wife when he was a human who would abuse her. The agents promise the return of his wife if he kills the Hulk. Th Abomination ageress. The end of this is a HUGE slugfeast. Lots of blood. Great book.