Comic Book Review - The Immortal Hulk: Time Of Monsters #1

Rob reviews The Immortal Hulk: Time Of Monsters #1...

I've never been a big fan of The Hulk. Sure the character has come a long way since his introduction and had had many classic tales throughout the year. But much like Thor, I've found the character to be a bit hit and miss. I think the last Hulk story I read and enjoyed was Planet Hulk/World War Hulk. We saw a different side to the titular 'big green', and then got to see what happens if you destroy his loved ones. 

In a way reading Immortal Hulk has ignited my interest in the Hulk and having caught up with the soon-to-be ending series, this new one-shot is a great parting gift. 

The Immortal Hulk: Time Of Monsters takes us back in time. Not only do we get to see who was the first person to be resurrected to become a Hulk, but the story also explores the deadly cost of being immortal. 

Immortal Hulk: Time Of Monsters follows a young man named Tammuz in the year 9,500 BCE. Tammuz finds himself being tricked into a ritual sacrifice as his people suffer for lack of food and resources due to the barren lands that they call home. As the ritual takes place Tammuz is taken by the 'Mother Goddess' who transforms him into a somewhat 'Primordial Hulk'. While this is happening the villagers are confronted by a horrific beast and a battle soon ensues. As the beast and the villagers battle, a mysterious force ensure that Tammuz' sacrifice wasn't a worthless endeavour.

Al Ewing teams up with writer Alex Paknadel for this journey into some pretty uncharted territory when it comes to both the Hulk and the current status quo. Ewing and Paknadel deliver some brilliant interactions between Tammuz and his 'father' Adad, which are both heartwarming and emotional. Tammuz is an incredibly likeable character who's full of sympathy and quite enduring. It all helps to tie into the grand scheme of the story and makes what happens truly shocking.  Ewing and Paknadel have created a great story that not only further develops Immortal Hulk but also stands pretty well on its own. You don't need to understand what's going on in Immortal Hulk to pick this one up and find some enjoyment. When you consider that some modern comics can be pretty evasive for newcomers, this style of storytelling is a must. 

Joining Al Ewing and Alex Paknadel is artist Juan Ferreyra. Ferreyra creates some truly wonderful art and his depiction of Tammuz' village is a great fit for the story. His use of panel border also highlights the ancient feel to the story and the different shapes bring various pacing effects to the action. Thunderbolts #2 recently gave us all great insight into Ferreyra's use of action and it's a great addition to this stories finale. It's a visual treat that all come together to make quite the Hulk tale. But considering the talent involved that was probably never in doubt...

Immortal Hulk: Time of Monsters #1 also features a second story written by David Vaughan and illustrated by Kevin Nowlan. Compared to the opening tale, this one a pretty sombre affair that follows Bruce Banner as he visits a local cinema. He then finds himself face-to-face with Scarecrow (no not that one) and things get ugly. Vaughan does a great job with the script of this one and packs plenty of film references into it. Nowlan's depiction of the Hulk is frighteningly good and fits into the script incredibly well. 

All in all, Immortal Hulk: Time Of Monsters #1 is a great Hulk tale that builds upon the events of Immortal Hulk without relying on them too much to tell its story. Ewing, Paknadel, and Vaughan have crafted two very different stories that each builds upon the rich history of the Hulk and make this one a must read for any comic book fan.

Rating 8/10

Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev