She-Hulk is a character largely unknown to me. Prior to this collection, I had never read an issue with her in a starring role and have mostly seen her as a supporting character. However, with her MCU debut slated for later this year, I figured there’s no better time to become acquainted with the jade giantess — and what better way than with one of her most acclaimed series?
She-Hulk Epic Collection: Breaking the Fourth Wall spans the first 12 issues of Sensational She-Hulk, and also contains selections from Solo Avengers #14, Marvel Comics Presents #18, and Marvel Fanfare #48 alongside the two-part She-Hulk: Ceremony. All of these came out between 1989-1990 and provide a comprehensive glimpse into this memorable era. Hot off her stint on the Fantastic Four and the Avengers, Jen Walters tries going back to her legal roots but this time with a twist.
The Sensational era of She-Hulk is most notably known for Jen’s ability to break the fourth wall at will. She converses with her creators and fans alike as well as breaking the book’s logic. This marks one of the first meta-superhero books that fully leans into self referential humor. Shulkie frequently gives asides that only the readers are in on and leads to confusion from her comic companions. This dynamic lends the series a fresh style that immediately sets it apart from the usual comic fare of the time.
Hopping across panels in style.
Credit: Marvel Comics
Opening this collection is a Solo Avengers short that sets the humorous tone for the era. It doesn’t go full meta yet, but the recurring gag of Titania showing up on the Congress steps to interrupt She-Hulk quickly establishes the collection’s tone. Following this, we get into the actual series shift from Byrne. With a quick holiday teaser tale that sees She-Hulk duke it out with some of the Marvel Universe’s strongest baddies, the creative team sets the precedent for what’s to come.
The first eight issues of Sensational mark Byrne’s initial time with the character and delivers the best parts of this collection. The meta-jokes that pervade the series make for some laugh-out-loud moments. One issue can have the gag of the recurring Toadmen from the early Incredible Hulk issues, or She-Hulk pointing out the “laziness” of her own book following the progression of the early Fantastic Four series, only for her Vs. Doctor Doom issue to twist into her facing down the laughable Dr. Bong. There’s even a two-part story that pairs her with the side characters of the incredibly short-lived US-1, leading to her to a space truck stop in search of the man with a CB radio embedded in his skull. The deep Marvel cuts abound make for a breezy and fun reading experience.
Marvel Comics
It’s also important to mention that Byrne pulls double duty on his issues by not only writing them, but penciling them as well. His style immediately lends itself to the series and makes for a great looking book. Byrne’s depiction of She-Hulk as stylish, sexy and confident comes through not only in the plots but in the artwork. Accompanying Byrne is Bob Wiacek on inks, whose work succeeds at bringing out the best of the pencils. The consistency and quality brought to the series by this team is truly standout.
Despite Byrne’s early departure, the series continues on. Sensational #9, the first post-Byrne issue, leans into the idea of a fill-in creative team coming in at the last minute. Both Shulkie and Madcap poke fun at the inconsistent artwork and departure from previous plots in a largely wacky issue. However, this comical bit can only stretch so far. The latter Sensational issues continue on with mixed creative teams, scattered plots, and their own artistic inconsistencies. These issues aren’t terrible, but their gags lean more into absurdity than craftiness.
Marvel Comics
Rounding out the collection is She-Hulk: Ceremony. These two oversized issues start out as a love story intermixed with Native American culture. The first half sets up She-Hulk’s engagement to an old flame, Wyatt Wingfoot, while the second half drops most of the romantic threads and She-Hulk’s own journey in favor of commentary on industrialization and land rights. The highly politicized tone doesn’t jive well with the series at the time and reads awkwardly today. There’s some fine artwork here with unique coloring choices as well as a few adventurous page layouts, but by the end it does not add up to the grand, sweeping tale it strives to be.
Currently, this collection is the only in-print way to get a hold of these early Sensational She-Hulk issues. Also included here are some reprinted interviews with the creatives, as well as promotional art and series’ pencils. This makes for a packed trade, but is it worth the price point? For me, the initial issues made for some of the funniest and creative comics I’ve read in a while, so for that reason it’s well worth including on my shelf. However, for readers looking to get the most bang for their buck it’s worth noting the after the initial issues it does settle into more middling territory. As it stands, Breaking the Fourth Wall is a mixed bag collection.
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