It’s no secret that Marvel Comics has an affinity for relaunching major series with new “#1” issues. The more cynical comic book fan may see this as a soulless money grab meant to stimulate the speculator market, while the more generous reader might think Marvel is doing what they can to make more accessible stories for new readers. With the runaway success of Immortal Hulk, it’s safe to assume Donny Cates and Ryan Ottley’s Hulk falls in the latter bucket. But is it really a great jumping on point for new readers? Despite a challenging and potentially overly-convoluted premise, the answer is yes — Hulk: Smashtronaut! features enough chaotic Hulk set-pieces and jaw-dropping splash pages to reel any new reader in.
I fell off the Immortal Hulk train relatively early in Al Ewing and Joe Bennett’s legendary run, so I’m coming into Hulk as a fresh-faced new reader. Luckily for me, Cates and Ottley’s new series doesn’t seem to pick up where Immortal left off, and instead launches a wholly new storyline that truly feels like a fresh start for Bruce Banner. Even so, Hulk isn’t exactly the easiest series to jump into and actually requires an expository introduction blurb to establish the context of the forthcoming issues.
Basically, Bruce Banner has managed to separate the Hulk into three psyches and entities modeled after a spacefaring ship — an engine room, a bridge, and a hull. Inside the bridge psyche is Bruce Banner, who controls the new ever-present Hulk and communicates externally with those who cross paths with the green gamma monster. That external Hulk, the one who is present in the physical world, is essentially the hull of the new Hulk spaceship. And what powers this ship? The engine room psyche, where Bruce Banner pits endless hordes of enemies against the Hulk to keep the Hulk hull angry enough to withstand immense stress.
If you’re a little lost, take it from me— it’s as confusing as it is unique.
Marvel Comics
There’s no denying that this new status quo for the Hulk immediately sets Cates and Ottley’s run apart from anything that came before it. The Hulk has long been regarded as Marvel’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde character, but this take on the character completely uproots that notion and instead presents a monster that is the best of both. This robs the series of the horror tropes that pervaded Immortal, but transforms the title into an epic action sci-fi story that never skimps on bombastic action sequences.
No matter how refreshing this take feels, the convoluted nature of it all does take some getting used to. This shift in status quo will be especially frustrating for readers who are expecting a detailed explanation of how Bruce has managed to turn the Hulk into a piloted vehicle of total carnage. Though I was absolutely digging the uninhibited destruction that simultaneously plagued the real world and the new engine room, I couldn’t help but get a little hung up on just how the hell this was all happening.
The Hulk ship is a lot to take in and Cates wastes no time explaining to the reader how things work. Instead he gives a bare minimum framework for how this new Hulk operates and, for the most part, the story is better because of it. There is little expository dialogue to disrupt the breakneck action, and the incredible art from Ottley really takes center stage without heaps of exposition. Still, the lack of explanation can leave the reader feeling just a little confused and occasionally baffled.
Marvel Comics
Once you get over the relative absurdity of Hulk‘s premise, you’re in for an explosive Hulk story that essentially launches substance into the sun in favor of endless destructive style. I’ve long thought Ryan Ottley was one of the unsung superstars of the industry, but the work showcased in Hulk‘s first six issues shows he was born to draw the Hulk. Building on the detailed yet chaotic carnage he showcased in Invincible, Ottley brings a grotesquely bloody and bombastic style to Hulk that makes the reader feel every single punch, slam, and smash.
Ottley really gets to flex thanks to the narrative context of this series, with many action scenes seamlessly transitioning from real-world battles featuring the Hulk ship and endless waves of mayhem within the engine room psyche. Watching the Hulk ship fight an alternate universe, gamma-radiated Peter Parker while the engine room Hulk takes down hordes of Marvel zombies, assorted gods, and the greatest hits of villains is a sight to behold that will make any comic fan giddy with childlike excitement. These scenes are absurdly violent, almost hilariously ridiculous — and they’re absolutely awesome.
Marvel Comics
While Hulk absolutely oozes style, it is light on substance. It’s an extremely breezy story with little emotional depth or character development. Though there are attempts to inject some genuine emotion and heavier themes into the story — like a manifestation of Betty Ross likening Bruce’s treatment of the Hulk to that of children undergoing forced trauma — these moments fall flat or just plain feel forced. There is an intriguing side plot around a mysterious entity who sent Bruce/Hulk into a murderous rage in El Paso prior to the Hulk ship days, but that side plot is clearly in the back seat for now in favor of the insane action sequences.
Hulk By Donny Cates Vol. 1: Smashtronaut! doesn’t reach the immediate narrative heights of its predecessor, and it’s nearly bogged down by its own elaborate narrative context. But none of that matters when a book looks as incredible as this one does. Rather than focus on exposition to explain the more confusing elements of the story, Cates and Ottley instead just let the Hulk do what he does best: cause utter destruction. Hulk smashing everything in sight has rarely looked so good, and that alone makes Smashtronaut! a strong start to this new era of the Hulk.
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