One of the things I love about The Hulk is the sense of danger and unpredictability the character brings. Even when he’s in his smart “Professor” mode, the sheer size of the guy makes it a little unnerving to watch him interact with regular people. But the thing that works best with Hulk in this mode is how much other heroes have to toe the line to not set him off when he goes against them, which can lead to some of the best Hulk fights of all time. But just how strong is the Hulk when goes up against something like dinosaurs? Or Galactus? Or a black hole? Or even Earth itself? That’s a series of questions that Ryan North and artist Vincenzo Carratu set out to answer in Hulk: Smash Everything.
When The Leader seeks out a distraction to help him gain access to Doctor Doom’s Time Platform, he decides to use the Hulk. Thinking that his plan will allow him to get rid of the Hulk and gain his prize, he dons a Doctor Strange disguise and angers Bruce Banner at his Empire State University course. This leads to the Hulk going after Doctor Strange, believing him to be the source of his rage. But when Hulk tracks down The Leader after being diverted by Strange, he’s sent back in time to the prehistoric age, right when the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs is about to hit. Hulk is the strongest one there is, so a planet-changing asteroid won’t amount to anything against him, right? …Right?
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I won’t spoil that here, but I will say that Hulk: Smash Everything really excels at ramping up the tension with each installment, giving the series a real sense of propulsion and excitement as you see how Hulk interacts with the next big thing Ryan North and Vincenzo Carratu throw at him. Hulk taking on such out-there concepts like a black hole or Earth itself are weird, for sure, but in practice it makes for some very fun moments with the jade giant, and the dialogue North gives Hulk is pretty funny at time too (Hulk calling Galactus “stupid hat” made me laugh every time). That being said, the book does peak at bit after the black hole sequence, which comes midway through the collection. Having two more issues afterwards is a bit of a letdown, even though they’re stilly plenty entertaining.
Ryan North has made a name for himself with titles like Fantastic Four and Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, and he knows that when the title of a the comic includes the words “smash everything” that you better do just that. But what surprised me was North’s ability to trick me into learning about science with this series. Much like his run on Fantastic Four, Smash Everything has a great teaching bent to it, melding the Hulk’s increasingly insane predicaments and his escapes with science facts. It’s a great bit of using real-world science to craft a compelling story without making it feel like you’re watching a PowerPoint presentation of how stuff works.
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Vincenzo Carratu’s art is really what sells this collection, though. I’m sure many artists would love the chance to be given a script like this, with all the insane action they can do with the Hulk. Carratu’s style is perfectly suited for something like this, and he really gets to go all out with interesting page layouts and big, bold action. The moments in space feel grand and epic thanks to his wide panels and splash pages, and the moments on Earth when Hulk is trapped at our planet’s core feel claustrophobic thanks to his tight small panel designs.
All in all, Hulk: Smash Everything isn’t the type of book that’s a “rush out and buy” one, but as something a little closer to the “classic” Hulk feel, it’s a very good time. While Hulk has been on a bit of a character roller coaster in the main continuity since Immortal Hulk, there hasn’t been a lot of room in Marvel’s publishing to just let the big guy rip a bunch of stuff a part. For those looking for that kind of story, or a good introductory Hulk tale, Hulk: Smash Everything will fit the bill nicely.
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