The sun is blocked out and the monsters have come out to play, as seen in Hulk: Blood Hunt #1. Out this week, the one-shot has Bruce Banner encounter a threat you’ve never seen before in Arizona. Tying in old Hollywood and immigrants, writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson finds a new horror monster to plague Hulk.
Hulk: Blood Hunt #1 opens in Arizona 50 years ago. We meet two old men who literally get run into by a young boy. He doesn’t speak English but speaks of devils taking his family. We then cut to the present, where Bruce Banner is scrounging for food and water and comes upon the very same town. A good horror story opening if I ever saw one.
Over the course of the issue we find out what that boy saw, as well as get plenty of body horror via Hulk’s transformation. I haven’t done extensive research, but it appears Johnson invented a new monster, or at least a variation for the underground deserts in the south west.
Danny Earls draws the issue with colors by Matthew Wilson and we get more visual nightmare fuel in this issue. From the creatures under the desert to Hulk busting out of Bruce’s skin, there’s plenty here to satiate horror fans. Action fans will enjoy Earls’ ability to show Hulk throwing bits of wood like spears that pierce and then send the monsters flying.
Looks like a fresh kill.
Credit: Marvel
The connection to old Hollywood is sort of interesting, although it doesn’t have much bearing on the story. It’s a reason for there being an old town in the middle of nowhere, I guess.
I’m also not sure if the immigrant aspect works. The little boy is an immigrant, and later in the issue, we get to see his story of hope once his family reaches America. A symbol he holds of the American flag is one that drives him, but it’s dashed due to these monsters. Is this a metaphor for the dangers of crossing the boarder? It’s not really clear, and feels a bit muddled.
As far as the story tying into Blood Hunt, you won’t find much more than an excuse for Hulk to fight monsters who only come out at night. As a one-shot, it’s a nice horror tale, but it really has nothing to do with the event.
Johnson continues successfully exploring America’s dark corners using Hulk in the new Blood Hunt one-shot. While this story may not tie into the larger event, it certainly features good horror and great visuals.
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