I love being surprised by a comic, especially one that I would never have picked up if I weren’t reviewing it. Thankfully, that is exactly what happened when I began reading Red Hulk Vol. 1: Prisoner of War, from writer Benjamin Percy with art by Geoff Shaw and Bryan Valenza. I have little experience with Red Hulk, outside of reading things like Immortal Hulk, and on paper, I am simply not interested in reading the story of an older military war hawk who has a history of being abusive and villainous… sorry! However, I was very impressed with Percy’s storytelling, Shaw’s art, and the way this trade fit into the larger One World Under Doom event.
Red Hulk begins with Thunderbolt Ross, the titular Red Hulk, imprisoned in Latveria by Doctor Doom, forced to solve war games as part of a twisted “think tank” for Doom’s takeover of Earth. Weak, disempowered, and disheveled, Ross is forced to use his keen tactical cunning to partner with an alternate universe Deathlok and the robotic Machine Man to escape his prison and rebel against Doom’s might. It is an interesting take on the jingoistic Ross, who is usually feverishly protective of America, when Thunderbolt’s devotion to his country comes right up against their acceptance of Doom as Emperor.
Marvel
This is a very dark comic book, and I love the atmosphere that Percy, Shaw, and Valenza cultivate. Dark both thematically and artistically, Red Hulk sees this ragtag group of political prisoners fighting against an onslaught of Doombots, while desperately attempting to get help from the United States government. Shaw’s art is really captivating, with epic fight scenes and wonderful emotion displayed across Thunderbolt Ross’ face. In many ways, though, Valenza’s coloring stands out as the star of the book. Somehow balancing the dark aura of the comic with a surprising amount of vibrancy, Valenza really impresses with how they highlight the shadowy atmosphere of an underground prison. Also, can I just say that I am obsessed with Red Hulk’s black nail polish? Iconic…
As part of the One World Under Doom event, this series works particularly well, especially in how it lays bare Doom’s intent for the world. Doom may be powerful, but he still needs to rely on a think tank of tacticians to successfully take over the planet, and also clearly wants to keep certain military minds away from his plans. As readers, we have not seen very much of what Doom is doing in Latveria during his rule as Emperor, so it is interesting to see a secret plan of his that absolutely fails. Ross escapes alongside Machine Man and Deathlok, and successfully faces off against an entire army of Doombots. Pretty embarrassing for Doom, to be honest.
Marvel
I like seeing Thaddeus choose to assault American military forces in Red Hulk #5 because he feels like they have betrayed his America by bowing to Emperor Doom. In many ways, Ross’ protest of Doom’s reign makes me think of America’s recent “No Kings” day of protests… a group of Americans rallying against the fascist regime that has propped up a false monarch in the White House. This book of rebellion, especially led by someone as traditionally conservative as Thaddeus Ross, is a surprisingly apropos comic for our current political environment, and in some ways even inspirational. While, of course, still being totally badass.
A politically relevant and gorgeously illustrated trade paperback, the first volume of Benjamin Percy, Geoff Shaw, and Bryan Valenza’s Red Hulk was a surprise hit for me. The journey of Red Hulk’s confinement to freedom is inspirational and rendered in enthralling illustration, with Valenza’s coloring in particular creating a gritty, dark atmosphere that draws you into the book and doesn’t let you go. If you are not someone who has read Red Hulk stories in the past, I get it. I didn’t think this book would be for me either. But trust me! With strong storytelling and engaging art, Red Hulk is well worth your investment.
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