RULK REVIEW : HULK Issue # 38
“No. It. Will… NOT!!!!” M.O.D.O.K screams as he stands his ground and creates a frontline! “All Life Model Decoys! Report to my location with PLASMA RIFLES! And Discharge ZZZAX!!”
It is simply thrilling to see the new M.O.D.O.K. finally get a hell yeah moment in HULK Issue #38 “Planet of Fear Part Two“. Writer Jeff Parker enjoyably has our favorite mental organism designed only for killing taking names and kicking ass, saving New York and its citizens in the process. His deeds are justified (of course) by concluding that no one should conquer the world but he and no one should kill the Rulk but he, which is why M.O.D.O.K stops Zero/One’s assassin Black Fog from dealing a final death blow to a vulnerable Red Hulk moments before. But for whatever the reasons, his actions are ultimately heroic and his come and get some attitude is just plain infectious and so much fun. By the way, the new M.O.D.O.K digs chicks now too. After sharing a quite logical mind merge with Zero/One and coming to the realization that it was his evil actions that created her, the large headed villain becomes quite infatuated with his shapely counterpart. “I think I’m in love“. A new M.O.D.O.K. indeed.
Where the previous issue felt like filler and manufactured, designed to lure new readers following the Fear Itself Marvel cross-over event into the fold of the Red Hulk saga, Jeff Parker manages the second tie-in to continue his terrific story and actually benefit from it. Waving away my previous complaints, Fear Itself no longer felt forced upon this series, rather just woven and symbiotic, something that is hardly achieved in cross-overs like this.
Parker’s great work is complimented by the artistic talent of Elena Casagrande. While her renditions of the Red Hulk leave much to be desired, Casagrande seems she was born to draw the new M.O.D.O.K. And considering the killing organism was the centerpiece of this issue, she was definitely in her element of excellence.
4 out of 5 Stars
-A.J.
A general falls. A red monster rises. Stay tuned.
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RULK REVIEW : HULK Issue # 36
Ross is dreaming about death. Calling them bad dreams is an understatement… but these nightmares have been feeling so real that they appear like premonitions… so the Rulk is compelled to investigate. What the Red Hulk and his life model decoy Annie find is he has actually been viewing killings through the eyes of the evil entity Zzzax… becoming an unwilling spectator to the people the electrifying villain lays to waste. But why?
After a side-step with the poorly concluded Planet Red Hulk, writer Jeff Parker’s HULK Issue # 36 “Shock to the System” puts the series back on track and marks the return of both Zzzax and the devious M.O.D.O.K., finally revealing to the red behemoth that he has returned despite the aftermath of “World War Hulks”. As with the Rulk’s previous violent interaction with The Watcher, Parker takes another thread from the past of Thaddeus Ross and explores its ramifications again, one being why such a mental link between Rulk and Zzzax now exists.
Also, for someone who hates LMD’s, it’s nice to see the close relationship Ross has formed with Annie, which is no doubt a product of the disgraced General’s loneliness. The most compelling piece of Parker’s tale is the offer from M.O.D.O.K. to Rulk to re-form their now broken alliance. It almost seems… just for a moment… that Ross considers it.
The great work of Parker is evenly matched here by artist Patrick Zircher. Zircher does a real terrific job in this issue and manages to maintain the same artistic, greatly praised tone that Gabriel Hardman started back in Issue 30.1. When drawing the caricature of Red Hulk is concerned, Zircher actually is better than Hardman, surpassing the simplicity and adding the necessary facial details that Hardman’s Rulk lacked. All of his talents makes this issue a real feast for the eyes… and assists in making a great book entirely.
4 out of 5 Stars
-A.J.
A general falls. A red monster rises. Stay tuned.
In joyful celebration of the landmark 50th issue of writer Jeff Parker's critically acclaimed HULK Comic, superstar Jeff Parker has graciously and enthusiastically agreed to answer questions from the people who count the most: the loyal fans! Click here to 
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