Who’s the Monster?

I had a brief Twitter conversation recently about how absolutely perfect the characterization of Banner is in the current run of Incredible Hulk, but on retrospect I don’t so much think it’s a perfect representation of who the character has been in the past; moreover I think it more accurately reflects who the character has become over the past five years or so since Greg Pak started writing him.

Since Greg Pak took over, Banner has been shot into space, seen Hulk claw his way to power on Sakaar and return to Earth for revenge but, more significantly, he’s been okay with it. Banner reached an understanding with the Hulk – and his bride, Caiera – that he’s never had before. It wasn’t the uneasy detente of Peter David’s run, it was a full fledged complicity in Hulk’s actions – and it’s revealed aspects of Banner’s character that has been dormant for far too long.

Banner’s a genius, yes. But the shroud of social incompetence he used to wear has been shrugged off; he’s cold, calculating and brutal. He’s now taken to training up his son, Skaar, to be able to kill the Hulk when he inevitably re-emerges – or at least that’s what he’s leading everyone to believe.

He’s willing to go to extraordinary lengths to protect his son as well. Take this most recent issue, which culminated in Daken using that claw with the ability to block healing abilities (apparently) to gut Skaar; Banner doesn’t hesitate to pull an old-power-powered gun on Wolverine.

Problem is, Daken doesn’t believe he’ll use it and he’s not the only one.

And that’s when Banner talks about his past; his killing of his abusive father was established in Peter David’s run and there, if I remember correctly, it seemed that the Hulk had more problems coming to terms with it than Banner did.

Of course, some people still need convincing…

…and convince them he does. Here’s the thing, though, it was originally suggested that the Hulk was basically born of the guilt from Banner’s act of patricide – and Pak here takes it one step further. Here, Banner suggests that the Hulk isn’t Banner’s repressed violent side; it’s his outlet to protect the world from Banner. He can’t be Banner while he’s Hulk – which means that Banner can’t plan.

It’s a great take on the character, and elevates him to a level that we haven’t seen before.

Also, Bendis’ thing about the Hulk killing people in his rampages? Gone forever, apparently – and good riddance.

Tags: Art, Hulk, Marvel, Wolverine, World War Hulk

This entry was posted on October 27, 2009 at 8:18 am and is filed under Archive, Comics-Archived. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.