The Incredible Hulk #104; The Dark Tower # 2; Crossing Midnight #4

The Incredible Hulk: Planet Hulk # 104
Greg Pak-Carlo Pagulayan

Thought I'd check back in on this book, now that we are nearing the next big marvel event(does the fun never stop?) World War Hulk, and see how the big mean and green is doing. Well it looks like I missed a lot of smashing because now Hulk is emperor of the planet he's landed on, and generally being a good guy, living a good life...all of this is of course setup for yet another batch of stupid puny humans to come and mess things up for the Hulk.

As I said before Planet Hulk got overly repetitious, this is a quality book. You do enjoy following the hulk. It is a lively cast of characters that Pak's created. But as they say, it's time to get the show on the road. Once we knew the Hulk was going to return to earth, everything else started to become just filler before the main course. So while I appreciate Planet Hulk, it did drag on over long, and I am glad to see it an issue away from it's end.

Probably if you are wanting a jumping on point pre-world war hulk, this is the issue to get. It recaps everything, and is really the beginning of the next great batch of hulk smashings.

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Reborn # 2

Peter David-Jae Lee

The art on this book is still beautiful, and for that alone you want to turn the pages. But geez. Overwrought much. As I've said, I haven't read the Stephen King books on which this was based, but the dialouge and narration are just sooooo excessive. Almost to the point of parity.

I would love if this book were more pared down, and the art was left to tell the bulk of the story. This issue is more expository, and a lot less actually happens in this issue. I think that's going to become something of a lingering problem with this book, the pace. There were more than a few times I was caught looking to see how many more pages I had left in the book. It just yammers on and on.

I guess you're getting your moneys worth, because the production values on this are still through the roof. I'm still not reading the essays at the back of the book by Robin Furth, because I'm lame like that. But really...a good time was not had by all in the reading of this book.

I think it will make an excellent trade, and it probably makes an excellent set of novels, but as a monthly, I have to say I'm not all that excited to see the next issue.

Crossing Midnight # 4
Mike Carey-Jim Fern

In contrast to The Dark Tower, Mike Carey's Crossing Midnight shows that you can tell a very measured tale, and still make it work as a monthly. Without fail, no matter how I might feel in the middle of the book, by the end, I am always wanting to immeditely read the next book.

I don't fully understand the mythology behind the book yet, and I get confused about who is who when they are referred to by name, so I don't have all the names straight, but I really am enjoying the story. In particular the newly appeared kind of rebel sewing god that appeared in this issue. Very cool.

This still feels like a book that is moving towards something spectacular, and I still fully reccomend giving it a shot. I don't know how it will read as a trade, but it is a great monthly.