World War Hulk 2: EPIC. TIMES 2.

It's going to be World War Hulk Day around the Anxiety as I've got the afternoon off and several WWH books to work through (WWH 2, WWH: Front Line 1, WWH: X-Men 2, Ghost Rider 13, and Avengers: The Initiative 4) so I'm going to knock them off one at a time. For those not familiar with how we're handling WWH around these parts, we're looking at the books through the lens of how much action each books packs between its covers. I'll get through as many books as I can. On with the show ...

World War Hulk 2 (of 5) (Pak & JRJR).

SMASH! LEVEL: EPIC. TIMES 2.

MAIN EVENT: HULK & WARBOUND v. NEW & MIGHTY AVENGERS; HULK & WARBOUND v. FANTASTIC FOUR.

I don't know if it's possible for WWH to get any better than this issue.

You can describe the issue in about 10 words: Hulk kicks crap out of Avengers. Hulk kicks crap out of Fantastic Four (OK, 13 words), but that doesn't come close to accurately representing the all-out action awesomeness of the issue. It's hard to imagine that this is only the second issue - the two huge battles that take place between the Hulk and his Warbound and the Avengers and Fantastic Four are as befitting the final battle as whatever I could have hoped we'd see in WWH 5.

Pak & Romita build the action-upon-action sequences smartly, beginning with the relative quick throwdown between She-Hulk and her cousin, then moving through a beatdown of Avengers Team-Up, and ending with an absolutely classic Hulk v. Fantastic Four battle that has extended one-on-one bouts with both the Thing and Reed Richards.

Each round has someone trying to make peace with the Hulk, but he's just simply not buying it. Pak wisely keeps Hulk's dialogue to a minimum, allowing JRJR to get across Hulk's hurt and anger and determination.

Romita is really the star of the issue - battles are appropriately epic but also crystal clear to follow. There's no questioning what's happening in a given panel, something Leinil Yu (New Avengers) and Ed Benes (Justice League of America) would do well to learn. Romita also fills the book with plenty of smaller moments that elevate the book - from the Sentry's blank expression as he readies himself for the possibility of having to confront the Hulk to Jen's frightened look after the Hulk has planted her beneath the city street.

If you want SMASH! out of the World War Hulk Experience, then WWH 2 is the issue to get.

And if you like WWH, be sure to check out Marvel's World War Hulk Hub.