World War Hulk: Asking Questions

I'm really enjoying World War Hulk. I wasn't sure I would - I thought it might be just some harmless summer fun, but not anything to grab me. Maybe as a result of so many of this summer's diversionary films being terrible, WWH's finely executed brand of revenge-action-blockbuster is playing even better. WWH has been smart enough not to offend, but wise enough to know that we're tuning in to see the Hulk go all SMASH! on the offending parties.

While there hasn't been as much SMASH! as desired in the tie-in books, so far, there has been a lot of shaking-in-boots to hold us over until the Green Scar and his Warbound cut loose.

World War Hulk: Front Line 1 (of 6) (Jenkins & Bachs).

SMASH! LEVEL: OFF-PANEL.

MAIN EVENT: NONE.

I was very wary about picking up WWH: Front Line 1 after the disaster that was Civil War: Front Line 11.

Luckily those fears were unfounded. Paul Jenkins turns in an outstanding issue focusing on the start-up operation that is Front Line, a new independent news organization run by Ben Urich and Sally Floyd. Jenkins deftly touches on the perils of a start-up news site (FL seems to be mostly an online news site at this point, with a slow expansion into actual printed copies), including the fact that it doesn't really matter how good your stories are unless you're making enough money to keep going. Enter one mysterious benefactor tossing major cake in Ben and Sally's direction and money problems go away. The identity of the benefactor isn't anything I'm going to worry about until it becomes an issue. Too much time was wasted in CW: FL figuring things out that came to unsatisfactory conclusions that I'd just rather not bother until I need to bother.

Jenkins is smart to make Urich the voice of the narrative because Ben is the sane, centered one between him and Sally. After the money issue is resolved, this issue focuses on the coming of the Hulk. Korg and Arch-E are the featured guest players from amongst the Warbound. They park a small spacecraft in Central Park in an attempt to get access to Earth for the refugees picked up when their planet exploded.

There's not a whole lot of action here - just a glimpse of Sally experiencing the Hulk v. Iron battle from World War Hulk 1 - but that's not the selling point of Front Line. Investigative journalism is what sells this book and Jenkins delivers. He does cheat a bit, giving the issue's big mystery to Sally's boyfriend Danny Granville, a NYPD Detective in the Costume Division, who has been placed with Korg to investigate the murder of Arch-E. Arch-E's murder takes place off-panel, so there's not much to say about it, yet.

One minor mystery is the dead dog that Sally and Kenny (her photographer) come across prior to the Iron Man/Hulk battle, if it is the dog that Ben saw Korg pat earlier in the issue. (It looks like the same dog, but the coloring is off, so we don't know for certain, yet, though I'm guessing it's supposed to be the same dog.)

The issue definitely recovers some of Front Line's rep after the Civil War debacle.

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World War Hulk: X-Men 1 (of 3): "Hard Questions" (Gage & DiVito).

SMASH! LEVEL: NEVER BEFORE SEEN.

MAIN EVENT: HULK v. NEW X-MEN.

Christos Gage is handling both the Iron Man and X-Men segments of World War Hulk, and doing a great job with both early-on in the event proceedings.

Professor Xavier was a member of Stark's Illuminati group, but wasn't present when the decision was made to send the Hulk into deep space, never to return. One of the central questions here is whether Xavier would have gone along with Namor's dissent or the others' acceptance of the plan. Stark asks Xavier that at the beginning of the issue, and Hulk comes calling to Westchester to ask Chuck in person.

One of the areas where writers across WWH have done a really good job is showing just how rattled one becomes when faced with the Hulk. Beast is putting the New X-Men through some practice paces and when they hear the TV report that the Hulk has arrived, Hellion wants to go to NYC to take the Hulk out. It's a good sign of ignorant, naive bravado that is immediately counted when the Hulk shows up and McCoy nearly soils himself.

Andre DiVito follows up Hank's shocked look with a beautiful one-page splash of the Hulk standing just inside the gated entrance to the school, demanding to see Xavier.

Hank sends the students away through the old Morlock Tunnels to buy time, but foolishly asks the New X-Men to stick around in order to facilitate the safe removal of the others. It's a silly move for Hank to make and desperate situation or not, it makes Hank look dumb to let the New X-Men stay right after he's told them how serious a threat the Hulk is right now. Hank's plan is to get Elixir (a mutant with healing powers) to touch the Hulk in order to shut down his healing factor.

Hulk confidently proclaims he doesn't need his healing factor and the battle escalates. It's a lot of fun watching the New X-Men take their shot at the Hulk and the Hulk almost casually dismantling them. Literally. Knowing (somehow) that Rockslide can control his rock-body when it's in pieces, Hulk rips off his arms and tosses them far, far away, wondering, "Can you still control them when they're in Connecticut?" Gage does an excellent job working in plenty of smart dialogue while DiVito illustrates the battle beautifully. It's fun to read, both in words and pictures.

Hulk's just about done wiping the floor with them when the Old X-Men arrive, followed immediately by Xavier, who tries to read the Hulk's mind and ends up tossing some feedback over everyone in attendance, giving them all a quick infodump on what happened to the Hulk during the Planet Hulk storyline.

The Hulk wants one simple answer - how would Xavier have voted? Which, of course, we have to wait until next issue to find out what Xavier says.

I'm fine with that. This was probably the best tie-in of all the WWH tie-ins and between this and Front Line 1, it was a heck of a great week for Marvel's 2007 Summer Event. I can't wait for the next issue of WWH: X-Men.