The Incredible Hulk #15 Review

Marvel Comics
The Incredible Hulk #15 Review
By Andy Frisk
October 29, 2012 - 20:11

Marvel Comics
Writer(s): Jason Aaron
Penciller(s): Jefte Palo
Inker(s): Jefte Palo
Colourist(s): Frank Martin
Letterer(s): Chis Eliopoulos
Cover Artist(s): Ed McGuinness and Frank Martin
$3.99 US

In "United: Conclusion" Jason Aaron not only brings to a close his run on The Incredible Hulk, he wraps up a year long story arc that sets the stage for the Hulk's future, and new status quo, at Marvel Comics. Finally reunited and working in conjunction with each other, The Hulk and Bruce Banner finally learn to work together as a what can quite possibly be considered the most formidable team in all the Marvel U.

While showing The Hulk and Banner rout the dreaded Doom Bots that both he and Banner have been chasing ever since it was revealed the Dr. Doom himself was responsible for the most recent Hulk/Banner split, Aaron also touches on the long list of characters, some of which he created himself for the storyline, during this final issue. It was a nice and nostalgic look back at some memorable characters that Aaron brought to fun and witty life. It's been remarked around the comic book commentary world that Aaron really didn't "get" the Hulk as a character, but his run The Incredible Hulk displayed all the wit, humor, and psychological drama that he brought to Ghost Rider and Wolverine. Aaron is at his best when he writes characters who are at war with themselves, have divided loyalties, or are placed in situations that they are not necessarily at home with, but persevere anyway. All of these characteristics describe both Hulk and Banner.

This series started with Marc Silvestri on pencils, but while his work is some of the most legendarily recognizable and engaging in comics today, his style didn't mesh with Aaron's. Jefte Palo brought Aaron's masterful Hulk storyline to a much better visual close. His facial expressions and less busy and overactive style brought Aaron's humor, drama, and action to much better and much more insightful life than Silvestri's did.

While I hate to see Aaron wrap up yet another great run on yet another great Marvel Comics character, I can look back and savor this series and run for as long as it lasted. At least we got a Jason Aaron Hulk. We might not have, and comics would have been worse for it.

Rating: 9.5/10