Well...except for that one time he did it.

And a goatee.


Actually, that's a good point. When Banner had his head shaved, he transformed into the Hulk and the Hulk's head was also shaved. I guess they didn't want the 'stache cause it'd be a dead giveaway as to who it was. Of course, even Loeb didn't seem to know who Rulk was when he was the one writing the storylines.

While we've seen again and again that in the hands of competent and interested writers pretty much any character can be made interesting* - look at She-Hulk, who has both a terrible name and one of the worst origin tales I've ever read, but went on to become an entertaining, nuanced character largely due to the separate efforts of Byrne and David - so I expect that especially given the revelation of who they are and how they came to be their potential immediately rose considerably; it's a vastly more solid basis than poor Jen had.

As with so much of Marvel's Big Events in this past decade (save for the Annihilation/space-based ones, as Abnett and Lanning have done such a nice job) incoming comics readers will likely be best served by reading a skillfully-written synopsis or even just picking the history up via bits of exposition in ongoing comics than they would be in reading most of the original comics. Still, that's just MHO.

I only tried to give it the one read-through when it arrived, but my impression of #600 was that it was "craptastic filler." I know that I almost immediately regretted getting it. I think the most interesting item in it was the stroll down memory lane with the mini-cover gallery.




* Sentry, I suppose, is for me the exception to prove the rule.

Oh, without a doubt. It's tried and true comics tradition to have a new character come in and essentially mop the place with the established heroes, especially if it's someone who ends up joining one of the heroes' teams. They're unlikely to ever again be as effective and overpowering.

That said, if... challenged writers simply must have some relative new guy to be the strongest guy on the block for a while, I'm much more in favor of having a character with the provenance of Ross/Rulk be it than I ever was the likes of the violently shoe-horned in Sentry or will ever be for any of the Hulk's kids.

Yep. This.

The free Marvel Saga issues that crop up from time to time are must-reads if you want to get the gist of a huge story without buying the issues/trades.


#600 was alright, but I felt more like you did. Mainly because it was STRONGLY implied that the Rulk reveal would take place there in solicitation materials.

NO ONE likes a bait n' switch.

To be fair, comic covers hardly ever depict what happens on the inside. Azrael #99 depicts Batman beating a bloody and damaged Azrael on a rooftop and Azrael actually beats the crap out of Batman in the actual issue and then saves his life. It happens all the time. That's not to say that it won't happen either, but you can never go by covers.

Like those issues of the Invaders that show Cap on the cover carrying a large gun while he and parachutes with the others into a dangerous area of nazi occupied europe, while inside the book, he's actually just sitting around playing poker with Namor and the Torch while Bucky shines his boots.

Dammit man, let a brother have some fun!

We're talking about post-memory loss Tony here. Losing your memory makes you better.

...

Rulk fought Stark? When?

Nah, I don't care

I've forgotten something...how to NOT KICK ###!

Wasn't so much a fight as it was a splash page with Rulk bear-hugging Stark into submission, IIRC.

Then again, can't say I care overmuch either.

As a Hulk nerd, I chalk this up to the fact that Hulk has Super Hair Growth Powers.

Way back in Peter David's run, there was a time where Smart Hulk grew a Maestro beard and hair instantly because he had to give people someone to blame for some nuclear stuff that I think the Leader was doing. I can't remember the exact plot details, but I know he busted out a beard immediately. So I'm assuming Red Hulk has facial hair absorption/redistribution powers, too.

Sorry, man. I didn't mean to take away your fun. If it makes you feel any better, you are probably right. Rulk is going to fall into that redundant comic book cliché that all new villains do after wiping the floor with all of the big named heroes when they first appear.

Like Doomsday and Bane.

Wow, that's awesome, I never knew that. I did some digging and found they had actually met performing together in 1959, and again when Poston guested on The Bob Newhart Show. But still, it's nice that two talented people were together.