Indestructible Hulk #16

[arbre_rieur]

'Stan and Jack created something fifty years ago that nobody in comics had ever done. They created the very first tragic superhero. Thing has a little tragedy to him as well, but he had a family and friends. Bruce Banner was the absolute tragic hero, the first of them.

'The problem there is that for the next fifty years, especially now — go to the New 52 and throw a stick and try not to hit somebody who thinks their powers are a curse. It’s become so played out and so cliché in my mind, the whole “woe is me, I have superpowers and it’s terrible..."' -- Mark Waid

Comments

[leoboiko]

Yup, still hate this Bruce.

[cainofdreaming]

What do we need more in our superhero books? Bureaucratic corruption, apparently. Also suicides.

[starwolf_oakley]

Bureaucratic corruption has been in superhero books since the mid-70s. Thanks, Watergate!

[wizardru]

I'm still not sure what I think of this version of the Hulk/Bruce, though since he's one of the most continually changing characters in the MU, I can live with that. He'll change again soon enough.

But the whole idea of a character like Jessup, a normal guy who can talk the Hulk down and has his back because he wasn't there for someone else? I like the concept. Curious, though: it looks like the dad killed the mom, where the previous pages make it look like the mom is the alcoholic with anger problems. The dad committing a murder/suicide seems counter-intuitive, but not having read the rest, couldn't say.

[bizarrohulk]

Both of the bodies being laid out on the tarpaulin like that makes me think suicide pact rather than murder-suicide.

[cainofdreaming]

He could have walked her there on gunpoint, though. But, yes, given the past events that scenario doesn't seem too likely.

[thezmage]

It's not a tarp, though, it's the same carpet they have on the floor every time we see that room.

Based on the previous panel, I'd be inclined to believe that he shot her in self defense, then shot himself out of guilt.

[starwolf_oakley]

I thought Bruce hulked out when he got angry/excited/his heart sped up, not when he was frustrated something got invented first. This does lend some credence to the whole "Bruce hulks out when he stubs his toe" idea.

I think Jessup's tragic past is supposed to show he's "not so different" than Bruce. After all, Bruce saw his father kill his mother, then saw his father get hauled off in a straightjacket screaming "It's all YOUR fault!"

[thatnickguy]

This has been an ongoing issue in this comic, though, hasn't it? That Bruce is getting more and more frustrated that he's being left to the wayside in favour of Hulk? That he's not adding anything to science as a result? That was the point of the beginning of the series.

So I could see that becoming a growing frustration and thus, anger.

And to be honest, I like it. It makes sense that this brilliant scientist wants to be remembered for more than smashing stuff.

[blueprintstyles]

have you noticed marvel and indie writers are always taking shots at dc, but I've never seen any reply from them?

[icon_uk]

I would be very unprofessional for an employer of that scale to make replies to that sort of comment.

[mrstatham]

They take plenty of shots during the conventions and the like, although to be perfectly frank, I've never actually seen that many Marvel writers do it. Waid in particular seems to tend to take potshots because of his bad experiences, and Rucka does the same, only Rucka has been soured by Marvel, too.

[thanekos]

Man, the next proposal for anti-Hulk ordinance that crosses that functionary's desk is gonna get approved so fast, it's not even funny.

[michaelhealy]

To be fair tiny things and evil robots are all Pym knows how to make nowadays. Let him have the medicine thing.

[hopeofdawn]

You know what I want to see? I want to see a comic that actually takes into account all the things they've tried to contain the Hulk that *didn't work*, and decide to do something different. Blow him up? Didn't work. Chase him around and make him a fugitive? Just spreads the damage around. Shoot him into space? Gets mad, takes over alien planets, then comes BACK. Tranqs, repulsors, every other kind of anti-Hulk exotic weaponry you can think of? Doesn't work, doesn't work, doesn't work, and hi, collateral damage my old friend!

I'd love to see a book where the government actually decides that the Hulk needs to be treated like a natural disaster--like a tornado or hurricane. You can't stop 'em, you can't contain 'em. So why not just form a team who's primary mission would be A) do everything you can to make Bruce Banner's life stress-free and minimize the number of Hulkouts and B) Get people and valuables the hell out of the way when the Hulkouts do happen. Maybe even try to redirect them towards less populated areas. Basically, a government agency that does nothing but protect people from the Hulk, and the Hulk from people. THAT would be new.

But then we wouldn't have a big superbattle every issue or so, and the whole book would probably get cancelled. Oh well. :/

[cainofdreaming]

They could just create a puppy-gun. A gun that shoots adorable puppies would stop Hulk dead.

Next step - kitten-gatling.

[glprime]

My what great heroes Tony and Reed are, keeping Bruce in the loop on what they're all working on, making him feel like a scientist again.

Oh wait, all Marvel scientists are secretly competing with each other, because they all have inferiority complexes. My mistake.