Avengers #686 - "No Surrender, Part 12"

[laughing_tree]

One thing that stands out is that everyone was really scared of the Hulk in the very early days, in a way they haven’t been since – they were afraid of what he might do, because they had no idea what he could or would do. That’s our Hulk. He’s a terrifying mystery... -- Al Ewing

Comments

[captainbellman]

"Remember that I am thy creature; I ought to be thy Adam; but I am rather the fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed. Everywhere I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded. I was benevolent and good -- misery made me a fiend."

- Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein"

[nyadnar17]

That books is so hearbreaking

[nyadnar17]

Nice to see a "violence isn't the answer" Wonder Man that isn't a joke or a hypocrit.

[thehood]

And it makes sense, because fighting Hulk never works.

[zylly]

I admit, I've never fully bought into Simon's "super-pacifism" shtick, but it's extremely well played here.

Other than trying to claim he was friends with Bruce, which... other than fighting the Hulk a couple times, I'm not sure how much they've ever interacted (was Simon at Rick's wedding?).

[bruinsfan]

Yeah, those wacky writers Waid and Ewing... imagine having a pacifist who actually tries to de-escalate conflicts by talking reasonably, rather than trying to kill former friends and incoherently call them out for occasionally having problems in the process of saving the world multiple times.

[zylly]

And I agree with you that in capable hands such as these, it actually works really well here. And certainly preferable to an "I've always hated you moment."

I'm just saying that under previous writers, Simon's "super-heroes punching people doesn't solve anything" stance has come off as preachy and hollow to me.

[an_idol_mind]

I love how villains still think that using the Hulk as a pawn will somehow work out for them.

[kore]

whennnnnnnn will this be DONE

[captainbellman]

I'm actually coming back to these pages, because something about it does really resonate.

We've very often seen the Hulk angry - mindlessly, blindly angry, over wanting to be left alone, or lost loved ones, or being attacked. But look up at that panel as he listens to Simon talk down to him about the joys of friendship and non-violence.

How many times have we seen the Hulk not just angry - but disbelievingly, "are you kidding me with this BS", out-and-out appalled in his anger?

All props to Jim Zub on that facial expression. It says volumes.