The Immortal Hulk #47 - "Chaotic Terrain"

[laughing_tree]

I like that [the Black Panther]’s several steps ahead of everyone, that he’s the most capable hero in the Marvel pantheon. There’s room in him for humanity – he has the room to be wrong sometimes, which is important in a character – but he is absolutely the smartest person in any room he’s in, and he’ll always have that twist up his sleeve that will surprise you. And that’s something I probably got from the wonderful Christopher Priest run of the 2000s, which redefined the character by taking him seriously. -- Al Ewing

Comments

[gnarll]

No Åsgardian needs to breathe. It part of the basic package.

[thanekos]

Ah - an Asgardian wouldn't need to breathe, so an Asgardian wouldn't have any kind of physiological (maybe psychosomatically aggravated) reaction whatsoever to their enemy's flesh growing around and pressing into their facial orifices, even if that enemy is someone they know and are currently raging against.

[obsidianwolf]

That's been really inconsistent over the years. Thor has been carrying on in space sans suit forever but there have been definite times where trapped in space with no air has been confirmed as putting him in major danger. Usually in a sent into space without any preparation kind of way. So it might be more like Asgardians can do without breathing but isn't automatic it actually requires some effort on their part.

Or it could be that continuity in comics has always been hit or miss and only gotten worse in the new let writers retcon constantly era we find ourselves in.

[bruinsfan]

Thor has even talked in space so that others can hear him through the vacuum. I get that it wouldn't be pleasant to have your head engulfed in someone's regenerating arm, but I don't think it would incapacitate him, and it certainly doesn't put him at risk of suffocation like it would anyone else on the field.

Also, he's currently juiced up with the Odinpower, so this should have been a pretty short fight. Until the next status quo reset in Asgard, he's really not suitable for team books/appearances except in a deus ex machina role as in Empyre.

[shakalooloo]

[thehood]

So he can survive in a vacuum for a short period, but he still needs oxygen.

[tcampbell1000]

Tag issue: while the quote praises Christopher Priest, this issue is written by Al Ewing.

[onsokumaru]

Even with Al Ewing as writer, any Hulk vs Avengers fight is the same borefest, with the Avengers being blockheads and Thor forgetting half his powers.,

[arilou_skiff]

Any Hulk Vs. Avengers fight in a Hulk title, it should be said.

[thehood]

Thor isn't invincible and it's implied The One Below All is affecting them.

[bruinsfan]

At his current power level he's effectively so on the scale that superheroes operate upon.

[thehood]

Thor has still lost fights even with his recent power up, so it seems he's still not invincible. Characters can't win all the time.

[zachbeacon]

Blade sure is single-minded.

Still holding on to hope Rick is alive by the end of this.

[thehood]

Rick Jones? He is alive just sharing a body with someone. If you mean you hope he stays alive, i hope that too.

[donnblake]

To be fair, how often has Blade historically been invited to group events when there *isn't* a vampire issue?

[zachbeacon]

Point. Though a lot of the time I think he invites himself.

And practically thinking, it makes a lot of sense. I wouldn't want the Earth's Mightiest Heroes going up against the undead unprepared. I've read those issues of Exiles where Captain America becomes a vampire and it does not go well for humanity.

(And the current Hulk status quo is supernatural so better to have a vampire slayer and not need him than to need one and not have him)

Still, I like to imagine Eric as a single-issue voter. "I just want to know where the candidate stands on vampires"

[donnblake]

"Hey, Blade, the Thing's running a Poker Night and..."

"A Poker Night for vampires?"

"What? No. For superheroes. And we..."

"Thought it was going to be attacked by vampires."

"What? Again, no. We just wondered if you'd like to join us for..."

"For killing some vampires?"

"For Poker Night, Blade! Do you want to come to Poker Night?"

"... I don't understand the question."

[zachbeacon]

Yeah, even the blacula-obsessed Blade parody from Venture Bros seemed to have more going on outside of work than the actual Blade.

Blade is like the Punisher for vampires. I can't imagine either of those guys as being fun to hang out with.

[thehood]

Except Blade has spared vampires, rare as it may be. Punisher doesn't really spare criminals, even if they seem repentant.

[bruinsfan]

To his credit, he's the one with the info and strategy that let the Mighty Avengers stop Shuma-Gorath a few years back. Ewing wrote him a lot better on that title.

[thehood]

He wrote him fine here, Blade isn't exactly a match for a cosmic powered Joe.

[bruinsfan]

No, but in that earlier story I referenced he knew to stay clear of the actual fight and offer informed suggestions and guidance to the far-more-powerful types that could work together to win it.

[thehood]

He mistakenly thought Hulk now fell under his purview because of Hulk's current day/night cycle.