Hulk: Banner & The End

Plot

This book consists of two different Hulk tales by two different writer/artist teams; 'Startling Stories : Banner' (four-issue mini-series, 2001) 'Hulk: The End' (one-shot comic book, 2002) The first is written by Brian Azzarello (famous for the `100 Bullets' series and `Joker'). The story has Bruce Banner/The Hulk on the run, persued by Doc Samson and General Ross (along with the military). There's a fair bit of action as well as exploration of the despair of Bruce Banner, unable to control or defeat the `Hulk' side of his personality. It's quite a good story but it's fairly short and I wasn't sure the artwork suited as it reminded me of the style of Robert Crumb and I didn't like the facial features they gave the Hulk. The second part of the book is by author Peter David and artist Richard Corben. This is a story from `The End' line of stories in which the final days of a Marvel character is explored - in this instance it is, of course, The Hulk. The story is set 200 years in the future when humanity has been destroyed by nuclear war and only the Hulk roams the land. This story also explores the struggle between the two sides of Banner and the Hulk but is a bit deeper and darker, and is helped by the more realistic artwork.