Solo Books May Come And Go, But A Flashback Is Forever
So today I picked up She-Hulk vol. 2 no. 3, which is actually the fourth third issue of a She-Hulk solo book, the fifteenth issue of Dan Slott's tenure, and the 100th solo She-Hulk overall. (And Episode III is actually the sixth movie....)
Anyway, by way of celebrating Shulkie's sporadic longevity, Marvel included with this issue the stories from both first issues of the two pre-Slott series, The Savage She-Hulk (by Stan Lee and John Buscema) and The Sensational She-Hulk (by John Byrne). Being a child of the 1970s, I was naturally eager to revisit vintage Marvel, but ... what's this? A recap of the Hulk's origin? Who doesn't know the Hulk's origin? Moreover, why do we need to know the Hulk's origin? What's important is that Bruce Banner's blood is gamma-irradiated, and that he turns into the Hulk -- ergo, when cousin Jen gets a transfusion, hijinx ensue. Still, I guess in the context of the story the flashback works, since it provides a bit of character development for both Bruce and Jen.
Fast-forward about twelve years to Sensational She-Hulk #1. Shulkie, working at a circus, is captured and hyp-mo-tized by the Ringmaster, who, yes, compels her to tell him her life story. Where does she start? With Bruce Banner saving Rick Jones, of course! The issue then goes on to recap Shulkie's own origin, giving Byrne the opportunity to draw Bruce eerily like Roger Moore. (At least to me.) Now, I understand that people in 1988 might not have had ready access to Savage #1 -- but come on, Marvel, it's only a few pages away now!
Granted, these are probably just ironic commentaries on the nature of comics as they were decades ago, before healthier reprint programs were instituted. I am certainly not enough of a She-Hulk scholar to suggest other issues (unless Marvel wanted to reprint the last Savage and Sensational -- but that would probably have been bad juju). I'd be willing to bet these stories were just advertisements for the inevitable Essential She-Hulk.
Regardless, with all the flashbacks, nostalgia, and breaking of the fourth wall (including the denial thereof), I felt trapped in my own recursive time loop. There's never a Time Variance Authority cop around when you need one....
Anyway, by way of celebrating Shulkie's sporadic longevity, Marvel included with this issue the stories from both first issues of the two pre-Slott series, The Savage She-Hulk (by Stan Lee and John Buscema) and The Sensational She-Hulk (by John Byrne). Being a child of the 1970s, I was naturally eager to revisit vintage Marvel, but ... what's this? A recap of the Hulk's origin? Who doesn't know the Hulk's origin? Moreover, why do we need to know the Hulk's origin? What's important is that Bruce Banner's blood is gamma-irradiated, and that he turns into the Hulk -- ergo, when cousin Jen gets a transfusion, hijinx ensue. Still, I guess in the context of the story the flashback works, since it provides a bit of character development for both Bruce and Jen.
Fast-forward about twelve years to Sensational She-Hulk #1. Shulkie, working at a circus, is captured and hyp-mo-tized by the Ringmaster, who, yes, compels her to tell him her life story. Where does she start? With Bruce Banner saving Rick Jones, of course! The issue then goes on to recap Shulkie's own origin, giving Byrne the opportunity to draw Bruce eerily like Roger Moore. (At least to me.) Now, I understand that people in 1988 might not have had ready access to Savage #1 -- but come on, Marvel, it's only a few pages away now!
Granted, these are probably just ironic commentaries on the nature of comics as they were decades ago, before healthier reprint programs were instituted. I am certainly not enough of a She-Hulk scholar to suggest other issues (unless Marvel wanted to reprint the last Savage and Sensational -- but that would probably have been bad juju). I'd be willing to bet these stories were just advertisements for the inevitable Essential She-Hulk.
Regardless, with all the flashbacks, nostalgia, and breaking of the fourth wall (including the denial thereof), I felt trapped in my own recursive time loop. There's never a Time Variance Authority cop around when you need one....
posted by Tom Bondurant @ 8:35 PM
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