Back Issue Bin : Immortal Hulk
Vol #1 : Or is he both (Marvel Comics) Collects Issue 1 thru 5
Written by Al Ewing
Art by Joe Bennett
Doctor Robert Bruce Banner is dead, after being killed by Clint Barton with a gamma irritated vibranium arrow in the head and heart the world knows the Hulk is no more. OR is he?
Al Ewing takes a unique look at the Hulk and his relationship with Bruce Banner. Taking up a thread from an earlier incarnation of the Hulk, Bruce Banner can not only change when he is angry. But the Hulk also takes over at night. Very much in line with the classic Werewolf tales or a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story, the Hulk is back to being a scary monster. So just in time for the Halloween season, here is a review of the first volume in the Immortal Hulk series.
Al Ewing starts us off with a story that rips the heart out of any parent. Our opening is at a gas station where a mother and her daughters have stopped to fill up the family vehicle. The daughter heads inside to get a beverage for the long trip. While inside she sees a creepy fellow hanging out by the freezer section of the little store. While avoiding him she doesn't see the hooded gentleman walk in to the gas station to rob the place. When the young girl turns around she is surprised to see the clerk standing there with a gun in his face.
Panicked and unsure about what happened the robber turns the gun on the store clerk and shoots him as well. Now ,that is a body count of three within the first few pages of this book. Our assailant grabs the money from the cash register and high tails it out of the gas station. The gunman runs past the mother of the young girl as she is screaming the girls name and running into the building. The mother is confronted with the scene of her daughter dead along with the two other gentlemen in the gas station.
We then cut to several hours later as the police are investigating the scene. Here we are introduced to a new character that is an homage to the classic 70's Tv series. Jackie McGee. A news reporter covering the story of the gas station shooting. During the her interview with the lead investigator, we and Jackie learn about the victim and the unknown assailant. The police haven't an ID on the guy yet. The lead investigator is hoping that McGee's story will help loosen up some tongues and somebody will contact the police with any information.
Now for the most interesting part. The body' s of the victims are lying in the Morgue that evening, when all of a sudden the arm of one of the victims begins to turn green and grow larger. A most interesting reveal that the Hulk isn't dead and that a mere bullet can kill him. Thus with just a few panels we establish that the Hulk is still active and no matter what happens to Bruce Banner, the hulk makes him Immortal.
To continue with our story of issue 1. We cut to a biker hangout as the gunman from the botched gas station robbery; is talking with the leader of the gang. He is explaining what happened at the gas station as well as a little bit of exposition as to why he need to rob it. The leader of this Motorcycle Gang shows him some sympathy and then reminds him that our gunman still owes the gang money.
Just as the gunman was giving over the money to the gang there is a sudden earthquake. The gang goes outside to see some of their bikes have been crushed. The gang are scared by some activity going on in the dark not to far from their hangout. They all head back into the house and cover the exits to see who or what could come in.
Little to they know, that the Hulk is pissed. He attacks the gang and seriously hurts a few, and pulls his punches on a others only to put them in the hospital.
After dispatching the gang; the Hulk manages to route out the gunman from the gas station. He then confronts the little man to take revenge, seek justice, or thoroughly destroy this man. I am going to leave that spoiler free and let you read issue 1 yourself to see what happens. 
What I have to say that really brings me back to read more of the this story from Al Ewing is that he takes the Hulk and embraces his original Jekyll and Hyde storyline. As the reader moves through this collection we get the answer to Bruce Banner's rebirth, and the ramifications that coming back from the dead has made on Bruce's mind as well as his relationship with the Hulk.
Over all storyline:
Much like the classic 70's TV show the Incredible Hulk, Bruce Banner is on his own moving from small town to small town; taking odd jobs and helping the innocent with what he can do best; fighting Gamma irritated monsters. Yes it feels like a monster of the week like storyline, but there is also a through line of a reporter named McGee trying to track down the Hulk and Banner.
Matt D's thought on the art:
I give this book a :
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