Hulk Visionaries, Vol. 4

I am pleased to report that the art does get better this volume. Some of the random cameos were a bit distracting, mainly the werewolf-by-night issue, but I suppose stuff like will happen in a shared universe. There's also closure about something I was confused sbout, some folks do recognize fix-it is the hulk but gray, they just pretend not to. Why someone would knowingly hire him then and be surprised by the collateral damage is another question though.

The "Mr. Fixit" storyline concludes, as the Hulk faces a variety of enemies ranging from ordinary gangsters to supernatural demons. The stories collected here include the infamous Bob Harras-written issue, revealing the fate of Betty Banner's baby; an entertaining team-up with Iron Man; the "Acts of Vengeance" tie-in, pitting the Hulk against the Grey Gargoyle; and a horror-tinged story guest-starring another night-bound Marvel monster, Werewolf By Night. Horror is a genre that works particularly well with the Hulk, who has his roots in the classic tales of Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It's the Jekyll-and-Hyde aspects Peter David revels in, and the role-reversals of the Hulk and Bruce Banner are played to even greater effect in this volume. No longer at the mercy of his alter ego, Banner finally takes charge and haunts the Hulk, doing everything from trying to turn his girlfriend against him to playing upon his growing rage and making him hallucinate. By interfering with his well-established paradise, Banner often comes across as deceitful, which in turn makes the Hulk seem sympathetic by comparison. Not an easy accomplishment for a darker variation like the gray Hulk, but David's depiction makes it work. The end of another distinctive chapter in Peter David's run, with more excitement to come.

The Incredible Hulk was a boring comic book with the only thing going for it was the TV show and the introduction of Wolverine into the Marvel universe. That all changed when Peter David took over the writing chores. He turned the concept of what the Hulk was inside and out. He wrote the characters with humor, drama and so much more. David's run on the book is the best there is.

Peter David's monumental run on the Incredible Hulk continues here in this fourth collected edition, which finds the Hulk reaching the end of his days working in Vegas. Guest stars are abound including Thor, The Thing, and more besides, but what is really worth noting here is what was already mentioned by the previous reviewer. Peter David almost ended up quitting the book over a spat with the editorial crew at Marvel (hence an issue here is written by future Marvel editor Bob Harras), but thankfully David managed to stay on the book, which would cement his incredibly long and defining run. There's more great artwork to be found here as well from Jeff Purves and Dan Reed, and David's characterizations and dialogue are still superb. All in all, no other writer has ever (and may never) gotten the Hulk like Peter David did, and his incredible (no pun intended) run on the title is a feat that more than likely will never be matched again.

INCREDIBLE HULK VISIONARIES: PETER DAVID, Volume 4 collects THE INCREDIBLE HULK (2nd series) #355-363 and MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS #26 and 45, by writers Peter David & Bob Harras, and artists Jeff Purves, Herb Trimpe, and others. This fourth volume featuring Peter David's complete tenure on the book goes further toward establishing the basis for the "merger" of Hulks which is still a few more installments down the path. It's also where the book nearly jumped the tracks, the writer almost leaving the book in protest over the editorial edict that Bruce Banner's wife Betty suffer a miscarriage (in #360, an issue ultimately written by guest writer and future Marvel Editor-In-Chief to-be, Bob Harras). It's sad that this avenue was never explored, at least not in the main series--after all, just think of the possibilities, for Banner's own father abused him, the psychosis leading to the splintering of personalities forming the psychological basis for the many incarnations of the Hulk. Luckily, Peter David didn't leave, remaining on the book for another eight years. In this volume too comes the climax of the Hulk's adventures as a legbreaker in Las Vegas, his involvement in the struggles of villainous Glorian, and an act of vengeance by the Grey Gargoyle upon Thor and his likes (by attacking ol' Hulky, natch). A thrilling mix of sub-plots and deep characterization highlights this fourth volume, and anyone who likes the psychodrama of previous efforts will get a kick out of this one, too. Four stars. Next up in volume 5: "Countdown," Dale Keown, the Madman, Mister Hyde, and the Defenders!

Not gonna lie: in volume 4 the art seems to take a dip in quality. I have nothing against Jeff Purves, but his style just doesn't do it for me. Peter David continues to fire on all cylinders, though. In this collection, the Hulk's days as Joe Fix-It come to an end. There are also guest appearances by Iron Man, Werewolf by Night and Grey Gargoyle. The most controversial issue in this collection, as stated by previous reviewers, is issue 360 which deals with Betty having a miscarriage. Again, this collection is only recommended for those who want every volume of David's collection. Things pick up in volume 5.