Hulk vs. Giganto! Check out a documentary crew tracking Hulk during a dangerous fight in Hulk Annual #1 by Marvel Comics!

HULK ANNUAL #1

Writer: David Pepose
Artist: Caio Majado
Colorist: Edgar Delgado
Letterer: Cory Petit
Editor: Wil Moss
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: May 17th, 2023 

Previously in Hulk: Bruce Banner is the world’s leading expert on gamma radiation. However, one day he was exposed to heavy doses of gamma and turned into the green rage machine, the Hulk! Check out the next chapter for this popular character!

Hulk Annual #1 opens with an introduction to Rylend Grant’s documentary crew, whose goal is to learn more about the Incredible Hulk. They follow Bruce Banner’s history, even talking to old professors. Soon, the crew enters a gamma factory, where they meet a man who turns into Giganto! As Rylend tries to escape in their car, the Hulk appears to fight Giganto, causing the road to cave in. Underground, the crew encounters the Mole Man and is captured by his minions. They are again interrupted by Hulk and Giganto’s fight. The team gets a chance to escape while Rylend decides to pursue the battle for the sake of the documentary.

Rylend’s movements redirect Giganto’s attention to Rylend himself, and he dies from Giganto’s attack. Hulk then stops Giganto from killing the rest of the crew and defeats the villain. He says the chilling line, “Did you get the shot? I hope it was worth it.” The comic ends at Rylend’s funeral, where Bruce Banner is seen in attendance.

I have mixed feelings about Hulk Annual #1. I couldn’t really get into the mind of the main characters. For me, they were not relatable. They were ambitious, but I didn’t appreciate their goals and ideals. However, the last few scenes really caught my attention. As soon as Rylend decided to try and follow Hulk and Giganto instead of getting to safety, I was reminded of something I was told when I was young. It was effectively said that it is better to do great things than to be stagnant. And this comic implies the opposite. If Rylend had been less ambitious, he would still have been alive. And I am interested to see how this idea appeals to Hulk. The solicitations imply that this is a new chapter for the Hulk character with potential new ideas and themes. So in a way, this comic reengaged my curiosity, and now I will be reading more Hulk comics. In that sense, the comic did precisely what it intended to do.

The art and coloring of this are well done, but when I think of the Hulk, I think of a larger-than-life character. I didn’t get the captivating pages that Hulk titles promise. There were a couple of exciting moments involving shadows, and the artist did terrific facial expressions, but there wasn’t that raw destruction I expected within the art pages.

Hulk Annual #1 is a solid comic that introduces a complex theme. I am unsure how this theme will apply in the larger scheme of things, but the next chapter of Hulk will undoubtedly be exciting. Hulk Annual #1 is a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

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Hulk Annual #1

80%

80%

Intrigued

Hulk Annual #1 engages the reader with its unique themes but falls short of engaging side characters.

• Writing

  7
• Art

  8
• Coloring

  9
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