Art by Javier Pulido
Charles Soule and Javier Pulido’s SHE HULK delves into an area of the Marvel Universe that I find extremely appealing. I am always interested in a book that offers a different perspective on an already highly established universe. Especially, the more realistic aspects of humanity and existence. Rarely do we get a glimpse into the personal lives of heroes and see their everyday lives and struggles. We see them fighting giant robots walking down Wall Street, but we never see them doing their taxes. Not to say that a comic book should be entirely focused on the mundane aspects of humanity, but a fine sprinkling of it could be very entertaining. We also rarely see the huge disconnect between regular people and super heroes. Yes, a mother would have a hard time getting an appointment with Tony Stark to discuss potential trademark infringement. SHE HULK is a very smart attempt at bridging the gap between the cosmic battle lines and the everyday workings of the Marvel Universe from both the perspective of the regular people on the streets and the super-powered people flying above them.
The premise of SHE HULK is simple enough. Having been removed from her position at a top law firm, Jennifer Walters decides to open up her own practice in a small office in Brooklyn. The book follows her attempts to balance her professional life, with her superhero side. She spends her days setting up and establishing her new office and her nights getting into drunken superhero shenanigans with her super hero friends. She flies with heroes and walks with regular people. She knows Tony Stark, but that doesn’t mean she can get an appointment with him. The appeal of SHE HULK has always been Jen’s reliability. She’s self aware and emotional. But, rarely ever written as a stereotypical woman character. She’s powerful and not usually burdened by angst and unnecessary emotional drama. She sees the Marvel Universe as a weird place and continually tries to maintain normality amongst all the craziness. Charles Soule has an excellent grasp on the essence of the character and it’s fun watching her maneuver through the Marvel Universe with his words guiding the way.
SHE HULK is one of the more interesting new series’ Marvel has running right now. Very much like HAWKEYE, SHE HULK has the potential to be one of the more creative character-driven books on the market. In the first three issues, Soule and Pulido have established an original take on one of my favorite characters. As the book moves forward, the balance between superhero antics and lawyer-type stuff is starting to feel more established. Potential readers should be aware that this is a very smart and wordy book. Soule (being a lawyer himself), knows how to write a courtroom scene and has an excellent grasp on the judicial system. You will laugh and find yourself hanging on every word. This is not a book for someone who wants ‘HULK SMASH’ and Earth shattering action. It’s the perfect book for anyone who wants a different perspective on the Marvel superhero community. I definitely recommend taking a chance on this book!
Final Score: 8 out of 10
