Official Rulk Thread

[LemonSunday]

Apparently for everything to be spelled out for them.

 

[Red]

I like the action. I just didn't like that what started as a straight forward story has become a mess.

 

[LemonSunday]

How's it a mess?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

It seems like Loeb just threw a bunch of twists in for no reason in this issue while totally abandoning the narrative threads he established in the first issue. The first issue seemed to be setting things up as a murder mystery, setting readers' expectations in one direction, and then this issue went way the **** over in another direction. It's a bit jarring. I still liked it, though. I'm sure he'll solve the mystery eventually.

 

[LemonSunday]

It seems like Loeb just threw a bunch of twists in for no reason in this issue while totally abandoning the narrative threads he established in the first issue. The first issue seemed to be setting things up as a murder mystery, setting readers' expectations in one direction, and then this issue went way the **** over in another direction. It's a bit jarring. I still liked it, though. I'm sure he'll solve the mystery eventually.

Um, it's still a murder mystery. The suspects have just changed. Hasn't anyone ever watched a cop drama?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I meant Loeb barely advanced the murder mystery angle in this issue. The last few pages were basically all we got in that department. The rest of the issue was just the Hulk hitting things and SHIELD panicking.

 

[LemonSunday]

I meant Loeb barely advanced the murder mystery angle in this issue. The last few pages were basically all we got in that department. The rest of the issue was just the Hulk hitting things and SHIELD panicking.

So? We'll get to it.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

That's what I just said a couple posts ago.

 

[LemonSunday]

That's what I just said a couple posts ago.

Oh, I know. I'm just confused as to why people think it's "a mess." I'm not having any trouble following it, and the reveal that Rick isn't the Hulk was a surpise I didn't see coming. That's a win in my book.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I was disappointed to note that he's calling himself "A-Bomb."

 

[LemonSunday]

I was disappointed to note that he's calling himself "A-Bomb."

Yeah, that was lame. I tried thinking of a better name for like, 5 seconds, but then I just moved on to the next comic in my pile.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Yeah, not diggin the self-nickname

 

[LemonSunday]

I guess something simple like "Brute" would've sufficed.

 

[Blader5489]

How's it a mess?

Maybe because there's no sense of continuity to it?

Last we saw the red Hulk, he was in Russia. Then all of a sudden he's on the Helicarrier. Then all of a sudden he's on the road, where he fights "A-Bomb" (who has also, inexplicably, moved from Alaska to wherever the hell he is now). Ross and Samson were last seen in some unknown base talking to Banner, then they're suddenly on the Helicarrier, near its armory. Hell, on the second page we see Stark asking "Who's here?" and on the same page we see the Hulk bursting through the wall.

It's bad storytelling, pure and simple. I don't see how anyone could defend or enjoy it.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

I'm enjoying it at least

 

[LemonSunday]

Maybe because there's no sense of continuity to it?

Last we saw the red Hulk, he was in Russia. Then all of a sudden he's on the Helicarrier. Then all of a sudden he's on the road, where he fights "A-Bomb" (who has also, inexplicably, moved from Alaska to wherever the hell he is now). Ross and Samson were last seen in some unknown base talking to Banner, then they're suddenly on the Helicarrier, near its armory. Hell, on the second page we see Stark asking "Who's here?" and on the same page we see the Hulk bursting through the wall.

It's bad storytelling, pure and simple. I don't see how anyone could defend or enjoy it.

First of all, weren't you the one who was trying to say that this was supposed to be a cerebral book?

Secondly, you do know that the Hulk can jump for miles at a time, right? Thirdly, considering that we don't know who he is, we don't know how he may or may not have already been in some of the places he appeared in.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Did we even get a specific mention of when the second issue takes place relative to the first?

 

[LemonSunday]

I assume it takes place after they all left Russia and went back to the Helicarrier to go over the evidence and whatnot. I figured that much was pretty obvious.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Me, too. If there's no specific time frame given between issues, why's it so hard for people to accept that the Hulk could've gone from Russia to anywhere else in the world between issues?

 

[LemonSunday]

Who knows? Loeb has reached Bendis levels of fan aggression, where it's impossible for some people to give one of his books an honest read through without looking for things to ***** about later.

 

[Blader5489]

First of all, weren't you the one who was trying to say that this was supposed to be a cerebral book?

Well when you have Loeb trying to play up the red Hulk as being intelligent and cunning, and the whole plot of the book is a murder mystery, I assumed that the book would be a little more cerebral than "Oh. The. HUMANITY."

Who knows? Loeb has reached Bendis levels of fan aggression, where it's impossible for some people to give one of his books an honest read through without looking for things to ***** about later.

What the hell are you talking about? I thought the first issue was pretty decent, that's why I picked this one. And guess what? It was a trainwreck. There's no sense of continuity, the dialogue is ****ing terrible, there's no cohesive plot, and--for a book that's supposedly just about Hulk action--there has been no action!

What the hell is there to like about this book?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

McGuinness' art, for one. And it's the second issue; in fairness, you don't even really know much about the plot at this point.

I do agree that Loeb's dialogue could use a little--well, a lot of work, actually.

 

[LemonSunday]

Well when you have Loeb trying to play up the red Hulk as being intelligent and cunning, and the whole plot of the book is a murder mystery, I assumed that the book would be a little more cerebral than "Oh. The. HUMANITY."

Well, you assumed wrong. Loeb's been all over the internet for the past few months explaining that this book is an excuse for McGuinness to cut loose.

What the hell are you talking about? I thought the first issue was pretty decent, that's why I picked this one. And guess what? It was a trainwreck. There's no sense of continuity, the dialogue is ****ing terrible, there's no cohesive plot, and--for a book that's supposedly just about Hulk action--there has been no action!

What the hell is there to like about this book?

No action? What the hell book did you read?

And like I said before, I'm not having any problems following the plot.

 

[Blader5489]

Well, you assumed wrong. Loeb's been all over the internet for the past few months explaining that this book is an excuse for McGuinness to cut loose.

And again, where are you getting this? "I want the Hulk to punch the Watcher" does not sound like "I'm going to write ike a complete ****** so McGuinness can go crazy" to me.

No action? What the hell book did you read?

The bulk of the action in this issue was the Helicarrier crashing. She-Hulk's fight happened off panel and Iron Man's fight lasted less than three pages.

And like I said before, I'm not having any problems following the plot.

I didn't say the plot was hard to follow, I said there was no cohesiveness to it. It's just a series of random moments, much like Ultimates 3.

 

[LemonSunday]

And again, where are you getting this? "I want the Hulk to punch the Watcher" does not sound like "I'm going to write ike a complete ****** so McGuinness can go crazy" to me.

Dude, I already provided you with one link. Go out and read/listen to some Loeb interviews on your own.

The bulk of the action in this issue was the Helicarrier crashing. She-Hulk's fight happened off panel and Iron Man's fight lasted less than three pages.

Which is more action than some superhero comics see in months. I mean, the Hulk smashed Tony with a goddamn fighter jet.

I didn't say the plot was hard to follow, I said there was no cohesiveness to it. It's just a series of random moments, much like Ultimates 3.

I don't read Ultimates 3. But, I didn't feel like this was random at all. The Hulk broke in, crashed the Helicarrier, cut to Rick and the reveal that he's not the Red Hulk. The end. Pretty linear, to me.