What's Mean and Green and Hates the Wolverine! - Part Two
Good Afternoon My Comic Book Friends!
The answer in case you are wondering is the Hulk! Welcome to Part Two of this series. Yesterday, we looked at some covers that pay homage to some classic Hulk and Wolverine issues. Today, we are going to look at one of my favorite battles!
Just so I'm clear here, I didn't read much, really any of the Marvel Ultimate line up when it came out back in the early 2000s, but I did read Ultimate Wolverine Vs. Hulk, I mean how could I not? So without further ado......
Director's Cut!!!
This is the Director's Cut Ultimate Wolverine Vs Hulk. It collects the first two issues of the series. i already owned this book when came to across a complete set in the long boxes at my local comic book store. Being a six issue mini I went ahead and bought issue one and two despite them being third printings. I'll show those below in just a second.
There are a few things to be said here. First off I really love the art style in this series. It gets a lot of things right, mainly the savagery. I really liked the character design as well, and you can see on this sketch cover above a lot of the detail. Those big dangly beads that Hulk is wearing around his neck make an appearance in Thor: Ragnarok as some of his relax wear when not in the arena. Secondly, I really like these Director Cut books. I don't always pick them up when I see them, but I should. In fact, at this very moment there is one up on the wall at my LCS, I believe another in the Ultimate line......Note to self....Pick That Up! Thirdly, I hadn't intended to go on this long here, but Damon Lindelof is the writer, you know it's going to be good.
Here are those 3rd Printings of issues 1 & 2
Again, these are the 3rd printings of issue 1 & issue 2. As I have said, just savage. If you look at the connecting image in the middle, it depicts the most famous scene in the whole series. That is the Hulk ripping Wolverine in half, adamantium and all. He then proceeds to toss the thinking half of him down a mountain for good measure. Doesn't stop Wolverine, though. The other images are the 1st and 2nd printing covers, respectively. Nice touch Ultimate Marvel!
Next up! Well, lookey here a real, deal variant!
Issue 3 is our variant cover. It again features some more just brutal action, where we see Wolverine's claws stabbing through Hulks hand as he squeezes.....On the Cover! Yeah, there's been way crazier and more violent stuff on covers before but it really feels in the spirit of the series, characters and look.
Not a huge fan of this issue 4 cover. Also, while I like the story as a whole, this is where we get introduced to Ultimate She-Hulk and honestly it feels a little rushed and mashed up. I'm generally not a huge fan of new origins and this is one of those. But they nailed the Hulk's visage again!
Our last pair to close it out!
Issue 5 & issue 6 bring a close to our story. I'm not loving the issue 5 cover but think that, yet again, issue 6, just gets it. Really embodies whats going on here and how crazy would that be, in free fall, with the Hulk coming down with you........with a boulder! The story does kind of get away from itself a little bit towards the end with the She-Hulk introduction and then government organization something something. But we weren't here for any of that, we were here to witness a truly savage battle between two nigh unkillable monsters! I'd say it successfully accomplishes that in full.
Check those links out if you have time. My paltry skills at amateur photography don't do these covers, any of them really, justice at all. Also, I'm going to be out for a few days at The PGA Championship, so no comics til the weekend, probably a big Golf/Travel post. I might stop by the LCS when I get back for some fresh books and put this digging in the long boxes to rest for a couple of days as well. New ideas spring to mind every dig though.........And kids, remember to keep your books organized!
