I was a little disappointed in the lack of answers to be found in the end of Jones's first arc, but the first issue in the new arc is off to a more promising start. With the conspiracy pushed a little more into the background, we're again looking at a travelling Banner and his encounters with some new and interesting characters. We're also looking at a new, if temporary, artist, with Lee Weeks on pencils and Tom Palmer continuing on inks. The result is artwork that is almost as strong as the phenomenal work that Romita Jr. has been doing, and I hope that Weeks's stay is extended to a more permanent run.
What has made Jones's run on the book interesting to me so far is less his take on Banner and the Hulk and more his approach to passers-by and secondary characters in the ever-changing setting. This issue introduces us to a police negotiator who made a catastrophic mistake, and who has to live with some of the same guilt that Banner is feeling, and then uses a bit of coincidence to put her together with Banner. The result is a fresh viewpoint and a supporting character whose story I am interested to learn more about.
Which isn't to say that Jones isn't writing Banner well. In fact, the almost psychotically quiet Banner, with his power fantasies and his calm seemingly borne of a life that has always been out of his control, is a logical and entertaining take on the character. It could easily become depressing or frustrating, as despite the great power at his command, he is fairly powerless, but this dichotomy is fascinating, and Jones has really played it up by taking Banner not to alternate dimensions or war-torn countries but rather to fairly mundane, and often equally powerless, settings in the world.
One of the highlights of the book, however, and part of the reason these settings come to life so well, has been the artwork. Studio F, some of the best colorists in the business, and Tom Palmer, a favorite inker of mine, are still onboard, joined by the highly underrated Lee Weeks on pencils. The art actually doesn't look all that different, with a more detailed look to the faces but the same grandiose style and subtle attention to detail that I've loved in the book. I was especially pleased with Weeks's rendition of Miser, Colorado, with stores and buildings and streets that look and feel real, grounding the strange story of the Hulk and his mysterious hunters in a believable setting.
There are a lot of questions still floating about the Incredible Hulk right now, largely centering on the mysterious conspiracy organization that is hunting down Banner. My ultimate interest in this title will rely on how well Jones ties up these mysteries, but each issue, with its beautiful art and solid characterization, continues to entertain on its own merits.
