Mark Millar is one of the most entertaining writers around. His work in the Ultimate Universe is always a treat. His Ultimate Comics Avengers titles were awesome, and I’m only now reading through his initial run of The Ultimates. This particular issue I found to be an absolute riot.
#spoilers
Hulk… well… So in the midst of the formation of the Ultimates, Bruce Banner injects himself with a concoction of Steve Rogers’s blood and his Hulk serum, allegedly to give the heroes a reason to unite and prove their worth to the world.
The rampage the Hulk goes on is catastrophic as he completely tears apart Manhattan as he searches for Betty Ross. The Ultimates come together and kick the green giant’s ass – end of story.
The real highlight here is Millar’s depiction of the Hulk, and it’s completely perverted. The guy is not only a rage machine, spouting out cusses and threats, but he’s also a total horndog. Most of his intentions are implied through character communication, but some of the things he says and does are beyond shocking and hilarious. I won’t share them here, but trust me when I say it’s unlike any Hulk you’ve ever read… except maybe the Red Hulk.
It seems natural that Mark Millar would be the one to bring this element to the Hulk. His hyper-realism that he applies to superhero mythos mingled with the self-aware meta-ness would of course expand on the Hulk’s rage into the sibling emotions…. or hormones in this case. It’s highly R-rated and grungy, but also a whole lot of fun.
Reading Millar you have to suspend purism and just enjoy what he weaves. He takes his stories quite seriously, but clearly has a great sense of humor. In this case I’d say it was on point. Millar’s take on the Hulk, even all these years later, is fresh, fun, and spot-on.
TL;DR Score: I’m nowhere near as brave as Cap. I think if the Hulk threatened to rip off my head and use my throat as a toilet I’d run.
TL;DR Comics 