She-Hulk #2

[MudshovelForYou]

(First, I promise this will be the only other book I review first this week. :))

She-Hulk #2
Written by Dan Slott
with art by Juan Bobillo

The first issue of She-Hulk left me in an unusual place. I (and seemed to be the only one) who was disappointed by it. But I also felt that Slott had interesting enough concepts at work to give the book another try, mostly so I could give Slott time to get going. Which brings me to issue 2 and I'm still in an unusual place.

She-hulk 2 deals with Jen taking on her first case in Superhuman Law - a new superpowered individual who calls himself Danger Man, who wants to sue the company responsible for the accident that created him.

My problem with the book is that it seems bi-polar. There are so many comedic moments dealing with Jen (such as the introduction of Marvel comic books as legal documents) that when the issue turns to deal with a depressed Danger Man dealing with family problems, the shift in tone is too much. It's not that the book is badly written or anything, as much as it's not sure if it wants to be Night Court or the Practice. Slott's characterization, though, is very solid. I also thought that Bobillo's art was more solid and stable this time around.

All in all, it's not a bad book, but I'm just not willing to give it a third shot.

Final Grade: C

[Buttery Wonder]

Bad Mudshovel... BAD! ;)

Well, I haven't read this yet, but it is on my list for today (two more hours until I'm off from work). I usually agree with you, so if what you say is true, I'm not gonna like it too much.

I really have high hopes for this series, though I'm not sure why. I just hope it turns out good and solid in the long run.

[MudshovelForYou]

Originally posted by Buttery Wonder
Bad Mudshovel... BAD! ;)

Well, I haven't read this yet, but it is on my list for today (two more hours until I'm off from work). I usually agree with you, so if what you say is true, I'm not gonna like it too much.

I really have high hopes for this series, though I'm not sure why. I just hope it turns out good and solid in the long run.

haha... :)

Well, it's like I sad it's not a bad book, just hasn't caught me. I do hope you enjoy it though. We should all have books we like. :)

[tippy]

it wasnt bad, i can see what youre saying mudshovel. i didnt really notice it at first but thinking about it. the beginning was really goofy and then it got darker sharpish. as if the book was trying to decide whether it was a comedy book or a more serious book. it was still a fun read. and ill pick it up next month.

[YDLM]

It might help if you dont label it "comedy" or a "drama" just a book. I throughly enjoyed this book. I wish Bobillo looka more like Serena Williams or Victoria from the WWE than Anna Nicole Smith but over all I like his style, it has a lot of energy to it.

[strathcona]

Why can't a book shift tones like that in the middle? It isn't meant to be purely a comedy (like Alpha Flight, which failed so miserably I gave up after one issue). Life can change from hilarious to serious in seconds, why can't a comic. Especially when it's done so well. As I said over at Talk@, this is the best of Marvel's most recent offerings.

And I can't wait to see more of Awesome Andy, great use of a fourth rate villain.

[MudshovelForYou]

Originally posted by strathcona
Why can't a book shift tones like that in the middle? It isn't meant to be purely a comedy (like Alpha Flight, which failed so miserably I gave up after one issue). Life can change from hilarious to serious in seconds, why can't a comic. Especially when it's done so well. As I said over at Talk@, this is the best of Marvel's most recent offerings.

And I can't wait to see more of Awesome Andy, great use of a fourth rate villain.

Well know it can.. I just didn't like the way She-Hulk went about doing it. I'm glad your liking it, and I'm perfectly happy if I'm in the minority on not liking the book.

Everyone should have books that make them happy. :)

[Woody]

The inclusion of Awesome Andy is ... well... Awesome!

is he gonna fill the role the retarded guy (Dr Giggles)did in L A Law?

I liked it, but i was getting a real real Alley McBeal meets the marvel U vibe from it that I'm not too sure I cared for.

[temujinkahn]

I have to agree with mud on this one i just don think i can go for a third. I don't know why but something just is not getting me on board for this.

[Surt_son]

I have to reread the issue to give everyone the finer points of why I really like this book. Just wanted to put in my two cents.

~t

[GhettoRebel]

I'd give it a B. Not the best book I read this month. But one of the top 10 for this week at least.

I liked the part about the comics are legal documents. I wonder if they can be used in a real court???

The pacing wasn't bad for me. It felt kinda realistic. One minute everything is hunkey dorey and the next page(which is actually a few hours later) life is shit.

Plus the whole scene with Jen being relieved to turn into She-Hulk. Almost as if She-Hulk feels trapped inside Jen's body......

[tippy]

dont get me wrong, i liked it, and will buy the next issue. its definately not the worst title i pick up on a regular basis.

[strathcona]

I just want to clarify what I meant by "best of Marvel most recent offerings" because I realize that isn't really what I meant to say. What I did mean to say was that it is the best of the batch of new books Marvel has put out. Better than Alpha Flight, Cap/Falcon and Cable/Deadpool at least, I haven't tried any others.

[JK Parkin]

I thought the first issue was pretty good, and this one was even better. I think it gave us a better feel for what the book is going to be about, which sounds like fun and isn't something we're getting from any other Marvel book (although I wonder what Batton Lash would think).

I thought it had a good mix of humor, seriousness, old school Marvel references (Awesome Andy!) and nice characterization of She-Hulk/Jennifer.

I'd give it a B+.

[Godfather]

I think Slott's writing is whats really going to make this book. I think he did a great job with his characters. I thought the art was a little lacking in this issue. I'm sticking with this, I think Slott will give us a good story.

Solid B for me.

[paulski]

Originally posted by Woody
The inclusion of Awesome Andy is ... well... Awesome!

Agreed. The first half of this issue was as good and funny as anything I've read. You couldn't wipe the smile off my face after each page. Then the mood changed and things got a bit more sombre. And a little dull if I'm being honest.

But overall, nice artwork and high quality writing. Damn, just when I thing Slott can't get much better, he proves me wrong. The only downside is that Marvel will soon realise how good the guy is and yank him off this title to put him on something 'X'. I'm not quite sure about Bobillo yet, but I think I like his stuff. We'll see what it looks like after 6 months.

I give it a B too.

[punkmonkey]

SHE-HULK #2
“Class Action Comics!”
Marvel Comics -- $2.99 / 22 pgs.
Writer: Dan Slott
Penciler: Juan Bobillo
Inker: Marcelo Sosa
Colorist: Chris Chuckry
Cover Artist:

Reviewed By: Jared Moraitis
Grade: B+

Although the first issue of this series was certainly laced with humor, it didn’t seem like it was going to get as outright goofy as John Byrne’s run on the previous She-Hulk series, this issue cements the notion that this series is going to clearly surpass Byrne’s run when it comes to sheer goofiness. With issue two, writer Dan Slott pole-vaults this series well into the realm of exquisite absurdity by more solidly establishing the premise, which takes a slight detour from my expectations (and certainly She-Hulk’s). In fact, I think this series would have been better served by making the first issue a double-sized effort. I fear that some folks who were merely pleasantly impressed by the first issue might not have been fully swayed into adding this book to their must-read list, thereby skipping this issue, which would have surely convinced them to stick around for a while.

Mild-mannered Jennifer Walters is the cousin of Bruce Banner, whom we all know is the Incredible Hulk. Bruce was once put in a position where only he could provide the blood Jen needed when she required an emergency blood transfusion. However, Bruce’s gamma-irradiated blood caused a change in Jennifer’s physiology -- she became a super-strong and near-invulnerable green giant. Jennifer’s change became permanent, after a while, until recent events in Avengers, and she is now able to change back and forth between green giant and good ol’ mild-mannered Jen, seemingly at will. Last issue, Jen was fired from her law firm job and threatened with eviction from the Avengers’ mansion. Later, she was offered another job with Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzman and Holliway, the most prestigious law firm on the east coast, but they wanted Jennifer Walters, not She-Hulk, prompting a bit of a crisis of self-confidence on Jennifer’s part. Gone is the slutty and irresponsible She-Hulk portrayed in the first issue that was a turn-off to some readers, replaced by this newer, more confident and purposeful She-Hulk.

This issue is essentially Jennifer’s first day at work, and she discovers that the law firm isn’t quite what she expected. It seems that GLK&H practices “superhuman law”, (and if you’re much of a comics historian, you’ll realize the significance of the firm’s name) and as a result their law offices are a bit of a “circus”, as Jennifer puts it. If Alan Moore’s TOP TEN series were about lawyers instead of cops, it might seem similar to this book in tone and atmosphere. The offices must make structural and environmental alterations to accommodate a variety of clients, from Atlanteans to subterranean Moloids, which certainly helps to spice up the potentially stagnant setting of a law office. Even the staff is comprised of a variety of bizarre beings from a shapeshifter to my favorite so far, Awesome Andy, an android ex-minion of the Mad Thinker who recently gained sentience. In addition to being introduced to Jennifer’s new job and fellow employees, we get to follow Jennifer through her first client. The most clever aspect of the book, in a very self-aware winking nod, is the law research library of GLK&H, which is essentially a collection of every Marvel comic ever published! Brilliantly silly! It makes no sense when you think about it (these are real-world Marvel comics), but it adds perfectly to the irreverent and clever tone of this series. Jen even reads her own “origin story” in a back issue of SAVAGE SHE-HULK!



The art for this series seems more appropriate now that the tone has been more firmly established. Bobillo does an admirable job communicating Jennifer’s character through her appearance, and I find it interesting that Jen is obviously more comfortable in jade-giantess form than in mousy human form, a fact that is clearly communicated by the art. I maintain that Sosa’s inking could use a bit more heft to it at times, but its clarity is still evident.

Dan Slott has quickly turned this book into a title I’m ready and willing to follow as long as he delivers in keeping this series just as silly and fun as this issue was. Hopefully, SHE-HULK will attract the readers it needs to steer clear of cancellation, but I hope Marvel does its part to promote the book and give it a fair chance. A premature cancellation of this title would definitely be a crime. Do yourself a favor and check this series out now -- if you’re a fan of goofy comics with superhero roots then you’re sure to enjoy SHE-HULK.

[deathlok]

I liked it! I will be around for the duration...........