The past couple issues of Avengers have focused mainly on Noh-Varr's role in the events of Avengers vs. X-Men, which didn't end so well for him. And with issue #28 promising to depict Red Hulk's "last stand," is he going to fare any better? Brian Michael Bendis doesn't utilize the character as effectively as he did during last year's Fear Itself tie-in, but Red Hulk fans will still be able to take some enjoyment out of this standalone chapter.
Bendis chronicles Red Hulk's clandestine mission to assassinate Cyclops. The opening pages where Red Hulk monologues abut his ability to do what men like Captain America can't are a little hackneyed, but most of the blame lies on the decision to rely on a mix of prose and silent panels where traditional pages probably would have been more effective. The issue picks up immediately once Red Hulk undertakes his mission and the prose approach vanishes. Another nice quality is that he remains in General Ross form for much of this sequence, which may well be a first for this series. It's fun to see one angry, mustached soldier get the drop on an entire island of mutants, if only briefly.
The subject matter isn't necessarily the best use of Walt Simonson's larger-than-life pencilling style, as much of this issue plays out like a grim espionage tale rather than a superhero brawl. By and large, Simonson rises to the challenge. Though his figures are occasionally too flat, his storytelling is impeccable during the Utopia infiltration. The opening pages are less so,particularly the splash page that features a caption plastered directly on Red Hulk's forehead for no apparent reason.
Ultimately, a story like this is always limited by the need to fit within the confines of the main event. And so there's little in the way of consequential plot progression or character growth. But if nothing else, Avengers #28 proves that Red Hulk still has a place among Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and various other IGN channels. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.
Source : ign[dot]com
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