Jimmy Attempts To Read All Of Secret Wars Part Eight (Hulk Edition)

As much of a Marvel Zombie as I was growing up and have been to some degree after rediscovering comics in my later years, one character I’ve never really collected has been the Hulk.  I’ve read lots of comics with the Hulk in them, and am usually to some degree familiar with his current incarnation.  (Though I admit to be completely lost before doing some research about this whole Red Hulk business a few years back.)  I generally knew if Hulk was currently green or gray, intelligent or not.  I knew who the Maestro was from Future Imperfect.  I knew basically what happened in Planet Hulk, World War Hulk and World War Hulks, but never read any of them.  They are on a long list of things I hope to read (yes Watson, I can read) someday.

As familiar as I am mostly with the 616 Hulk, I am the opposite when it comes to Hulk 2099 and the Ultimate Hulk.  Outside of reading the Spider-Man related titles on and off I was never that into the Ultimate or 2099 lines.  I’m not surprised they have Hulks, but I can’t tell you anything about them.

So in this column I will be flying a bit blind in looking at Ultimate End #2, Future Imperfect #1 and Secret Wars 2099 #2, much like I was in reviewing the Secret Wars version of Planet Hulk.  I’m sure I can make sense of it all, but might miss some of the throwbacks and references to the “source material”.

Also, if you are like me and haven’t read all of Johnathon Hickman’s Avengers run leading up to Secret Wars, be sure to take Tom’s Road To Secret Wars course at gabbinggeekuniversity.com.  The reading materials are online here: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six and Part Seven.

And that course is a prerequisite to the other parts of this series: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven

Jimmy Attempts To Read All Of Secret Wars Part Six

Editor’s Note: Jimmy, not that Secret Wars 3!!!

Secret Wars continues to build momentum and the tie-ins that I’ve read have mostly been interesting so far.  Most of them feature titles you will likely be familiar with from Marvel crossover events of the past.  It’s interesting to see how Marvel is handling these tie-ins as some seem to be direct sequels (eg. X-Tinction Agenda, Civil War (I’m assuming)) while others just seem to build off the name and aspects of those original events but are really not related (eg. Planet Hulk, Armor Wars).

After the break we’ll look at the latest and best issue of the main mini-series so far, issue three.  Two tie-in series that seem to be in the “related in name only” department in Armor Wars #1 and Infinity Gauntlet #1.  And then take a trip to a slightly skewed version of the future than we’ve seen previously in Secret Wars 2099 #1.  As usual, spoilers will be prevalent.

Also, if you are like me and haven’t read all of Johnathon Hickman’s Avengers run leading up to Secret Wars, be sure to take Tom’s Road To Secret Wars course at gabbinggeekuniversity.com.  The reading materials are online here: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six and Part Seven.

And that course is a prerequisite to the other parts of this series: Part One, Part Two, Part Three,Part Four, Part Five

And The Award For The Longest and Most Unnecessary Secret Wars Post On Gabbing Geek Goes To…

To a 10 year old Jimmy Impossible, Secret Wars was right in his wheel house.  For one full year the best heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe would be together every month bashing skulls, having mountains dropped on them and bowing before Doom.  Though the tie-ins were subtle, this was really the first huge company wide event at either of the Big Two.  (sequart.org has a nice article comparing Secret Wars, Secret Wars II and Crisis on Infinite Earths and which is responsible for the rise of the endless Events that I keep getting suckered into, which seems like every few months.)

One of the biggest parts of Secret Wars, and in fact the reason for it’s existence, was a promotion for a toy line from Mattel.