Presenting the 100th Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Review!
World War Hulk Aftersmash Warbound #2
Marvel Comics
Pak, Kirk & Sandoval
The Warbound become “good” guys in this issue. You probably figured these folks would either die in this story or become true heroes and it looks like the latter to be the case so far. In the back of the issue Miek plants the seeds that Hiroim is the weak link left in the team. As a whole, this issue is a solid as any in the ancillary titles of the World War Hulk series. I liked it.
The issue begins with a New Mexico town succumbing to the Gamma cloud. Out of the cloud walks a very large, multi-headed green thing.
Over with the Warbound, the Leader, an old Hulk nemesis, reveals how he is using Hiroim’s strength to hold up the Gamma bubble. Basically, the more Hiroim uses his power, the bigger and badder the Gamma cloud gets. The Leader disappears and leaves the Warbound to deal with the problems he’s created.
The Warbound join forces with the military to kill off the creatures spawned from the Gamma Rays. They seem to be powered up bugs of various kinds, but I am only guessing. The citizens they are protecting are even warming up to the Warbound. Seems kind of odd that they would be okay with Brood who, looks like a bug, versus the other Gamma bugs, but whatever works. The Gamma Rays have also helped to make the Warbound stronger and healed up some of their previous injuries. The Warbound defeat the Gamma bugs and begin to evacuate the people out of the bubble.
To do this Hiroim uses his powers to split open the bubble. He does this with coaching from the SHIELD Agent Kate, who has been working with Miek and hounding them both of these issues so far. Now, you’d think she ultimately wants to take the Warbound down, but she seems to have a thing for Hiroim. It would be interesting to see them dating as a result of this story. As the civilians evacuate the bubble, the Leader’s monster comes and knocks out Korg, Brood and Elloe, leaving Hiroim and his girlfriend, Kate, to deal with the Leader’s creation.
The backup story has Kate interviewing Miek about the weaknesses of Hiroim. Apparently, Hiroim had sided with the father of the Red King that Hulk killed years ago. This seems a little out of place with him being a priest that was shamed, but I guess it ultimately works. I can’t help but wonder where Hulk’s wife was for this, seeing as how she was the strongest of Hiroim’s kind. Basically, Miek outlines how Hiroim could turn on his Warbound whenever it interferes with his morals.
This issue moves fast and has plenty of action. There were some odd points in it though. For example, how could the Leader’s monster so easily knock out the Warbound? Sure, I could see Elloe, but not Korg. That dude was like the Thing combined with the Hulk. Seems a little unlikely. Also, why is Hiroim so trusting of Kate? Very strange twist that seemed out of character. Anyway, I liked the story as a whole.
The artwork was very good. The Gamma monster was a particularly nice feature of the issue. It has all kinds of limbs and heads hanging out of it making it very John Carpenter’s The Thing-like. Also, the backup story made good use of the creatures of the Warbound’s planet. The art stayed very true to the whole Planet Hulk and World War Hulk stories.
I am guessing that this story will help to assimilate the Warbound into the regular Marvel Universe. So far, it’s been good. I didn’t know how it would hold up without the likes of Hulk or Iron Man, but its good so far. I am curious to find out what happens to Miek in all this too. There are lots of ways this thing could end up and I am willing to read out the mini-series.
4 out of 5 geek goggles.
 World War Hulk Aftersmash Warbound #2 |
