World War Hulk Review – “World War Hulk: X-Men”

This three issue miniseries wrapped up this week, as did the crossover with Avengers: The Initiative. This review is going up first, as the story here should be read before that of Avengers: The Initiative (though that’s only for three panels, so it’s not terribly critical.) The Avengers: Initiative #4-5 review will be posted tomorrow, and a review of the complete Silver Surfer: Requiem will be posted Monday.

General Information

Title: World War Hulk: X-Men
Author: Christos Gage
Illustrator(s): Andrea Divito and Laura Villari
Original Publication Date: Cover dated August through October 2007.
Cover Price: $2.99 US, $3.75 Can each issue.

Past comic reviews can be found here.

Premise

The Hulk arrives at X-Mansion with a question for Professor Xavier: if he’d been present at the vote that sent the Hulk into space, how would he have voted?

High Point

The Juggernaut really arrives.

Low Point

There’s no way to really discuss this without spoilers, so consider yourself warned, and highlight to read: This takes place before much of the World War Hulk miniseries. (It’s entirely contained “between the panels” of issue one.) Consistency demands that there is no possible way to talk the Hulk down from a fight, and that’s exactly what happens here. At best, he’d have swatted Mercury aside and made off with the Professor anyway. End spoilers.

The Scores

This doesn’t read as that original. Hulk smashes, heroes try to stop him. I give it 3 out of 6.

The artwork is pretty solid. There are a lot of characters to balance here, and that’s done well. I give it 5 out of 6.

The story is minimal. In fact, I’ve pretty much told you the entire story already, if you read the stuff I spoiler-guarded. I give it 3 out of 6.



The characterization is done fairly well for the New X-Men, which is good for me, as I don’t read that title. That’s because they’re around before the battle starts. Once that gets going, it’s all about everyone hitting the Hulk and the Hulk hitting back. Hepzibah does have a good moment, though. I give it 4 out of 6.

The emotional response is pretty good, despite the simplicity of the story. As someone whose main Hulk-reading experiences come either before or after Peter David’s legendary run (until I find time to work through that DVD-ROM), I don’t expect a story from a Hulk series. I expect major smashing, and that’s what this delivers. I give it 5 out of 6.

The flow is pretty smooth. The entire story takes place in less time that it takes to read, and it’s only three issues. It’s basically one big battle scene, and a well choreographed one. I give it 5 out of 6.

Overall, this delivers its promise of “Hulk fights all avaiable X-Men,” and not much else. I give it 4 out of 6.

In total, World War Hulk: X-Men receives 29 out of 42.

World War Hulk Review Checklist

One reply

  1. hmm… so-so
    Is it me or does Emma always seem to be useless in fights? The X-men have a leader crisis- Storm seemed to be the best and she is no longer there- I don’t like the way the Hulk is portrayed as so powerful that no one can hurt him- I also don’t like the way the x-men seemed totally unconcerned about him after he was gone. Thought the ending was trite. Best scene was Juggernaught and Hulk admitted knew little of most of them and could have killed several by his actions but there was no talk about killing him- what about Nightcrawler just teleporting his head or something like that- landing an aircraft seemed to be a response that held little promise of working- all in all I was disapointed but that it was one big one-sided battle did keep up the interest.

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