Planet Hulk #1 Comic Book Recap/Review

Planet Hulk #1 Recap/Review – The Oath (Secret Wars Tie In)

 

Planet Hulk #1 Comic Book Recap

In the northernmost area of Battleworld sprawls the mighty Greenland.  Bordering on the Sea of Monsters, no area of Battleworld is quite as… savage as this place.  It is blood, mud, and gamma.  The devil cries, and this place laughs.  This is the land where ALL is Hulk.  Our story begins in the Mud Kingdom, where a tribe of Hulks look on at a patrolling group of Thors.  The Hulks fire on the gods, hitting one with a catapult barrage of stone, scrap… and dung.  The Thors instantly charge the Hulks, knowing these monsters must be punished.

The Hulks are immediately wounded and their homes destroyed.  Satisfied, the Thors leave, as they are on an important mission for Doom.  Not too far away, the Red King watches the scene unfold, amused at the attack on these people.  He seems pleased that Doom is punishing his subjects.

[Related: Click Here For More Marvel’s Secret Wars 2015 Complete Reading Order Checklist]

Across the Sea of Monsters lies Doomstadt.  This is where the almighty God King Doom rules over Battleworld.  On the outskirts of this area is the Killiseum, a gladiatorial arena.  The Wolverine Clan has just been defeated by the new champions – the beast slayer known Steve “The Captain” Rogers and his Tyrannosaurus Rex, The Devil.  All glory to God Doom!  The crowd goes wild as the trophy ceremony begins.  The gladiator is disarmed, while Arcade comes out on the field to congratulate the new champions.

Devil begins to panic, but he calms down by matching his breathing rate with Steve’s.  When Arcade gets close, the Captain grabs the man and hurls them both into Devil’s waiting mouth.  As his victim panics, Steve makes it simple.  Answer the question, or Rogers will personally kick him down Devil’s throat.  Where’s Bucky?

But as always, Arcade still has tricks up his sleeve, and an electric shock knocks Rogers out cold.  Steve finds himself at Castle Doom, where he is ordered to acknowledge his god.  Steve does, but it matters not.  The Captain only breathes by the grace of Doom.  In spite of Steve’s crime, however, his god has an offer.  One final task for the beast slayer.

[Related: Click Here For More Marvel’s Secret Wars 2015 Complete Reading Order Checklist]

There is a territorial dispute going on with Greenland.  The Mud Kingdom is acting out of line.  It must be broken, but Doom does not wish to lower himself by personally interfering.  So Steve is given a job – meet with an operative on the ground, and eliminate the Red King.

At first, the Captain rebukes such an offer, but Strange says he will do it for Bucky.  Barnes was given the same offer earlier, but failed in his task and is now a captive of the Red King.  Hearing this, Rogers submits.  If The Captain can kill the Red King, then he and Bucky can live free in Greenland under Doom’s blessing.  Rogers has only one condition – he wants his T-Rex back.

Rogers thinks back to his time in war with Bucky, and wonders if his old friend could really still be alive.  In any case, Steve vows to find Barnes.  He and Devil are teleported to Greenland, and begin to look for the operative they are to meet with.  They find the spot they arranged to meet at, when they are suddenly attacked by strange insect-like beings.  But they are more than mere insects.  Like everything else here, they have been corrupted by gamma.  They are Hulk.

Both Devil and Rogers can’t stop these monsters, and both are only saved at last minute by a massive explosion.  Their saviour scoffs, and wonders what forgotten kingdom Doom dug these two out of.  Nonetheless, The Captain is welcomed to Greenland by an all too familiar Hulk.

Planet Hulk #1 Comic Book Review

Hello and welcome to Comic Island!  My name is Arden, and this is my recap, and review of Planet Hulk #1.

Yeah, I just can’t resist these Secret Wars tie-ins.  They are just too tempting to pass up when they keep offering tantalizing stories like this.  Oh, you want to tell a story about Steve Rogers as a gladiator, travelling to a continent full of Hulks, teaming up with a T-Rex and what I assume is Bruce Banner?  Oh well I guess I would be inter- OF COURSE I WANT TO READ THAT!  YES I WANT ALL OF THAT SERIES GIVE IT TO ME NOW!

 So, yeah, looks like I’m covering this series too.  And I was pretty pleased by the end result.  This comic was very well done.  I liked the art and the story delivers exactly what was promised.  It set things up expertly and leaves me eager for more.  There’s also a bonus story written by Greg Pak that was also well done, though I am not as big a fan of the art for that second story.

[Related: Click Here For More Marvel’s Secret Wars 2015 Complete Reading Order Checklist]

But who cares?  This is clearly not a comic made for in depth analysis and I won’t do it the disservice of reading too much into a fun story.  At a certain point you just have to stop and enjoy the fact that Captain America finally has the sidekick he deserves.  This is going to be great, and I will see you all for issue two.