With a television series coming soon, She-Hulk returns with her own comic series and its debut issue, She-Hulk #1. I haven’t kept up with the character in a while but have enjoyed her recent solo series. To catch folks up, Jennifer Walters is a bit of a mess. She’s had all of these superhero roles but with all of them currently over, she’s left picking up the pieces of her life. That means starting work all over again. Attempting to get an apartment with little to no money. As I said, she’s a mess and in a bad spot.
Rainbow Rowell nails the first issue with a focus on the fact Jennifer isn’t where she thought she’d be in life. And, it’s really relatable. I’m in my early 40s and often think about how I’m not where I thought I’d be in my career. Like Jennifer, I’m in many ways starting over as part of the “Great Resignation”, jettisoning the previous 20 years of work for a slightly different direction. Whether Rowell had all of this in mind when writing She-Hulk #1 or not, it’s a comic that captures some of the current zeitgeist and definitely the “crisis” I know far too many people are going through. It’s a comic that will resonate with a certain segment of the population.
While all of the above might sound depressing, it’s not. Rowell does an amazing job of infusing the issue with a lot of humor as She-Hulk has to deal with a new job but also old enemies in Titania, who is also trying to figure out her role in life. There’s just something that’s so relatable between the two of them despite it being so fantastical. It’s hard to not laugh when Jennifer must think about destroying her only suit when she’s about to do battle and her opponent offering to help her out with some clothes. It takes superhero tropes and concepts and brings a level of absurd about them with a smidge of grounding truth to it all as well.
Rogê Antônio’s art is fantastic. With Rico Renzi on color and Joe Caramagna on lettering, the comic’s visuals and lettering perfectly captures the down on her luck nature of the comic. The opening page is a perfect example of this. Jennifer is lost in her head thinking through her situation. Her body language reads as someone slightly beaten down. It’s a mix of that sort of focus along with just humorous moments that combine for a comic that takes you on a fun visual ride.
She-Hulk #1 is a fantastic debut that has such a focus and awareness of the character. I presents a superhero that is easy to relate to, especially if you’re getting up there in age. It’s my favorite debut so far this year.
Story: Rainbow Rowell Art: Rogê Antônio
Color: Rico Renzi Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: comiXology – Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW
Source: Graphic Policy
