Sensational She-Hulk #8

December 17, 2011

Title: The World’s Greatest Detective

Writer: John Bryne
Pencils: John Byrne
Inks: Bob Wiacek
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Letterer: Jim Novak
Cover Artist: John Byrne
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Publisher: Marvel Comics

In his run on Sensational She-Hulk, writer/artist John Byrne did a wonderfully funny, irreverent version of the character that fully was aware of the fact that she was in a comic book. She’d frequently converse with the creative team, use the conventions of the art form to her advantage, and otherwise have way more fun than most mainstream comics think they’re allowed to have these days. This early issue actually came out in the summer, but it’s got a distinct Christmasy tinge to it.

She-Hulk, alias prosecuting attorney Jennifer Walkers when she’s not busy saving the world, is called upon to handle the case against a man who is accused of seven murders. Although everybody – even his public defender – believes him to be guilty, there’s no concrete evidence of his guilt. Jennifer gets a call from a tiny elf of a man who calls himself Nick St. Christopher – the world’s greatest detective – who believes he can help her on the case.

Although the story plays a little coy with Nick’s true identity, if you haven’t figured it out simply by the picture of him on the cover, something is seriously wrong with you. Byrne follows the two of them with a trail of evidence just in case you missed it – Nick leaving snow in his wake, entering a building via the chimney, and informing Jen that he always knows who has been naughty and nice among them. The book, as it always was at this time period, was really funny, but also managed to balance itself against the relatively serious moments of Jennifer working as a prosecutor. These elements combined to make a unique kind of comic book that I loved back then and just wish still existed today.

On a side-note, the book includes a scene where Nick gives Jen a gift and warns her not to open it until Christmas. Byrne clearly was setting something up here, but he left the book with the next issue. Fortunately for us all, he returned to it a few years later, and in issue #36 he finally picked up on this thread. I’ve got to find a copy of that one and add it to the ol’ Christmas review pile.

Rating: 8/10

Somebody’s First Comic Book: Sensational She-Hulk #2

Wondering what Somebody’s First Comic Book is all about? The explanation is on this page!

TITLE: Attack of the Terrible Toad Men (or “Froggy Came Cavortin’”)

 

CREDITS:
Story & Pencils: John Byrne
Inking: Bob Wiacek
Lettering: John Workman
Coloring: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Publisher: Marvel Comics

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE: A green girl called “She-Hulk?” And conveniently, the word balloon tells us she’s the Hulk’s cousin. She doesn’t seem to have his anger issues, though.

IMPRESSIONS: The She-Hulk is getting a loaner apartment from her friend Janet, who apparently is living out on the west coast now, which seems awfully nice of her. Meanwhile, a couple of truly bizarre-looking villains (including – no foolin’ – a girl called Ruby Thursday who has a red globe for her head) are plotting against her. Then she gets attacked by Frog Men and Mysterio, who is another bad guy with a funky thing on his head. There’s a theme here.

As this feature insists, this is a “first comic book” – but I can’t imagine standard comics are anything like this. Besides being wildly funny, the editor and writer have an argument via post-it notes about the action taking too long, and She-Hulk herself makes a few comments that make it very clear that she’s aware of the fact that she’s in a comic book. It’s a crazy, funky, fourth wall-breaking gag that carries throughout the issue and gives the comic a very unique, unusual flavor.

The villains are so strange, the writing is so funny, and the cliffhanger is so good that I really want to go out and get the next issue. This is a hellacool comic.

GRADE: A+