Writer: Bruce Jones
Artist: Mike Deodato Jr.
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Plot:
The book opens with the two agents of the Secret Conspiracy who have been prepping the Abomination for his encounter with the Hulk becoming involved in a struggle against each other, and this allows the Abomination to escape. However, even with his newly found freedom, the Abomination still looks to be ready to follow the instructions he was given, as he makes his way to the site where the Secret Conspiracy want the battle to play out. Meanwhile back with Banner we see Nadia has decided to come clean and admit to Banner that she is working for the Secret Conspiracy, and that she has been setting him up for an encounter with the Abomination. After she explains that she decided to betray the Secret Conspiracy because she sense an inner gentleness during her encounter with the Hulk, we see this doesn't stop her from slipping a drug into Banner's drink, as she doesn't want him to interfere with her reunion with her husband. As Nadia makes her way to the site where the Abomination is on a destructive rampage, we see the reason she is seeking him out is to have her revenge upon her abusive husband, but the triggering device she was given for the explosive planted in his neck turns out to be a dud. However, Banner was able to shake off the effects of the drug, and the issue ends with the Hulk's arrival.
Comments:
This book does serve to move the Abomination plot to center stage, as by the end of this issue the Hulk & his hated rival are face to face, ready to lay into each other, and one has to believe next issue is going to be one heck of a show. This issue also adds a fairly surprising plot twist to the situation with Nadia, as we learn she is not looking to be reunited with her husband out of a sense of love & devotion, but rather she is looking for revenge upon the man. We also see her turn the tables on the people who have orchestrated this reunion, as she lets Banner in on the game, and lets him know that she is a part of the group that is trying to capture him. This in turn makes his decision to play his role in this plan even more powerful, as the scene where he is removing articles of clothing in preparation for the Hulk's emergence is a wonderful little moment, as we know Banner is aware that he's walking into a trap. There's also a equally impressive moment where Nadia squares off against the Abomination, only to discover that her employers had no intention of living up to their end of the bargain. In fact if nothing else this scene serves to show us how utterly ruthless Nadia truly is, as her final speech to her husband is a powerful display of her hatred, and one has notice that she actually pushed the button, with no hesitation.
The Abomination also gets a chance to live up to the advance billing that this story has been building up, as one has to absolutely love the "boy are we screwed" moment when the two agents discover that the Abomination is free, and the explosive device that controls him is halfway across the room. There's also a great moment where we see the Abomination advancing toward a rancher & his young daughter, and the ensuing page where we see him moving away from this site, delivers a very powerful final moment, as we see the teddy bear of the young girl lying in the wreckage of what was clearly their home. One also has to love the sense of raw fury unleashed as the Abomination is tearing a path of destruction through the city, and the equally impressive look at what he's managed to do while waiting for the Hulk's arrival, when Banner is making his way into the ruins that were once a thriving city. The exchange between Nadia & the Abomination also affords us a great look at the sheer wickedness of the character, as how can one not love the sense of delight that he is able to draw from the idea that his wife has been played for a fool. One also has to wonder how he knew the device that Nadia had been given was a dud, and whether we've seen the entire picture when it comes to the Abomination's deal with the Secret Conspiracy.
If there was any doubts about Mike Deodato Jr. being the ideal artist for this book, this issue should serve to quash any concerns, as this is a fantastic teaser of an issue when it comes to showing off the art's ability to deliver a big spectacle. I mean there's two one page shots in this issue that leave one utterly convinced that next issue is going to be one of the most visually impressive fights the Hulk has ever been involved in. The first shot is of the Abomination as he sends people fleeing for their lives, as one has to love the look of sheer terror of the faces of the crowd, and the look of mad delight that is etched upon the Abomination's face. The second page is the shot of Banner making his way into the ruins of the city, how can one not be impressed by the sheer destruction that the Abomination has managed to unleash. I also adored the page where Banner effective prepares to unleash the Hulk, and while it's a little throwaway detail I love how the art manages to explain how Banner protects the Hulk's modesty by wearing pants that are clearly too large. There's also something to be said to the sense of excitement that is delivered on that final page. My one quibble with the art is that Kaare Andrews covers aren't nearly as clever visually as the were before.
Final Word:
After spending the first three issues slowly building a sense of doom & gloom, this chapter finally takes the lid off the box, and unleashes the Abomination. Now the Hulk doesn't find his way into the book until the final page, so this issue is still setting up the big show, but if nothing else the book manages to really play up the idea that the Abomination is just as powerful, if not more so than the Hulk, and his capacity for destruction is unmatched. Now, yes the Hulk can rip apart a city with the best of them, but the sheer enjoyment that the Abomination looks to draw from his destruction is what makes these moments work. The book also offers up a fairly nice revelation that Nadia is looking for revenge upon her husband, and the scene where she delivers what she believes will be the last words he ever hears, really sells the idea of how much she hates him. Banner also gets a wonderful quiet moment, as he prepares to walk into what he knows is a trap.
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