She-Hulk #31 (Marvel – David / Cucca / Acunza / Ciardo / Monni)
SECRET INVASION tie-in and X-FACTOR crossover issue! It’s double the trouble as our gamma-ray glamazon finds herself on a collision course with the mystery-solving X-Factor and hip-deep in the Skrull infestation! What does She-Hulk’s partner Jazinda – who just happens to be a Skrull – know about the invasion…and is she part of it? And why has writer Peter David pitted the heroes of his two books against one another? All the answers are waiting for you here…and so is an exciting new art team!
The second big Marvel disappointment of the week! This “Secret Invasion” tie-in reminds me of the “Secret Wars 2” tie-ins of my youth… remember when the Beyonder turned a whole office building into gold, yea… it’s kind of like that.
There was so much here to not be impressed with. Peter David, for all of the love I have for him, really just threw together a story for Jen to try to promote his other book, X-Factor. And really, does anyone care if Longshot is a skrull? really?
The whole issue is one continuous combat, but sort of a boring C-lister combat. Watch She-hulk first prove she’s a better fighter than Strong Guy (duh?) and then watch her take on a whole mob of angry Madroxes (or is it Madri?)… anyways the story was a pretty good waste of time. And worse than the plot? The art! The write-up says “An Exciting new art team!”, my fuzzy tail it’s exciting! This art is SO bad! It’s like Saturday morning Hannah-Barbara, except without the characters you love. And I kid you not, in ever panel it looks like one of the characters has a spotlight on them. I challenge you, page through the book. It would seem that the sun shone directly on one (and only one) of the characters in every panel. Now only weak and sad, but bizarre!
The iconic Peter David has got to turn Shulkie’s boat around, otherwise I sense yet another She-Hulk book getting cancelled. Also, where is the editor? The inker’s name is misspelled on the cover.
Grade: D-
