Hulk & Thing: Hard Knocks

(Marvel, 2004-2005)
™ and © Marvel Entertainment Group

This miniseries starts with Bruce Banner, as usual, on the run from everyone and everything. He pauses momentarily at a rundown bar in the middle of nowhere when, to his chagrin, Ben Grimm (a.k.a. The Thing) enters. As the rest of the clientele hastily leaves, Ben starts reminiscing about his early days with the Fantastic Four. But he's really here to talk to the Hulk, and as everyone knows, there's only one way to get the green guy’s attention. The art by Jae Lee is fairly naturalistic; a splash of pink around the eyes conveys humanity to the Hulk’s acromegalic face, while the Thing’s rough–hewn appearance and proportions are more realistic than the hexagon–covered behemoth many people are used to. The plot by Bruce Jones doesn't leap out of the starting gate, but since this is a four issue series, the action should pick up considerably in the future.

— Joe Trela

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