Bruce Banner is defying science with a religious intervention.
Since finding belief with Cardinal Letivicus Thornhill, Banner thinks he might have found a permanent solution to the Hulk!
The Cardinal is going to attempt an exorcism…what could possibly go wrong?
SPIDER-MAN/HULK: FIRE AND BRIMSTONE #3 by Kevin Smith, Andy McElfresh, R. B. Silva, Federico Blee & Joe Sabino (MARVEL COMICS) continues its’ ambitious story.
Let’s take a closer look at the latest.
SPIDER-MAN/HULK: FIRE AND BRIMSTONE #2 by Kevin Smith, Andy McElfresh, R. B. Silva, Federico Blee & Joe Sabino (MARVEL COMICS)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
writing:
The writing shows a few different sides to the more serious ethical debate at hand. The opening with the Cardinal preparing to exorcize the Hulk has some gravity to Banner’s overall struggles. This gets wiped away fast with the arrival of Mephisto. the dialogue is very loose as he plays his usual games. It throws more chaos into play until it’s time to start work. Once the King of Lies reacts, the ethics question goes away and it turns into a traditional superhero fight.
Readers watch as the action kicks into high gear. The writing nails Spidey’s quips, almost to the point of overkill. It offsets Banner’s dilemma until it’s go time. Once the act takes place, it shows a possible truth to all the questions in mystery. This allows for the story to veer into a new path. Spidey’s reactions to all of this mirror the audience reading. It ends on a solid cliffhanger point with much wonder behind it.
READ LAST ISSUE’S REVIEW!
art and lettering:
Silva and Blee go for a grounded look with a two page spread featuring Banner preparing. It conveys the tone of redemption as events line up. Mephisto’s full page intro teases the trouble en route. The devilish grin sways readers as his words are nothing but lies. The interactions with Spidey tease a past that everyone knows about (reverse OMD already!). This allows for another strong two page spread to arrive, capturing the unstable environment.
Mephisto’s tricks get a pair of half panels. This builds up the combustible situation even further. A bold full page shows the end results of the Cardinal’s actions. Blee’s coloring makes this image pop off the page. Reactions are mixed form the lead characters as to what just happened. It moves events back to a more traditional look before jetting to the finish line. Readers watch as a shocking full image makes a bold proclamation to conclude events for now, but not without wonder behind it.
Overall Grade: 8.5
Mephisto looks to temp Hulk’s fate with a drastic action changing his course in this entertaining chapter. The writing adds much more humor into the dialogue than the previous two issues. Silva and Blee lean into the chaotic scenarios for strong art. Where this story goes now is anyone’s guess.
Let me know our thoughts on SPIDER-MAN/HULK: FIRE AND BRIMSTONE #3 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
