TITLE: The Incredible Hulk Vol. 2, Issue 327
YEAR: January 1985
COMPANY: Marvel Comics
Story & Layouts: Al Milgrom
Artists: Steve Geiger & Sam Delarosa
Letterer: Rick Parker & Workman
Colorist: Peter Scotese
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter
Many years before Thadeus “Thunderbolt” Ross became the popular Red Hulk, he became another monstrosity known as ZZZAXX.
Yes, the lightning entity which first debuted back in issue #166, a decade before this issue was released. Granted, ZZZAXX has shown up on “Luke Cage, Power Man” but he was first a Hulk villain and he returns courtesy of SHIELD who decides to put Ross’ mind into the monster’s body (smart one SHIELD).
While Red Hulk was an impressive character to unleash on the Marvel Universe and how they played the mystery card of the true identity of the red behemoth was, two decades earlier, Marvel made Ross an electrified being to take on both Grey Hulk (Bruce Banner) and Green Hulk (Rick Jones).
I absolutely felt with this issue that Steve Geiger and Sam Delarosa’s artwork in this issue was magnificent.
But I think that the cliched storylines ran rampant too much for this issue. Betty as always as the crying and emotional woman, Thadeus Ross as the hellbent and obsessed Hulk crusher and Doc Sampson being the cool and collected guy on Team Banner.
But the main difference is while Ross is always after a Hulk, he is fighting the Rick Jones Hulk. So, it’s an interesting battle.
But while Rick Jones may have that newfound strength, he just hasn’t done it as long as Banner. So, it was interesting to see if Rick Jones can fight.
If anything, at least the battle lasted longer in this issue between ZZZAX and Green Hulk but the Incredible Hulk storylines have been “too be continued” type of stories, so you have to wait and see how things progress in issue #327.