InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "always better the second day"

starwolf_oakley (starwolf_oakley) wrote in scans_daily,
@ 2009-08-24 19:04:00

Entry tags:

char: hulk/bruce banner, creator: ariel olivetti, creator: greg pak, title: incredible hulk

INCREDIBLE HULK preview: You wouldn't like me when I'm... smart?
Here are some pages previewing INCREDIBLE HULK #602. Bruce Banner apparently can't turn into the Hulk anymore (like that trick ever works).

One page cut for Mod reasons. Bruce is riding the subway while a young boy does a rhyme. The kid's father wakes up, annoyed.

Can ANYONE fall asleep on a subway?

Bruce Banner's father being an abusive bastard was established by Bill Mantlo and expanded by Peter David. Brian Banner was a full-on psychotic, convinced his 3-year-old son was a monster.

I guess both the Fantastic Four, "New" Avengers and the "Mighty" Avengers are testing that Bruce Banner being "fixed" isn't just a passing fad.

(Post a new comment)

	tennoarashi 2009-08-24 11:26 pm UTC (link)
	That two-page spread needs a hell of a lot more bulge. I mean... come on. They're all posturing like that and nothing? (Reply to this) (Thread)

	starwolf_oakley 2009-08-24 11:29 pm UTC (link)
	For some superheroes, the prospect of fighting the Hulk causes certain "bulges" to involuntarily invert. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	stolisomancer 2009-08-24 11:27 pm UTC (link)
	Can ANYONE fall asleep on a subway? I've done it on the BART in San Francisco. It's not even unusual. (Reply to this)

	foxhack 2009-08-24 11:35 pm UTC (link)
	A Hulk story that doesn't have anything to do with Loeb? How refreshing. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	autolychus2 2009-08-25 12:03 am UTC (link)
	I'm not one who usually bashes creators, but I've got to agree with you here. Loeb has gotten on my last nerve with what he's done to the Hulk. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	foxhack 2009-08-25 12:12 am UTC (link)
	I'm not bashing him (this time) but it really does feel like all the recent Hulk stories have been by him. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lawrence_live 2009-08-25 02:32 pm UTC (link)
	They have. And the world is a worse place for it. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	zegim 2009-08-25 07:48 pm UTC (link)
	Agreed! And it's Greg Pak who (if I'm not wrong) is a good Hulk writer. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

daso
2009-08-26 08:21 am UTC (link)

Yes, he penned the excellent Planet Hulk and its good sibling World War Hulk. I would say Planet Hulk is one of the best Hulk storylines in the history of the character, and certainly the best one in the last ten years. As for a writer you could do a whole lot worse than Pak.
Not digging Olivetti's art at all though. I didn't like it in Cable neither in Punisher War Journal.

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	colonel_green 2009-08-24 11:38 pm UTC (link)
	Does it really make sense to post the entire preview here, thus taking up a huge amount of the issue's limit? (also, that's five pages, since it's a double-splash) (Reply to this) (Thread)

	starwolf_oakley 2009-08-25 01:26 am UTC (link)
	I was originally just going to post the double-page spread, but I liked the idea of Bruce threatening the mean father with his brain instead of his green alter-ego. My bad. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Modly Reminder schmevil 2009-08-25 11:21 pm UTC (link)
	Colonol Green is right - you've gone a page over the new comics limit. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	mugiwara 2009-08-24 11:44 pm UTC (link)
	Ugh... Pak is back to his fanfiction? I hope he won't write the heroes as a bunch of meanies who are allways attacking the great, strong and noble Hulk. It's weird to see the New Avengers, the X-Men and Hercules in the middle of a town, without Hammer agents to arrest them. Does that mean it's a post Dark Reign story? (or just that Hulk is still kinda "continuity free"?) (Reply to this) (Thread)

	autolychus2 2009-08-25 12:07 am UTC (link)
	Seeing the New and Mighty Avengers in Manhattan openly does have me wondering, too -- especially since I don't see Bruce's problem lasting too long in his own book. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	box_in_the_box 2009-08-25 02:01 am UTC (link)
	The sad thing is, after seeing Loeb ramp up Rulk to insane Marty Stu levels, I actually kind of like seeing powerless Banner receive the same treatment. In this preview, he's basically a one-man 4chan, very calmly dedicated to the principle of quietly raping the shit out of anyone who fucks with him, with nothing more than a wireless connection. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

autolychus2
2009-08-25 02:16 am UTC (link)

I wouldn't mind Rulk so much, if Loeb hadn't taken away one of my two favorite characterizations of the Hulk and replaced it with the dumb brute. OK, I'd still probably mind the Rulk for all his Marty Stu-ishness, and I'd still hate the multiple Wendigoes and A-Bomb, and the death of my favorite Hulk villain, and ...
So, yes it was nice to see Banner ass-rape this child-beater like an electric monkey -- even though to do what he did as fast as he did, he'd have to be Micah from "Heroes", or as I said before, Willow.

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	daso 2009-08-25 11:43 am UTC (link)
	You don't read a lot of Hulk comics, do you? (Reply to this) (Parent)

	ninjapeps 2009-08-25 12:35 am UTC (link)
	how do you get all that information from a cell phone? it doesn't matter how smart someone is. unless you were stupid enough to save that information on your phone, no amount of hacking will yield that info. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	autolychus2 2009-08-25 12:37 am UTC (link)
	The same way Willow used to get all that info for Buffy over the school's computer? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	box_in_the_box 2009-08-25 01:54 am UTC (link)
	In other words, IT'S THE INTERNET, DON'T QUESTION IT. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	autolychus2 2009-08-25 02:22 am UTC (link)
	It was more impressive for Willow, though, Sunnydale High's computers probably had less computing power than your average cellphone these days. Gosh, I feel old. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	box_in_the_box 2009-08-25 02:35 am UTC (link)
	20-30 years from now, superhero comics nerds are going to look at the way modern writers portray the Internet with the same condescending disdain with which all of us now look at Stan Lee's ideas about "science" (IRON MAN'S ARMOR CAN DO ANYTHING IF IT HAS ENOUGH TRANSISTORS). And if you are who I think you are, you were ALWAYS old. :P (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	autolychus2 2009-08-25 02:38 am UTC (link)
	I got too cute with the clues, didn't I? How you been Box? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	box_in_the_box 2009-08-25 02:41 am UTC (link)
	... Jesus Christ. :) Admittedly, the MCAS Iwakuni narrowed it down quite a bit, but it was YOUR FUCKING BRUCE CAMPBELL-DERIVED SCREEN NAME that probably did the most to narrow it beyond that. :) I been, let's just put it that way. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

autolychus2
2009-08-25 02:46 am UTC (link)

Can't help it. Autolychus2 has been my screen name since my first post on the first forum I ever joined (something Xena-related) and I joined this forum before I knew you were here. Sooo....

But this is getting off-topic. Send me an e-mail sometime my addy is (My real name, no spaces or underscores or MI)@yahoo.com -- if you can remember how to spell it.

See you around, I'm off to bed as I have to get up early for work.

Night pal.

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	lawrence_live 2009-08-25 02:34 pm UTC (link)
	And the internet is MAGIC. (Reply to this) (Parent)

liarashadowsong
2009-08-25 01:19 am UTC (link)

Not from the cell phone directly, I imagine. If you have a way to get the phone number, possibly through hacking to nearby bluetooth-capable devices, the nearest of which would be the phone in question, you would work from there. Take the number, and trace it back to the person's name, address, and credit card with which they pay the bill, via hacking into the records of their cell phone service provider. From the credit card company's database, you get the social security number. I'm not sure where the tax fraud info would come from then, but it may involve the IRS and his employer's pay records. Actually, I don't know how to actually go about executing any of the steps I just outlined, but I do believe that would be the logical process by which the information would be obtained. And that would be a very difficult job anyways; he'd have to have some seriously impressive technology on him to manage it that fast on something handheld.

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box_in_the_box
2009-08-25 01:58 am UTC (link)

Earning my No-Prize here, I think that, by the time Bruce got to the point of claiming to know how much the guy had cheated on his income taxes, he was clearly just bullshitting him, but by that point, he'd already obtained enough other information that he could convince the guy that his bullshit was real. Plus, I suspect Bruce was making the leap of logic that, if this guy beat his kid, then he cheated on his taxes, too, based on ... well, I don't know, is that part of the same personality type?

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	liarashadowsong 2009-08-25 03:47 am UTC (link)
	Yeah, sounds about right. grins He hacked the reasonable to obtain info, and bullshitted the remainder. How he knew about the tax cheating is beyond me, and probably just a lucky guess. (Reply to this) (Parent)

freeman333
2009-08-26 02:24 am UTC (link)

Arguably, yes. Abuse is often a generational phenomenon, so it's likely that Abusive Dad there was the recipient of similar treatment from his own Abusive Dad. A history of abuse is often correlated with features of Antisocial Personality, and though we don't see enough of Abusive Dad's behaviors in the above example to make a full diagnosis, responding to frustration with violence and a lack of compassion for the feelings of others are also both associated with Antisocial Personality. (As a colleague of mine once put it, lots of people use violence inside the home, but if someone is using violence in public spaces as a way of responding to frustration, that's a red flag for Antisocial.)

Another feature of Antisocial is a disregard for rule of law or social convention. Taxes are particularly pertinent in this regard in that they are a form of self-sacrifice that benefits a great number of people outside of one's self--exactly the kind of broad, impersonal compassion that someone with Antisocial features would find both difficult and pointless. So, if we're looking at the available evidence as an argument for a provisional Antisocial diagnosis, then yes, I'd say it's likely that the abuse and the cheating on taxes would both be features of the same personality structure.

Y'know, it's possible I'm putting too much thought into this. Maybe?

(Reply to this) (Parent)

freeman333
2009-08-26 02:28 am UTC (link)

And, as an entirely unnecessary follow-up to my previous comment, it's worth noting that threats of punishment, like Bruce's there, are generally found to be spectacularly ineffective for preventing incidents of violent acting-out, particularly in the case of someone with Antisocial features. (This fact contributes to many of my views on parenting, the criminal justice system, American schools, and capital punishment, but I digress.)

So, good work, Bruce, but if you think you've improved that kid's life, I'm afraid your intentions are noble but your methods are lacking. As much as I deeply love superhero comics and their slam! bam! pow! method of problem-solving, working in psychology has taught me that, in the real world, compassion is thousands of more times more effective at preventing violence than more violence could ever be.

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sherkahn
2009-08-25 03:10 am UTC (link)

He can't. He can get the name, address, phone info and maybe anything that was put onto the phone while in use. But the taxes thing, no.

Bruce is bluffing, hardcore, and given his intelligence and psychological experience he knows that the Dad isn't smart enough to realize he's being played like a chump. Just like a good grifter can size up a "mark", in a few moments of observation know details about him. That's where the tax evasion line came in. And since the dad isn't smart enough or courageous enough to call Bruce on his bluff, he backs down. The dad didn't ask for Banner to tell him if he filed it with his wife or not, to call Bruce's bluff.

Once outside the subway, though, I could see Bruce making good on his threats, keeping the dad's info in his mind and using his brains to figure out what he was bluffing about.

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	arilou_skiff 2009-08-25 07:18 am UTC (link)
	Not in the US maybe. Taxes are public records here (by and large) though. You can literally check them on the internet at a glance. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	zegim 2009-08-25 07:52 pm UTC (link)
	I like this explanation. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	neuhallidae 2009-08-25 12:38 am UTC (link)
	Took me a second to realize that was supposed to be Cassie. She looks as much like a dude as any of the actual dudes in that last spread. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	lieut_kettch 2009-08-25 01:06 am UTC (link)
	Agreed. She looks like a gawky 12-year-old boy in that panel. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	lencannon 2009-08-25 03:56 am UTC (link)
	EVERYONE falls asleep on the subway. (Reply to this)

	kusonaga 2009-08-25 08:22 am UTC (link)
	Bruce's a hacker now? Marvel writers seem to forget that being smart doesn't immediately mean you can do anything. Everyone has their disciplines. As I recall, Bruce is more of a traditional scientist. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	daningram 2009-08-25 01:38 pm UTC (link)
	True, but he's an ultra smart scientist who's adapted to nearly a decade on the run, evading law enforcement and the like to the best of his ability. He hasn't always succeeded, but he's done a good job and likely applied his brain towards disciplines that would help him stay afloat. (Reply to this) (Parent)

This is an interesting twist

roguefankc
2009-08-25 03:52 pm UTC (link)

Strangely, I like Bruce being non-Hulk for now because these previews show he can still be an effective hero and strategist without worrying about Hulking out.

But I'm surprised at Bruce's non-bitterness towards the heroes, especially towards Reed Richards.

You didn't exactly endear yourself to the locals.

And you haven't exactly endeared yourself towards a lot of heroes yourself, Reed, so it sort of puts you on an even moral-playing field with Bruce, I daresay.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: This is an interesting twist colonel_green 2009-08-25 07:24 pm UTC (link)
	Reed's like teflon; nobody holds a grudge against him, seemingly. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: This is an interesting twist foxhack 2009-08-25 07:54 pm UTC (link)
	ahem DOOM (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: This is an interesting twist colonel_green 2009-08-26 02:22 am UTC (link)
	Ironically, for something he didn't do. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	Re: This is an interesting twist sir_mikael 2009-08-26 11:06 pm UTC (link)
	Dooms hatred is probably just fuelled by others grudges towards Reed. He may in fact absorb them. (Reply to this) (Parent)

Well played..

steverodgers5
2009-08-29 03:12 pm UTC (link)

Hahaha!..Well done!

I was just thinking to myself, waitaminute..nobody holding a grudge against Reed?..I'm sure I'm forgetting someone..then of course saw your entry and *facepalm!*..

Of course it could be said that his grudge isn't so much against Reed, as it is...
RICHARDS!!!

..Though I'll grant you that that distinction may have been ingrained into me from reading too much of Toyfayre's Twisted Mego Theatre back in the day...;)

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