Planet Hulk: Worldbreaker #3 Review

Written by: Greg Pak
Art by: Manuel Garcia, Cam Smith
Colors by: Chris Sotomayor
Letters by: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover art by: Carlo Pagulayan, Jason Paz, Chris Sotomayor
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: January 4, 2023

Planet Hulk: Worldbreaker #3 adds She-Hulk into the mix for a head-on confrontation with the Grand Priestess to free the kidnapped Haarg children. Is this the end of the fight, or is the fight just beginning?

Is It Good?

Planet Hulk: Worldbreaker #3 is a strangely conflicted entry in the series about a Gran Priestess kidnapping the descendant children of the Hulks a thousand years hence on Planet Hulk. On the one hand, you get plenty of action, plot movement, and a clear motivation behind what and why the Grand Priestess is kidnapping children. On the other, the motivation doesn’t live up to the buildup, so you’re forced to just go along with it.

When last we left Cho and Tala, their efforts to gain Banner’s participation in saving the Haaarg children fell on deaf ears, so Cho decided to opt for Plan B – She-Hulk. Cho and Tala eventually enlist She-Hulk’s help, aided by the addition of Korg, to attack the Gran Priestess’s fortress and save the day.

Of course, that’s not the end of the story because it’s all a ruse for the Grand Priestess to draw out and destroy the Hulks. Why? Well, that’s where it gets tricky. The Grand Priestess acknowledges the Hulk saved her and her people but despises them for the destruction that salvation caused through collateral damage… or something like that. It’s a “there wouldn’t have been any destruction if the Hulks hadn’t come here in the first place” type of motivation that sort of works if you squint your eyes and look at the situation sideways without blinking for two minutes.

It’s a difficult stretch to get behind the Grand Priestess’s motivation, so you’re left with a “that’s it?” feeling that deflates the weight of the plot. As exciting as the Hulk smashing is, a villain with a weak motivation makes the entire plot feel shallow.

Well, the art is certainly not weak. Garcia, Cam, and Sotomayor deliver plenty of Hulk-smashing energy, dramatic long shots to enjoy Sakaar’s war-ravaged landscapes, and bold coloring. If you find the story lacking, you’ll still enjoy the visuals.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Bits and Pieces

Planet Hulk: Worldbreaker #3 takes big steps forward in the plot to take the fight to the Grand Priestess in a bid to save the Haarg children. However, the GrandPriestess’s grand plan is revealed in full, and it doesn’t pay off the build-up, leaving you with an unsatisfied feeling that this series was just another excuse for Hulk smashing..