Hulk #13 Review

Written by: Ryan Ottley
Art by: Ryan Ottley, Cliff Rathburn
Colors by: Marte Gracia
Letters by: VC’s Cory Petit
Cover art by: Ryan Ottley, Marte Gracia
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: March 15, 2023

Hulk #13 unleashes Titan’s full fury on Hulk World, destroying everything in his path. Can Doc Samson and Doctor Strange help Bruce wrest control before it’s too late?

Is It Good?

I think I like Hulk #13. If you’ve kept up with this series since the beginning, you know Bruce’s ability to compartmentalize his mind and turn the Hulk into a spaceship has been a lingering mystery. Now, the mystery is partly solved. By addressing a long-standing question, it feels like the story is starting to take shape and direction instead of endlessly relying on action moments that go nowhere. In other words, this issue is a big improvement.

When last we left Bruce/Hulk, Titan had taken control of the Hulk’s body in a cataclysmic explosion that destroyed most of Hulk World. Now, Monolith and the survivors attack Titan head-on while Doc Samson and Doctor Strange try to figure out how to stop Titan from taking over permanently.

The big kicker in this issue is the revelation surrounding how Bruce was able to create a mind machine, who assisted him in the creation, and the twist that confirms Bruce was duped by a dark presence. In short, Titan’s appearance is no accident. Ottley’s choice to include these story-changing reveals should have been done ages ago, but now that they’re here, it makes what’s happening to Hulk significantly more interesting.

To Ottley’s credit, the writing execution is spot-on. The pacing is excellent, the dialog works, and the way the twists are revealed is practically perfect. Good execution doesn’t excuse taking an unnecessary amount of time to get to this point, but it shows Ottley has a story and a direction in mind instead of treading water until the next event comes along.

Kudos to Ottley and Rathburn on the art delivery. This issue has more magic and trippy mind visits than any of the previous issues, and the trippy elements mesh well with the earth-cracking action. Because the art is mated with a story that seems to have a purpose, the visuals are more satisfying.

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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Final Thoughts:

Hulk #13 takes a big step forward in the story by answering lingering questions left too long on the back burner, questions that made the series feel like it was treading water. The reveals are intriguing, and the art is excellent. If Ottley can keep this up, the arc will conclude a lot stronger than it started.