• Written by: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
• Art by: Nic Klein
• Colors by: Matthew Wilson
• Letters by: VC’s Cory Petit
• Cover art by: Nic Klein
• Cover price: $3.99
• Release date: December 20, 2023

The Incredible Hulk #7 pits Big Green against an unusual Spirit of Vengeance when a toothsome monster from the desert attacks. Can the Gamma Giant and the Fiery Rider call a truce long enough to stop a common enemy?

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Is The Incredible Hulk #7 Good?

Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s monster of the month approach to this series is starting to wear thin in The Incredible Hulk #7. You get plenty of Hulk smashing and a look at a different kind of Ghost Rider, but no sooner is one monster defeated before Johnson moves on to the next one, and the series is starting to feel stuck on repeat.

When last we left Banner and Charlie, they got picked up by a family of migrants for a brief respite from their lonely walk along desert roads. The wandering duo didn’t know that the town where they’ve stopped is harassed at night by a fanged, clawed beast. Simultaneously, the migrant family’s little girl is protected by a Spirit Of Vengeance attached to the Army motorcycle left behind by her deceased uncle.

Now, the Spirit of Vengeance springs to life to protect its niece when Banner changes into the Hulk, not realizing the real threat is a carnivorous beast approaching their camp. “ghost Rider” and Hulk briefly fight until they hear a scream from the migrant family, and the enemies turn to allies to smash the beast in its tracks. Later, Eldest possesses a group of former military veterans during a support group meeting to turn them into War Hounds, sic’ing them on the Hulk.

That’s right. Another monster clash begins before the previous one’s barely finished, and none of what occurs plays into furthering the Eldest’s plans for the Hulk, except to harass Big Green endlessly.

What’s great about The Incredible Hulk #7? The idea of a Spirit of Vengeance attached to an object rather than a human host is new, novel, and worth exploring further. There’s not enough meat here to warrant a dedicated series, but perhaps Marvel could consider a one-shot or backup story to explore how such a thing is possible.

What’s not so great about The Incredible Hulk #7? Johnson is stuck on rinse and repeat with this series. You could argue Johnson is building a gallery of old and new allies (Man-Thing, “Ghost Rider”) for use in some future conflict with Eldest, but Johnson is taking way too long and getting way too repetitive in the process. Yes, Marvel’s monsterish side has gobs of potential, but the stories still need to have direction and a destination. Right now, The Incredible Hulk has neither.

How’s the art? I’m glad to see Nic Klein fully back on the title. His use of shadow and contrast makes every smash, grab, and stab strike with purpose and focus. Klein’s action booms and rumbles in all the right ways for a Hulk comic.

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

The Incredible Hulk #7 completes the introduction of an intriguing new Ghost Rider and gives you plenty of hard-smashing action. That said, the Monster of the Month model is getting repetitive, and the series feels like it’s going nowhere.

6/10