Red Hulk #1 Review

Written by: Benjamin Percy
Art by: Geoff Shaw
Colors by: Bryan Valenza
Letters by: VC’s Cory Petit
Cover art by: Geoff Shaw (cover A)
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: February 26, 2025

Red Hulk #1, by Marvel on 2/26/25, follows General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross as he tries to escape Doctor Doom’s secret prison before the dictator can use Ross’s military knowledge against the world.

Is Red Hulk #1 Good?

Plot Synopsis

Red Hulk #1 begins with General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross on a commercial oceanic flight to the East. He gets up from his seat and heads for the lavatory. Out of view of the passengers and crew, Ross turns into Red Hulk and demolishes the plane, killing everyone on board.

record scratch

It’s not real. The scene is one of the dozens of mental scenarios Ross runs through in his prison cell, imagining how to sow dissent among enemy nations, create geo-political chaos, start wars, sow chaos, and more. Why would Ross use his military know-how to foment destruction? He’s a prisoner of Doctor Doom in Latveria, and his survival depends on his cooperation with the Latverian ruler’s orders to dream up scenarios that keep the world unbalanced so that Doom remains in control.

Doombots bring Ross his meals, day after day, but he’s unable to escape due to the inhibitor collar that keeps the Red Hulk locked away. One day, Ross hears a curious tapping from elsewhere in the cobblestone walls of this secret prison and immediately recognizes it as Morse code. The tapping is returned by the occupants of another cell, and another, and another. Housed within the prison to form Doctor Doom’s coerced Think Tank are Deathlok, Machine Man, General Simon Ryker, Cartel Boss Hugo Perez, and Professor Li Wan Tang.

With the players established, Ross concocts a plan to use the dimwitted Doombots to form a team and escape Doom’s prison.

First Impressions

Ben Percy’s crack at Red Hulk is surprisingly decent. If you’re looking for insight into the tone and feel, Red Hulk #1 is essentially a prison break story using an eclectic cast of characters, each with a unique set of skills. As with every tie-in I’ve checked out so far for the One World Under Doom event, this issue is a tie-in in name only, but it’s still better than most.

How’s the Art?

Likewise to the writing, Geoff Shaw’s artwork is surprising in quality for what one would assume is a tie-in miniseries. The prison setting is grim and gritty, Red Hulk’s appearance (albeit imaginary) looks pretty darn good, and Shaw’s visual atmosphere is a strong match for the script.

What’s great about Red Hulk #1?

Prison breaks are an underappreciated and underused sub-genre that works well when done right. Ben Percy applies the concept well here to give readers a reason to get invested in Ross’s adventure and build anticipation for how this motley crew will put their talents to creative use.

What’s not great about Red Hulk #1?

Percy’s script fumbles in two areas which could be considered minor, depending on your point of view.

First, there’s almost no setup to explain how Ross became a prisoner of Doom, why nobody is looking for him, or why Doom needs Ross in the first place. Doom is now the world’s Sorcerer Supreme, so military tactics are beneath his needed toolkit.

Second, Doom’s prison should be nowhere near as low-security as what’s presented here. There are no listening devices, security cameras, or reinforced air ducts to prevent an escape that’s as rudimentary as the one predicted here. Either, Doom is the master of magic and technology or he isn’t. If he is, there’s no way Doom would create a prison with such poor security.

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

Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Final Thoughts

Red Hulk #1 has the makings of a fairly engaging prison break story. Ben Percy assembles an unusual cast of inmates to partner with General Ross, and the execution is gripping. Plus, the art is pretty darn good. That said, the setup is lacking, the prison is woefully insecure for a Doom prison, and a comic billed as a One World Under Doom tie-in is a tie-in in name only.

6/10

We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:

Connect With Us Here: Weird Science DC Comics / Weird Science Marvel Comics

If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.

Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com

As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.