[Review] Hulk: Planet Hulk - Greg Pak

Title: Hulk: Planet Hulk
Writer: Greg Pak
Illustrator: Aaron Lopresti, Carlo Pagulayan, Juan Santacruz, Gary Frank, Takeshi Miyazawa
Publisher: Marvel
Publication year: 2008
Language: English
Pages: 416

This is it, Planet Hulk. It was incredible (get it?). I didn’t expect it to be an epic adventure story, but it is. It collects The Incredible Hulk issues #92-105. It started with Hulk arrived in a strange planet called Sakaar. The planet (or the empire that’s on the planet) is led by an oppressive king called the Red King. Hulk was captured and enslaved to be a gladiator. He tried to fight the guardians. Apparently, while passing the portal that brought him to the planet, he’s somehow weakening.  In his weakened state, he’s forced to participate in a gladiatorial contest along with several other slaves. They grew close and were bonded as the Warbound. They then decided to take down the Red King together and rebelled against his oppressive government.

[Review] New Avengers: Illuminati #1 - Brian Michael Bendis

Title: New Avengers: Illuminati #1
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Illustrator: Alex Maleev
Publisher: Marvel
Publication year: 2006
Language: English
Pages: 31

This comic is an introduction of the Illuminati, a secret society to orchestrate superheroes on a global scale. It’s kind of like the United Nations for superheroes. We have Iron Man represents Avengers, Black Bolt represents the Inhumans, Professor Xavier represents Mutants, Namor represents Atlantis, Richard Reeds represents Fantastic Four, Black Panther represents Wakanda, and Doctor Strange as the Sorcerer Supreme. The initial meeting happened many years ago in Wakanda as a reaction to Kree-Skrull war (which I assume happened in early Marvel’s comics, because I know nothing about it). Black Panther actually against the formation of the society, but the rest is still forming it anyway.

[Review] Fantastic Four: The Life Fantastic - J. Michael Straczynski

Title: Fantastic Four: The Life Fantastic (Fantastic Four #533-535)
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Illustrator: Mike McKone
Publisher: Marvel
Publication year: 2006
Language: English
Pages: 152

Fantastic Four: the Life Fantastic is a bind up of Fantastic Four #533-535, Wedding Special, Dinner with Dr. Doom, and Death in the family. I didn’t read all of those. I only read Fantastic Four #533-535. So the rating that I give is actually only for those three issues. I’ve never read Fantastic Four comic before. So yes, it’s a bit weird that I started out with these issues. I chose these particular issues because of Planet Hulk story arc. Apparently, these issues set as a prequel-ish for Planet Hulk. Planet Hulk story arc itself was recommended by a podcast. They say that it’s supposedly good. If I’m about to read it, I want to give it my all. I started from these prequel comics.