Hulk #1

Jennifer Walters is struggling after the events of Civil War II. She almost died after a run-in with Thanos, and when she finally awakened from her coma, she learned her cousin Bruce Banner (The Incredible Hulk) was killed by fellow superhero Hawkeye, who was later acquitted of the crime.

Now, she relies on inner pep talks and online cooking videos to keep her fears, anger, and other inner turmoils from bubbling to the surface. She achieves a measure of success with this, long enough for her to complete her first day back at work. Being an attorney to those who are… different and the constant noise of New York City are enough to drown out her own thoughts for a time, but she’s confronted with her demons as soon as she returns home and is greeted by an author who wants to write a book about Jen’s recent traumas. Though Jen’s able to put her off for now, Florida Mayer doesn’t appear to give up easily.

And as if that weren’t enough, one of Jen’s recent clients may have a case that is more dangerous than it looks on the surface. Miss Brewn is a shut-in who changed and received restorative powers after being attacked. Her landlord, Mr. Tick, is on the verge of illegally evicting her, which sends her to Jennifer’s firm. Jen is sure it’s a simple enough case, however if the malevolent voice that speaks to Brewn from the shadows of her apartment is any indication, the case will be anything but easy.

This was a fantastic first issue, with the promise of tackling the kind of superhero stories I find most interesting: what kind of mental and emotional toll does a life of saving (and losing) people take on a superhero? Jennifer represents so many “real” people who have no choice but to keep putting one foot in front of the other through the most unbearable pain and heartache. The art is great too, although it may rely on hues of green a little too heavily at times.

I’m looking forward to sticking with this series (yay for dropping the “She”) through the first arc, at least.