The She-Hulk Blog
The Savage She-Hulk
S-H in the Avengers
S-H in the Fantastic Four
The Sensational She-Hulk
She-Hulk Vol 1 . Vol 2 . >Vol 3
Miscellaneous
Here are four key events that occur in She-Hulk storylines.Yes, they
each have a little rhyme to go along with them. There is no real reason
for this other than the fact I was feeling creative.
1. She-Hulk witnesses her best friend’s death. And is then blamed for it.
My white dress torn, to match me inside,
Two personalities about to collide.
As my skin turns green, my eyes see red,
I see my best friend lying there dead.
Why is it important?
This
is one of the earliest tragedies we see in the She-Hulk comics, and is
definitely the one most ignored, even though it has a significant result
on She-hulk. It starts the trend of She-Hulk falsely being victimised as
a villain, solidifying the separation she has with society with them
believing she’s a monster. It also appears to have an impact on She-Hulk
herself as she blames herself for the death which could be said to be one of the influencing factors that drove her to the superhero life. To make sure she doesn’t fail others like she failed her friend.
Issue number:
Savage She-Hulk Vol 1 #2 (March 1980)
If you would like to read a review I wrote on this issue then click here.
2. She-Hulk breaks the fourth wall, becoming one of the first to do so in the Marvel Universe on a regular basis.
I know they’re looking at me. No, not at me, at my drawing.
So quick to decide whether I am funny or boring.
I don’t always like it, but it doesn’t matter how I feel,
Because, lets be honest, without them, I’m not even real.
Why is it important?
Many Marvel fans nowadays are fascinated with Deadpool because of the fact he knows he is in a comic book, but not a lot of those fans know that it was actually She-Hulk who did it first. The genius idea of having Shulkie break the fourth wall was that of artist/writer John Byrne. This was a simple idea that paved the way for similar storylines in other comics, as well as add a new interest factor to the character resulting in Sensational She-Hulk being She-Hulk’s longest running series with 60 issues.
Issue number:
Sensational She-Hulk #1 (May 1989) - She-Hulk breaks the fourth wall for the first time
3. An out of control She-Hulk reverts back to her more savage self and destroys the entire town of Bone.
The buildings in ruin, the people even worse.
The aftermath of the horrid green-skinned curse.
What once was the glorious town of Bone,
Is now a pile of ashes and a single gravestone.
Why is it important?
This story in the Avengers comics reminds us that She-Hulk is still a hulk, and although she has moved away from her savage past, there is still a different side of her. An angry, aggressive, monster waiting to be released. It’s interesting to see the She-Hulk in the Hulk’s shoes - or lack of - for a change. The plot gets even more interesting when we see She-Hulk’s guilt of the situation as she spends a whole summer trying to rebuild the town. During which time she discovers she may have been responsible for a man’s death, something that is deeply traumatic for Shulkie having never taken a life before. The events of this storyline have a deep impact on the character of She-Hulk, showing her what her cousin faces on a regular basis as well as implementing fear of herself due to what she could do if she lost control.
Issue numbers:
Avengers Vol 3 #72 - #75 (Nov 2003 - Feb 2004) - Attack on Bone
She-Hulk Vol 2 #4 (March 2006) - Returning to Bone to help rebuild the town
Image from She-Hulk Vol 2 #4.
4. She-Hulk discovers that the superhero Starfox may have raped her, as well as many other women he has slept with.
What she thought was a night of passion, as two bodies connect,
Might not be so innocent, might not be correct.
Was sleeping with Starfox really the girl’s wishes?
She-Hulk wonders if he’d like to sleep with the fishes!
Why is it important?
I covered this briefly in this post but I want to emphasise that this storyline is very, very important. Not only does it cover the issue of rape and it’s consequences, but also demonstrates how superheroes aren’t always, well, heroes. Starfox is a respected member of the Avengers but through this story we see him in a different light, see him as the villain and not because he tries to take over the world or destroy a city, but because he uses his powers for evil means and did something despicable. It makes you wonder if the heroes we put all our faith in are actually worthy. Lucky for Starfox he is proved innocent, but the result could have been very very different.
Issue numbers:
She-Hulk Vol 2 #6 & #7 (May & June 2006) - The initial court case and She-Hulk’s discovery.
She-Hulk Vol 2 #12 & #13 (Nov & Dec 2006) - Starfox’s hearing on Titan and the true facts are revealed.
She-Hulk Vol 1 #2 (June 2004)
Anonymous Asks:
green-gamma-girl Said:
Not fully, no, but I wasn’t trying to argue that she does. I was just trying to say that there are definitely similarities between the characters of Jessica Jones & Daredevil and She-Hulk which means that for fans of the character’s of the Netflix shows then there is entertainment to be had on the pages of She-Hulk. The overall theme is essentially chosen by the writer and director of the TV show; how the show looks and feels to the viewers, but not necessarily what the character is like themselves, just how they want them to be perceived. In Jessica Jones and Daredevil’s case they chose to make the shows dark to reflect the portrayal in the comics, whereas if a She-Hulk show was to be made it would definitely have to be made with more of a humorous, light hearted edge to fit with her stories in the comics. It would be hard to make a She-Hulk show with the same overall theme as the current Netflix shows and although would be entertaining, wouldn’t be true to how she is represented in the comics.
She-Hulk definitely has a different theme overall, but I still argue that in herself and her stories she has the ability to share similar themes with those of the Netflix shows. There are occasions when she does represent a more serious side and it was those times that I was picking up on to relate to the Netflix shows, as well as the obvious similarities between them. It’s just that her stories aren’t as traumatic or serious as one would find on the pages of something like Daredevil; they are approached in a funnier way but that shouldn’t diminish their significance. If all these characters appeared in novels then I would agree that Daredevil and Jessica Jones would be in the same category in the book shop, and She-Hulk would be elsewhere, but that doesn’t dispute the fact that there are still similarities between them. If Jessica Jones was a psychological thriller then She-Hulk would be a comedy, but they are still both about kick-ass women and so if you wanted to read about that, then you could read both.
Themes that Jessica Jones and She-Hulk share are things like their ‘whatever’ behaviour - they both drink and sleep with whoever they want, not being hindered by what people think. They both care deeply about those close to them, and will use their powers whenever necessary to help them. They both don’t rely solely on their powers as an occupation, or to get them what they want; Jessica is a private detective and She-Hulk is a lawyer - they both have dreams outside their hero capacity. This also applies to Daredevil as he is trying to make it as a lawyer also. Their power’s aren’t what defines them, just what aids them. Daredevil tries to be a good guy but he will always have that darker side in him, something that is true for She-Hulk as well. She has control over her Hulk side most of the time but there is still the risk that it will overpower her as it has before. That she will do something she will regret. It was these kinds of things that I meant when I said there are similarities between She-Hulk and the Netflix shows. Not that they are the same.
Themes are shared between the three character’s books, but they are not carbon copies of each other’s stories. It is the diversity of the genre that allows the themes to be explored in different ways with each character, or else we would just be seeing the same story over and over again with a different protagonist. For example the representation of rape in Jessica Jones and She-Hulk. In Jessica Jones it is tackled as a traumatic event that our hero faced herself, causing her to have PTSD (not just from the rape, admittedly, but the whole experience) but essentially trying to bury the feelings, and run from them. To start with her main aim is to get away from Killgrave. In She-Hulk Vol 2 #6 & #7 She-Hulk was Starfox’s lawyer as he faced charges of using his love powers to abuse women. When she finds out that years before when the two of them had sex he may have used the same powers on her, essentially raping her, She-Hulk faces the problem - as in Starfox - head on. The difference between the two women’s reactions is noticeable and so we see two different representations of victims of rape. But, you see, if you were to read this storyline in the She-Hulk comics, then watch it on Jessica Jones you would get two completely different feelings from it even though it’s exploring the same theme. And that was the point I was trying to make - there are similarities between the Netflix shows and She-Hulk, but they are just not explored in the same way. The whole feel of Jessica Jones and Daredevil is serious, and She-Hulk isn’t, but it doesn’t mean a funny character shouldn’t be taken seriously.
Thank you for your message, it helped me to clear up a few things. For anyone wondering what started this it was my post ‘She-Hulk and…Marvel’s Netflix Shows’. If anyone else has an opinion on this please share it, I am genuinely interested.
Image one from She-Hulk Vol 1 #1, image two from She-Hulk Vol 2 #7.
Why you should be reading She-Hulk if you like Daredevil and Jessica Jones.
Nowadays Marvel is everywhere, but the most recent interest seems to be on it’s Netflix shows such as Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and the upcoming Luke Cage. This is understandable as they are great shows; they are dark and gritty in a way that used to be only reserved for DC fans, but also entertaining in a ‘I need more!’ way.
After watching both series it left me wondering: if people are liking these, then why aren’t they reading She-Hulk? (Ignoring the fact I could watch any show and still have that same thought). Don’t get me wrong, She-Hulk isn’t the same story, it can be much different, but there are definitely aspects of the shows I have seen people pick up on that also appear in She-Hulk.
Focuses like Daredevils ability to manage a split life of being a superhero and a lawyer, Jessica’s adventurous sex life and interest in drinking, and the representation of ‘human sidekicks’ - non powered humans who are essential to help the hero. All of these things that people watch and love can be found on the pages of She-Hulk. Granted, they are not explored in such a serious way but She-Hulk is a funny character, they won’t be. The beauty of her character is that she explores these important issues in a fun, approachable, way so through all the laughter you realise you have actually learnt something.
Let me show you what I mean…
She-Hulk is a badass woman who is not only strong but quick witted and intelligent, using her superior strength to protect those she cares about. She can be found helping people not only on the streets, but also in her alternate capacity in the office; a hero at heart, using the powers she was given to help the greater good.
Now replace ‘She-Hulk’ with ‘Jessica Jones’. See my point?
She-Hulk manages to balance a hands on law career with her superhero life, doing all she can in the fight against the bad guys. And yet there is always one battle left - against herself. There is always that anger inside, the internal monster, which leaves the question: am I a savage or superhero? Devil or angel? Am I both?
Sound like anyone?
Our jade-giantess is famous for doing whatever she wants (and whoever she wants) while still managing to be a superhero and lawyer. She enjoys her life, not taking everything so seriously, which makes her so great to read. She may not be as much of a hard-core rough comic like Daredevil or Jessica Jones, she is definitely more light-hearted and fun, but I am just asking people not to dismiss her as she has some serious storylines. There is so much more to her than just being a girl hulk and I genuinely think that fans of the Netflix shows would enjoy her books.
Some ‘Savage She-Hulk’ Tumblr header image/Facebook cover photo ideas.
Images (starting with the top) from ‘Savage She-Hulk’ #2, #6, #6, #8, #19, #19 and #23.
Coming soon are two new Marvel comics that will feature She-Hulk.
The first is Gwenpool Special #1 coming December 9th. In this one-shot She-Hulk is throwing a holiday party at her office in DUMBO with an invitation going out to the whole Marvel Universe! With a party like that it could only end one way. Or two ways. Or in fact many different ways so we will just have to read it and see what happens.
With Charles Soule, writer of She-Hulk Volume 3, on board as co-writer we can expect great things from She-Hulk this issue. When volume 3 ended with issue #12 I know I was definitely longing for more Soule-Hulk and so to have him now write this special - a complete 20 page SH tale - almost feels like we are getting that #13. Soule says we will see the return of familiar faces such as Patsy Walker, paralegal Angie Huang, her monkey Hei Hei, as well as a multitude of other Marvel characters. I think this Christmas special is definitely one to pick up, especially for fans of She-Hulk volume 3 (2014-2015).
Next, we have the much anticipated A-Force #1 (Volume 2) coming January 6th (release date previously December 16th). Volume 1 of A-Force ended on issue #5 with the promise of a relaunch to coincide with the All-New, All-Different Marvel event following the conclusion of the Secret Wars story line. And here we have it!
This all female avengers group formally protected Arcadia, an island isolated from Battleworld, but now it seems a new danger threatens the peace. As new hero Singularity escapes Battleworld she has the mighty A-Force by her side to join her on her adventure, and help battle all the new dangers across the multiverse. With the return of She-Hulk as leader and a team of Medusa, Captain Marvel, Dazzler and Nico Minoru we plunge once again into the world of A-Force as we rediscover the Marvel Universe. As there isn’t a She-Hulk comic going at the moment this is probably She-Hulk fans best chance to see her in action on a monthly basis. Plus it’s also a really good comic. That is if you like entertainment, fun, good drawing and writing.
Once more, with feeling:
Gwenpool Special #1 - December 9th 2015
A-Force #1 - January 6th 2016
Lets take a look at the one-shots (single, one off comics) that She-Hulk stars or features in.
1. She-Hulk/Thing: The Long Night (May 2002)
Bad luck
strikes the New York Subway as an experiment on the Dragon Man is
thwarted by a horde of Insect-Vampires hoping to get their next meal. An
explosion caused by the vampires not only results in the derailment of
two Subway trains, but also the escape of Dragon Man - the subject of
Dr. Harrow of the company Roxxon’s illegal experimentation. The Thing
and She-Hulk, who happened to be traveling on the trains, quickly team
up to fight the vampires and angry Dragon Man, but their objective soon
changes to helping the citizens escape the tunnels as it fills with
explosive gas. The vampires and Dragon Man preoccupied with fighting each other,
Ben and Jen break through the roof of the tunnels and get the innocents
to safety, saving the day.
Comic Tip: This isn’t the
first time the She-Hulk and Thing have teamed up to fight the bad guys;
as well a numerous occasions during Shulkie’s stint in the Fantastic
Four, Jennifer and Ben battled Negator in ‘Marvel Two-In-One #88′ in
1982. This was their first comic together and was the start of a very
long friendship.
2. She-Hulk: Cosmic Collision (February 2009)
The
She-Hulk and best friend Jazinda are joined by the Lady Liberators
(Invisible Woman, Valkyrie, Storm and Thundra), ex-wife of Johnny Storm
Lyja and members of the Guardians of the Galaxy (Gamora, Mantis and
Quasar) in a battle against Unum - the embodiment of beaten armies of
villains sent out on a rampage to defeat every living hero, starting
with the women. The heroine’s combined might proves useless against
Unum’s raw power, but it is reason that finally wins the battle as
She-Hulk turns Unum on her maker, opening her eyes to the truth of the
situation. In a story that shows us the strength of hate and revenge we
are taught how sheer force doesn’t always win out, and that you have to
remember who for, and why, you are fighting.
Buying Tip: If you can’t find this issue online or in a comic shop it has been reprinted in the trade paperback ‘She-Hulk Volume 7: Here Today…’
3. She-Hulk: Sensational (May 2010)
It’s the 30th birthday of the She-Hulk comic and a selection of its previous writers have come back to help Jennifer celebrate. In a story akin to ‘A Christmas Carol’, She-Hulk takes a journey through the past, present and future meeting the different versions of herself. Hosted by her creator Stan Lee, we see how much She-Hulk has changed over these past 30 years, going from Savage to Sensational, to studious as her present lawyer self, along with a jury of familiar faces, confronts Jennifer. Her future, however, is looking a bit… imperfect. It’s all very silly, but all very fun, as we get to see this milestone marked in style.
Buying Tip: If you buy this as a single issue it comes with the story ‘Ladies Night’ as well as a reprinting of The Sensational She-Hulk #40. However, if you can’t get a hold of this, ‘She-Hulk: Sensational’ has been reprinted in the trade paperback ‘She-Hulks: Hunt for the Intelligencia’.
Honorable Mentions
4. King-Size Hulk (July 2008)
She-Hulk features in the story ‘Wait Until Dark’ which shows us, from her perspective, what happened to her once the Red Hulk took her in Hulk Vol 2 #2.
5. Hulk Family: Green Genes (February 2009)
In the story ‘Your Lucky Day’ She-Hulk is in Vegas for a school reunion when she runs into Joe Fixit - another personality of Bruce Banner who is hiding out as the world believes him to be dead.
I am sure the key question on everyone’s mind at the moment is ‘where has that person from that random She-Hulk blog got to? She hasn’t posted in ages!’. Well fear not, I have returned and have many new ideas for the blog. Firstly the number of scanned in images will be lessening, primarily because my scanner isn’t working, but also because I could never get them quite right and I want to work on this. Secondly, I will be starting a new thing entitled ‘She-Hulk and…’ which will include anything from information about the comics different writers to She-Hulks preference in shoes. If there is something to write about then here is probably where I will do it
And thirdly… I have no other ideas, really, but I said I had many and two doesn’t seem ‘many’ enough. So - thirdly - I am thinking of changing the focus of the blog away from reviews (although they may still feature) and more towards discussions and being informative. But we will see how that goes. Not a very exciting idea. but an idea nonetheless!
I am looking forward to getting back into this, but I am rusty so bear with me. Stay tuned for many new and exciting things.
-GG
I was wondering where you got to, actually! I noticed my dash has been rather less green lately. Glad to hear you’re ok and posting!
Welcome back art prompt request: if I were to paint Shulkie today, what should she be doing?
See, now, when I read this my mind automatically translated it to ‘what is Shulkie doing today, right now’ for some weird reason so I am overrun with images of what She-Hulk might be doing at 11:45 AM (the time in New York, where she currently lives) on a random Thursday. This doesn’t really sprout inspirational painting material but I feel as though I should stay true to this train of thought so I think She-Hulk would be: sitting at her desk looking flustered and worse for wear after the morning from hell. I will leave what actually happened that morning for your imagination to decide.
Very convenient image from She-Hulk Vol 3 #2.
(via higglety)
I am sure the key question on everyone’s mind at the moment is ‘where has that person from that random She-Hulk blog got to? She hasn’t posted in ages!’. Well fear not, I have returned and have many new ideas for the blog. Firstly the number of scanned in images will be lessening, primarily because my scanner isn’t working, but also because I could never get them quite right and I want to work on this. Secondly, I will be starting a new thing entitled ‘She-Hulk and…’ which will include anything from information about the comics different writers to She-Hulks preference in shoes. If there is something to write about then here is probably where I will do it
And thirdly… I have no other ideas, really, but I said I had many and two doesn’t seem ‘many’ enough. So - thirdly - I am thinking of changing the focus of the blog away from reviews (although they may still feature) and more towards discussions and being informative. But we will see how that goes. Not a very exciting idea. but an idea nonetheless!
I am looking forward to getting back into this, but I am rusty so bear with me. Stay tuned for many new and exciting things.
-GG
Marvel Graphic Novel Vol 1 #18: ‘The Sensational She-Hulk’ (November 1985)
The Savage She-Hulk Vol 1 #24 (January 1982)
She-Hulk Vol 3 #1 - ‘Motion’
Date: April 2014
Writer: Charles Soule
Penciler: Javier Pulido
Synopsis:
The
She-Hulk is back to being a regular lawyer again – a regular lawyer
who is huge and green – but things aren’t looking too good for her.
After failing to bring in the high class clientèle the firm was
hoping, S-H is forced to quit, leaving with nothing but a mysterious
blue file. While out for a drink she is approached by a woman looking
to sue Tony Stark and it is out of the kindness of her heart, or
because of the fact she has nothing else to do with her time, that
Jen decides to take it, claiming she can deal with it quickly due to
her personal (ahem) relationship with Tony. Unfortunately, her
personal visit was overshadowed by her legal capacity and so instead
of just talking to Tony and sorting the issue, Jen is buried under a
legal team. It is a mix of both her skills as a lawyer and as a
super-strong heroine that the She-Hulk finally gets through to Mr.
Stark as she finds indisputable evidence that could win her the case,
but then manages to fight her way through a team of robots to see the
billionaire anyway and the problem is soon resolved. It is a strong
victory for the She-Hulk after her recent misfortune, and she is
rewarded with not only gratitude but a large check that goes
towards her creating her own law firm.
Review:
Is this
going to become a recurring thing; every 10 years they re-boot the
She-Hulk? Well I guess its better than not getting re-booted at all,
but still it would be better if they could actually created a run
that lasted. I mean no offence to the writers, this isn’t a dig at
them, just I really feel like She-Hulk has the potential to be
fantastic and be adored by so many people. I honestly feel like she
could be one of the greats and yet she has kind of been sidelined in
the Marvel Universe, only appearing as muscle, as a sex object, or to
add drama to a storyline with her cousin. I like that she is included
in other characters stories, but she needs more of her own stories.
She is a character that can have so much development and I don’t feel
like she is getting the opportunity with all this stopping and
starting with her own titles. Give her a chance, Marvel, and make her
last!
Sorry, rant over. (If at this point you are finding it hard to distinguish a rant from an actual review then do not fear, that’s what most of my reviews end up looking like).
Back to the review. Firstly we should talk about the comic’s likeability as a first issue. Answer - it was okay. At this point I am very familiar with the character of She-Hulk and so often get bored when they re-cap her origins in first issues but with this one they only spent a tiny portion on it. It told you the basics, I suppose for newcomers, but mostly focused on the story. I liked that about it. Re-caps are good in small doses but when they are spending three to four pages on retelling the story of the last couple of issues its just annoying. That’s prime story telling space. Panels that could include the She-Hulk! But then again I tend to binge read my She-Hulk and so I am used to having the story fresh in my mind; I guess that if I was waiting months between issues then a rep-cap would be nice. But still – wasted panels annoy me, it’s just lazy writing. Wait, was that another rant? I think it was more of a ramble. Let’s go with ramble.
Back to the Review Volume 2: One thing that I liked about this issue was the harmony between Jennifer’s two sides which is different from previous comics where they seem to be battling or contradicting each other. This, however, feels more like ‘The Sensational She-Hulk’ in that her change isn’t even a key element any more, she has moved on and accepted it and just living her life. All the drama between her split appearances seems to have been resolved and we are focusing more on her life dealing with outside dilemmas rather than internal as depicted in ‘The Savage She-Hulk’ and aspects of 'She-Hulk’ Volumes 1 and 2. But this does raise the question as to what the story is going to be about as some sort of opponents or events need to be presented to keep the readers gripped. Other readers, that is, because I have no problem being gripped. I would read anything that involved the She-Hulk including the restraining order I know she would have against me if she were real here.
It’s not an obsession – it’s love!
The art style of this comic is interesting. It’s different. *Condescending teacher’s voice* It’s… special. It took me a little while to get used to but that might just be because I am so used to Byrne and more comic book-y drawings, if you know what I mean*. It’s pretty rudimentary but it fits, I think. It’s definitely fun and it makes the story edgy in a way that kind of makes it seem like its attempting to be modern art. Woah, did that sound bitchy? That wasn’t my intention. I’m just at a loss of how to describe it. One thing I did find hilarious about it though was the way they depicted her cheek bones. It almost made her look like she had a little off centre moustache. A beautiful green Poirot or maybe even a taller Tony Stark…
*Please note that when I say 'if you know what I mean’ I do not mean it in a flirtatious, cheeky smile and wink kind of way. If I were to write it on an IM it would not have a winky face after it; it would end with a full stop because I am a serious writer, and it is a serious 'if you know what I mean’.
;)
Rating:
The Savage She-Hulk Vol 1 #10 (November 1980)
The Savage She-Hulk Vol 1 #19 (August 1981)
