Hulk Deals with Death

 

cover art by Dave Cockrum (with alternations by John Romita)

We conclude our periodic look at the Hulk with issue #207 (January 1977), in which Hulk has to come to terms with Jarella's death. The script is by Len Wein and the art by Sal Buscema and Joe Staton.

Last issue ended with Hulk arriving in New York City, desperately hoping that Dr. Strange can help somehow bring Jarella back. But a jumpy rookie cop sent Hulk on a rampage, with Dr. Strange and the Defenders showing up on the last panel to confront the green guy.

What follows is a nicely constructed action scene that also clearly shows everyone's motivations. The Defenders are honestly trying to calm down Hulk, but Strange's actions to prevent bystanders from getting hurt lead Hulk to think they've turned against him.

Hulk escapes for a few moments, during which he has a heart-breaking encounter with a woman he mistakes as Jarella. The Defenders catch up and more fighting ensues, until Nighthawk is finally able to talk the Hulk down.

This entire sequence shows how well Wein understood the characters and understood how to properly construct a story. The battle is not simply a mindless "let's you and me fight" scenario, but it's caused by misunderstandings natural to the situation and the characters. 

Back at Strange's home, Hulk explains what's going on. Dr. Strange knows there's certainly no chance of his being able to help, but he takes an ectoplasmic trip to Gamma Base to examine Jarella's body. He confirms that Jarella is indeed dead and beyond help.

The last few pages of this issue bring us even more heartbreak, with both story and art hitting exactly the right emotional beats to force us to experience Hulk's grief and unequivically empathize with him. Hulk screams, cries and breaks a few things before calming down enough to leave, saying that it doesn't matter what happens to him any more. It is a moment that--in the over 60 years the character has existed--perhaps best highlights the inherent tragedy of the character. 

And that's it for the Hulk. Next week, we'll lighten things up with a visit from Sir Spot, the Lion-Hearted Leopard.