Last issue, Red She-Hulk declared war on the government’s Echelon Project, essentially a new Super Soldier program. Unfortunately, her attack on a base in Annapolis resulted in a casualty. Machine Man, Aaron Stack, has been directed by Captain America to investigate, due to his ability to detect her specific energy signature. The pair duke it out, but Betty gives him the slip. She pays a visit to a young girl named Eleanor, who has some sort of precognitive ability and we discover that the Echelon Project will result in massive destruction. Betty is hoping that her attack on the Annapolis base will have made a difference, but she is disappointed to learn it hasn’t, when she views the same future she (apparently) viewed before. She confers with a hologram (?) named Tesla, before Machine Man and the Avengers strike and the heroes engage in an arial battle.
The art on this book, by Carlo Pagulayan and Wellington Alves is excellent! I’m not sure why there are two pencillers, but their styles are so similar, there’s no disconnect. They both do a fine job.
I’m not that familiar with Red She-Hulk, but she evolves a bit in this issue and I felt I got to know her a little better. She’s a tough, resourceful character with what she feels the best of intentions, even if her fellow Marvel heroes don’t agree or understand. She’s still a bit of a cypher for me, but then again, I’m just entering her world, so I have some catching up to do.
Ironically, Machine Man comes across as more interesting than She-Hulk! His powers, personality… the fact that he narrates the book and not her, makes him more intriguing to me. That probably wasn’t Jeff Parker’s intention, but that’s what happened.
The storyline is a bit light, but the whole “misunderstanding between heroes that results in a fight” is kind of a Marvel institution at this point, so I’ll forgive it. All in all, it’s not the best comic I’ve ever read, but it’s entertaining and has nice artwork.
RED SHE-HULK #59
Written by Jeff Parker
Pencils by Carlo Pagulatan and Wellington Alves
Cover by Pagulayan and Val Staples
