Every issue of Stay Angry has followed a clear pattern. Hulk wakes up in strange place, smashes some truly bizarre foes, and then is whisked away to repeat the process elsewhere. As much fun as the arc was initially, that formula has seriously worn thin in the last couple chapters. Luckily, issue #12 injects just enough new variety into the mix to spice things up again. And the fact that Aaron finally reveals what Banner has been up to all along doesn't hurt either.
This month, Hulk awakes to find himself trapped in a forgotten prison buried deep in the Antarctic. But rather than focus on the other residents of the prison (who barely receive more than a glimpse or two), Aaron pits Hulk against Wolverine and The Thing. It's an extra dose of star power, to be sure, but the real appeal with this match-up is in the hilarious banter. He mines the tumultuous history between the trio for all its worth, and delivers some brutal action scenes in addition. Remember that time Red Hulk punched Wolverine so hard his face ripped off? Something similar but more gross unfolds here. Aaron's talent for wacky, gory combat continues unabated.
Carlos Pacheco's pencils help lend an extra touch of flavor to this finale chapter. Pacheco's work since returning to Marvel has been disappointingly inconsistent, often because he isn't paired with an effective colorist. But in this case, Frank Martin's colors do complement Pacheco's work well, and the result is an impressively detailed and dynamic series of pages that capture all the power and fury of three monsters at war. Even Hulk, who has often been drawn on the shrimpy side in this arc, exudes power and menace.
This arc was beginning to drag, but luckily Aaron sticks the landing as he paves the way for his final showdown between Hulk and Banner. With only a handful of issues remaining in this run, it's doubtful slow pacing will be a recurring complaint now.
Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and various other IGN channels. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.
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