Red She-Hulk #64 Review

One element that Jeff Parker's Hulk run has always had in its favor is a willingness to celebrate all corners of the Marvel Universe. Never does Parker restrict himself to the usual confines of the Hulk universe. If anything, that quality has only become more apparent since the shift to Red She-Hulk. Issue #64 juxtaposes the underground realm of the Mole Monster with the lofty techno utopia of Nikola Tesla's S.H.I.E.L.D. base. It's an eclectic installment of the series that amps up the fun without sacrificing the drama.

Parker earns credit right away for focusing on Mole Monster instead of his father, Mole Man. Subterranea is almost as overused a locale as the Savage Land these days, so any new spin Parker can put on his story is a good thing. He builds an enjoyable dynamic between Betty, Aaron, and Mole Monster over the course of the issue as Mole Monster finds kindred spirits in these two rejects from the surface world. His almost-but-not-quite romantic attraction to Betty is especially amusing.

Parker doesn't completely ignore events on the surface world. He explores a bit of the fallout from General Fortean's decision to enlist the aid of the Mad Thinker, a decision which is turning out about how you'd expect. Green She-Hulk also puts in a brief appearance as Parker builds to a showdown between She-Hulks. But for the most part, the focus is more on Betty and Aaron's wacky journey across the globe. That journey doesn't look to be calming down anytime soon.

Carlo Pagulayan and Wellinton Alves offer another solid, visually cohesive collaboration. But in many ways it's the colors of Val Staples that stand out in this issue. The pages transition from organic greens and browns to fiery lava reds and eventually the cold, electronic blues of Tesla's base. The art simply highlights the endless variety of Parker's ongoing storyline.

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

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