PeterDavid.net

Definitely one major WTF moment... I'm wondering if the second variant cover is a clue here?

Jen's new career choice doesn't instantly feel right to me. Maybe you could/should go back and fill in more of the motivation that got her there?

Personally - fwiw - I can fully appreciate why you wanted to put some clear water between Dan Slott's take and your own, but at the same time the old take was one that really seemed to make sense of who Jen was and where she'd be in her life and this seems like a real 90 degree leap away from that without a reason for her to make that leap...

Still, I trust your skills enough that I'll be sticking around for the rest of the ride!

Cheers!

It started off really entertaining. I'm still not too enthused about the whole bounty hunter angle, but I'll give it a shot. The neck snap was a particularly great moment. However, I'm not sold on the two Jens aspect. Hopefully that gets cleared up sooner rather than later.

However, I must add that it was 100 percent better than any of Slott's issues, IMO. The more serious may be a better approach, but to get away from the continuity is a god send. I'd rather read stories about She-Hulk than stories about how great and sacred Marvel comics history is.

I definatly was lost in it, having to guess to many things ... who was... what was... did that? It felt like reading part 2 of a six part story and I was to confused to enjoy it. Right now I felt it would have been better if I had not picked it up and waited for the next few issues or the trade so I would not be so frusterated with to many mysteries and no chance to really solve it.

For first time since Byrne, I could see myself buying She-Hulk monthly.

I think it was too interested in it's WTF moments, rather than focusing on character, or even trying to convey much of a plot. I realize that the goal was to pique reader interest by starting in media res and hinting at an explanation that will keep us reading to discover fully. But the hints seemed begrudging, as if the cliffhanger should be enough for the groundlings, and the story hinted at seemed tried and trite. "Superhero as Bounty Hunter" is barely different from "Superhero as Lawyer", and equivalent to just "Superhero" in the post-Initiative Marvel Universe.

Like I said Mr. David, your work with Jen's cousin means I am in this for the long haul, to see if you can build a similar, sublime character piece out of a hundred monthly snapshots. But it seems that you aren't as interested in Jenifer Walters, as say Jamie Maddrox, and are contructing a sitcom out of WTF to amuse yourself. I trust you to have more there, there. I just wish modern storytelling allowed you to have it in the first issue.

I was really happy with the cliff-hanger ending however. Very serial-esque.

have not had the chance to pick it up yet...I will this weekend--looking forward to it

Enjoyed the issue. As you have stated in interviews I'm sure you will be filling in the holes as we proceed.

My one concern for this book is the same I had before you took over...the art. Rick Burchett must be one of the nicest guys in comics since his artwork is below average yet he still gets hired. Now we have Shawn Moll who has similar deficiencies.

But I'll give you both a few months to get in the groove before I pass judgement on the book as a whole.

I plan on picking this up at lunch and am looking forward to it. I haven't really more than skimmed the comments here but this one caught my eye: "Rick Burchett must be one of the nicest guys in comics since his artwork is below average yet he still gets hired. Now we have Shawn Moll who has similar deficiencies."

I'll make my own judgement as to the art quality, but even if that's true, have you considered that these people's selling points is that they can deliver the requisite number of pages on a monthly basis? You could produce the most beautiful stuff in the industry, but if you could only finish one issue per year, you'd be a failure in the indutry. Also, it might be just a taste/style thing.

My one concern for this book is the same I had before you took over...the art. Rick Burchett must be one of the nicest guys in comics since his artwork is below average yet he still gets hired.

Rick Burchett is one of the nicest guys in comics but your opinion about his art is far from universal. His art is clean and direct and he knows how to tell a story. His years of working in the animated style reveals a real mastery of composition and layout. His style is closer to Will Eisner or Darwyn Cooke and I think that is much preferable than the over-rendered, cross-hatched efforts of this week's hot artist.

Given we've been told that the previous supporting cast may be reappearing, I can think of one of them in particular who could make the whole "double" situation work, though we haven't really seen that he could make the "broken neck but still alive" thing work.

I really liked the issue. The idea to keep Titania small from her stint in prison was a great idea. The "oh, crap" moment at the end of the issue had Jen all over it. Great cliffhanger. The art was okay but there's room for improvement. I really want to know what comes next and, for me at least, that's a sure sign that I'm really diggin' it.

1
I thouht this was a great first issue and was a good break away from Dan Slott run. I like the fact that your trying to go a different direction than his run. My only complaint and it really isn't a complaint...can you do something about the coloring? I don't remember SHE-HULK being lime green...

I like seeing Jen as a Stephanie Plum type so I think the bounty hunter idea was a stroke of genius.

I really liked it. I loved Slott's run, but was ready for a different direction.

The big WTF moments for me were Shulkie leaping from the RV and Titania showing up. After Jen went and got her neck snapped I was wondering if she would change and heal it up somehow. Is that maybe the shapeshifter from Slott's run? That's my first thought, anyway. He'd make a good partner for her.

Looking forward to the next one!

First of all, Jen's "career change" didn't strike me as being "Super-Hero-As-Bounty-Hunter" as it did "Jen Walters, Fish Out of Water."

Also, I liked the fact that we start the story "already in progress," with many questions unanswered. That's part of the fun of reading a story: anticipation.

A good start, Peter. I'm looking forward to more.

Hmmm. Loved your first issue. As for the art, I liked it. Yes, it is not Paul Smith, but Moll's stylings did not distract from the story.

Maybe I'm just dense, but I have to admit that my take on Slott's run was the complete opposite of everyone else's.
The impression I got was very much one of tweaking fanboys for their obsessiveness regarding continuity.
In particular, in that issue that had the bit about the No Prize I felt like I (as a fan) was being told, "Listen, creators can do whatever they want, and if you fans don't like it, too bad. It's up to YOU to reconcile what's happening now with what's happened before. Let us be free to write without artificial restrictions."
Of course, I didn't read the series that regularly, as I didn't particularly enjoy the art or the stories, so I guess I just didn't see that continuity was so important to Slott until I saw other people bitching about him being a slave to it and then read the last couple of issues.
Oh well. In any case, I'm looking forward to seeing what PAD has in store for Jen.

The idea to keep Titania small from her stint in prison was a great idea.

Except that she is full sized and an active member of the Frightful Four in the last Fantastic Four arc.

Genis and his mucking with reality. :-)

Actually, in She-Hulk #20 tiny Titania mentions that Fantastic Four arc and comments that she was captured and put BACK into the Pym Prison. So no need for Genis' reality mucking at all.
;)

Well, in case you didn't read it on the Store Appearance thread (I had no idea if you'd make a SH#22 blog entry):

I really liked it. In addition to the story/action, I also liked the art. This is my first encounter with Shawn Moll's art, and it seems really nice. He's chosen to go the "lots of cross-hatching" route, and unlike many other artists who go that route, he seems to know how to apply it properly, with an eye towards real-world lighting and shades of grey. Creel looks great on Page 14, a "quiet" page. Moll's anatomy is also good. He not only gets Absorbing Man's muscles right, but in that shot of Shulkie on Page 16, he does a great job of actually making her abdominals look three-dimensional. Given the angle at which he body is to the reader, and the fact that her torso is twisted, that's not something you're likely to see of many other artists.

I loved Dan Slott's run which focused on Jennifer's life as both a lawyer and superhero. It will take a while to get used to this new run where she is neither. However, I loved PAD's run on Hulk and Supergirl so I am more than willing to give this a chance.

As far as the WTF moments, this is my theory.

S

P

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S

!

PAD faked us out the first couple of pages where we were led to believe that Jennifer Walters, the narrator, was the same person as "J" the driver of the trailer. In truth, Jennifer never left the trailer and was watching "J"'s back as she entered the house. When we read about the bet that "J" could not capture Rocky without "turning green", we assumed Jen's partner was betting that she would have to turn into the She-Hulk. What I think really happened was that Jennifer was betting that "J" could not get the job done without using their Skrull powers and revealing their alien nature. This would also explain why "J" still looks like Jen Walters at the end even though the cover is blown and the neck is still broken. "J" still wants that twenty dollars...

E

N

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Posted by Will at October 26, 2007 02:48 PM
I like seeing Jen as a Stephanie Plum type so I think the bounty hunter idea was a stroke of genius.

Damn, you beat me at the Stephanie reference. But, I can still go ahead and say that turning Jen into a bounty hunter seems like a Plum assignment.

I enjoyed the story and look forward to seeing what happens next.

PAD: Enough with the puns. They weren't funny when my caveman ancestors used them. Thanks.

Quite simply, I loved it.
I'd read the first issue of She-Hulk which Dan Slott had written, and whilst I thought it was good, it wasn't for me.
I was planning on cutting back on my monthly comic list, but after reading #22, I might sneak this title in replace of another. ;)

Anything would be an improvement over Dan Slott's tepidly unfunny, sloppily written and awfully misguided 'She-Hulk', but Peter David's take not only kicks it up 100 notches quality-wise, it also turns this book into something it hasn't been in a long time; an entertaining superhero yarn with genuine thrills and real humor.
You know, the kind that's actually funny.

1 Thanks for using the Absorbing Man! That's all I have to say for SHE-HULK #22. I hope that's good enough.

I have a few questions regarding upcoming issues of SHE-HULK;

1.Any chance of Jen's old boyfriend Hercules showing up?

2.Will Zapper be making any appearences?

3.Will any of Jen's team-mates from the Avengers or FF be visiting?

4.How about having a She-Hulk/Daredevil team-up
against the team of the Man-Bull & the Man-Elephant? This is NOT a joke.

5.Any chance of not having the Rhino & the Wrecking Crew appear?

I look forward to future issues.

If we're requesting guest spots, I have to vote for Juggernaut.

What, you think that joke can't still run?

Cheers.

PAD:

The first issue was excellent.
It's a great new direction, and I hate I have to wait four weeks for #23.

The Bounty Hunter aspect was a great twist, and, yes, you had me going "WTF" three times in that issue.

The characterization was spot on (and I've been a She-Hulk fan for 22 years... go figure).

I loved Dan's run, but I am sure I will be a big fan of yours, too.

I guess you will have to deal with comparisons for a while, but your first issue stands on its own, and it doesn't have to be better or worse than Dan's run. It's different.

Glad you had the courage to take it into a new direction.

My best wishes and keep up the great work in the forthcoming issues! I already subscribed.

I hope this turns out to be a long and prestigious run!

-- Rafael

An excellent departure/new start for Mr David and miles away in terms of quality from the terrible mess that was Mr Slott's "Guide To Pointless/Useless Marvel Continuity Minutae Disguised As A She-hulk Comic Book"

If there is a God, Mr David's run will be as long as his legendary Hulk tenure.

PAD, please ignore Blocky. Puns are the gods' gift to us all, and to not use them would be a terrible insult.

Keep it up! RAKOVLAAM!!

Just read it - fun stuff, and I'm genuinely excited about the next issue. I can't wait to see how you explain this all. (And it wasn't just good for the WTF moments - the whole setup at the beginning got me involved.)

Kick ass issue, Peter. Love the new bounty hunter angle because it really creates all kinds of new and interesting story possibilities. And it's very different from what Slott did.

When I saw minitania I could not help but be reminded of a shrunken Hulk shouting into Abomination's ear.

Can't wait for the next issue.

Liked your She-Hulk premier. I pretty much follow all the books you right, even if I don't initially care for the characters. X-Factor another example of that. Hope SHe-Hulk lives up to your usual standard and X-Factor continues to be neck and neck with Astonishing as the best X-Book.

I've never read a single issue of She-Hulk before. Going into this issue my knowledge of the character consisted of three facts. 1. Her name is Jen. 2. She's sometimes green. 3. She's a lawyer. And now one of those facts is no longer true.

It can be quite difficult to jump into a book midstream, even when a new author has taken over. PAD did a remarkable job her of making it accessible to new readers. Certainly there were moments were I went "What the hell is going on?" but it sounds like old readers did as well. Yeah, there are appearences by characters that I have no familarity with, but I expected that. And I think they were explained smoothly enough that it didn't seem jarring.

Will this be a book I keep picking up every month? I'm not sure yet. I adore Peter's writing and I like the art, but I'll have to see how the character grabs me. But so far I'm really optimistic, and I'll certainly be checking out the next issue.

Posted by Andrew Kieswetter at October 27, 2007 05:44 AM: 3.Will any of Jen's team-mates from the Avengers or FF be visiting?

Actually, I've often thought a She-Hulk/Ms. Marvel pairing/smackdown was long overdue, given that their power levels seem relatively even.

Kim - Marvel can fly. Shulkie can't. That gives the former a huge advantage.

1 I was never interested in She-Hulk until Dan Slott's great run. The first PAD issue was wonderful: it's obviously PAD's arc now and the differences in tone are clear; still, there's plenty of props thrown Slott's way for a smoothe transition and a statement that it's a new team, but the old team was great too. Based on the first issue, I'm seriously thinking this is going to be one of the most interesting Marvel monthlies -- on par with X-Factor, and the best Brubaker stuff (Daredevil, Cap etc). In short, thank you Mr. David for giving us another great read.

Taking x-factor and turning it into a noir detective genre - genius.
Plunking Jennifer into a bounty hunter premise and hit the ground running - brilliant.
Don't know yet who broke-neck will turn out to be . . .
Don't know yet what crossroads brought Jen to this juncture . . .
and I am hooked.
Now I am all about the "What's next" I know it will be a helluva ride. good stuff.
I have been hearing some negatory feedback on the artwork, and I just don't get that.
While I also enjoyed Dan Slott's run - I could never get into the artwork.
I like Darth Moll.
And I totally dig Deodata's cover. Totally. Totally dig it. Totally.
Thanks for everything.

Shulkie is my favourite Marvel character (actually my favourite comics character) and since Young Justice, PAD is one of my all-time favourite writers. So I'm happy with the book's new team.

I don't like seeing her move away from the courtroom stuff, because it's been a part of her for so long, but I think the "skip-tracer" role makes sense.

I hope the two-Jens thing isn't as simple as "It's Ditto" -- a Skrull would be nicer, what's Lyja been up to lately? And while I look forward to seeing some Slott characters again (if only to tie up the loose ends), I'd also like an update on some Sensational support, particularly Weezi. It really astounds me that Dan never touched on her once, given how significant her role in Jen's life was during the Sensational period.

I can live with Moll's art, but I would have preferred someone a bit more interesting. I think Slott's run, for good or ill, was notable for a series of very distinctive artists and Shawn Moll seems a bit pedestrian in comparison. But it doesn't hurt to have a different look accompanying the change in tone that comes with PAD's writing. Personally I think the ideal choice would have been Todd Nauck. :)

This will seem like an odd request, but I'll ask it anyway. Sometime in the future, if you could have somebody (not necessarily a major character--just someone in the background) wear a "curly W" cap or make a reference to the Washington Nationals, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

Please no more awful puns! No more puns at all!

>Don't know yet who broke-neck will turn out to be . . .

Shulkie used to be intimately involved with S.H.I.E.L.D. ... figure it out from there.

Gentleman Jim sez: "However, I'm not sold on the two Jens aspect."

She's a skrull? (ducking)

Tiny sez: "Genis and his mucking with reality."

SUPERBo...errr....MAN PUNCH! He hits so hard it's resonating throughout comics everywhere!

I liked that Jen was still conscious of the exact legal precedent that gives skip tracers their jurisdictional powers. She may not be *working* as a lawyer, but she still *thinks* like one.

Posted by Kim Metzger at October 27, 2007 10:11 PM Actually, I've often thought a She-Hulk/Ms. Marvel pairing/smackdown was long overdue, given that their power levels seem relatively even.

Posted by The StarWolf at October 27, 2007 10:18 PM Kim - Marvel can fly. Shulkie can't. That gives the former a huge advantage

It might seem that way at first. But then the fun would be in seeing if She-Hulk can overcome that advantage, wouldn't it?

I'm giving it a try. However, I'll miss Slott's more comedic approach (I'm one of few people in the world who likes funny superhero comics, it would seem). Also, I'm not sure of the bounty hunter angle. It felt more natural for the Daughters of the Dragon than it does for She-Hulk.

We'll see as things progress.

Yes, Yes, Yes!!!!!

That awful Slott/She-Hulk MacBeal is done for.
Now we can actually read a She-hulk book that isn't a bad collection of "witty puns" and lame wink wink moments.

Plenty of WTF moments for sure. The last page especially. This book is already going in a different direction. I bought the book when Byrne did it and I have Slott's entire run. Your run, IMO, is going to be incredible (Pun intended).

Joe V.

http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=195258

There is a review and comments in here.

Joe V.

So, to summarize what I see as the possibilities for who broken-neck Jen will turn out to be:
1) Ditto
2) A skrull (maybe Lyja)(Would explain the "Without going green" line)
3) A SHIELD brand LMD (Life Model Decoy)
4) It really is Jen, and S-Hulk is somehow an imposter.
5) Somehow, both Jen and S-Hulk are real. (Split doubles? Alternate timeline duplicates? Hey, it's PAD here. Anything's possible. :))

Which of these is it? I have no idea, but it'll be fun to find out. :)

I read She-Hulk for the silly stuff. Just like I used to read Captain Marvel for the silly stuff. Please bring back the silly stuff.

PAD,
good thing you've got the experience to handle such a kick ass review - take it in stride, not get intimidated, and feel confident you didn't trip over your , umm, self, coming out of the gate!! That is one nice attaboy.
On the transverse - do you alter your course if the reviews get nasty? Or take it equally in stride and wait for the readership to catch up to where you are going until they "get it."?

"That awful Slott/She-Hulk MacBeal is done for. Now we can actually read a She-hulk book that isn't a bad collection of "witty puns" and lame wink wink moments."

You're suggesting that a PAD-written book will be a change from puns? Wow.

Loved it. This "bounty hunter" thing has got me interested, as does the mystery of who this other Jen is.

I feel kind of bad for Creel's cousin, and it would be nice if Jen were able to defend him instead of capturing him and putting his fate in somebody else's hands.

But what I really want to know is...will there really be more hitting in the next issue? Truly? I hope you're not toying with my emotions, my love of seeing superhumans hit one another to be precise. For I could not bear to have my heart broken again with promises of hitting in the next issue followed by no hitting in the next issue. It would destroy me.

I'm really late in posting this, but PAD's 1st issue on She-Hulk has me intrigued. It's a good start to your new story line. Honestly, I felt the same way about Slott leaving as writer. As I did when you left the Hulk series the first time around. I know it sounds weird. I'm still going to be sticking around. Here's to a new era of She-Hulk greatness!

Your run, IMO, is going to be incredible (Pun intended).

That's actually not a pun.

(Sorry.)