What The...?!

This has unofficially evolved into Marvel week at HH, so we now close it out with some praise of the new comic Strange Tales, sort of a Marvel version of DC's Bizarro World, in which indie authors and artists get to have some fun at the expense of company characters.

From the opening shot, in which the Watcher is peeping on She-Hulk in the shower, we know it's going to be good. There's a lot of variety, but no surprise my two favourites were Paul Pope's Inhumans story and Peter Bagge's Hulk story, the latter of which is actually continuing through the three issues of Strange Tales.

Pope's Inhumans story involves the team dog Lockjaw, who is able to teleport but does not possess opposable thumbs, thus making it difficult for him to open a can of gourmet dog food that Medusa and the rest of the gang bought for him. Every time they are about to open it for him, they are called away to fight another menace, including Psycho-Man - who refers to himself as "He who is called Psycho-Man." Ah, I love that stuff. I've always wanted to refer to myself that way, and often do in my head. Lockjaw eventually finds a novel way to open the can. Pope did the cover of this ish as well, which includes some of the most visually arresting Marvel characters, such as Dr. Strange's squeeze Clea, who has possibly the funkiest hairdo in all comic-dom, and Beta Ray Bill, who is somehow an alien, a horse, and another Thor all in one.

Bagge's Hulk story has a wonderful premise. As Bruce Banner, he meets a female scientific colleague who is dignified and intelligent. As Hulk, he meets a biker chick who is skanky and trashy. Misunderstandings are sure to ensue, and I'm looking forward to future installments.