The eighth issue of “Wolverine” makes better use of the Grey Hulk, a.k.a. “Joe Fixit” now that he’s more firmly established in Madripoor. The history between the two characters is used to great effect with the story taking a left turn in having the two powerhouses working together.
Written by Chris ClaremontCover by John Buscema
Illustrated by John Buscema
Colored by Glynis Oliver
Lettered by Ken BruzenakLogan manipulates the Hulk into helping him disrupt the various criminal operations in Madripoor.
The issue begins with an imposing splash page of Fixit being surrounded with purple pants in the second page. The third page acts as a sharp contrast to the first, with the entire cast established thus far in the ongoing series. While Hulk’s furious scowl and intimidating presence took up the entire page, the orderly criminal underworld of Madripoor are gathered in a high class bar with Wolverine blending in seamlessly in this high class area in Lowtown.
The larger amount of text on the third page compared to the first adds a further contrast as the reader is forced to take their time on the third page and soak in the respectable atmosphere while the lack of text in Joe Fixit’s splash pages makes it feel more like a flash of anger. It also contrasts how the people of Madripoor have embraced “Patch” as an important member of the political and criminal underworld while Joe is an outsider and a foreigner, intruding in their affairs. Despite the Hulk’s intimidating presence he laments that, “Everywhere I go somebody wants to give me grief.”
The next page very quickly brings new readers up to speed on who the major side characters are in the series. Because this series is written in the late 80s, Chris Claremont seems to always be conscious of the fact that a new reader could start the series on any given issue. This one page catch-up allows new readers to have the necessary context for the carnage to come later on.
When Joe interrupts the festivities on the same page, he is not wearing the purple pants that Wolverine almost certainly planted in his room. Instead he is wearing a custom fitted white suit. This disdain for the attire commonly associated with the more popular Green Hulk is prominently featured throughout the issue and is used as an overt metaphor for the more civilised Gray Hulk preferring suits. This attitude isn’t only represented in the Hulk’s outfit but also in the actions of Joe Fixit himself. After he breaks down the wall to make an intimidating entrance, he gives the owner a large wallet to pay for the damage he caused. He picks a fight over somebody damaging his suit.
When he and “Patch” square off the audience in the bar and the audience reading the comic expect a knock down drag out brawl between the two formidable and violent superheroes. John Buscema even draws the patrons of the lounge bar eagerly taking bets on who will win. When Patch agrees to help Joe rather than fight him, the creative team seem to express their sympathy for the audience’s disappointment by showing the audience in the comic book expressing that very same disappointment.
The lettering by Ken Bruzenak was often in onomatopoeia with block letters and bold colors. This evokes a strong sense of noise and reinforces the level of impact the Hulk has on the external world around him.
