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| Hulk 228 Review |
| These 3 issues are classic Karla, it is where she is given a lot of panel time and is intergral to the storyline, they poured it on big time, then suddenly backed off...The story starts with Doc Samson doing some tests on the Hulk, testing the limits of his strength. Due to giving the Hulk a drug in a previous isssue he is unable to change back to Banner, so Smson is trying to make the best of it... The Hulk's strength is off the scale and he ends up not only busting the testing machine but brings the ceiling down on Samson and assistant. General "thunderbolt" Ross barges on the scene and starts taking unreasonable charge of the situation, forshadowing an upcoming event in his life that Karla is directly tied to. Everyone gets dug out and is okay. The scene changes to a news crew interviewing Kropotkin the Great saying the Hulk will be touring with him... this is just used to set up a scene where General Ross comes on scene and blows up at the press, this is broadcast and his daughter, Betty Ross Talbot considers calling him, but due to past events in their relationship changes her mind. We then get our first glance at Karla... |
| She is calling to try to come on board at gamma base federal research facility and work with Samson. From Thunderbolts Distant Rumbling we see Karla used to study under Samson, and Samson is familar with his old student due to some stir Karla caused at the Utrecht Conference. He welcomes her as a fellow psychiatric black sheep. Her influnece and charm is spread across the base in a short time...she is described as " everybody's kid sister" Yeah right! We then find out Karla is there to try to steal the gammavator components to sell to the Corporation, She uses her light powers to bust into a restricted room and begins her search. Meanwhile the Hulk inadvertantly sets off an alarm, Karla changes into Moonstone and then runs into the Hulk! |
| Because he saw her materialize through a wall the Hulk thinks Moonstone isn't real and that he is dreaming. Karla wants to flee, but the Hulk grab her and tells her not to be scared, it is a dream- he won't hurt her...Moonstone then .asserts herself and the battle begins. She gets in a number of punishing hits on the monster before she is grabbed. Then we see her manipulative genius come to light. she changes her voice to sound like a scared little girl, the Hulk then releases her..still acting scared she blasts him through another wall...her plan is to confuse him and get him to make so much damage that the items she stole would not be noticed...she then changes her tone to be commanding and authoritative...then to sound hurt and resentful of the Hulk. Smason arrives outside and Karla fools him into thinkiing she(not Moonstone) is there trying to calm the Hulk down. She then takes it up a notch and makes her voice sound loathing and full of contempt for the Hulk, going as far as to say even the Hulk's mother hates him. The Hulk goes ballistic and knocks Moonstone out, she reverts to her civies and the Hulk burst out carrying her body much to the horror of Samson and the onlookers...and it is continued next issue!!! |
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| GREAT story, you need to know this stuff to understand Karla's hatred for the Hulk. It showcases her power and we see that cunningness that is now classic for her. The ties with Samson is logical and opens up the story and makes it reasonable. The art is well done, the story builds nicely, there is foreshadowing, good action scenes, intellegent dialogue, accurate characterization... it is a gem! |
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