The Gil Kane Punch of the Week 23: You Are Fighting--The Hulk!

Digging through some comic boxes this week, I happened to find my old, beat-up copy of Marvel Comics' Captain Marvel 21 (Aug. 1970), written by Roy Thomas, with art by Gil Kane and Dan Adkins. My copy has a cover that's barely attached, and half the back cover is missing, but it's still got some punching going on in it, as Mar-Vell takes on The Hulk!



Mar-Vell gives Hulk everything he's got, but, in typical fashion, Hulk takes the white-haired Kree warrior down with one backhanded slap.

Also, if you're a fan of things that are awesome, and you want to hear the sound of my voice, then check out the latest War Rocket Ajax podcast. Chris and Euge do a great interview with Chris Roberson, writer on the Fables spin-off, Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love. I come in at the end to share some more details about the trip to South of the Border that Chris Sims and I took about 10 days ago (though it seems like a lifetime). We also talk about the earth-shattering news regarding Fake AP Stylebook's mention in Entertainment Weekly, and I give some bad pedagogical tips and lay a deft, sick burn on Mr. Sims. So, check it out!

The Gil Kane Punch of the Week 20: Hulk Never Need Help!

In Giant-Size Defenders 2 (1974, reprinted in Essential Defenders Vol. 2), written by Len Wein and inked by Klaus Janson, the Hulk is forced to fight an army of his alter ego, Bruce Banner, in some supernatural realm. The other Defenders offer their assistance:

This gives new meaning to the word "doppelbanging!"

Friday Night Fights: Hulk vs. Groot

Bahlactus rang the bell on a new series of Friday Night Fights last week, but unfortunately I was out of town that day and got back too late to contribute.

So, I'm making up for it with an entry that comes from what, it is safe to say, is the single greatest fight comic of all time: Incredible Hulk King-Size Annual 5, "And Six Shall Crush the Hulk"--scripted by Chris Claremont, plotted by Len Wein, and drawn by Sal Buscema and Jack Abel.

In these 48 pages of pure, high-grade awesomeness, Hulk fights 6 different creatures who originally debuted in pre-Marvel Atlas sci-fi comics. One of these creatures is the talking tree, "Groot, the Monster from Planet X."

Hulk, I know what you feel. Almost every day I find something that causes me to shout, "Go away, dream!"

Also, I want "Overlord of All the Timber in the Galaxy" to appear on my next set of business cards.

Hulk and Groot quickly commence to fighting, with Groot landing a devastating blow:

Meanwhile Hulk also relives a particularly traumatic childhood viewing of The Wizard of Oz:

Hulk completely splinters Groot, leaving nothing left but a stump, though that does not stop Hulk from continuing to shout at him:

This panel also very much resembles the average day in Dr. K's classroom.

Groot apparently recovers from this fight, as he is currently co-starring in the Annihilation: Star Lord miniseries, where he teams up with Rocket Raccoon.

I would also like to acknowledge the fact that I did not once take the easy road and make some kind of "Hulk gets wood" joke. We try to keep things classy here at the Super-Spectacular.