Immortal Hulk #27, written by Al Ewing, with pencils by Joe Bennett, inks by Ruy Jose, Belardino Brabo, Marc Deering, and Sean Parsons, and colors by Paul Mounts, see Banner’s opening salvo against humanity. Proving that he and the Hulk really are the strongest there is. Previously, Hulk finally defeated General Fortean and his government-funded Shadow Base, only to take over himself. Now, with a secret hideout, and a small team of loyalists at his disposal, Banner has declared war on humanity as we know it. So far, that means attacking anyone who represents the worst of mankind. First target: Roxxon Energy Corporation, and their CEO, Dario Agger, aka the Minotaur.

Ewing has long left readers in the dark as to what the “Devil Hulk” wants, but the last couple of issues have finally brought to light his true motivations. By declaring war on humanity, he seeks to root out the scum of mankind and smash them to pieces. This issue illustrates just how he’s going to do that. While, yes, he will be doing plenty of punching, there’s now an intelligence in the way he’s choosing his targets. His strikes are surgical and designed to do the most damage in the least amount of time. In short: he’s working smarter, not harder. This is due to a new level of cooperation between Hulk and Banner. They both want the same thing, and they’re both moving towards the same goal. What should be considered a good thing is both chilling and exhilarating to watch in action.

As Ewing ushers in a new era to his instantly classic run, so too comes a new antagonist. A poster boy for everything Banner deems wrong with humanity was needed, and what better face to put on that than Dario Agger. He’s the CEO of Roxxon Energy, a traitor to humanity in The War of the Realms, and a calculating man-monster capable of trading blows with any Thor of your choosing. A perfect foil for this leg of Ewing’s story, if there ever was one, and Jason Aaron barely scratched his surface in Thor, so there’s plenty of character left for Ewing to mine.

There’s nothing about this art team that can be said that hasn’t already been said. They are perfection. Even with five different inkers (Jose, Brabo, Deering, and Parsons, all doing spectacular work) contributing, Bennet’s pencils don’t suffer a bit. Mounts, responsible for drowning you in a sea of green every month, is the secret ingredient to this winning combination. Without him, the pencils and inks would still be stellar, but his eerie palette lends a creepiness to this book that wouldn’t be quite as present otherwise.

This is the time to jump onboard this story if you missed the first part of Ewing’s run. Issue #26 started the title in a new direction, and this issue really kicks everything into gear. From the disturbing confidence of Banner/Hulk to the unsettling final panels, you’ll find Ewing’s new take on an old classic impossible to put down. Turn away at your own risk.

Grade: A+