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She-Hulk by Mariko Tamaki
She-Hulk, Vol. 1: Deconstructed
Jennifer Walters has survived the second Civil War...barely. But, having risen from the rubble, she re-enters the world a very different kind of hero. Fueled by a quiet rage, she is determined to move forward, to go on with her life - but the pain of the past and all that she's lost is always there. An undercurrent, a pulse waiting to quicken -and trigger Jen's transformation into the one thing she doesn't have control over...
COLLECTING: HULK 1-6
COLLECTING: HULK 1-6
136 pages, Paperback
First published July 25, 2017
23 people are currently reading
775 people want to read
About the author
Mariko Tamaki
382 books2,245 followersMariko Tamaki is a Toronto writer, playwright, activist and performer. She works and performs with fat activists Pretty Porky and Pissed Off and the theatre troupe TOA, whose recent play, A vs. B, was staged at the 2004 Rhubarb Festival at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Her well-received novel, Cover Me (McGilligan Books) was followed by a short fiction collection, True Lies: The Book of Bad Advice (Women's Press). Mariko's third book, FAKE ID, is due out in spring 2005.
Mariko Tamaki has performed her work across Canada and through the States, recently appearing at the Calgary Folkfest 2004, Vancouver Writer's Festival 2003, Spatial III, and the Perpetual Motion/Girls Bite Back Tour, which circled though Ottawa, Montreal, Brooklyn and Chicago. She has appeared widely on radio and television including First Person Singular on CBC radio and Imprint on TVO. Mariko Tamaki is currently attending York University working a master's degree in women's studies.
[MacMIllan Books]
Mariko Tamaki has performed her work across Canada and through the States, recently appearing at the Calgary Folkfest 2004, Vancouver Writer's Festival 2003, Spatial III, and the Perpetual Motion/Girls Bite Back Tour, which circled though Ottawa, Montreal, Brooklyn and Chicago. She has appeared widely on radio and television including First Person Singular on CBC radio and Imprint on TVO. Mariko Tamaki is currently attending York University working a master's degree in women's studies.
[MacMIllan Books]
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 229 reviews
February 13, 2018
3.5 stars
If you've read other She-Hulk comics then you know that Jennifer Walters is very comfortable with her Hulk form. In fact, she usually spends the vast majority of her time as a sexy, green lady.
But not anymore.
Deconstructed has Jen trying to recover from not only her beloved cousin Bruce's death in Civil War II, but her own near-death experience at the hands of Thanos.
Now, I haven't really followed anything but the main Civil War II storyline, so I have no idea why but, apparently, it's now painful for Jen to transform. If I had to guess I'd say it was psychosomatic, but maybe something happened to her when Thanos almost killed her?
The story is basically her fighting inner demons, and then (eventually) fighting some sort of an actual demon due to one of her clients being overcome by her own trauma and fears.
Ta-da! <--very tidy
Which brings us to Jen's new gray She-Hulk. It's nothing like her old form and seems to be quite a bit more...Hulk-y? As in, more violent and less under control than what Jennifer is usually working with. Another thing to note is that her Hulk only shows up at the end, so there's a lot of Jen and very little She-Hulk in this one.
I liked the story, but I missed seeing a green Jen. <--I guess that's the point, though. I'm assuming Jennifer will work out all the kinks eventually.
The art was nice and the plot wasn't boring. So, yeah.
It wasn't super-duper-amazing, but overall I liked it.
If you've read other She-Hulk comics then you know that Jennifer Walters is very comfortable with her Hulk form. In fact, she usually spends the vast majority of her time as a sexy, green lady.
But not anymore.
Deconstructed has Jen trying to recover from not only her beloved cousin Bruce's death in Civil War II, but her own near-death experience at the hands of Thanos.
Now, I haven't really followed anything but the main Civil War II storyline, so I have no idea why but, apparently, it's now painful for Jen to transform. If I had to guess I'd say it was psychosomatic, but maybe something happened to her when Thanos almost killed her?
The story is basically her fighting inner demons, and then (eventually) fighting some sort of an actual demon due to one of her clients being overcome by her own trauma and fears.
Ta-da! <--very tidy
Which brings us to Jen's new gray She-Hulk. It's nothing like her old form and seems to be quite a bit more...Hulk-y? As in, more violent and less under control than what Jennifer is usually working with. Another thing to note is that her Hulk only shows up at the end, so there's a lot of Jen and very little She-Hulk in this one.
I liked the story, but I missed seeing a green Jen. <--I guess that's the point, though. I'm assuming Jennifer will work out all the kinks eventually.
The art was nice and the plot wasn't boring. So, yeah.
It wasn't super-duper-amazing, but overall I liked it.
April 1, 2018
She-Hulk, Volume 1: Deconstructed takes its premise from Civil War II so if you’ve not read that event and wanna avoid spoilsies, check that out before this.
Years ago I used to think indie comics creators would write better superhero comics if given the chance. I’m pretty much completely turned around on that idea now, especially as indie comics creator Mariko Tamaki has written such a fucking awful She-Hulk here!
Jen Walters/She-Hulk was put into a coma by Thanos in the Civil War II lead-in, waking up to discover that her cousin, Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk, was shot in the head and killed by Hawkeye. Deconstructed follows Jen as she deals with her grief, gets back to lawyering and helps out a new client whose landlord is trying to evict them.
First off, basing a series concept around an event is a terrible idea. Superhero deaths are an absolute joke - they don’t stay dead. Ever. Maybe completely new readers to superhero comics don’t know this - and Tamaki might’ve brought over some of her indie audience with her to this title so this could conceivably be a few peoples’ first ever superhero comic - but I’ve been reading superhero comics for years so I didn’t buy into the grief angle at all. And, Jen, you’ve been a superhero how long? Come on girl, you know “dead” is shorthand for “napping until they’re needed for the next useless relaunch/reboot/whatever”. And guess what happened during the NEXT goddamn tiresome event, Secret Empire? Yup, Bruce Banner came back from the dead (although I think he’s gone back to being “dead” again - for now)! Fuuuuuck you, Marvel, you buncha assclowns!
Setting aside the flimsy premise, Tamaki’s story is utter gahbage. Some rando lady who looks like a Grey alien says she’s being evicted and wants Jen’s help to stop it. Nothing - nada! - about this storyline makes a lick of sense. The landlord is evicting the Grey alien lady not because she’s a bad tenant who’s stopped paying the rent - she still is - but because she went from looking hot to not. We later find out that he’s sold the building to developers months ago. I’m not familiar with US Property Law but I doubt you could do that without telling any of the tenants. That’s ridiculous. Obviously we’re not meant to like the landlord but does he have to be such an absurd caricature of sleaze? It’s such amateurish writing.
Here’s why the Grey alien lady looks so odd though: she’s an Inhuman. Are we told this in the story proper? Nope - that detail is buried in the story summary on the credits page! To be fair to Tamaki, the lady - Maise - does say in the first issue that she “changed” and now has “restorative powers” but that makes this book even less accessible than it already is for new readers or anyone who hasn’t been following the Inhumans/Terrigen Mist stuff that’s been going on elsewhere in the Marvel Universe.
Tamaki’s obtuseness becomes more problematic later on when a gooey shadow monster appears to fight Jen. What the what? Where did it come from? Is Maise somehow manifesting it? She mentioned “restorative powers” but that’s a vague statement and doesn’t mean creating monster avatars. In an earlier scene, Jen visited Maise’s apartment building where we saw abandoned mannequin parts in the stairwell and zombified kids writing on the hallway walls. When the gooey shadow monster appears, a number of tenants show up too and say that they found the monster and used it to help protect them. So is it a creature separate from Maise? Nope, because in another summary paragraph we’re told that Maise made the golem monster.
Having to find out basic plot points from issue summaries is shit writing. That the editor has to plug plot holes with these summaries shows how badly the writer has failed to put this information across to the audience in the actual comics. And if you don’t read the summaries, you’re gonna have some very fair questions! Even with the summaries, there’s still no explanation for why some of the building’s tenants were zombified and others weren’t. Not that it matters that much but still it highlights again the lack of care that went into the writing.
And it doesn’t make sense but Maise and her golem turn on Jen at the end because that’s what happens at the end of superhero stories: hero punches monster, tie a bow on this sucka. Trite, unimaginative rubbish. Especially as the fear monster golem happens to mirror what’s going on in Jen’s life because she’s working through trauma/grief of her own. Honestly, this is some of the sloppiest, most contrived writing I’ve seen in a superhero comic in some time.
It’s not even remotely fun either. Maybe Tamaki herself doesn’t read Marvel comics - it wouldn’t surprise me if she didn’t - but Marvel comics usually shoot for light-hearted fun. It’s served them well in the past - you might even say that’s a big part of why they’re the world’s number one comics publisher! Certainly that’s what Charles Soule’s She-Hulk run went for, successfully too - if you want to see what a good She-Hulk comic looks like, check out Soule’s superb take on the character. There’s nothing fun about Tamaki’s She-Hulk. Depressing, gloomy, sad, miserable - beyond the bad writing and stupid story, it’s a downer the whole time. That’d be more acceptable if this were an indie comic but not so much as a Marvel comic. That’s not to say there aren’t any grim Marvel comics in existence but Tamaki isn’t nearly talented enough to maturely realise one convincingly - you’ll get zero insight into what it’s like to deal with trauma other than it sucks.
She-Hulk, Volume 1: Deconstructed is the worst She-Hulk comic I’ve had the misfortune to read. Tamaki is an incompetent writer who fails to create even slightly believable characters and whose feeble story was dreary at best but was most of the time stunningly brain-dead, simplistic, banal, and unoriginal. Nico Leon’s art is, as always, barely even worth mentioning, it’s that bland, though I don’t know why Jen looks Asian in some panels. Pathetic across the board, avoid this steaming pile of drek if you can.
Years ago I used to think indie comics creators would write better superhero comics if given the chance. I’m pretty much completely turned around on that idea now, especially as indie comics creator Mariko Tamaki has written such a fucking awful She-Hulk here!
Jen Walters/She-Hulk was put into a coma by Thanos in the Civil War II lead-in, waking up to discover that her cousin, Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk, was shot in the head and killed by Hawkeye. Deconstructed follows Jen as she deals with her grief, gets back to lawyering and helps out a new client whose landlord is trying to evict them.
First off, basing a series concept around an event is a terrible idea. Superhero deaths are an absolute joke - they don’t stay dead. Ever. Maybe completely new readers to superhero comics don’t know this - and Tamaki might’ve brought over some of her indie audience with her to this title so this could conceivably be a few peoples’ first ever superhero comic - but I’ve been reading superhero comics for years so I didn’t buy into the grief angle at all. And, Jen, you’ve been a superhero how long? Come on girl, you know “dead” is shorthand for “napping until they’re needed for the next useless relaunch/reboot/whatever”. And guess what happened during the NEXT goddamn tiresome event, Secret Empire? Yup, Bruce Banner came back from the dead (although I think he’s gone back to being “dead” again - for now)! Fuuuuuck you, Marvel, you buncha assclowns!
Setting aside the flimsy premise, Tamaki’s story is utter gahbage. Some rando lady who looks like a Grey alien says she’s being evicted and wants Jen’s help to stop it. Nothing - nada! - about this storyline makes a lick of sense. The landlord is evicting the Grey alien lady not because she’s a bad tenant who’s stopped paying the rent - she still is - but because she went from looking hot to not. We later find out that he’s sold the building to developers months ago. I’m not familiar with US Property Law but I doubt you could do that without telling any of the tenants. That’s ridiculous. Obviously we’re not meant to like the landlord but does he have to be such an absurd caricature of sleaze? It’s such amateurish writing.
Here’s why the Grey alien lady looks so odd though: she’s an Inhuman. Are we told this in the story proper? Nope - that detail is buried in the story summary on the credits page! To be fair to Tamaki, the lady - Maise - does say in the first issue that she “changed” and now has “restorative powers” but that makes this book even less accessible than it already is for new readers or anyone who hasn’t been following the Inhumans/Terrigen Mist stuff that’s been going on elsewhere in the Marvel Universe.
Tamaki’s obtuseness becomes more problematic later on when a gooey shadow monster appears to fight Jen. What the what? Where did it come from? Is Maise somehow manifesting it? She mentioned “restorative powers” but that’s a vague statement and doesn’t mean creating monster avatars. In an earlier scene, Jen visited Maise’s apartment building where we saw abandoned mannequin parts in the stairwell and zombified kids writing on the hallway walls. When the gooey shadow monster appears, a number of tenants show up too and say that they found the monster and used it to help protect them. So is it a creature separate from Maise? Nope, because in another summary paragraph we’re told that Maise made the golem monster.
Having to find out basic plot points from issue summaries is shit writing. That the editor has to plug plot holes with these summaries shows how badly the writer has failed to put this information across to the audience in the actual comics. And if you don’t read the summaries, you’re gonna have some very fair questions! Even with the summaries, there’s still no explanation for why some of the building’s tenants were zombified and others weren’t. Not that it matters that much but still it highlights again the lack of care that went into the writing.
And it doesn’t make sense but Maise and her golem turn on Jen at the end because that’s what happens at the end of superhero stories: hero punches monster, tie a bow on this sucka. Trite, unimaginative rubbish. Especially as the fear monster golem happens to mirror what’s going on in Jen’s life because she’s working through trauma/grief of her own. Honestly, this is some of the sloppiest, most contrived writing I’ve seen in a superhero comic in some time.
It’s not even remotely fun either. Maybe Tamaki herself doesn’t read Marvel comics - it wouldn’t surprise me if she didn’t - but Marvel comics usually shoot for light-hearted fun. It’s served them well in the past - you might even say that’s a big part of why they’re the world’s number one comics publisher! Certainly that’s what Charles Soule’s She-Hulk run went for, successfully too - if you want to see what a good She-Hulk comic looks like, check out Soule’s superb take on the character. There’s nothing fun about Tamaki’s She-Hulk. Depressing, gloomy, sad, miserable - beyond the bad writing and stupid story, it’s a downer the whole time. That’d be more acceptable if this were an indie comic but not so much as a Marvel comic. That’s not to say there aren’t any grim Marvel comics in existence but Tamaki isn’t nearly talented enough to maturely realise one convincingly - you’ll get zero insight into what it’s like to deal with trauma other than it sucks.
She-Hulk, Volume 1: Deconstructed is the worst She-Hulk comic I’ve had the misfortune to read. Tamaki is an incompetent writer who fails to create even slightly believable characters and whose feeble story was dreary at best but was most of the time stunningly brain-dead, simplistic, banal, and unoriginal. Nico Leon’s art is, as always, barely even worth mentioning, it’s that bland, though I don’t know why Jen looks Asian in some panels. Pathetic across the board, avoid this steaming pile of drek if you can.
June 26, 2017
Finally picked up the last two issues of this volume and was reminded why I really like this series. Jen Walters, lawyer for the Marvel Universe, has returned to the city, ready to contribute to helping people, her PTSD (from a Civil Wars disaster. . .) in check. This is a slow build of a volume, but it's appropriate as Jen’s identity as Hulk (not She-Hulk, but Hulk) needs to be figured out. What might the purpose be for her anger? Righteous rage? What lines might get crossed if Jen hulks out as the now dead Bruce Banner once did? How can she best serve the needy, many of whom are so unhappy and suffering in a world they find increasingly cruel?
The ghost of Bruce actually visits Jen, which is a nice touch, I liked that a lot, and it figures in. I really like the drawing of Nico Leon, and the dark, subdued coloring of Matt Milla! The art fits all the psychological reflection. I like the increasingly complex storylines, I like the playing around Tamaki does with Jen’s internal dialogue, I like the actual dialogue that feels fresh and contemporary and smart, often clever, and I liked the finish! I especially like the fact that Tamaki is continuing this, just unearthing who Jen might become! This volume and this series makes an old comics icon, resurrected, seem important, relevant. And much worth reading!
The ghost of Bruce actually visits Jen, which is a nice touch, I liked that a lot, and it figures in. I really like the drawing of Nico Leon, and the dark, subdued coloring of Matt Milla! The art fits all the psychological reflection. I like the increasingly complex storylines, I like the playing around Tamaki does with Jen’s internal dialogue, I like the actual dialogue that feels fresh and contemporary and smart, often clever, and I liked the finish! I especially like the fact that Tamaki is continuing this, just unearthing who Jen might become! This volume and this series makes an old comics icon, resurrected, seem important, relevant. And much worth reading!
June 26, 2017
A disclaimer or two first:
1) I've been a fan of She-Hulk as long as I can remember. I've read from Savage She-Hulk thru the John Bryne run, the Dan Slott(et al) run, right up to this current run. And while some runs were better than others, I"ve mostly enjoyed them all, so this review might be a bit biased.
2) I'm reading the single issues as they're published, so this is a review of the FIRST ISSUE, which is all that's out at this point. I'll try to update this review as I read further.
ISSUE ONE: This was definitely a low-key issue, which is a GOOD thing, IMO: no super-hero slugfests here! The blurb on the front page summarizes all the crucial info you need to know, so the issue itself can serve as a good introduction for new readers to Jen Walters, lawyer for the Marvel Universe.
The art is a nice countpoint to the story, and Jen is quite expressive, so the reader can start to get an impression of Jen. (The "[She]Hulk" persona underlies the whole issue, but does't really make an actual appearence, per se.) Strong start to the series, overall, IMO.
ISSUE TWO: Another strong issue. I really liked the powerful depiction of Jenn's repressed rage, and the carefully calculated setup towards the first true appearence of the Hulk. The landlord/eviction storyline is serviceable, if not supercompelling, and (as above) is a interesting catalyst for the Hulks eventual appearence.
ISSUE THREE: Another top notch issue for me. I"m loving the slow build up; it's a bit unconventional for a superhero title, but it's really working for me and this continues to be a great exploration of Jenn as a chadacter. And I really liked the scene between her and Hellcat; the way their friendship is delicted just seemed very normal and realistic.
ISSUE FOUR: If you've read this far, you know my feelings on this title. This run is shaping up, to my mind, as one of the seminal runs on this character, even though it does admittedly mostly eschew the lighter tones the character is known for.
***
Sorry, I've been a bit lax at keeping this updated. (I read ALOT of monthly comics, and it's unusual for me to reiveiw individual issues.)
But I just finished out this arc, and a solid "Brava" to all involved. This "new" version of (She)Hulk is both faithful to, but also a huge (but logical) divergence to the charater. And this team pulls off that dichotomy wonderfully.
One of the things I was afraid of before starting this series was that Jen's law career would be pushed to the side, and that is a HUGE part of what makes the character, IMO. But I shouldn't have worried; they used her law career to great effect in this arc, as the impetus to the main storyline.
So, though this title isn't getting the buzz that some other titles are, it's still a solid, entertaining title that deserves to be read and talked about!
1) I've been a fan of She-Hulk as long as I can remember. I've read from Savage She-Hulk thru the John Bryne run, the Dan Slott(et al) run, right up to this current run. And while some runs were better than others, I"ve mostly enjoyed them all, so this review might be a bit biased.
2) I'm reading the single issues as they're published, so this is a review of the FIRST ISSUE, which is all that's out at this point. I'll try to update this review as I read further.
ISSUE ONE: This was definitely a low-key issue, which is a GOOD thing, IMO: no super-hero slugfests here! The blurb on the front page summarizes all the crucial info you need to know, so the issue itself can serve as a good introduction for new readers to Jen Walters, lawyer for the Marvel Universe.
The art is a nice countpoint to the story, and Jen is quite expressive, so the reader can start to get an impression of Jen. (The "[She]Hulk" persona underlies the whole issue, but does't really make an actual appearence, per se.) Strong start to the series, overall, IMO.
ISSUE TWO: Another strong issue. I really liked the powerful depiction of Jenn's repressed rage, and the carefully calculated setup towards the first true appearence of the Hulk. The landlord/eviction storyline is serviceable, if not supercompelling, and (as above) is a interesting catalyst for the Hulks eventual appearence.
ISSUE THREE: Another top notch issue for me. I"m loving the slow build up; it's a bit unconventional for a superhero title, but it's really working for me and this continues to be a great exploration of Jenn as a chadacter. And I really liked the scene between her and Hellcat; the way their friendship is delicted just seemed very normal and realistic.
ISSUE FOUR: If you've read this far, you know my feelings on this title. This run is shaping up, to my mind, as one of the seminal runs on this character, even though it does admittedly mostly eschew the lighter tones the character is known for.
***
Sorry, I've been a bit lax at keeping this updated. (I read ALOT of monthly comics, and it's unusual for me to reiveiw individual issues.)
But I just finished out this arc, and a solid "Brava" to all involved. This "new" version of (She)Hulk is both faithful to, but also a huge (but logical) divergence to the charater. And this team pulls off that dichotomy wonderfully.
One of the things I was afraid of before starting this series was that Jen's law career would be pushed to the side, and that is a HUGE part of what makes the character, IMO. But I shouldn't have worried; they used her law career to great effect in this arc, as the impetus to the main storyline.
So, though this title isn't getting the buzz that some other titles are, it's still a solid, entertaining title that deserves to be read and talked about!
March 7, 2018
Jennifer Walters is still recovering from her time in a coma and the death of her cousin Bruce Banner. She's suffering from PTSD and trying to keep her rage in check to keep from hulking out. Gone are the carefree days where she remained She-Hulk all the time. Now she's just trying to get through her day while practicing law and not be overwhelmed. We finally see her hulk out in the final issue into a more monstrous form while trying to help a shut-in inhuman from being evicted.
August 12, 2017
This was fab! I'm no expert on superhero comics, but I thought this was a good, fairly sophisticated story, great main character, beautiful art. Right now there seem to be a lot of reboots of comics series featuring female protagonists, and in my experience it always works better when they have a woman doing the writing—the main characters just seem more human (even if they're actually superhuman). I'm already looking forward to the next volume.
December 7, 2017
Full disclosure: I've been a huge She-Hulk fan since I first encountered her in the early '80s (probably in the original Secret Wars series). It's entirely possible I'm a little biased when it comes to rating She-Hulk books.
A few years back, Bruce Jones had a lengthy run on the main Hulk book where he treated the Hulk as a creature from a horror movie, going by the theory that the less you see of the monster, the scarier it is and the more impact it has when it does appear. While his run had its weaknesses, I think this generally philosophy worked well in that context.
In this She-Hulk run, Mariko Tamaki seems to be taking the same approach; Jennifer Walters doesn't actually 'Hulk out' until issue six, the first five issues acting as a slow build of tension. I thought it worked really well.
Tamaki is focusing on Jen's trauma after almost dying during the Civil War II crossover event and she deals with it very well. I came close to dying of sepsis this time last year (I'm mostly fine now, thank you) and I have to say that Jen's feelings of fear and uncertainty about her abilities post-trauma rang a big ol' bell for me.
The one thing I wasn't as keen on was how She-Hulk was drawn when she finally did appear. She looked like something out of a Japanese horror movie; all twisted and insectile; and that's just now how I could imagine Jen's Hulk-side manifesting, no matter her prior trauma.
This is a minor quibble, though, and I enjoyed this volume quite a bit.
A few years back, Bruce Jones had a lengthy run on the main Hulk book where he treated the Hulk as a creature from a horror movie, going by the theory that the less you see of the monster, the scarier it is and the more impact it has when it does appear. While his run had its weaknesses, I think this generally philosophy worked well in that context.
In this She-Hulk run, Mariko Tamaki seems to be taking the same approach; Jennifer Walters doesn't actually 'Hulk out' until issue six, the first five issues acting as a slow build of tension. I thought it worked really well.
Tamaki is focusing on Jen's trauma after almost dying during the Civil War II crossover event and she deals with it very well. I came close to dying of sepsis this time last year (I'm mostly fine now, thank you) and I have to say that Jen's feelings of fear and uncertainty about her abilities post-trauma rang a big ol' bell for me.
The one thing I wasn't as keen on was how She-Hulk was drawn when she finally did appear. She looked like something out of a Japanese horror movie; all twisted and insectile; and that's just now how I could imagine Jen's Hulk-side manifesting, no matter her prior trauma.
This is a minor quibble, though, and I enjoyed this volume quite a bit.
July 6, 2017
*Read as single issues*
Listen, I'm amazed this book was allowed to get made.
This is not your typical Hulk book where buildings get smashed, Bruce angsts over being a monster and the government tries to take down the Hulk. This is not even your typical She-Hulk book where Jen smarts her way through most situations all the while being fabulous and extremely self assure. This is a book that does an amazingly in depth study of PTSD and anxiety. This book studies life after a trauma and unlike most comic book stories, everything is not fixed in an issue or two.
I preface this by saying I majored in psychology so I am always looking at things about trauma and psychological welfare through a more critical lens. It's the reason I can't always tolerate things like YA novels that dabble in these subjects or books where characters are told to just "cheer up" or "tough it out" when they're suffering from mental illnesses. That being said, I heard Tamaki researched these themes before writing this book and I can believe it.
Throughout this book, Jen is using a few techniques to calm herself when she feels herself losing control. She's seeing a therapist who recommended she watch cooking shows to help manage her emotions. She's talking herself through moments that give her anxiety. She's taking everything one minute at a time and I think that's such a realistic portrayal of dealing with trauma and grief.
Admittedly, I hated the CW II arc but, similar to CW, some great side books have come out of it. Power Man and Iron Fist and Ms. Marvel used it to talk about the dangers of predictive justice. This book is dealing with the aftermath of Jen's near death experience. I'm not entirely sure if she can't Hulk out because she'd lose control or if it's just that she no longer can. I've never read a She-Hulk that didn't retain her wits in her transformation, outside of Avengers Disassembled of course. At the end of this volume, She-Hulk talks like Hulk and I'm not entirely sure what that meant.
So, this is a quieter book in that it's more of a character study than your typical action-packed comic. It amazes me that it's survived this long when Marvel's doing it's best to run their great titles into the ground by not promoting them and then cancelling them after a few issues. I'm amazed it's still running and so damn happy that it is. It's a book that we need and I honestly teared up a few times reading it. It's fantastic and it makes me want to read everything Tamaki has ever written.
Seriously, this book blew me away.
Read this review and others on my new blog!
I know what it means to go through something that takes away everything. There was a time when I lost something. I was hurt. Badly. And afterwards, I didn't... I don't see the world the same way.
Listen, I'm amazed this book was allowed to get made.
This is not your typical Hulk book where buildings get smashed, Bruce angsts over being a monster and the government tries to take down the Hulk. This is not even your typical She-Hulk book where Jen smarts her way through most situations all the while being fabulous and extremely self assure. This is a book that does an amazingly in depth study of PTSD and anxiety. This book studies life after a trauma and unlike most comic book stories, everything is not fixed in an issue or two.
I preface this by saying I majored in psychology so I am always looking at things about trauma and psychological welfare through a more critical lens. It's the reason I can't always tolerate things like YA novels that dabble in these subjects or books where characters are told to just "cheer up" or "tough it out" when they're suffering from mental illnesses. That being said, I heard Tamaki researched these themes before writing this book and I can believe it.
A memorial implies that the only victims are the ones in the ground. I think you can live through that kind of darkness every day, that you can live in a war, and that feels like a kind of dying.
Throughout this book, Jen is using a few techniques to calm herself when she feels herself losing control. She's seeing a therapist who recommended she watch cooking shows to help manage her emotions. She's talking herself through moments that give her anxiety. She's taking everything one minute at a time and I think that's such a realistic portrayal of dealing with trauma and grief.
Admittedly, I hated the CW II arc but, similar to CW, some great side books have come out of it. Power Man and Iron Fist and Ms. Marvel used it to talk about the dangers of predictive justice. This book is dealing with the aftermath of Jen's near death experience. I'm not entirely sure if she can't Hulk out because she'd lose control or if it's just that she no longer can. I've never read a She-Hulk that didn't retain her wits in her transformation, outside of Avengers Disassembled of course. At the end of this volume, She-Hulk talks like Hulk and I'm not entirely sure what that meant.
So, this is a quieter book in that it's more of a character study than your typical action-packed comic. It amazes me that it's survived this long when Marvel's doing it's best to run their great titles into the ground by not promoting them and then cancelling them after a few issues. I'm amazed it's still running and so damn happy that it is. It's a book that we need and I honestly teared up a few times reading it. It's fantastic and it makes me want to read everything Tamaki has ever written.
Seriously, this book blew me away.
I am a monster. A different kind of monster now. A monster still breathing in a world... horrible... and worth fighting for.
Read this review and others on my new blog!
August 18, 2022
This is a good starting point for those looking to get into She-Hulk (but it's recommended you read the Civil War events first). It's an introspection into Jennifer Walters, with Tamaki spending most of the volume delving into the titular character's psyche, exploring her struggles with loss and her attempts at regaining a semblance of normalcy to her life. There is a distinct lack of action, but this just proves that not every book featuring a Hulk needs 100 pages of smashing. A surprisingly immersive experience, it's a very human story coated in green.
May 9, 2018
Ha, ha, Marvel! You can't fool me four times in a row. This time I actually knew this series was canceled before I began reading the first volume. So there!
The pace is slow, but I felt the time was used well until the sort of silly climactic fight scene. I prefer the super-confident, fun-loving She-Hulk of the past, but I'm willing to follow this newest iteration to see how the traumatized Jen Walters comes through this period of hardship and how long the gray-with-green-highlights phase lasts. (Just two more volumes, apparently.)
This might be the only semi-decent thing to come out of Civil War II.
The pace is slow, but I felt the time was used well until the sort of silly climactic fight scene. I prefer the super-confident, fun-loving She-Hulk of the past, but I'm willing to follow this newest iteration to see how the traumatized Jen Walters comes through this period of hardship and how long the gray-with-green-highlights phase lasts. (Just two more volumes, apparently.)
This might be the only semi-decent thing to come out of Civil War II.
August 25, 2019
Although I never found Bruce Banner to be that interesting as he functions better as a supporting character or an Avenger, his cousin Jennifer Walters seems to be having more fun as a Hulk whilst maintaining her status as an accomplished lawyer as we've seen in previous runs written by Dan Slott and Charles Soule. However, following the events of Civil War II such as the death of her cousin, as well as the injuries sustained at the hands of Thanos, she is left traumatised.
Quitting the superhero business, but continuing to work as a lawyer, Jen's first case involves an Inhuman descendant named Maise Brewn who is about to be evicted by her cruel landlord. As Jen is determined to do right by her client as best she can, her trauma from her recent past starts to spark an uncontrollable rage within her, whilst Maise may have a darker agenda that is life-threatening towards others.
Given the fanbase of She-Hulk based on the previously mentioned runs, which were witty with the green-skinned, muscular lawyer tackling the odd case that dealt with superpowers, readers were less pleased with this current series as Mariko Tamaki is telling a different kind of superhero story. Now the tale of the superhero suffering from PTSD is not anything new as it was previously explored in Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos' Alias (which introduced the world to Jessica Jones) and Tom King has announced he's doing a superhero comic for DC tackling the same subject.
Lacking in both superhero action and even lawyering, Tamaki is more interested in the psychological trauma of the eponymous hero who, for most of the arc, doesn't hulk out as she is trying to regain a sense of normality in her life, but this is the Marvel Universe, where nothing normal happens. Never has Jen Walters felt so vulnerable before as she somewhat isolates herself from her workmates, being pursued by an aspiring writer who is writing a book about trauma, whilst her internal voice (done through captions) is trying to say to herself that not everything's going well.
As the main plot itself, Tamaki never goes into great detail into what the threat is as the apartment building where Maise Brewn lives sets up an interesting mystery about the strange residents, but the book quickly rushes into its climax where we finally see the long-awaited hulk-out. Feeling more like a drama, Nico Leon's art is very simplistic in his character designs, which looks more apparent towards the larger panels and splash pages, which are a bit bland. Although her art looks rushed during the later issues, the moment Jen turns grey for the first time is a truly monstrous action-packed treat.
Although I'm disappointed that the series changed its title Hulk to She-Hulk (showing a lack of commitment towards the new direction), as well as the recent announcement that Marvel is cancelling it, this first volume by Mariko Tamaki and Nico Leon is far from perfect, but a good exploration about PTSD in superhero comics.
Quitting the superhero business, but continuing to work as a lawyer, Jen's first case involves an Inhuman descendant named Maise Brewn who is about to be evicted by her cruel landlord. As Jen is determined to do right by her client as best she can, her trauma from her recent past starts to spark an uncontrollable rage within her, whilst Maise may have a darker agenda that is life-threatening towards others.
Given the fanbase of She-Hulk based on the previously mentioned runs, which were witty with the green-skinned, muscular lawyer tackling the odd case that dealt with superpowers, readers were less pleased with this current series as Mariko Tamaki is telling a different kind of superhero story. Now the tale of the superhero suffering from PTSD is not anything new as it was previously explored in Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos' Alias (which introduced the world to Jessica Jones) and Tom King has announced he's doing a superhero comic for DC tackling the same subject.
Lacking in both superhero action and even lawyering, Tamaki is more interested in the psychological trauma of the eponymous hero who, for most of the arc, doesn't hulk out as she is trying to regain a sense of normality in her life, but this is the Marvel Universe, where nothing normal happens. Never has Jen Walters felt so vulnerable before as she somewhat isolates herself from her workmates, being pursued by an aspiring writer who is writing a book about trauma, whilst her internal voice (done through captions) is trying to say to herself that not everything's going well.
As the main plot itself, Tamaki never goes into great detail into what the threat is as the apartment building where Maise Brewn lives sets up an interesting mystery about the strange residents, but the book quickly rushes into its climax where we finally see the long-awaited hulk-out. Feeling more like a drama, Nico Leon's art is very simplistic in his character designs, which looks more apparent towards the larger panels and splash pages, which are a bit bland. Although her art looks rushed during the later issues, the moment Jen turns grey for the first time is a truly monstrous action-packed treat.
Although I'm disappointed that the series changed its title Hulk to She-Hulk (showing a lack of commitment towards the new direction), as well as the recent announcement that Marvel is cancelling it, this first volume by Mariko Tamaki and Nico Leon is far from perfect, but a good exploration about PTSD in superhero comics.
April 13, 2019
She-Hulk is very mad!
Actually, after the events of civil war 2, Jen is sad. Sad and scared. If you don't know what happens, well read Civil War 2! I'm just teasing. You don't have to. It's not that great. So jen was punched int he chest by Thanos and nearly died. Then her cousin was shot in the head by Hawkeye. So after all these events she's feeling down, scared, and hurt. However, she goes back to her job of being a Lawyer to help those in need.
When she picks up a new client things go sideways pretty quick. While she's dealing with her own depression and fears, her client was followed and nearly murdered by one of her friends and now is looking for protection. Both characters heading into a spiral they come clashing on each other but She-Hulk isn't having it when she comes out in here.
A darker approach than expected with some great commentary on PTSD and loss. I really enjoyed the way Tamaki wrote Jen here and most of the supporting cast. The artwork was clean and nice as well which is a plus. Saving the hulk to be a menacing, dark, and brutal character was nice too. I thought the villain in the end was a bit weak but besides that it was really enjoyable.
A 3.5-4 out of 5. I'll fly with a 4.
Actually, after the events of civil war 2, Jen is sad. Sad and scared. If you don't know what happens, well read Civil War 2! I'm just teasing. You don't have to. It's not that great. So jen was punched int he chest by Thanos and nearly died. Then her cousin was shot in the head by Hawkeye. So after all these events she's feeling down, scared, and hurt. However, she goes back to her job of being a Lawyer to help those in need.
When she picks up a new client things go sideways pretty quick. While she's dealing with her own depression and fears, her client was followed and nearly murdered by one of her friends and now is looking for protection. Both characters heading into a spiral they come clashing on each other but She-Hulk isn't having it when she comes out in here.
A darker approach than expected with some great commentary on PTSD and loss. I really enjoyed the way Tamaki wrote Jen here and most of the supporting cast. The artwork was clean and nice as well which is a plus. Saving the hulk to be a menacing, dark, and brutal character was nice too. I thought the villain in the end was a bit weak but besides that it was really enjoyable.
A 3.5-4 out of 5. I'll fly with a 4.
February 7, 2017
Boring and bland real shame
November 27, 2017
I normally like me some Single Female Lawyer comic book action, but this one felt like it took forever and a half to get to where it was going. I doubt I'll bother with the next volume.
January 1, 2018
I love She-Hulk but haven't read Civil Wars so I was wondering if I could jump into the story. That turned out not to be a problem since the author got me invested in how She-Hulk handles her trauma and the strangeness of her powers. Good to see that Patsy is not pushing her, but stands by her.
December 10, 2022
2022 re-read: Re-reading this because I never finished Tamaki's short run and needed a refresher. I still liked it, but knocked it down a star. Jen's grief and trauma is well-written, but everything else is just good-not-great.
----
During the events of Civil War II, Now reeling from these events, Jen tries to pick herself up and get her life back on track, but with much difficulty.
This is only the second She-Hulk title I’ve read (the first being Charles Soules’ run), but I’m happy to say I really enjoyed this! It’s certainly high on the angst, and it’s hard to feel sympathy for superheroes when , but I felt like Tamaki’s writing was sensitive and convincing with regards to Jen’s grief.
I will admit that I didn’t care that much for the plot - Jen goes back to lawyering and takes on an Inhuman client who’s being unfairly evicted from her apartment - but Jen’s character development and recovery from her made up for it, personally.
I will admit that this title isn’t super friendly to new Marvel readers. I haven’t read Civil War II, but I read titles that feature characters who interact with Jen/She-Hulk (Spider-Woman and Hellcat), but had I not read those titles previously, or had any knowledge of events and/or characters involved in Civil War II, I would have been hella confused. Also, the Inhuman side-character was never explained which might be confusing for new readers. I don’t read a TON of superhero comics, but I’ve read enough that I’m kind able to roll with the punches when I encounter things I don’t get/understand (I just assume it’s tied into the larger comic mythos somehow), but this might be off-putting for readers who don’t normally read supe titles.
----
During the events of Civil War II, Now reeling from these events, Jen tries to pick herself up and get her life back on track, but with much difficulty.
This is only the second She-Hulk title I’ve read (the first being Charles Soules’ run), but I’m happy to say I really enjoyed this! It’s certainly high on the angst, and it’s hard to feel sympathy for superheroes when , but I felt like Tamaki’s writing was sensitive and convincing with regards to Jen’s grief.
I will admit that I didn’t care that much for the plot - Jen goes back to lawyering and takes on an Inhuman client who’s being unfairly evicted from her apartment - but Jen’s character development and recovery from her made up for it, personally.
I will admit that this title isn’t super friendly to new Marvel readers. I haven’t read Civil War II, but I read titles that feature characters who interact with Jen/She-Hulk (Spider-Woman and Hellcat), but had I not read those titles previously, or had any knowledge of events and/or characters involved in Civil War II, I would have been hella confused. Also, the Inhuman side-character was never explained which might be confusing for new readers. I don’t read a TON of superhero comics, but I’ve read enough that I’m kind able to roll with the punches when I encounter things I don’t get/understand (I just assume it’s tied into the larger comic mythos somehow), but this might be off-putting for readers who don’t normally read supe titles.
April 21, 2017
I'm a She-Hulk fan... big time. To the point I write turn based rp using her as a character. After her incident in CW2 I was curious what they were going to do with her. She's grey, and she's Hulk now. She's not a She-Hulk. We are seeing inside the mind of someone suffering PTSD. Quiet literally because Jen still does some subtle fourth wall.
As a whole, I enjoyed this series. One of the issues literally nothing happened! I was a bit upset. There was not release this week and I'm upset again. I'd like to see them really build her up, and possible join with other hulks. Most of all... I want her to HULK! I want to see Grey Gammazon in action! Gimmie some good scans!
As a whole, I enjoyed this series. One of the issues literally nothing happened! I was a bit upset. There was not release this week and I'm upset again. I'd like to see them really build her up, and possible join with other hulks. Most of all... I want her to HULK! I want to see Grey Gammazon in action! Gimmie some good scans!
February 9, 2024
When Mockingbird was canceled to make way for more Civil War II books, it marked the beginning of my re-evaluating my willingness to keep buying comics from Marvel. This has only intensified with the downhill trend at Marvel Comics and the cancelation of Ta-Nehisi Coates' Black Panther and The Crew among several other books by minorities and women. This goes back to Marvel's Vice President saying that he did not endorse the policy of Marvel integrating itself. I do not know how long this series will last, but given recent trends, things look grim...
....Getting back to Mockingbird. This book does not make-up for that ones premature demise, but it comes close. This book is one of the very few good things to come out of CWII. It deals with the severe PTSD that Jennifer Walters suffers after the double whammy of her injuries and her cousin's death. It is not an action comic, but it one hell of a story about just attempting to deal with trauma. Easily one of my favorites from Marvel this year...which means it won't last thru next year.
....Getting back to Mockingbird. This book does not make-up for that ones premature demise, but it comes close. This book is one of the very few good things to come out of CWII. It deals with the severe PTSD that Jennifer Walters suffers after the double whammy of her injuries and her cousin's death. It is not an action comic, but it one hell of a story about just attempting to deal with trauma. Easily one of my favorites from Marvel this year...which means it won't last thru next year.
January 21, 2019
Great tone here - Jen feels like a real person, even more so than in Soule’s recent run (and I wish I could remember what Slott’s run was really like - re-read in the air perhaps?)
The air of foreboding and emotional trauma is unmistakable, what with Jen’s barely-contained Hulk-bursts and the trouble she has just talking to her best friend.
Interesting examination of trauma and the emotional aftermath that eats you up without giving you the energy to fight against it.
The air of foreboding and emotional trauma is unmistakable, what with Jen’s barely-contained Hulk-bursts and the trouble she has just talking to her best friend.
Interesting examination of trauma and the emotional aftermath that eats you up without giving you the energy to fight against it.
September 4, 2017
3.5 stars. I've never read She-Hulk before, but I enjoyed her time as a lawyer, dealing with any number of smallish cases. The major case in this volume concerns a young woman, who appears agoraphobic after a brutal attack one night, who is threatened with eviction. Jen Walters is dealing with major grief because of Bruce Banner's death in one of the recent, big, pointless events. Jen is struggling mightily to find her equilibrium and establish some sort of normal life for herself, hence the lawyering. I was fine with this story till the big smash-up climax, not so much because Jen was smashing, rather the evil thingy didn't really work for me.
August 19, 2025
One of the best depictions of PTSD in a narrative I have seen. 'She-Hulk, Volume 1: Deconstructed' is a superhero comic book with a deep psychological edge packed with relevant social commentary. There isn't much "HULK SMASH!" here - the Hulk herself doesn't actually appear until the last issue - but the hard life lived through by Jennifer Walters is felt by the reader in every page.
Lawyer Jen Walters used to also be known as She-Hulk - aka Shulkie, the big green, smart, wise-cracking, confident, and relatively calm Distaff Counterpart to the Incredible Hulk. She has grown in popularity and respect over the decades, standing out as her own character. But after the events of Civil War II, where Bruce Banner died and Jen barely survived a critical condition and coma, she is not the same person anymore, nor the same Hulk. After nearly dying, she can no longer see the world the same way again. Just leaving her apartment is an effort for her, yet she forces herself back to work, taking in metahuman clients as she used to, trying desperately to pretend that nothing has changed, that she is herself again, with or without her Hulk form.
Jen's particular PTSD, culminating in anxiety and panic attacks, is dangerous to herself and others, for a trigger can set off her Hulk powers and lash out at the world. She listens to cooking programmes on TV and the radio as a coping mechanism, to keep these attacks under control as best she can.
Even though the comic volume's title is 'She-Hulk' (I'd heard it was originally 'Hulk' but was changed for the trade because... familiar brand name? The stupid, sexist comic book industry? Urgh!), Jennifer is referred to as just Hulk in it, which is progress in representation of female superheroes, and in context it makes sense seeing as (*ahem* currently *ahem*) she is the one Hulk left alive in the Marvel Universe. She is grey when she transforms, not green; also unlike before she doesn't completely retain her wits as a Hulk. A callback, or a symbol of what a certain mental illness could look like on the outside when it is not pushed down deeply into the psyche by a stigmatizing society, and has finally been let out?
Either way, 'She-Hulk, Volume 1: Deconstructed' is a damn interesting study. Quiet, with an underlining rage hidden within. Jen is never a rampaging monster; even when going through so much fear and rage, her moral code, her sense of right and wrong, remains unchanged about her.
I admit I've only read a few comics starring She-Hulk (it's here where I first found out she is Bruce Banner's cousin), and she's never been very interesting to me. Her lawyer job, as neat a twist as it is to see a hero like her approach a different way of seeking justice, takes up far too much of her stories and leaves her superheroing as an afterthought, in my opinion. Her supposed sassy persona - written in contrast to Bruce and his alter ego - doesn't really fit with her boring work, which is as mind-numbingly stressful for me to read about as it must be for her to live it.
'Deconstructed', as written by a woman, Mariko Tamaki, changed that, and I truly believed Jennifer Walters to be a real person - as real as a Hulk can be. Even though there is little action in the volume, and little of the gigantic Hulk in it, the slow pacing manages to work in this case because we focus on Jen as a character and how she copes with being "normal" on a day-to-day basis. Her job isn't tedious to read about, and we see more of her life outside of the office. Fresh air, plus a look into her spiralling, tumultuous thoughts and her false optimism projected by herself and others ("Everything will be alright", repeated ad nauseum), any person in her similar situation and position - coming back to life after a trauma - can relate. There are no courtroom scenes (thank Loki), and Jen's struggling to keep her anxiety and PTSD under control - which trigger her Hulk genetics - as her worst memories and fears steadily come back to haunt her, are fascinating to see.
It's a revolutionary testament to how great a portrayal of both a woman and a superhero can and should be in this day and age. A "PC-war" age where great steps are being taken for getting people to view tragically common types of mental illness as being just as serious as any other, more visible illnesses, without stigma or shame.
Hulk's condition, and the new way she sees the cruel, merciless world, reflects that of one of her clients, Maise Brewn, a once happy, healthy woman who became an anxious shut-in, stuck in her metahuman state, after she was attacked and left for dead by a man she had trusted as her aerobics partner. As well as the groundbreaking PTSD and anxiety rep, 'Deconstructed' subtly examines the patriarchy and the many, many ways it breaks and kills women, and takes away their humanity.
Another character who helps Jen along the path to an out-of-reach recovery is her new assistant Bradley, a gay man who is never really seen outside of his job, but he mentions having a boyfriend and he isn't a stereotype who exists sorely to help out the straight main character (I like to call that lazy archetype in stories the "manic pixie gay best friend"), so that's something. Jen's best friend Hellcat makes a cameo on a rooftop to talk to the lawyer, in one of the best drawn introductions of her I've ever seen. We get flashbacks of Bruce, and Captain Marvel visiting her friend in the hospital (thank goodness Carol seems apologetic and back to her old, thoughtful, friendly self after the second Civil War). Every interaction feels natural in 'Deconstructed'.
It is, indeed, one of the smartest, most sensitive, empathetic, tragic, delicate yet heart-pounding and grandly cathartic Marvel comics I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Sadly, there is hardly any POC representation, and the one gay character, whilst barely escaping a token status, could have been fleshed out more. I also don't think anything can make me forgive Marvel for cancelling too many of their titles starring minority heroes, such as Mockingbird, and a Black Panther run (just as he is finally going to star in his own movie, too! Idiots), as well as other terrible decisions made for shock value alone ("Hail Hydra", anyone?).
Well, 'She-Hulk, Volume 1: Deconstructed' proves that something good can come out of a major Marvel crossover event. Something original, something better, if Marvel cared enough to try. It made me like Jennifer Walters very much, and I am interested in this new twist, this new direction, on the Hulk.
Psychology, emotion, and seemingly mindless action and destruction - what a big green/grey monster concept can explore in depth, in an adult storyline, as a metaphor for humanity. This comic mixes in these elements and themes together almost flawlessly, subtly, with respect to the readers' intelligence. Without a doubt, it is one of Marvel's best in years.
Final Score: 4/5
Lawyer Jen Walters used to also be known as She-Hulk - aka Shulkie, the big green, smart, wise-cracking, confident, and relatively calm Distaff Counterpart to the Incredible Hulk. She has grown in popularity and respect over the decades, standing out as her own character. But after the events of Civil War II, where Bruce Banner died and Jen barely survived a critical condition and coma, she is not the same person anymore, nor the same Hulk. After nearly dying, she can no longer see the world the same way again. Just leaving her apartment is an effort for her, yet she forces herself back to work, taking in metahuman clients as she used to, trying desperately to pretend that nothing has changed, that she is herself again, with or without her Hulk form.
Jen's particular PTSD, culminating in anxiety and panic attacks, is dangerous to herself and others, for a trigger can set off her Hulk powers and lash out at the world. She listens to cooking programmes on TV and the radio as a coping mechanism, to keep these attacks under control as best she can.
Even though the comic volume's title is 'She-Hulk' (I'd heard it was originally 'Hulk' but was changed for the trade because... familiar brand name? The stupid, sexist comic book industry? Urgh!), Jennifer is referred to as just Hulk in it, which is progress in representation of female superheroes, and in context it makes sense seeing as (*ahem* currently *ahem*) she is the one Hulk left alive in the Marvel Universe. She is grey when she transforms, not green; also unlike before she doesn't completely retain her wits as a Hulk. A callback, or a symbol of what a certain mental illness could look like on the outside when it is not pushed down deeply into the psyche by a stigmatizing society, and has finally been let out?
Either way, 'She-Hulk, Volume 1: Deconstructed' is a damn interesting study. Quiet, with an underlining rage hidden within. Jen is never a rampaging monster; even when going through so much fear and rage, her moral code, her sense of right and wrong, remains unchanged about her.
I admit I've only read a few comics starring She-Hulk (it's here where I first found out she is Bruce Banner's cousin), and she's never been very interesting to me. Her lawyer job, as neat a twist as it is to see a hero like her approach a different way of seeking justice, takes up far too much of her stories and leaves her superheroing as an afterthought, in my opinion. Her supposed sassy persona - written in contrast to Bruce and his alter ego - doesn't really fit with her boring work, which is as mind-numbingly stressful for me to read about as it must be for her to live it.
'Deconstructed', as written by a woman, Mariko Tamaki, changed that, and I truly believed Jennifer Walters to be a real person - as real as a Hulk can be. Even though there is little action in the volume, and little of the gigantic Hulk in it, the slow pacing manages to work in this case because we focus on Jen as a character and how she copes with being "normal" on a day-to-day basis. Her job isn't tedious to read about, and we see more of her life outside of the office. Fresh air, plus a look into her spiralling, tumultuous thoughts and her false optimism projected by herself and others ("Everything will be alright", repeated ad nauseum), any person in her similar situation and position - coming back to life after a trauma - can relate. There are no courtroom scenes (thank Loki), and Jen's struggling to keep her anxiety and PTSD under control - which trigger her Hulk genetics - as her worst memories and fears steadily come back to haunt her, are fascinating to see.
It's a revolutionary testament to how great a portrayal of both a woman and a superhero can and should be in this day and age. A "PC-war" age where great steps are being taken for getting people to view tragically common types of mental illness as being just as serious as any other, more visible illnesses, without stigma or shame.
Hulk's condition, and the new way she sees the cruel, merciless world, reflects that of one of her clients, Maise Brewn, a once happy, healthy woman who became an anxious shut-in, stuck in her metahuman state, after she was attacked and left for dead by a man she had trusted as her aerobics partner. As well as the groundbreaking PTSD and anxiety rep, 'Deconstructed' subtly examines the patriarchy and the many, many ways it breaks and kills women, and takes away their humanity.
Another character who helps Jen along the path to an out-of-reach recovery is her new assistant Bradley, a gay man who is never really seen outside of his job, but he mentions having a boyfriend and he isn't a stereotype who exists sorely to help out the straight main character (I like to call that lazy archetype in stories the "manic pixie gay best friend"), so that's something. Jen's best friend Hellcat makes a cameo on a rooftop to talk to the lawyer, in one of the best drawn introductions of her I've ever seen. We get flashbacks of Bruce, and Captain Marvel visiting her friend in the hospital (thank goodness Carol seems apologetic and back to her old, thoughtful, friendly self after the second Civil War). Every interaction feels natural in 'Deconstructed'.
It is, indeed, one of the smartest, most sensitive, empathetic, tragic, delicate yet heart-pounding and grandly cathartic Marvel comics I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Sadly, there is hardly any POC representation, and the one gay character, whilst barely escaping a token status, could have been fleshed out more. I also don't think anything can make me forgive Marvel for cancelling too many of their titles starring minority heroes, such as Mockingbird, and a Black Panther run (just as he is finally going to star in his own movie, too! Idiots), as well as other terrible decisions made for shock value alone ("Hail Hydra", anyone?).
Well, 'She-Hulk, Volume 1: Deconstructed' proves that something good can come out of a major Marvel crossover event. Something original, something better, if Marvel cared enough to try. It made me like Jennifer Walters very much, and I am interested in this new twist, this new direction, on the Hulk.
Psychology, emotion, and seemingly mindless action and destruction - what a big green/grey monster concept can explore in depth, in an adult storyline, as a metaphor for humanity. This comic mixes in these elements and themes together almost flawlessly, subtly, with respect to the readers' intelligence. Without a doubt, it is one of Marvel's best in years.
Final Score: 4/5
August 9, 2017
Ich mochte dieses Buch sehr. Ich fand es enttäuschend.
Okay, ich hatte also offenbar gemischte Gefühle.
Da ich Marvels CIVIL WARS nicht gelesen habe, dauerte es eine Weile, bis ich begriffen hatte, dass Jen in der Folge der - mir nicht bekannten - Ereignisse traumatisiert und Bruce Banner offenbar gestorben ist. Während manche Erzähler nerviger Weise alles breit treten und x-mal wiederholen, hat mir hier eine kleine Einleitung gefehlt.
Dafür entwickelt sich die Geschichte angenehm langsam und man kommt schließlich doch Stück für Stück rein (wenn ich auch immer noch nicht weiß, wie Bruce Banner aka Hulk gestorben ist und warum genau Jen im Koma gelegen hat).
Soviel zu den Einstiegsschwierigkeiten.
Jen findet nach den zurückliegenden katastrophalen Ereignissen also langsam wieder in den Berufsalltag zurück. Die Darstellung ihrer Persönlichkeit hat mir sehr gut gefallen, die (ehemalige?) Superheldin ist eine verletzte, verletzliche und sympathische junge Frau, die als Anwältin weiterhin Menschen helfen will.
Gleich ihr erste Fall erweist sich allerdings als echter Horrortrip, und das in doppeltem Sinne: etwas Unheimliches umgibt Macie Brewn, die dem Tode zu nahe gekommen ist, und die Spannung steigert sich wie in einem guten Horrorroman langsam bis zum Höhepunkt.
Und dann ist ja nicht nur Macie dem Tod unsagbar knapp von der sprichwörtlichen Schippe gesprungen, sondern Jen wird dadurch mit ihrer jüngsten Vergangenheit konfrontiert.
Ich fand den Spannungsaufbau wirklich super, aber als die Spannung den Höhepunkt erreicht, wird die Story abrupt mit einem Knall beendet und lässt mich als Leser unzufrieden zurück mit der Frage: Was, das war´s jetzt schon?
Die Artwork hat mir gut gefallen, und falls dieses Team weiter an der Serie arbeitet, werde ich den Folgeband auch lesen, denn Potenzial hat die Reihe auf jeden Fall.
January 18, 2023
This was different from any previous She-Hulk stories that I had read. That's the reason I enjoyed this more. For the first time, I came across a She-Hulk tale that I could actually engage with.
DECONSTRUCTED is more about Jennifer Walters than it is about the huge creature she turns into. In fact, that Hulk persona doesn't appear until the final issue of this collection. This is a well-written story about PTSD and recovery.
Following the events of Marvel's Second Civil War, She-Hulk endured a savage beating by Thanos and was fell into a coma. When she recovers, she learns that her cousin and mentor, Bruce Banner/The Original Hulk was killed by Hawkeye in the final days of the Civil War. Jen returns to law practice and does her best to adapt/adjust to her new situation while suppressing her transformations into She-Hulk. When a new client struggles with eviction, some strange revelations about the client's background come to the surface. "What happens when a fear is so strong, it becomes a destructive force in its own right?" Jen Walters has to revive She-Hulk in order to solve the case and obtain a winning verdict.
DECONSTRUCTED is more about Jennifer Walters than it is about the huge creature she turns into. In fact, that Hulk persona doesn't appear until the final issue of this collection. This is a well-written story about PTSD and recovery.
Following the events of Marvel's Second Civil War, She-Hulk endured a savage beating by Thanos and was fell into a coma. When she recovers, she learns that her cousin and mentor, Bruce Banner/The Original Hulk was killed by Hawkeye in the final days of the Civil War. Jen returns to law practice and does her best to adapt/adjust to her new situation while suppressing her transformations into She-Hulk. When a new client struggles with eviction, some strange revelations about the client's background come to the surface. "What happens when a fear is so strong, it becomes a destructive force in its own right?" Jen Walters has to revive She-Hulk in order to solve the case and obtain a winning verdict.
July 26, 2017
This is probably better than the three stars I'm giving it, but I would need to read it again to know for sure. Talk about a slow burn; never before in the history of green people in comic books do we wait like this for something to happen. The mistake would be in missing all of the other stuff going down - internally, for Jennifer, and externally, on the streets of New York - whilst you're waiting for gamma. Jennifer's internal struggle - beaten into a coma by Thanos only to then come out of it and discover that she's perhaps permanently injured, her powers are changed and her famous cousin is dead - produces a major trauma, and that's where we join up with her in this volume.
One niggling point: The original title of this book was "Hulk." Collected, it's "She-Hulk." Copyright? The assumption of stupid fans? Patriarchy? Bah.
One niggling point: The original title of this book was "Hulk." Collected, it's "She-Hulk." Copyright? The assumption of stupid fans? Patriarchy? Bah.
November 6, 2020
Picking up after the events of Civil War II, the story follows Jennifer Walters as she begins a quieter life as a private lawyer as she attempts to deal with her PTSD, especially following a devastating defeat to Thanos.
In this intimate story, her mind is on the verge of cracking at any instant as she attempts to deal with the sudden panic attacks. While she tries to help a young lady in her home eviction case, she's slowly dragged into a destructive battle where she only turns to her powers to avoid an ugly death.
If it wasn't for the unimpressive final act, this volume could've been an absolutely fantastic take on Jennifer Walters character.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
In this intimate story, her mind is on the verge of cracking at any instant as she attempts to deal with the sudden panic attacks. While she tries to help a young lady in her home eviction case, she's slowly dragged into a destructive battle where she only turns to her powers to avoid an ugly death.
If it wasn't for the unimpressive final act, this volume could've been an absolutely fantastic take on Jennifer Walters character.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
February 21, 2022
After the events of Civil War II, Jennifer Walters, who was one of the people who got the worst of it in that event, is quite out of sorts. She is still recovering from being in a coma, and trying to not let her anxiety and fears get to her. However, after such a traumatic experience, its not really an easy task. Especially when you got a rampaging green monster inside of you that is triggered by said anxiety and fear.
Mariko Tamaki give us a good story about how to deal with traumatic experiences, and really - how not to deal with them. Jen holds most of it in, and it's visibly bubbling up at times of stress. Most of the book, where she now takes over the "Hulk" title, is her holding back. And Tamaki gives her a monster that feeds on fear and anxiety (convenient huh?) to combat, thus creating a nice little metaphor for what's going on with Jen overall.
The art from Nico Leon is much more simplistic and clean that some of the artists that were recently on the book. To be honest, it wasn't my cup of team. I think Hulk usually works with a bit more detail, and this kind of proved that for me further. To add to it, it seems some of the later issues were rushed, and it shows in the art.
Overall, a pretty enjoyable story to get Jen back into the swing of things. Let's hope Tamaki can keep building on this foundation to give us some solid Hulk stories.
Mariko Tamaki give us a good story about how to deal with traumatic experiences, and really - how not to deal with them. Jen holds most of it in, and it's visibly bubbling up at times of stress. Most of the book, where she now takes over the "Hulk" title, is her holding back. And Tamaki gives her a monster that feeds on fear and anxiety (convenient huh?) to combat, thus creating a nice little metaphor for what's going on with Jen overall.
The art from Nico Leon is much more simplistic and clean that some of the artists that were recently on the book. To be honest, it wasn't my cup of team. I think Hulk usually works with a bit more detail, and this kind of proved that for me further. To add to it, it seems some of the later issues were rushed, and it shows in the art.
Overall, a pretty enjoyable story to get Jen back into the swing of things. Let's hope Tamaki can keep building on this foundation to give us some solid Hulk stories.
February 6, 2018
Based just on these first six issues, She-Hulk is shaping up to be one of the better post-Civil War II comics. The portrayal of Jen's PTSD and grief was realistic and heartbreaking (I did actually cry at the dream sequence with Bruce). It's a little unclear, though, if she's simply unable to turn into the Hulk, if she can't control it, or something else. Maybe it would have made more sense if I'd kept up with the CWII mess better than I had.
One more thing, though: Carol needs to keep Bruce's name out of her mouth for the rest of her life. It was pretty insulting that she goes to the opening of the new school wing named after Bruce. (Also pretty insulting that he had to die for any of that recognition and praise to happen. I hope he's flipping all y'all off in the afterlife.)
One more thing, though: Carol needs to keep Bruce's name out of her mouth for the rest of her life. It was pretty insulting that she goes to the opening of the new school wing named after Bruce. (Also pretty insulting that he had to die for any of that recognition and praise to happen. I hope he's flipping all y'all off in the afterlife.)
August 14, 2017
I read barely any of the Civil War II stuff so I'm not super familiar with what this book is a follow-up to, but like, I read the little "previously..." text box and basically I get that Jennifer Walters is recovering from some serious Superhero Trauma? So I appreciate the character arc and Mariko Tamaki is a beautiful writer; I personally have loved previous She-Hulk books where the character is happier and more fun-loving?
IDK this is great for what it is but I hope, in the way of comics, that Jen makes a quick recovery and the comics can return to like, Regular She-Hulk shenanigans plz!
IDK this is great for what it is but I hope, in the way of comics, that Jen makes a quick recovery and the comics can return to like, Regular She-Hulk shenanigans plz!
February 1, 2018
Mixed feelings on this one. I'm really not on the PC vibe of a lot of the artwork in the new Marvel comics. And no real She-Hulk action until the last book.
August 26, 2017
Mariko Tamaki's take on She Hulk is about a woman battered, perhaps broken, by circumstances. It's stunningly effective. This is a Jennifer Walters that we've never seen before, just struggling to survive. But it's also a painfully realistic looks at the ramifications of superherodom that are usually ignored. Near death and rebirth? That'd have an effect on people if they were real people, and here at least, Jen is.
The main plot, about another woman haunted by her past, is good as well. It gets a little long in the tooth by the end, but it also provides a great cautionary tale: there but for the grace of her own will power goes Jen.
The main plot, about another woman haunted by her past, is good as well. It gets a little long in the tooth by the end, but it also provides a great cautionary tale: there but for the grace of her own will power goes Jen.
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