Newsarama loves “Incredible Hulk” #95

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Kevin Huxford from Best Shots crew at Newsarama has tagged “Planet Hulk” as “the most awesome Hulk story I have read since the days of Peter David.” An excerpt from his review of “Incredible Hulk” #95, written by Greg Pak with interior art by Carlo Pagulayan and Marshall Rogers:

The final issue of the first act of Planet Hulk comes to a close, and what a fun ride it has been so far. Through the course of this issue Greg Pak manages to pack (no pun intended) in so much information, action and intrigue that a second reading of the first four issues are a must for anyone who is enjoying this titles.
…
A great end to the first part of a Hulk mega-event. Looking for some classic Hulk action, with no punches pulled, then look no further. Planet Hulk is a success.

Visit Newsarama to read the full review.
“Incredible Hulk” #95 is on sale now in comic book stores everywhere. And don’t miss “Giant Size Hulk” #1 (June 21) in which Banner appears for the first time on Planet Hulk, and “Incredible Hulk” #96 (July 5), which continues the saga with “Planet Hulk: Anarchy,” Part One.
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The French dig “Battlestar Galactica” #0

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The French review blog Critique BD has given three and a half stars to “Battlestar Galactica” #0, written by Greg Pak with art by Nigel Raynor. Here’s the key paragraph, translated into an approximation of English using Altavista’s Babelfish:

In short, this episode 0 in due form allows to an introduction protagonists with the beginning of an account which is announced extremely interesting, the whole told through boards carried out well. For an investment of only 30¢, it is an invitation which cannot be refused!

Click here for the full review (in French!)
“Battlestar Galactica” #0 is in comic stores now. Issue #1 hits stores in July — tell your local store to save you a copy! Use the Comic Shop Locator Service to find a store near you.

Greg Pak’s “X-Men: Phoenix – Warsong” coming in September!

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Saturday at Wizard World Philadelphia, Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada revealed that Greg Pak is writing “X-Men: Phoenix – Warsong,” a sequel to his top-selling “X-Men: Phoenix – Endsong.” With art by Tyler Kirkham, the five issue mini-series will begin in September. In an interview for Newsarama, Pak set up the story:

The key stories are Chris Claremont’s legendary Dark Phoenix saga in Uncanny X-Men #100-137, Grant Morrison’s New X-Men #114-150, and X-Men: Phoenix – Endsong. But rather than get into a point-by-point plot breakdown, maybe the best way to introduce the story to new readers is to talk about the big emotional throughlines… So here goes, two and a half decades of Phoenix stories in one paragraph:
The Phoenix saga is about a young woman named Jean Grey who discovers an insanely powerful cosmic force called the Phoenix within herself. The power allows her to save her friends and the world. But the power has a destiny beyond human understanding and the potential for horrifying destruction. So if our heroine loses control, she could destroy everything and everyone she knows. Ultimately, the love she experienced as a mere human, the strength of her bonds with her friends and her husband, gives her the ability to control her powers and save the world. But to do so, our heroine sacrifices herself and dies, passing on to another plane of existence to incubate, finding all her pieces so that she can understand and fulfill her destiny as the Phoenix. Will the enormous power of the Phoenix, beyond human comprehension and morality, threaten the world again? No one knows. But the love of her friends stays with our heroine to help and guide her as she grapples with the responsibilities and temptations of the Phoenix.
The key plot point readers should know as they launch into Warsong is that after Jean Grey last died in X-Men: Phoenix – Endsong, a tiny firefly representing a fragment of the Phoenix approached a group of young telepathic women known as the Stepford Cuckoos. What does the Phoenix want with the Cuckoos? Does it bear the terrible power of Dark Phoenix or the enormous love of Jean Grey? Who the heck are these Cuckoos, anyway, and why haven’t any of the X-Men ever asked where they came from? And what’s up with Scott and Emma? All these questions and more answered only within the pages of X-Men: Phoenix – Warsong!

Pak further teased the contents of “Warsong” in an interview for ComicBookResources.com

… I’m going to go out on a limb and spill the beans right here: ‘Warsong’ is not another Jean Grey resurrection story. It’s an essential Phoenix story, and therefore ultimately an essential tale for understanding Jean Grey. But we’re keeping the story fresh by exploring some untapped corners of the Grant Morrison run that are giving us a fantastic way to develop our characters and themes from surprising new angles.

“X-Men: Phoenix – Endsong is now available from Amazon.com at a 35 percent discount.
ComicBookResources.com interview | Newsarama interview

2006.06.02 – Greg Pak to appear at Wizard World Philadelphia

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“Incredible Hulk” writer Greg Pak will attend the comic book convention Wizard World Philadelphia this weekend. On Friday, June 2, Pak will be on the “X-Men X-Changes” panel at 11 am and the “Mondo Marvel” panel at 2 pm. He’s also slated to sign at the Marvel booth on Friday and Saturday in the early afternoon. For more information about the convention, visit the official website.

IGN calls “Incredible Hulk” #95 a “Must Have”

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IGN Comics has given “Incredible Hulk” #95 its highest rating — “Must Have.” Here’s an excerpt from the review:

Ever since Peter David left Hulk following his decade-long run, Marvel has had absolutely no clue what to do with the Big Green. Pak has figured it out. Rather than try and rehash David’s old work or force the Hulk into a particular role, he’s let the beast loose and given the Hulk the chance to dictate the story. One note of warning: There are a couple of page-spanning panels in this issue that will melt your fillings.

Click here for the full review.

Captain Asian America! Jeff Yang interviews Pak and others on Asian Americans in comics

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Jeff Yang has written an amazing, in-depth article for SFGate about Asian Americans in comics featuring interviews with Larry Hama and Greg Pak and in-depth discussion of Asian American superheroes, including Pak’s Captain Asian America and Mastermind Excello. An excerpt:

“I had this idea of doing a story about an insanely smart kid, but one who wasn’t a reject or dork or geek,” says Pak. “It was a way of turning that whole Asian brainiac stereotype on its head. One way to do it is to go against type, to create Asian American characters that are jocks or stoners or thugs or whatever. But another way is to not run away from the stereotype — to embrace it, but present a character like that as having an incredible level of confidence, having just this verve, this lack of self-consciousness.”
Comics reviewers raved about “Mastermind Excello” — and when they did, more often than not they barely even mentioned that the lead character was Asian. And that, to Pak, is the point.

Click here to read the whole article.

QuickDFW interviews Pak on comics

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QuickDFW, a weekly paper published by the Dallas Morning News, has interviewed comics writer Greg Pak for its tongue-in-cheek “10 Burning Questions” series. A sample:

Q: Name your three favorite green characters besides the Hulk.
A: Kermit the Frog. Mr. Jeremy Fisher (Beatrix Potter rules). And Green Arrow (the crazy, one-armed Dark Knight Returns version).

Click here to read the whole article.

2006.06.01 – “Incredible Hulk” #95

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“Incredible Hulk” #95 hits comic book stores June 1.
[UPDATE: The release date was posted earlier as May 31, but because of the Memorial Day weekend, the book will not be in US stores until June 1. Contact your local comic shop to confirm when they’ll have the comic.]
Click here for preview pages!
Click here for more preview pages!
Written by Pak with art by Carlo Pagulayan and Marshall Rogers, “Incredible Hulk” #95 is the fourth installment of a 14 issue sci fi epic called “Planet Hulk,” wherein the Hulk struggles with the question of whether he’ll become a monster or a hero when he’s exiled to a savage alien planet ruled by a ruthless emperor. Here’s the solicitation text from Marvel.com:

The Hulk and his Warbound gladiator allies enter their final battle in the Great Arena — where a familiar face from the Marvel Universe returns as an implacable enemy. Faced with betrayal, temptation, and the most terrifying battle the Great Arena has ever seen, will the Hulk stand with his Warbound gladiators — or seize the honors of the Empire? The climactic end of Planet Hulk: Exile!

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