There's plenty of activity on the graphic books hardcover best-seller list this week. Alan Moore appears twice, with an old classic (yet another collected edition of “Watchmen,†illustrated by Dave Gibbons, at No. 2) and something newer (the super-powered police procedural “Top 10,†with Gene Ha handling the art, at No. 3).
Also on the list, at No. 9, is Volume 1 of “Indestructible Hulk,†written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Leinil Francis Yu. The story puts a new spin on Bruce Banner and the Hulk, who has gone through many changes: hunted monster, gray-hued, ruler of an alien world and more. These days, Banner is putting his brain to use for the betterment of the world (being slightly jealous of Tony Stark/Iron Man is part of the impetus) and forcing his menacing alter ego to do good. Banner has enlisted with S.H.I.E.L.D., Marvel's law enforcement and espionage unit, and offered up the Hulk as a weapon of mass destruction. Mr. Waid makes good use of the rich tapestry of the Marvel universe to come up with threats that are worthy of the Hulk, and Mr. Yu handles those big moments like something out of a summer action-movie blockbuster. I enjoyed the quieter moments with Banner, his new home - an abandoned atomic testing facility - and the team of scientists he has assembled to help win him a Nobel Prize.
As always, the complete best-seller lists can be found here, along with an explanation of how they were assembled.
