The following was originally posted on Newsarama.com:
As we did with Editor Tom Brevoort after each issue of Civil War, we’re going to be tracking another Marvel “war” with World War Hulk editor Mark Paniccia, and writer Greg Pak.
Throughout the run of this summer’s World War Hulk, we’ll be turning to the writer/editor team after each major issue and event for insight, reveals and teases. Incredible Hulk #106 and World War hulk Prologue both hit last week, so let’s get right into it.
Newsarama: Starting off with Incredible Hulk #106 - where are we picking up from, exactly, with Jen?
Greg Pak: SPOILER ALERT!
Incredible Hulk #106 picks up right where She-Hulk #18 leaves off. Alas, She-Hulk #18 is running late, so Incredible Hulk #106 is hitting stands first. But don't let that keep you from reading it -- everything you need to know is right there on page one. And She-Hulk #18 will be a tasty follow-up for ya in a few weeks. Briefly, in the moments right before Incredible Hulk #106, She-Hulk learned that Tony Stark shot her cousin Bruce into space. So She-Hulk smashed Iron Man. And then got depowered and ditched in Jersey. Where Incredible Hulk #106 picks up.
NRAMA: Fair enough. Let's go inside heads a little, first with Doc Samson. Why's he sided with Reed and Tony in this? What's to gain for him in all of this?
GP: As a psychiatrist for Bruce Banner, Samson has always stressed the need for control -- so it may come as no surprise that Samson was on the pro-registration side all through the Civil War. It's also worth mentioning that a backup story in the Incredible Hulk Annual #18 showed Samson agonizing with feelings of responsibility for the mayhem that ensued when he separated Banner's mind from the Hulk's body, creating the savage, mindless Hulk. Perhaps by helping Reed and Tony with their plans to exile the Hulk, Samson feels that he's finally exorcising his own demons and feelings of responsibility.
NRAMA: Obviously, he's uncomfortable with all of this, and he tells Reed as much - why?
GP: Samson's uncomfortable about being told to use his knowledge of Amadeus Cho's tragic history to try to break him down emotionally. Samson may be a company man, but he's also a psychiatrist. And being told to use his psychological knowledge in such a way disturbs him. He's also not a mustache-twirling villain -- he doesn't take any pleasure in hunting down an orphaned kid, no matter how dangerous that kid might seem to be.
NRAMA: Okay - and after Samson's – arguably - cowardly attack on Jen and Amadeus - is he starting to realize he's been duped?
GP: Duped by Amadeus, yes. Duped by Reed? I don't think Samson questions Reed's leadership in this issue. If anything, Jen's raging violence confirms his side of the argument.
NRAMA: Picking up on that Reed tangent - looking at the shared universe aspect of something like this - we're seeing Reed in a particular light here, and a rather unflattering one. How much latitude do you have with him in regards to his growing douchbaggery? Obviously, given his role in FF and the Marvel Universe, he can't come off as a total skeev, but...honestly, it seems like you're walking him right up to that line...
GP: Reed's the antagonist of the story, but that doesn't make him a villain. He believes what he's doing is right, just as Amadeus believes what he's doing is right. And it's worth noting that Amadeus is just as cocky and potentially dangerous as his opponents. Tony and Samson conspired to depower Jen; Amadeus secretly repowered her and provoked her fight with Samson.
NRAMA: Let's talk She Hulk for a moment - when was it decided that Hulk would be coming back now, compared to when Jen's fallout from Civil War would fit in? That is, was Jen's role in Civil War decided by where she needed to be for World War Hulk, or was it all pieces that were worked on independently but fit together?
GP: The latter. Dan Slott and I had a number of great conversations wherein I learned that his plans for She-Hulk and my crazy ideas for her role in World War Hulk synched up quite nicely. With a little tweaking here and there to make things match up, we were off to the races.
NRAMA: That last shot of Amadeus, Herc and Angel - still...Reed knew that Amadeus knew he was watching him earlier. Why's he gloating about it now, and apparently thinking that Amadeus doesn't know Reed is watching?
GP: Maybe he's gloating too soon -- or maybe he knows he's smarter than Young Mr. Seventh Smartest Person on the Planet. Check out Incredible Hulk #107 to find out!
NRAMA: And speaking of Amadeus - Greg, when did it all start to work for you that Amadeus would be the guy that would fill this role as the Hulk's support staff organizer in World War Hulk? Obviously, you didn't create him with that in mind, but still...he fits in there nicely...
GP: In his very first appearance way back in November 2005, Amadeus had a close encounter with the Hulk. I always thought the characters had a few key things in common -- including an anti-establishmentarian outlook, an anger management problem, and a connection with the American Southwest. I have an outline for an Amadeus Cho miniseries which doesn't include the Hulk at all, but during the early stages of planning for World War Hulk, editor Mark Paniccia and I realized that there was a critical role that Amadeus could play and all the stars lined up.
Mark Paniccia: It was really fortuitous that Amadeus’ story in Amazing Fantasy Vol. 2 #15 had Hulk in it. It just began to make sense that, after he’s lost his world and been aided by the Hulk, he’d sort of see him as a rock star, that he could do no wrong. He’s got a lesson to learn, of course, but he’ll also give us an insight into Hulk that we’ve never seen before.
NRAMA: And one more about Amadeus for you Greg - just so we're all on the same page, explain Amadeus' powers...how does he see the world, and what can he do?
GP: According to the nefarious secret agents who ran the Excello Soap Company's Brain Game contest in which Amadeus won the title "Mastermind Excello," Amadeus is the seventh smartest person on the planet. He has the ability to immediately understand the underlying physics and mathematics of any situation -- as Reed Richards says in Incredible Hulk #106, Amadeus could stop a tank with one well-placed pebble. Amadeus can also do tons of other smart stuff, from hacking databases to encrypting communications to depowering S.H.I.E.L.D. attack helicopters via dial tones. And he's a huge repository of useless and useful information, such as the natural history of coyotes.
MP: I think it’s worth noting that the other thing that makes Cho dangerous is that he’s a kid. He’s potentially the next Reed Richards or Tony Stark but right now he’s a rebellious teen-ager with these incredible intellectual tools that are guided by emotion.
NRAMA: Moving over to World War Hulk Prologue - Mark, what was the purpose of the Prologue issue as a whole? What was left undone from Planet Hulk that needed to be done by the time World War Hulk started?
MP: I think that Planet Hulk covered everything it needed, and those following the title have all they need. The Prologue was there for new readers to understand the relationships of the Hulk and the Illuminati members—to not only confirm Hulk’s P.O.V., but those of Doctor Strange, Mr. Fantastic and Iron Man through the conversations between Jen Walters and Doc Samson, using key moments in Marvel history.
NRAMA: Let's talk about the Hulk's anger right now. We've seen him angry before. We've seen him really, really angry before - but comparatively...is he off the charts now?
GP: Yes.
NRAMA: Does this level of rage keep his powers maxed? After all, he is in space, without any kind of suit for days...
GP: The angrier the Hulk gets, the stronger he gets. And he has never been this angry before.
MP: He’s also in a different mental place than he’s ever been. The dangers of Sakaar, the fact that he was weakened and could be wounded—even killed—forced him to rely more on his mind than his blind rage, forced him to think differently, to strategize. One could say he’s never been more dangerous before.
NRAMA: With his brief appearances in Planet Hulk, one could get the idea that Bruce Banner was...at least finally, okay with the idea of the Hulk ruling the planet and all that had gone on. What about now? After all, the Hulk is scary when he's angry, but if we're talking about the Hulk with "puny Banner's" full blessing and support...that's something else entirely, right?
GP: The World War Hulk miniseries proper will absolutely explore this question.
NRAMA: So when will we see Bruce again, by the way?
GP: Our lips are sealed. But dontcha dare miss a single issue of World War Hulk.
NRAMA: Alright – back to the Prologue - in simple terms, what did Hiroim do for the Hulk?
MP: While Korg has been Hulk’s moral compass to a degree, Hiroim is a warrior who’s preached the art of battle to Hulk very carefully. What he does in the Prologue is force Hulk to understand his enemies, look into who they are so that he can properly attack, not just physically but with psychological warfare as well.
NRAMA: And finally - who's idea was the re-telling of Planet Hulk in the back?
MP: Mini Marvels is Assistant Editor Nathan Cosby’s baby. Planet Hulk and World War Hulk are so heavy, we didn’t think it would be a bad idea to give readers a little comic relief after the foreboding doom they’ve been introduced to.
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