Deron Generally
Deron Generally
Maestro #3
Marvel Comics
Written by Peter David
Art by German Peralta
Colors by Jesus Aburtov
Letters by Ariana Maher
The Rundown: Hulk will discover who rules and an old friend will help him discover a new path.
Banner finds himself in the presence of the Maestro and it turns out to be an old friend, Hercules. As the two former allies greet each other, Hercules decides that the best way to honor his friend being alive is to knock him into the center of the city. While the two powerhouses spar, the people witness the power of them both and when a rusty Hulk gets knocked underground, he finds people who have someone he needs to see.
After finding himself in the presence of his oldest friend, he discovers the true nature of Hercules’ rule of the city and decides that he’s heard enough. He has no interest in saving people anymore after what they did to the planet, but he is interested in ruling and the only way he can do that is with the one thing he has that Hercules doesn’t, brains.
The “Relics” short at the end of the issue is great as well as it showcases Rick’s journey and the tragedies he faces along it.
The Story: Peter David dives in deep with this issue. Not only does he continue the evolution of Banner, but he also brings him face to face with his past in the form of Rick Jones. I loved the scene between the two of them and how their philosophies differ. It’s a great contrast the illustrates where Banner is heading psychologically. The story has a great narrative flow as well and the cliffhanger makes me want to see where the story goes next.
The Art: German Peralta does some excellent work with the art in the main story. There is a weary, seething anger in Hulk that Peralta captures and brilliantly contrasts it with the insane bravado of Hercules. Dale Keown and Jason Keith do some excellent work as well on the “Relics” short, which is beautifully detailed and dark.
Maestro #3
1 Comment
Joe Schaff
October 25, 2020 - 3:19 pmPosted on another thread, but saying it here as well bc I’m looking for anyone that can set me straight or help me understand what I may have missed. Big PAD & Hulk fan here, have the original Future Imperfect in multiple difft editions in the collection, so eagerly picked up this series when it was released.
That said, I can’t get past probably the biggest fundamental flaw in the future logic on display here. Especially coming from the author of the original future Imperfect & Hulk saga himself.
How is it that the Hulk himself doesn’t know or remember the actual Maestro in this series? How is it that the Hulk doesn’t know Janis or already have memories of Pizfiz & the rest of the Wasteland insurgents, when he literally met them all more than once in the original Future Imperfect storyline, & not only that but he literally lived with them for months while healing from his first battle with the Maestro.
Janis even became his sidekick years later in the core Incredible Hulk series AFTER he visited the Future Imperfect in the continuity of the core series… all of this can be chalked up, I assume, to yet another “What If…” style alternative universe story & I would have forgiven it, if David would have just thrown in a line from Banner in the script acknowledging that he’s been here before, seen it before, but still wants to see if his memory of the events that led here are the same as what he experiences now… nope, it’s written as if Hulk has no knowledge of a Maestro, Janis, Pizfiz & co.
That’s a glaring continuity fail for something that’s intended to be portrayed as if it’s occurring in the actual Marvel U 616.
Kinda ruined it for me.
Don’t get me wrong, i’ll still be here for the rest of the series, but really would have appreciated a nod to the things that came before rather than just acting as if this is a stand-alone elseworlds tale, especially coming from PAD directly. You’d think he’d be more willing to be referential of his own earlier works.
oh well.