Marvel Studio’s newest direct-to-video release is an adaption of writer Greg Pak and artist Carlo Pagulayan’s 2006 epic, Planet Hulk. The story ran in Marvel’s Incredible Hulk monthly series as has been collected into several versions including a Planet Hulk Omnibus in 2007. This is Marvel’s attempt to adapt recent story line for their direct-to-video projects instead of retooling a character as they have done with Iron Man, Avengers Next, and Dr. Strange.
The premise of the story is fairly straight forward. The Marvel Illuminati [Iron Man, Dr. Strange are pictured but since the other members (Black Bolt, Namor, and Mr. Fantastic) are leased out to other production companies, their images are in shadow] capture Hulk and shoot him into space. Their reasoning is that Hulk is just too dangerous to leave on Earth. This is the best option the Marvel Universe leaders can think of. Hulk is being sent to a tropical Earth type planet that doesn’t have any sentient life on it yet.
Taking a page from Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, something happens and the ship transporting Hulk is thrown off course and crashes onto the planet Sakaar. Hulk is captured by the ruling fraction on the planet and forced to compete in gladiator sports. Hulk makes friends with several others being forced to complete and form this sort of “Warbound” team.
I can’t discuss how closely this video release of Planet Hulk mirrors the storyline in the comics because, sadly, I haven’t read them. From what I read of the comics online, I can say it seems to follow at least the major points. I’m sure some were changed and mixed up a bit in the translation from comics to video. However, I will say that the story was engaging and interesting. The idea of putting Hulk into gladiator match-ups is a great way to let him hulk-out and showcase his powers and abilities. And even though this is an animated project, it is Not Rated and is able to depict the violence in a realistic manner without being over the top or too gory. The story might be a bit too graphic for young children but should be fine for tweeners and older.
With DC Comics amping up the quality of their direct-to-video projects with their recent Green Lantern: First Flight and Justice League: New Frontier, I was hoping Marvel would be up to the challenge with their direct-to-video releases. Their Ultimates/Avengers projects were met with less than enthusiastic reception from comic fans, myself included. But Planet Hulk more than meets the challenge DC has given. Hopefully Marvel will adapt other iconic Marvel story lines instead of retooling character for these projects. An obvious choice is, of course, World War Hulk which follows the events of Planet Hulk.
I would love to see the Avengers Infinity Gauntlet saga or the Guardian Devil storyline from Daredevil in video form.
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