For readers of “big two” comics, I have one plea for you come this February: Buy She-Hulk. Buy She-Hulk. Buy She-Hulk. Is that clear? Because you really need to be buying She-Hulk when it lands this February. Okay, for those that need help we’re gonna break it down:

– She-Hulk is relaunching in February.

-You are going to buy it.

– End of story.

No really, the return of Jennifer Walters to a solo series is more than just awesome: it’s direly needed. Why? Because in the world of comics she is different. In the world of dark and gritty narratives at Marvel and all over DC; Jen’s forthcoming title may be a becon amongst the dark, one  of the ever decreasing number of titles about heroes that are witty, bombastic and above all; fun.

Spider-Man? Eh not Peter…not funny? Batgirl? Gritty moody and she cries nearly every issue or something happens that may as well make her cry and add additional trauma to the poor girl. Nightwing? Whoops…

Like I dunno why everyone else even bothers at this point

Jennifer Walters, cousin of Bruce Banner and the lawyer turned giant green muscle-house as She-Hulk has always served as a genre-savvy entity. A tour de force in brawn, brains and wit Jen has outright shouted at her own editors, threatened readers and in all have broken the fourth wall Bugs Bunny style enough times on her covers and in -comic to give modern day Deadpool a run for his money. She did it first; she does it the best.  She’ll be doing it again. (Bad girls do it well.)

Like I’m not lying. She outright breaks the medium.

Her forthcoming series, can and will be the female solo to read. And you will be picking it up. Because Jen will be coming with heavy guns (in more ways than her own two arms). Covers will be done by Kevin Wada known for his artful and edgy fashion reinterpretations of mostly X-Men ladies. Interiors will be done by Javier Pulido (Catwoman, Black Cat, Hawkeye). If that’s not enough to get excited, then get out like come on. They are wanting her to be A-list. And they’re certainly not skimping on talent.

Above all in a world of dark and gritty narratives, writer Charles Soule (Thunderbolts, Swamp Thing) understands the character and the need for a balanced approach to superherodom and above all; tone:

“One of the things I want to work hard to do in this new series is treat her as a real person. She absolutely has problems, just like most of the heroes of the Marvel U, but she chooses to approach them with optimism and good spirit rather than surrendering to the grim and gritty. It takes a lot to bring She-Hulk down, although we’ll throw a lot at her.”

For me, this is amazing as it stands in complete opposition to the current attitudes in a lot of comics particularly DC  right now and overall seems to be what many, many, many people online are wishing from a “mainstream” comic let alone a female-led title. The top selling female solo-book last month was Gail Simone’s chronically dark and grim Batgirl reboot title who has been bleeding thousands of readers each month and has put Barbara Gordon so far in a twenty-four month spiral of non-winning wins and a stream of constant angst and little to no character growth.  I am biased; I like my heroes being able to take things in stride and overcoming them with optimism no matter how dire. I also appreciate writers that know the difference between dark and dramatic narratives versus grim and gritty and that writing gritty does not mean your story is dramatic or that your story has to be gritty for it to be dark.

I hope the more positive and energetic approach She-Hulk will bring this February will rocket her title as the top-selling female book. It would send a very clear message: “We want more things like this”. I implore those that buy comics: get She-Hulk. Make her book the top selling female solo title. Because she’ll come tear up all your X-Men and Avengers comics if you don’t. Like really you just don’t want to risk it.

It can change things for the better if you do.

Max Eber
Staff Writer/The Doctor
max@ihogeek.com
Twitter: @maxlikescomics