This volume collects the first ten issues of Bruce Jones' run on The Incredible Hulk from 2002. When one of the Hulk's rampages allegedly causes the death of a young boy, Bruce Banner becomes a fugitive, hiding under false names and receiving cryptic instructions from someone known as "Mr. Blue" (whose true identity would not be revealed until much later in the series). Those on his trail include the F.B.I., a pair of professional assassins, and Banner's sometime ally Leonard "Doc" Samson. It's a long-form story and the fact that the Hulk scarcely appears in this part of the run frustrated many of the books monthly readers. But I think that it reads well in book form, almost more like a movie than a comic book.

The first half of the book is drawn by John Romita, Jr. I'm not a fan of JRJR's sketchy, angular style. He makes a supposedly beautiful woman like Sandra Verdugo look starved (another woman who briefly appears is supposed to be overweight, but looks normal.) Inker Tom Palmer makes most of it readable (watchable?), but I was happy when Lee Weeks took over the art for the second half.

Also included is the mini-series [b:Startling Stories: Banner|194485|Startling Stories Banner|Brian Azzarello|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1172590586s/194485.jpg|188090], an out-of-continuity story in which Bruce Banner, despondent over the death and destruction he's caused as the Hulk, desperately wants to die. But the government has another, perhaps less pleasant fate in mind for him. Written by Brian Azzarello with art by Richard Corben, it should appease the "Hulk smash" crowd. ( )