Hulk vs. Sentry, blow after blow

While the old saying "you can't judge a book by its cover" is wise advice, the cover of "World War

Hulk

" No. 5 is an exception.

The stunning David Finch cover has the Hulk engaged in a literal slobberknocker with the Sentry. The pages inside show the Hulk and the Sentry trading blow after blow on page after page in one of the more epic fights you will ever read.

For the uninitiated, "World War Hulk" has dealt with the Hulk returning to Earth after being tricked into exile by heroes including Iron Man, Mister Fantastic, Doctor Strange and Black Bolt. Their goal was to send him to a place where he could neither hurt nor be hurt, but he landed on the savage planet Sakaar instead.

While there, he fought his way from slave to king and took a queen, with whom he was expecting a child. However, his shuttle blew up and killed over a million people, including his queen and their unborn child. Feeling his former friends had tried to kill him - and blaming them for the death of his love and his world - he came back to Earth with newfound allies to wreak vengeance on those who tricked and betrayed him.

Boy, does he ever. In the four issues preceding the climactic battle with the Sentry, the Hulk turned Iron Man from the ultimate fighting machine to scrap metal; beat Black Bolt bloody; defeated and enslaved the remaining heroes who stood against him; withstood a vicious admantium shrapnel assault from the military; crushed an insanely powerful, demon-controlled Doctor Strange; and forced those he considered most responsible - Tony Stark and Reed Richards - to do battle using "obedience discs." As the issue No. 4 concluded, the Hulk was given a choice of whether to force Richards to kill Stark. Like an old Roman emperor, the Hulk gave a thumbs down, which forced the Sentry - considered by some to be "Marvel's Superman" - into action for this issue's savage, decisive battle.

It does not disappoint, especially with John Romita Jr.'s pencils. Romita Jr. has brilliantly penciled the battle to end all battles in each issue of this series, only to continuously up the ante.

While the action is great and would make a tremendous popcorn flick if ever put on screen, the reason this series and the finale in particular resonate so much with readers is thanks to writer Greg Pak, who's created character-driven battles, not mindless slugfests. Whether with a punch or a word, there is raw emotion and angst on display here. Especially for the mildly shocking reveal, followed up by a development a bit more surprising and then a shocking last page.

Before getting to that page, however, not only will you thrill to an epic battle, but also find answers to relevant questions. Is vengeance ever justified or does it lead to a never-ending circle of violence? What line can a hero cross and still be called a hero? Is the Hulk a hero or a monster? Is selling out your principles even for a good cause ever a good idea? Do the ends justify the means? *

E-mail comicsguy@phillynews.com