Marvel’s Fall of the Hulks: Jeph Loeb and Jeff Parker interview

Fall of the Hulks Alpha

Fall of the Hulks Alpha

Jeph Loeb is the writer of such books as Hulk, Batman: Hush, and Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America. Jeff Parker is the writer of Thunderbolts, Agents of Atlas, Underground, and more. This month, each is writing a lead-in to Marvel’s Fall of the Hulks. Westfield’s Roger Ash recently contacted both writers to learn more about these books.

Westfield: If someone hasn’t been reading the Hulk, will the Fall Of The Hulks Alpha & Gamma books get them up to speed to enjoy the event?

Jeph Loeb: Absolutely. If for some reason you haven’t been reading Hulk or Incredible Hulk by Greg Pak (and the Red Hulk knows who you are!), this is an excellent jumping on point. Both Alpha and Gamma open the door to this giant adventure that starts with Fall Of The Hulks. Each will set up a different angle on the main story – much like Incredible Hulk will tell the Banner half while Hulk tells the Red Hulk half. The idea is to have the stories going on at the same time, but not exactly crossing over so you have a fuller, richer event.

Jeff Parker: Plus it’s fun to watch editor Mark Paniccia dance around like a Cossack making sure the books are flowing together.

Westfield: How closely did you coordinate the two books?

Loeb: Very! When we set out to do this we knew it would only be better the closer we all worked together. We’re all part of Team Hulk which includes Greg Pak, Ed McGuinness, Fred Van Lente and Hulk Supreme Editor Mark “Panic” Paniccia with Nate Cosby and Jordan White. We all got together for a Hulk Summit in New York months ago and hatched out the plan. Since then there’s been outlines, scripts, artwork passed between us all almost daily. It’s super helpful to have so many talented guys to share ideas and comments.

Parker: It was especially rewarding when it started coming together and getting solid. My favorite parts of the Summit were whenever Ed would say “I want to draw ______!” and then we’d start thinking of how to make something happen that way. Which is actually very natural, good Hulk stories often come from thinking about what you’d like to SEE Hulk do.

Westfield: What can you tell us about the story in Fall Of The Hulks Gamma?

Fall of the Hulks Gamma

Fall of the Hulks Gamma

Loeb: A very significant change happens that will kick off this storyline. We saw in Hulk #600 that Banner can’t become the Hulk any longer. This will ROCK way past that. Major. I know saying stuff like that gets thrown around a lot, but we’re confident that Gamma will shock a lot of readers.

This all goes back as far as Planet Hulk right through World War Hulk and into the Red Hulk storyline. We’ve been dropping hints as what’s to come – but now it’s all coming to head. When it is all done secrets will be revealed – Who is the Red Hulk? Red She-Hulk? Will there be a new Green Hulk? Will Skaar, The Son of Hulk, kill his father? And with so many Hulks now in the Marvel U, who survives? Who makes the sacrifices? Most importantly, who wins? Our hope is that the readers win with this spectacular event.

Parker: I think they will – the readers really will be getting some serious resolution here. And what I like is that a lot of what’s to come feels intuitively right, fitting in with the whole history of Hulk.

Westfield: Will the Fall Of The Hulks event be crossing over into the rest of the Marvel Universe?

Parker: The gravity of the Hulks pulls everyone else into their books.

Loeb: There are a few very selective things we are doing that will be announced soon. It will affect the Marvel Universe – but it’s not a big crossover thing. Much like World War Hulk, it was self-contained and still pure dynamite. The main action will take place in Hulk and Incredible Hulk – with some fantastic side dishes as well. But, you can plan on The Avengers, The Fantastic Four, and The X-Men to all play significant roles in what’s to come.

Westfield: Jeph, You’re working with John Romita Jr. on Gamma. What can you say about your collaboration with him?

Loeb: He’s the best. There isn’t anything he can’t draw! He’s entirely collaborative and yet he makes the illustrations so much greater than the words. I go total fanboy at the thought of working with him again. (We did an issue of Fallen Son about Hawkeye and Cap). Anytime, anywhere, on anything with him!

Parker: Man, I want to work with Junior sometime…

Westfield: Any closing comments?

Loeb: Just that Greg and I and the rest of Team Hulk are giving everything we have to make this the best story we can. Jeff’s Alpha is a big part of that. There are so many surprises, shocks, battles, emotional ripples that it will definitely be the biggest Hulk story ever told!

Parker: Jeph’s big goal with Alpha was to give the bad men some dignity and show what menaces they really can be, and that’s what I’m shooting for. I think you’ll find yourself in the odd position of rooting for them on some level, and it makes the battles to come that much more intriguing. Also we find out some neat hidden truths about the Marvel Universe as the Intelligencia go hunting (stealing) for lost knowledge. And you’ll come away knowing that Paul Pelletier is one art-making monster machine!

Purchase

Fall of the Hulks Alpha

Fall of the Hulks  Gamma

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