"Hulk: Grand Design - Madness" continues Jim Rugg's celebration of sixty years of the Hulk. Geof Darrow's variant cover adds to the cartoonish feel of the pages enclosed. This keeps the theme going with the covers of Jim Rugg and Ed McGuinness. A masterful job is done by Jim Rugg once again of squishing sixty years of history into one issue, especially for such a complicated character as the Hulk. Kermit the Frog had it right when he sang "It's not easy being green."
Within these pages we hear about deaths, dead people coming back to life, marriages, pregnancies and miscarriages. We know about the Green Hulk, but how about the Grey Hulk or the Red Hulk? How about the Hulk's love interests including Betty Ross, Jarella and Marlo? Hulk did battle with just about everyone! It didn't matter if they were good or bad.
As Mr. Fixit, the Hulk was an enforcer for Michael Berengetti at the Coliseum. Beating people up was a perfect job for the green man at this Las Vegas establishment. For the first time in a long time, the Hulk was happy. That is, until Banner regained some control and forced the Hulk to break away from this line of work.
He fought alongside the Avengers and Defenders, as well as against them. He teamed up with the Avengers to go against Thanos. He freed Susan Jacobson, a political prisoner being held by the US government, as the leader of the Pantheon. That move definitely infuriated Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. The Hulk was blamed for the death of Nick Fury, whom was said to have been killed by the Punisher. Fury did turn up alive after a year of laying low even though hatred for the Hulk was at an all-time high.
These are just a small sampling of events covered in this issue, which led to plenty of "Oh yeah, I remember that!" moments. It just helps me remember why I love this character so much!