Issue(s): Giant-Size Hulk #1 (Champions story only)
Cover Date: Aug 06
Title: "Green pieces"
Credits:
Peter David - Writer
Juan Santacruz - Penciler
Raul Fernandez - Inker
Marc Sumerak - Assistant Editor
Bobbie Chase with Tom Brevoort - Editors

Review/plot:
In appreciation of the fact that the Champions helped save the world from Dr. Doom, the president intends to give them awards, and the Champions are helping with security at the event.

(In a cute acknowledgment of Marvel's sliding time scale, Hercules says that he thought the president in question was Carter, as it was in the original Champions story, when it is now Clinton. After being told by Iceman that he was in diapers during the Carter administration, Hercules passes it off as being due to his immortality, with the names of the presidents blending together).

The Champions are alerted to the fact that Bruce Banner had been spotted in the area (not surprising since the Hulk was at the Magneto/Doom fight), and the Champions go after him, attacking the Hulk without first asking questions.

The Champions are unable to stop the Hulk, however, and so he jumps off. It turns out he was bringing a not-yet-She-Hulk Jennifer Walters to the hospital due to a problem with her appendix.

Jennifer having seen Bruce here, Hulk form or otherwise, contradicts She-Hulk #1 where she says that she hasn't seen Bruce since he quit med school to become a nuclear physicist and she's unaware that he is the Hulk. I have to chalk it up to her being delusional here thanks to the appendix problem.

The Champions are ashamed that they attacked the Hulk without finding out what the issue was first, and vow that they'll help him at some point in the future (setting up Angel and Hercules siding with the Hulk many years later in World War Hulk).

At the time this was written, my opinion of Peter David had sunk quite a bit. I was a huge fan of his during the 90s, but his more recent work seemed to have lost something. This, however, was fantastic. Very funny, great characterization, and a fun fight.

The artwork is very good as well, although it's a shame how the coloring at this time period was generally dark and brown.

Reflecting on the fight with Hercules, the Black Widow says that Ivan gave her a haranguing over jumping into the fight without finding out what was going on. Ivan is currently on a mission in the Soviet Union according to the ongoing plot in the Champions, but it is possible that he and the Widow managed a brief communication.

Quality Rating: B+

Historical Significance Rating: 2 - sets up the new Champions for World War Hulk.

Chronological Placement Considerations: Takes place soon after Champions #16.

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? Y

My Reprint: N/A

Honestly all this short makes me wish is we got a bit more flashback regarding the Bruce/Jen relationship; but that's me. Considering how many characters get retcons and backstory of such, seeing more of Jen pre-Savage Shulkie #1 (in relation to everything that has happened to Bruce) would be nice.

Gee, during their co-star appearance in Hulk Annual 7, Bobby and Warren don't sound as though the Champs had had a big knockdown with the Hulk not long before. These chronologically-inserted tales are always somewhat problematic.

More cute meta-references to the sliding time scale. My, isn't this writer clever?
And it doesn't work anyway, because in 2006 when this issue was written, setting it in the early nineties and saying Iceman was born during the Carter administration would make him 36-40 in "real time", which was definitely not the intention. Peter David is trying to fix something and he's just making it worse.

JP, Iceman being born during the Carter administration would make him 26-30 in 2006.

CURSE YOUR SUPERIOR MATH SKILLS!

Decent story if entirely superfluous.