Issue(s): Hulk #433
Cover Date: Sep 95
Title: "Punishment fit the crime"
Credits:
Peter David - Writer
Terry Dodson - Penciler
Gary Martin - Inker
James Felder - Assistant Editor
Bobbie Chase - Editor

Review/plot:
This issue and the next one are part of a loose crossover called Over The Edge. I never bothered to get the other issues, and my one attempt at doing do failed (i bought Over The Edge #1 instead of Double Edge: Alpha, leaving me with some random Daredevil story). The Hulk issues read well enough on their own, but not having the other issues irks me (even though they're probably terrible) and it's the first thing that i would fill-in if i ever decided to go back to buying back issues (along with the Ghost Rider issues that loosely tied into the previous arc).

The idea is that the Punisher ("thanks to a screw-up during regression therapy") is under the impression that Nick Fury is responsible for the death of his family, and he's generally become very paranoid and unstable. He spots the Hulk leaping around New York, and follows him. The Hulk meets with Angel (the guy who has been living in the sewers with Abomination), who tells him about Wulf Christopher, the drug lord who was pulling the strings behind the police's raid on the sewers last issue.

The Hulk goes to confront Christopher, but Christopher knows that the Hulk is "civilized" and won't hurt him. However, the Punisher overheard the Hulk's conversation with Angel, and starts shooting his way through Christopher's building in order to kill him. Hulk says that he won't save Christopher from the Punisher unless Christopher confesses to his crimes (it's worth noting that the Hulk also doesn't seem to mind that the Punisher is slaughtering Christopher's goons in the meantime). Then Nick Fury and SHIELD show up, saying that they have "no quarrel" with the Hulk but they're there to catch the Punisher. After recent treatment by SHIELD, Hulk takes issue with the "no quarrel" line, and he attacks the SHIELD ship.

Fury stops the Punisher from killing Christopher, but the Hulk lets the Punisher get away.

Nick Fury has been a dick to the Hulk, especially lately, and we know that the Punisher is a good guy, sort-of. So it almost feels cathartic for the Hulk to refuse to help catch him. That will come back to bite us next issue.

It's unclear what happens to Christopher after this, but i don't think he appears again (the MCP doesn't even track him as a character).

Art in this issue is by Terry Dodson, who i've never liked but it's definitely his style.

Dodson's art means fewer panels and so the issue reads quickly, but it's a good read. I like how it's character driven; the Hulk's motivations make perfect sense even though (as we'll find out) he's making the wrong decision here.

Quality Rating: B

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: The Hulk is still in New York after the event of last issue. Despite next issue being the epilogue to Over The Edge, the MCP has Hulk appearing in a few other places prior to that.

In terms of the Over The Edge crossover, prior to this was Double Edge: Alpha, Daredevil #344 (incorrectly listed as #334 in the ad in this issue), and Ghost Rider #65, and after this comes Doctor Strange #81 and Double Edge: Omega. And then next issue is an epilogue.

References:

• No footnote but the Punisher's family's death was shown in Marvel Preview #2.
  
• The Hulk is mad at Nick Fury after Fury tried to take custody of him in Hulk #426 and after Fury "threatened to blow my brains out" when the Hulk was rescuing Susan Jacobson in Hulk #410-411.
  
• Plus, the Hulk has worked with the Punisher in the past, in Hulk #395-396.

Crossover: Over The Edge

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A