Written by Fabian Nicieza
Art by Ron Garney
Published by DC Comics
“He’s a pro, one of the strongest guys on the planet, but no matter what … you never, ever think he’s gonna win.”
That line, from superpowered teen / aspiring YouTube star D-Cel, drives home the central theme of Juggernaut #2. It’s fun when somebody in a story says something about the main character that works for the story as a whole.
D-Cel says that line about our boy Cain Marko as he’s getting his ass handed to him by the Hulk.
That’s no spoiler, by the way: last issue’s cliffhanger was on D-Cel asking Juggernaut to fight Hulk for her, and you see the two of ‘em duking it out on the cover.
As unstoppable as Juggernaut is, Hulk is that immovable, way stronger object. Like, punch-you-into-a-mountainside way stronger.
D-Cel pitches “Juggernaut takes down Hulk” as a win-win-win.
She improves her YouTube (Sorry, YouRoxx. Don’t hurt me Google!) subscription.
Juggernaut gains some good-guy clout by detaining Hulk for a support group of people damaged by Hulk’s smashing ways. Damage Control gets to smooth over their PR for accidentally dropping a building on a teenage girl.
And they succeed, actually! Hulk is detained, and a group of everyday Joes and Janes pour out their hurt at the big green monster in a public hearing. But what kind of story would this be if everything goes well?
How it goes wrong, I won’t say much, except that it again fits Cain Marko’s penchant for how he can’t win for losing.
After all, this is the Immortal Hulk. This version of the Jade Giant is eloquent and calculating, and the Shadow Base that hunted him is now under his command.
This Hulk is fully conscious, with a cutting wit — not a mindless child that doesn’t know what it does. And this Hulk can beat Juggernaut to the punch in more ways than one. The blow lands right on Cain’s heart, too, as you’d expect for someone referred to in the issue as a good bad guy or a bad good guy.
We get a little more backstory of what happened to Cain after he returned from limbo, de-powered without his mystic gem and armor. And we get a peek at how he eventually gets new armor and regains his might – or finds new might, rather.
I am surprised that Juggernaut could fit in a helicopter, and that the helicopter could fly. The series doesn’t say exactly how big Juggernaut is in this incarnation, but he mentions during a conversation that 50 pounds of Taco Bell would be a light snack for him.
However, based on where the cliffhanger leaves us, Juggernaut may want to hold on to that money.
