Avengers vol. 3 #72Avengers vol. 3 #72
Title: "The Search for She-Hulk part 1: ‘Hiding’”
Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Scott Kolins
Inker: Scott Kolins
Colors: Chris Sotomayor
Editor: Tom Brevoort
In Bone, Idaho, Jen walks and wonders why she came there. She wonders why Bruce came there. She wonders if he just wanders from town to town and does his best not to get angry. Jen thinks to herself that she hates not being She-Hulk. She thinks how when Bruce saved her with that blood transfusion that he made her whole world better. She says that all her fears, faults, and weaknesses disappeared. She says that she was tall, strong, and beautiful. Jen looks up and realizes that she is standing outside the sheriff’s office. A man inside is putting up a wanted poster of Bruce Banner. Jen quickly walks away from the window. The man inside looks at her walking away.
Jen walks into a restaurant. She sits in a booth. The woman comes up with a pot of coffee and pours Jen some. She guesses that Jen is from out of town. Jen says that she just wants some breakfast. She asks what three dollars will buy her. The woman’s face looks scornful for a minute, but then she softens and says that three dollars will buy her whatever she wants. Jen smiles at her. The television in the store is on the news. They say that Bruce Banner was seen leaving Idaho Falls less than an hour ago. The waitress asks when they will “catch that monster”. They flash a picture of Bruce and talk about the two million dollars in damages that the Hulk caused. Jen wonders to herself why they always have to use that horrible picture of Bruce. The officer from the sheriff’s station is standing at her table. The cop tells her to relax. He says that he was just taking a coffee break and thought she could use some company. The waitress tells “Lance” that he has to stop thinking that his badge is going to get him women. She tells Jen to ignore him. She says that he hits on everyone. Lance says that she just wants to know her name. Jen excuses herself and walks into the women’s restroom.
Jen tells herself to breathe. She holds the edge of the sink. Her hand is turning green and it starts shattering the porcelain. She takes her pulse and tells herself to just calm down. She looks out the window, which has bars on it, and says that she can’t do this. She sits on the floor and cries. The waitress walks in. She sides next to Jen and asks her why she has come to Bone. Jen says that she is visiting her cousin. The waitress asks if they are close. Jen says that they used to be a long time ago. The waitress dries Jen’s tears. Jen talks, “I used to go to his house in Dayton, Ohio. During the summers. He hated when his father got home from work. He didn’t like being there… to take the brunt of his bad day. And I didn’t like to see it. It… scared me. So we used to go lose ourselves in the public library. And we’d just read books. Read them to each other. For hours and hours. Sometimes we’d even hide at closing time… and spend the night. One summer… one summer, we must’ve read Lord of the Flies twenty times.”
Lance walks back to the sheriff’s office. Sheryl is reading the paper. She says that last month all they had to deal with was a spray paint artist. She says that now they have all this Hulk stuff and that the town doesn’t need this. Lance and Sheryl look out the window when they hear a loud noise. A quinjet has landed. Captain America, Iron Man, and Scarlet Witch are standing there. Cap wishes them a good morning. They walk into the office. Cap shakes Sheryl’s hand. He says that they are sorry to arrive unannounced and introduces everyone. Lance says that his girlfriend will never believe that he saw a mutant. Scarlet Witch says that she prefers to be called Wanda. She says that it sounds like Lance has a cold. She zaps his face and cures him. Lance starts babbling about how Wanda did that. Sheryl says that she is guessing they are in for some trouble with the Hulk. Lance is still stammering so Sheryl says, “Come on, son. Don’t embarrass your mother. These are the Avengers.” Iron Man says that for the most part that the Avengers relinquished jurisdiction over the Hulk to the Federal government. Iron Man points at the fax machine and a fax starts to come out. He says that they are there for a friend. Cap says that her name is Jennifer Walters, the She-Hulk. Cap says that she has changed back to normal. Wanda says that Jennifer doesn’t like to be normal. Cap says that they think she is trying to track down Banner. Lance looks at the fax and says that he knows her.
The waitress tells Jen that it sounds like
her cousin means a lot to her. Jen says that she doesn’t
even know what she is going to say to him. She wonders what if he
won’t help her. The waitress says that they are family and
that she has to believe that family will always help. Jen hugs
her. The waitress says that she is going to go get her some
waffles, and that after she gets some food that she can go find
her cousin and work everything out. Jen looks at the mirror and
smiles at herself. Jen walks out the bathroom door. She is
stunned and finds the restaurant empty. Two burgers are on the
grill. Suddenly the fire goes out. Wanda says that fire goes out
if the oxygen leaves. Wanda says hello to Jennifer. Wanda says
that they should sit and talk. She tells Jen that Cap and Iron
Man have escorted everyone outside. She says that she thought it
would be best if it were just the two of them. Jen says that if
the Avengers are there that she can’t be. Wanda says that
she knows how it feels to have your life out of control. She says
that sometimes the negative energy of her powers sends her head
spinning. She says that the Avengers are there to ground her, and
keep her life in order. Wanda says that Jen just needed to ask
for help. She says that she didn’t have to run. Jen breaks
off from Wanda’s hand. She says that she does have to run
and that Wanda doesn’t know what has happened to her. 
Wanda causes a
beam to fall from the ceiling and block Jen from the door. Jen
says, “I don’t want to hurt you. I’m afraid
I’ll hurt you all! I don’t want to change!” Wanda
promises Jen that they won’t make her angry. Jen says,
“I tried to tell you. I’m not like Bruce! It’s not
anger or pain that does it, Wanda. It’s fear!” Jen
turns into She-Hulk. She-Hulk says, “And She-Hulk hates to
be afraid!” She-Hulk holds the beam over her head.
Avengers Files rating: 8 out of 10
I really like the set up for this arc. I like the way Geoff explains the “fear factor” from Jen’s past. It also fits right in line with the way She-Hulk originally removed that fear from Jen and allowed her to become the free spirit that She-Hulk is. 4.5 out of 5 for the writing. Kolins has some nice layouts, and though his problem isn’t as intense as Immomen’s, he seems to have a problem including people’s eyes. Kolins only seems to use them for extreme expressions.
Review and picture by The Leader