She-Hulk #11

Title: “Imbalance of Power”

Writer: Dan Slott

Penciller: Paul Pelletier

Inker: Rick Magyar

Colors: Avalon Studios’ Dave Kemp

Editor: Tom Brevoort

Dawn in the American southwest, Titania is trying to lift an enormous rock. She says that she can’t do it. Champion says that of  course she can. He says that as long as she possesses the gem that she possesses an infinite well of strength. He says that any feat is possible for her. He says to use the weeks of training he has given her. Clear her mind of all thoughts except one… the one whom you must destroy. Titania shouts out She-Hulk’s name as she lifts the impossibly large boulder over her head. Champion says that was good. He tells her to hold it in place. He says that he thinks that it may be time, and that she and the gem are working in harmony. Titania says that it isn’t as though she is ungrateful, but she wants to know why he doesn’t just use the gem himself. Champion says that he gave his word that he wouldn’t. He says that he promised She-Hulk that if she could beat him in battle that he would never wear the gem again. He says that he lost everything because of her… control over a planet, his title as Champion of the universe, and his dignity. He says that he will never lose the gem though. He says that he as an Elder of the universe he shares a bond with this stone just as the other Elders share bonds with the other gems. He says that even though they are scattered across the cosmos that they are drawn to him. Titania says that even though she has the gem right now that if he wanted to he could take it back. Champion says that is true, and then realizes his mistake. Titania buries Champion with the giant rock.

On the east coast, Southpaw bangs and bangs on her door. Jen sits up in her bed and says that it sounds like someone set off every car alarm in the state. Southpaw says to hurry and let her out. Jen tells the computer to release the safeties on Southpaw’s quarters. Jen walks out of her room and asks Southpaw what the rush is. Southpaw says that she has to pee. Jen says that she does too. She tells the computer to release the safeties on the doors. Jen tells Southpaw that she can go first. Southpaw thanks Jen, and suddenly both of them realize that Jen is in her human form. Jen says that she must have changed in her sleep again. Southpaw hits Jen in the head. She rushes toward the front door and says, “So long, sucker! I’m out of here! And for once, no green-haired, muscle bound jerk is gonna stand in my… way.” Southpaw opens the door and finds Doc Samson standing there. Samson introduces himself and says that he is there to see She-Hulk. Southpaw says, “Aw crap”.

Down the hall in apartment 3F, Awesome Andy is asleep on his bed. Mad Thinker’s robotic head rests on his stomach. Mad Thinker shouts at him and asks how he can not hear all that knocking. Awesome Andy gets out of bed. Ditto lies in his bed. Andy answers the door to find She-Hulk rubbing her head, Southpaw, and Doc Samson. She-Hulk asks Andy if he can watch Southpaw. Andy’s blackboard asks Sasha if she is up for a game. Southpaw says anything is fine… except Mystery Date... or Mousetrap… or Life.

She-Hulk thanks Samson for the assist and says that she is lucky he happened by. Samson says that luck had nothing to do with it. He says that Reed Richards asked him to come by, and that he thought they should have a talk. She-Hulk asks if he means friend to friend or patient to shrink. Samson says that it is up to her, but that he will keep her confidence either way. He says that he hears she has been having trouble with her transformations and asks how long this has been going on. She-Hulk says that she guesses it started with the Red Zone affair. She says that Jack of Hearts’ powers were playing havoc with the gamma radiation in her body. She says that suddenly she was changing back and forth for the first time in years, but that when she was She-Hulk that she was savage and brutal. She says that she destroyed the entire city of Bone, Idaho. Samson says that he knows and that he was there. She-Hulk says that he didn’t see how she coped with it though. She says that once she was fixed and all She-Hulk again that she overdid it a bit. She says that she was with a different guy every night, and that awkwardly enough for the guy that sometimes she was a different girl in the morning. Samson says that he heard. He says that the superhuman community is a small one and that people talk. He says that is around the time she slept with Juggernaut. She-Hulk says, “What?! I did not sleep with Juggernaut! Why does everyone keep saying…” Samson tells Jen that she is blocking and that isn’t the way to get healthy. She-Hulk says, “whatever”. She says that was the time her life got turned upside down. She says that she lost her job with the DA’s office and the Avengers threw her out of the mansion. She-Hulk and Samson stand outside the ruined mansion together. Jen says that all things considered that may have been for the best. She says that it may sound callous, but that at least none of her stuff was in there when it was destroyed.

Titania leaps threw the air. She lands in front of the Excelsior. Titania says that according to the private eye she hired that She-Hulk lives there.

Southpaw and Andy are arguing about if Andy broke the ice. Ditto asks if they hear that ruckus and says that he is going to go see what it is.

Titania smashes Jen’s door in. She tells She-Hulk to come out and face her. Titania tears Jen’s sofa in half and knocks her fish bowl onto the floor. Titania shouts for Walters to show herself. Ditto peaks in the door. He says that she isn’t there and for Titania to go away. Titania says that if he knows where she is to tell her now. Ditto closes the door. He says that there is nobody home but the chickens. Titania kicks the door in and over onto Ditto. Southpaw and Andy come running over. Titania hits them both and knocks them over. She steps on the door on top of Ditto and says that he can tell her or die. Ditto says that if she isn’t here then she is probably at work. Titania asks where that is. Ditto says, “S- S- Superhuman Law Offices! Over at…”

Titania bursts out the top of the Excelsior shouting, “Timely Plaza!”

Samson asks She-Hulk if Timely Plaza is where she works now. She-Hulk says that it is, but that she works there as Jen Walters, not She-Hulk. She says that she complained about it at first, but that saving the day as Jen feels great. She says that with the cases she has worked and the friends that she has made that she is having fun. She asks Samson when the last time one of them said that. Jen says that a couple of weeks ago she was boxing in space and then she comes home to this. Samson says that is life. He says that sometimes things are out of our control. Jen asks why and says that if they think things through that there is always a solution. She says that when her strength got a major boost that she had Reed fix up this Jupitor suit for her. She says that for a while there she even reached a point where she didn’t need it anymore. Then Scarlet Witch had a nervous breakdown and magically turned her back into a rampaging beast. She says that this time though she didn’t just wreck a few streets and buildings. She says that she killed Vision… her teammate and once of her best friends. With tears in her eyes she asks how messed up is that. She asks why they have to live in a world where things like that happen. She asks why things can’t just go back to the way they were.

Mallory Book stares off as Stu talks with “Mr. Challenger”. Challenger says that he has bounced forward in time from the 40’s and that he has found himself without assests. He asks if there is a way to reverse his will and get some of his belongings back. Stu says that this isn’t new. He says that maybe they should ask Captain America how he dealt with it after being thawed out from the ice. Stu asks Mallory how that sounds. Mallory says that she is sorry and that she zoned out for a moment. Suddenly Whiz Kid from the mail room is there with an interoffice memo for her. Pug tells Mallory that they are going out for Thai food and asks if she wants to come. Mallory says that she may be down later, but that she has just been summoned to the top floor. She says that the senior partners want to have a word with her. Pug tells her not to sweat it and that he is sure everything is fine. As Mallory walks away, Pug wonders what has happened to Mallory the last few weeks. He thinks that whatever it is that she has to shake it off.

Mallory asks the senior partners if she is being let go. Holliway says that of course she isn’t. He says that they are just a bit concerned. The partners says that they feel her performance has been slipping of late. They say that they thought they hired “The Face that never lost a case”. They say that isn’t really the case anymore. Mallory gets angry. She tells Holliway to tell them how she had the Hercules case in the bag until his precious Ms. Walters stepped in. She says that everything was perfect until she showed up. She says that now everything is going straight to… Mallory is cut off as a bus crashes through the upper floor window. The wall collapses on Mallory. The partners say that they are under attack and to do something. Holliway activates the building’s force field. He says that he assures them that they are safe for the moment. He says that Tony Stark designed it to keep out the Hulk.

Titania bangs on the force field. She digs her fingers into it and starts to tear it open. Titania says, “You’re mine, She-Hulk! Mine!”

The partners realize that the field is collapsing. Holliway pages the mail room to come up. Before he finishes his sentence, Whiz Kid, Momenta, and Zig-Zag appear. He says that they have a code red and that they need the building evacuated immediately. Before he can finish his sentence, Holliway and nearly everyone is outside. Holliway compliments Whiz Kid. Whiz Kid says that she has to remind Holliway that when he hired them from the speedster’s union that he said they wouldn’t be in harm’s way. She says that they bleed out at super speed. Holliway says that he understands and thanks her. Stu shouts that the building is coming down. He says that they have to get back in there. Pug says that the speedsters got everyone out. Stu says that he is talking about the long boxes. He says that they have a complete run of the FF all the way back to #1 in mint condition in there. Pug tells him not to worry and that they are bagged with a vibranium/mylar hybrid. Stu feels relief for a moment, but then realizes that Pug just made that up. Pug says that the important thing is that no one got hurt. Suddenly Momenta and Zig-Zag appear with the injured Mallory Book in their hands.

She-Hulk tells Samson that she isn’t saying this hasn’t been helpful, but that she should get to work. She asks Samson what the verdict is on her crazy changes all of a sudden. Samson says that her savage episodes were brought on by external forces. He says that her changing back in her sleep is internal. He says that something is going on a subconscious level. She-Hulk asks how that is even possible though and that Reed said that she was supposed to be locked in this form. Samson says that there is a simple answer to that. He says that Reed lied. She-Hulk asks why he would do that. Samson says that he told him to. Samson says that when she had that accident with the excessive radiation that she was unable to change back into Jen. Reed couldn’t find any physical reason for it so he called him to observe in secret. Samson says that the answer was obvious… she couldn’t change back because deep down she didn’t want to. She-Hulk says that he is blowing her mind. Suddenly they hear a giant boom. She-Hulk and Samson go running after. Samson says that they will talk more later. She-Hulk says that he can bet they will.

She-Hulk and Samson arrive at Timely Plaza to find Titania standing amongst the rubble that was the building. She-Hulk says that this can’t be happening. Titania says that it is. She asks She-Hulk if she likes it and says that she did it for her. She says that this is payback for all the years that she treated her like a joke. She tells her to laugh this off and throws a column at her. The column hits Samson and knocks him down. She-Hulk asks if he is okay. Samson gives her a thumbs up. Titania leaps down and She-Hulk rusher her. She says that she has gone too far this time. She says that when she is done with her that they will need a mop and bucket. She-Hulk leaps on Titania, but she bounces right off. Titania says to try one of hers. Titania hits She-Hulk and sends her flying.

She-Hulk says that was a bad move because it wrecked her Jupitor suit. She-Hulk says that was the only thing keeping her strength in check, but that right now she doesn’t care. Titania says to bring it and show her what she’s got. She-Hulk throws a punch strong enough to create a sonic boom from the impact, but Titania just catches it in her hand. She-Hulk says that it isn’t possible. Titania says that today she is full of possibilities… infinite possibilities. She-Hulk spots the gem of power on Titania’s head. Titania crushes She-Hulk’s hand. She hits She-Hulk and sends her flying. Titania leaps at She-Hulk. She says, “Face it, Greenie, there’s only room for one strongest woman… and it ain’t you!” She lands on She-Hulk and drives her into the subway. She-Hulk is hit by a train and causes it to derail. She-Hulk lies on the ground groaning. Titania tells her not to move. She says that she wants to savor this. She says that she has been waiting so long for this and that it is finally here. Titania lifts a giant slab of concrete over her head and says, “The death of the She-Hulk!” Jennifer Walters lies on the ground hurt.

Site for Sore Eyes rating: 9.5 out of 10

Review and pictures by The Leader

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