Looking back at his body of work, I think Sam Kieth is probably most heralded for his weird creator-owned works. Particularly The Maxx but he has an extensive catalogue of limited series that take a incredibly unique look at life. Of people dealing with trauma in interesting ways, often channeling those hardships through a kind of fantasy understanding.
But Kieth’s idiosyncrasies, his experimental storytelling and unique approach we’re limited to his own creations. He’d earned the trust and respect to handle some of Marvel and DC’s biggest characters as well, bringing his inventive work to mainstream comics.
“What’s a little kid doing running around out here in the snow?”
Wolverine/Hulk by Sam Kieth, Richard Isanove, and Richard Starkings & Comicraft’s Wes Abbott was one of the Marvel Knights mini-series in the early ’00s that allowed for a more loose interpretation of continuity and an offbeat approach. A team-up of Wolverine & Hulk that featured a strange little girl trying to save herself and her father from drowning after a plane crash.
It introduces us to Po, a little girl in pink pajamas, who can apparently project her mind outside her body. After Logan crashes himself, she appears to him and tries to get him to help rescue her and team-up with her uncle. Her uncle turning out to be the Hulk. Wacky hijinks ensue as naturally Wolverine and Hulk don’t really get along. There’s a wonderful bit of humour that Kieth weaves through the story, playing against the trope of superheroes having to fight before they work out their misunderstandings.
The character of Po also allows Kieth to incorporate some different styles in the story. The kid likes drawing, so parts of the story reflect childlike illustrations. It’s very interesting when her grasp on projecting to Logan falters and she starts appearing more like a cartoon. It’s a nice counterpoint to the exaggerated detail of Kieth’s more familiar style. The artwork is enhanced by Isanove’s gorgeous colours, echoing some of Kieth’s own painted work. And we get some shifts in lettering style, between dialogue and Po’s narration from Starkings & Abbott.
“Hulk feels…nothing.”
Wolverine/Hulk by Kieth, Isanove, Starkings, and Abbott is a fun adventure story that plays with superhero tropes and the imagination of a little girl. It’s a wonderful adaptation of Kieth’s themes and motifs to a more mainstream comics situation, still capturing the inventiveness of his work, and presenting it in a way that fits two of Marvel’s heavy hitters.
Classic Comic Compendium: WOLVERINE/HULK
Wolverine/Hulk
Writer & Artist: Sam Kieth
Colourist: Richard Isanove
Letterers: Richard Starkings & Comicraft’s Wes Abbott
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release Date: February 27 – May 22 2002
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