Red Hulk #18 REVIEW: Origin of Doc Samson
Hulk #18 review- Maybe there is an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-good God after all. After 17 horrible issues of RULK, writer Jeph Loeb came up with a winner on the 18th try. Hey, I just realized something after reading Hulk #18, RULK isn’t even in it.
I had been used to Doc Samson’s 1980’s appearances as a guest star in the Avengers and being a main cast member in John Byrne’s and Peter David’s Hulk runs, so I had no idea how selfish, insecure, and unhealthy Doc Samon was before he had transformed into a gamma irradiated superhero until I had finally gotten my hands on his 1971 origin issue and his first few storylines. There is no doubt that Roy Thomas had set out to create a rival for the Hulk, not a helper, as Samson was later depicted as, and certainly not a true super hero.
Anyway, Hulk 18 showcases Doc Samson- who had been revealed to be a villain in the last few Hulk issues- having a therapy session. Here we finally get into an excellent deconstruction of the character that first made his appearance in 1971 (Incredible Hulk 141 by Roy Thomas). Quite frankly when I read the Hulk 141 back issue this year, I was so shocked that Dr. Leonard Samson was a barely average Enneagram Type 5 when he made his first appearance (an absent-minded professor-type who felt rejected by his peers and didn’t have a woman, so he tried to compete with Bruce Banner to get Betty Ross by stealing the Hulk’s power). I HATED Samson’s early appearances, especially since he was tagging Betty Ross. Although other comic book writers have used that angle, no one did it as good as Loeb in this issue (ALL is revealed).
The reason I bring all of this up is because Jeph Loeb tackles everything I had just typed in this Doc Samson issue- and more. Loeb created a great retcon- how was Dr. Leonard Samson even allowed on a military installation in the first place, and who funded his work to create a super powered being? In 1971, it was kind of accepted that any “doctor” can just waltz in on Gamma Base with General Ross’s blessing and no one wrote in letters to the editor. But now, Loeb actually retconned that event into the Fall of Hulks storyline and tied it to the creation of the Red Hulk! Yes, Samson was sent to Gamma Base back then to test out the device and draw power from the Green Hulk to create a super powered being (himself). A similar device was used to create Rulk! In other words, this plot has been going on since Incredible Hulk 141-and it all fits.
We also find out the deep rooted psychological issues that motivate Doc Samson- he was living in the shadow of his father, who was also a psychologist/author/intellectual snob named Leo. His wife called him Samson. Leo’s patients were HOT women suffering from anorexia. Leonard never had the women, the fame, or the respect- even after he became a super-powered being, he never became accepted by the Avengers, Defenders, or other Marvel teams.
To further get into the sick and twisted mind of Samson, he finally admits he “gets off” by fighting the Hulk (which, according to his therapist, obviously means he feels impotent for losing all the time).
This was the first Jeph Loeb Hulk comic tackled characterization, motivation, and continuity. What a concept.
The artwork by 1990’s wunderkind Whilce Portacio fits the issue much better than Ian Churchill’s Hulk artwork.
Hulk 18 SPOILER: It is revealed that Samson was actually speaking to himself [yes, HE was the therapist] and there were three projected personalities in the room at the end: Samson the nutjob, Doc Samson the superhero, and Dr. Leonard Samson the psychologist. In the end, only Samson the madman remains- he kills the other aspects of his personality because he wants to suppress his intellect to become more vicious to defeat the Hulk. M.O.D.O.K. was watching the whole session and said that Samson is ready now.
This issue is highly accessible to any Hulk fan, and a must for Doc Samson fans. Two thumbs up! Get it today.
Hulk #18
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I find it offensive that Doc Samson would be skewed enough to think that if he goes dumb and "thinks" with his fists that'll he'll finally beat the Hulk.
In another comic book (Spider-Man), not only did Samson become stupid and savage, but he was also had extra Gamma energy…. and the Hulk STILL beat the crap out of him.
Even with a role reversal, Samson lost to the Hulk.
Also, you didn't mention that Loeb retconned Paul Jenkin's retcon that Samson did NOT successfully merge all of Banner's personality types. It appears we are not back to Peter David's continuity. Very ironic.
So M.O.D.O.K. provided Samson the Cathexis Ray back in 1971. Interesting. Of course, does that mean that Samson was always a bad guy? If so, that's a retcon that's too tough to swallow.
GREAT WRITING, LOEB! Yeah, right.
??????
You complained that Rulk was all action and no plot.
Now that we have a great issue, you are still complaining.
Are you neurotic?
L-l-l-l-et's go Met!
NO, this does NOT mean that Samson was always bad. It means he was being used. No Duh.
As far as Loeb retconning Jenkins' retcon? Did you READ this comic book?
If you READ it, you would have SEEN that Doc Samson was SKEWED and thinks he *should* have won a Nobel Prize for merging Banner's personalities.
So?
How does that retcon that he really didn't?
Why would a skewed Samson admit that his greatest accomplishment was a lie? In Paul Jenkins' run he reveals that he..uh..kinda fudged it because Banner was too attached to the Hulk so he Samson created the big green "Professor Banner" Hulk version as a compromise.
Nothing in this Loeb issue contradicts that.
Seriously, there is so much misinformation in comment sections that by now they are worthless.
What a great comic! Glad Loeb went back to being a storyteller!
I had no idea Doc Sampson was so skewed!
Do you have any blogs available?
I get the sense that the negitive reviews are from people who Havent read hulk 141. It's quite clear that Samson, while not evil, is suffering from serious insucurity issues. Dude DELIBRATLEY fires Gamma rays at himself to become a super-hero; he actually says so in the issue. He does this, as hulk 18 points out, despite what happened to Banner, Blonsky, and Sterns, as well as in spite of, you know, the whole thing about radition usally killing people. These are not the actions of a healthy, stable mind.
Also did anyone catch the Freudian reference here? The three Samsons represent the Id, ego, and superego.
The therapist represents the ego, that's the rational, logical part of the psyche, which works to balance the other two extremes, which are known as:
The Samson in the 70's outfit is the superego, the part that strives for nobility, and perfection.
And the, uh, naked one is the id, all the nasty and selfish impulses, the part that loves looking at himself in the mirror and wants to nail Betty, regardless of banner.
For a Freudian, we all have these things, but it's quite clear in hulk 141 that Samson's id is a bit too dominant, and hulk 18 indicates that modok has put Samson's id in complete control.
Also, Samson is Polish. Cool.
Wow, Hasan…excellent, excellent points on ID, Ego, and Super Ego. I did not notice that.
As far as the other characters on the message boards- I really don't think they're long time "Hulkamaniacs" who have a good grasp of comic book history. I thik they missed Rulk this issue..lol.
DailySkew reviews are an alternative to the forum mutants and even standard reviews from IGN.