The Incredible Hulk Annual #7
Published and © by Marvel, 1978
Title: “The Evil That Is Cast …”
Synopsis: Angel and Iceman must team with the Hulk after a Sentinel Master Mold crashes the former X-Men’s double date.
Writers (co-plotters): Roger Stern and John Byrne
Writer: Stern
Penciler: Byrne
Inker: Bob Layton
Review: The former staffers of the fanzine Contemporary Pictorial Literature reteam as pros on this done-in-one treat form Marvel. And while John Byrne has been famously dismissive of Bob Layton’s inking (see below), fans of both men’s work should find this issue to be a splendid visual treat. Story wise, the Hulk feels like a guest star in his own annual as this one is two parts X-Men and one part Champions. But the CPL Gang, including writer Roger Stern, packs a lot of fun into this single issue, from a Doc Samson guest appearance to the Sentinel Master Mold.
Grade: A-
Second opinion: Recommended by The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide (second edition), 2003.
Cool factor: John Byrne drawing Sentinels? ’Nuff said.
Character quotable: “The Hulk doesn’t sneak. The Hulk smashes!” – The Hulk, no ninja he
A word from the artist: “It’s kind of difficult to put into words why I don’t like Bob Laytons’s inking. This is going to sound really silly, but I actually feel physically ill when I look at Bob’s stuff. I really do. It’s like everything is greasy and slimy.” – John Byrne, in The Comics Journal #57, July 1980
Editor’s note: This review was written Oct. 15, 2021.
Recently re-purchased this comic, an old favorite. I considered it a continuation of / epilogue for the Champions, so had to add it to the collection. Fun stuff.
Not sure why Byrne objected to Layton’s inking; IMO Layton was the next best Byrne inker after Terry Austin. Am I off the mark?
Nope, I agree with you on Layton’s inks over Byrne, particularly during that era. Later, I really liked Al Gordon’s inks on FF and Mark Farmer’s work over Byrne’s JLA: Classified. I remember reading that Byrne was partial to inkers like Tom Palmer and Tony DeZuniga. Those inkers gave his pencils a rougher feel; I always prefered the more polished look of Austin, etc.