Incredible Hulk (2023) #11-14

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Incredible Hulk (2023) #11–14

Reading issues #11 through #14, I kept waiting for the arc to cohere — and honestly, it never quite did for me. The story introduces Charlie (who has been traveling with Banner), only to trap her soul inside a Frozen Charlotte doll/construct, which forces Hulk/Banner to hunt for mystical help. In #12, they head to Strange Academy seeking Doctor Strange, but end up dealing with Doctor Voodoo and the dark Soul Cage ritual to rescue her. By #13, Banner and Hulk’s souls are literally separated and sent into a prison realm of magic and monsters to find Sumanguru (a sorcerer who can “weave souls into flesh”) and restore Charlie.

What worked (sometimes):
-When the arc leaned into horror, mysticism, and body/soul horror, there were flashes of promise. The concept of splitting Banner and Hulk to confront internal/mystical threats is compelling. #13, in particular, makes an effort to tie the monster hunts into a journey with stakes, rather than purely episodic slogs.


-The surprise of how Voodoo’s magic operates — forcing Banner’s soul into a cage, having Hulk hold off external threats — is an interesting twist, and gives something more than just brute force to the conflict.


-Artist Nic Klein’s return in #12 is often cited as a positive. Reviewers say his layouts and visual pacing elevate the issue.

What missed / what faltered:
-Lack of momentum / plot drift: The arc spends a lot of pages on “monster of the week” fights (Frozen Charlotte, other mystical creatures) without progressing the larger narrative thread (the Eldest, Mother of Horrors) in any meaningful way. Many reviews feel Johnson is stalling or sidetracking. Confusing magic rules & world-building: The soul cage mechanics, how Frozen Charlotte is formed or tied to Charlie’s soul, and the role of these mystical beings (Sumanguru, Flesh Weaver, etc.) often feel underexplained or dropped into the middle of fights. Sometimes the revelations come during combat, which undercuts pacing. Tone inconsistency / trying too hard: The series sometimes wobbles between cosmic/horror, monster action, and superhero melodrama in ways that don’t always mesh. Some emotional beats (Charlie’s plight, Banner’s inner struggle) aren’t given enough breathing space to land.


-Art inconsistency: The switch from Danny Earls (issue #11) to Nic Klein (starting in #12) is jarring. Issue #11 gets criticized for uneven figure work, weak layouts, and lackluster action until late in the issue.


-Emotional weight is thin: Charlie as a character hasn’t earned deep investment in many fans’ eyes, so making her soul the emotional anchor sometimes feels hollow. Some reviewers say she “feels unnecessary” in the narrative right now.
Final Word

I get why you’re struggling with this run — it feels like it’s trying to recapture the haunting power of Immortal Hulk (Ewing/Bennett) without fully committing to the consistency, pacing, or sense of dread that made that run resonate. There are good ideas here — soul splitting, mysticism, dark rituals — but they feel undercooked, episodic, and disconnected from a strong through-line.

If I were grading #11–14, I might land somewhere around a 6 to 6.5 / 10: not bad, interesting at times, but frustratingly uneven and often lacking cohesion. I hope the next few issues tighten things up (re-establish clearer rules, stabilize the creative team, and double down on stakes) so readers who want to get hooked will find a stronger foothold.

Not everyone is Al Ewing and Joe Bennett. It's ok to find your own way here. If I see a GREEN DOOR, I'm out on this series.

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