She-Hulk's back with her own solo series in February

Brian Truitt | USA TODAY

The Hulk is a large, muscular and larger-than-life icon in comic books, and if the creative team of a new She-Hulk solo series has their way, his cousin will be, also.

She-Hulk has had a variety of Marvel Comics books since her first appearance in 1980, when a transfusion of Bruce Banner's gamma-radiated blood turned Jennifer Walters into a green clothes-busting, supervillain-punching goddess. And she garners a new one beginning in February as part of the "All-New Marvel Now" initiative that will be as innovative as it is action-packed, according to series writer Charles Soule (Thunderbolts, Swamp Thing).

"She-Hulk has always been a title where weird, cool things can happen," he says. "She is a strong — very strong — female character, and comics absolutely cannot have too many of those.

"There's no reason Jennifer Walters can't be iconic, and we're going to do what we can to make that happen."

Paired with artist Javier Pulido (Incredible Hulk, Human Target), Soule has seen the She-Hulk series dare to be different, from the heroine breaking the fourth wall in John Bryne's late-1980s Sensational She-Hulk to the finely tuned screwball comedy of Dan Slott's 2000s-era book.

"That hypothetically means I get to do interesting things myself," Soule figures. "Plus, she's brainy, which always appeals to me, but she doesn't always make the best decisions — and that's a combination that's ripe for drama."

The writer has at least one thing in common with She-Hulk — they're both lawyers, and the female Avenger's day job as an attorney will be a main feature of his series.

"One of the things I want to explore is the fact that she wants to be exceptional at everything she does, but that's not always possible. You can spread yourself too thin," Soule says. "She'll be out on her own, without much of a support group at first, a total underdog trying to make good. I love stories like that — Jen's going to be very easy to root for."

The legal connection doesn't hurt, but She-Hulk editor Jeanine Schaefer says that Soule has a great handle on what makes her complex and intriguing without being grim and gritty or overly wacky. "He has a real ability to get into the heads of his characters, understand what makes them tick and what kinds of decisions they'll make when they're up against it — and then has the chops to deliver the 'it' to put them up against."

The story arcs will be on the short side, one to three issues each, according to Soule, and will be very much tuned into her surrounding superhero world. There's a "huge" guest star planned for the first issue, another A-lister playing an important role in the first story line, and an over-arching narrative with several elements of the larger Marvel Universe.

It'd be a crazy place to live, Soule adds, "and we're going to see some of what that would actually be like, through the eyes of Jennifer Walters."

Amid all this, she has a day job that might actually be a little more stressful than saving the world, according to Schaefer, plus she doesn't try to conform with what a superheroine is supposed to look like and she knows what she wants — most of the time — and goes for the brass ring.

"She's a friend, a combatant, a confidant, and yet she's still the hero of her own story," Schaefer explains. "All the drama in this book comes from decisions Jennifer — and She Hulk — make, and as an Avenger, that's going to mean real consequences not just for her but for all corners of the Marvel U.

"She combats all the crap that gets thrown at her with something more akin to positivity, but that doesn't make her flighty — she chooses to deal with her inner turmoil in a different way, something more like I imagine Captain America does."

Soule and Pulido are also aiming for a strong element of fun with their series.

"It's not at all out of character for Jennifer Walters to go out partying all night, or spend a day hanging out at the beach," Soule says. "It's hard to imagine a story where, say, the Punisher does that.

"At the same time, one of the things I want to work hard to do in this new series is treat her as a real person. She absolutely has problems, just like most of the heroes of the Marvel U, but she chooses to approach them with optimism and good spirit rather than surrendering to the grim and gritty. It takes a lot to bring She-Hulk down, although we'll throw a lot at her."

Like everyone else, she might have issues, Pulido adds, "but she's not a tragic figure in the way that her cousin is, or a dark character."

The artist is currently developing She-Hulk's look for the series, and wants to keep some of the "savageness from her beginnings" and add a wild and dangerous look to set her apart from the rest of the Marvel women, he says.

"Yes, she's Hulk's cousin, but she's also gorgeous. That's a very important part of the character, and I plan to keep it. When she comes into a room, her presence calls for the attention of everyone there, not just for her skin's color. She has that kind of magnetism around her."

Soule enjoys the lived-in nooks and crannies of the Marvel Universe, and he wants to explore some of those uncharted corners with Jennifer's law practice, allowed him to use his own experience to find adventurous cases for her.

"For example, the Chameleon might come to her and want to sue someone for identity theft — sort of ridiculous, but you can say some interesting things in a story like that," Soule says.

He also promises "amazing" action. "It's She-Hulk. She's gotta punch stuff. It's why she's punching stuff that will make this series good."