There have been several variations of the Hulk over the years, but his most terrifying form yet is about to debut. Hulk is the heroic monster of the Marvel Universe, the gamma-radiated giant that also serves as one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes on the Avengers. After a somewhat recent turn at being Immortal, Hulk returned to his Incredible roots under the creative team of writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson and artist Nic Klein. They introduced horror elements to The Incredible Hulk, and the next phase of the book continues this path, but increases the horror to a whole new level of fear.
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The next chapter of Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Nic Klein’s Hulk saga begins in November’s Infernal Hulk #1. Marvel calls this “a monstrous new chapter following their bold run that debuts the most terrifying Hulk in comic book history!” Those are pretty bold words considering all the versions of Hulk there have been over the years, including the Immortal Hulk, Joe-Fix-It, Gladiator Hulk from Planet Hulk, Maestro, and many more. Nic Klein’s cover of Infernal Hulk #1 and a character design sheet reveal a massive grey Hulk that appears to have a crack running down his face through his chest, with the crack glowing green with gamma.
Infernal Hulk Will Have Massive Repercussions for the Marvel Universe
Infernal Hulk picks up after Hulk’s epic rematch with the Eldest, the powerful firstborn of the Mother of Horrors, in October’s Incredible Hulk #30. The Eldest’s long-seeded plan comes to fruition as it uses the power of the Strongest There Is to usher in a new Age of Monsters, unleashing a dark destiny for the entire Marvel Universe and declaring war for its very soul.
The promotional piece by Nic Klein focuses on the crack that goes down Hulk’s body. When it’s a close-up shot of the crack, it looks like a flowing river of gamma. But when you pull the camera back, we now know it’s the Infernal Hulk’s body. This new series continues to push the boundaries of horror storytelling, and it’s a welcome change that helps the book stand apart from Immortal Hulk and Incredible Hulk.
“I’ve been promising Hulk fans the biggest, boldest status quo change in Hulk’s history, and that time is finally here,” Johnson said. “The next few issues of Incredible Hulk give fans all the answers they’ve been waiting for about Eldest and the Mother of Horrors, and INFERNAL HULK is the beginning of a terrifying new normal, not just for the Hulk series but for the entire Marvel Universe.”
“Working on Hulk whether it be ‘Incredible’ and now ‘Infernal’ with Phillip has been a dream,” Klein said. “Phillip is not only an amazing world builder and craftsman who pours so much heart into this book, but he has also become a great friend and fantastic collaborator throughout this. INFERNAL HULK is where the journey was always going to go all along, and I’m excited to see reader’s reactions to it. I know I’m putting a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into it, as always.”
Johnson also elaborated on what readers can expect out of this new era. “There are monsters way worse and more powerful than anything we’ve seen so far, bigger and stronger than Hulk with origins that go back to the foundations of the Earth. It’s time to take this story to the next level, and no corner of the Marvel Universe will be left untouched before the end.”
INFERNAL HULK #1
- Written by PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON
- Art and Cover by NIC KLEIN
- Virgin Variant Cover by NIC KLEIN
- Promo Variant Cover by NIC KLEIN
- On Sale 11/26
- INCREDIBLE…IMMORTAL…INFERNAL!
- The evil known as Eldest has literally torn Bruce Banner and the Hulk apart and taken the Hulk’s body as their own. This new, unstoppable Infernal Hulk is ten times the monster that everyone always feared Hulk would be. Their diabolical plan is to plunge the world back into ancient horrors by transforming our heroes into nightmarish beasts! Meanwhile, the indomitable Bruce Banner, though powerless, will stop at nothing to thwart their evil schemes!
Infernal Hulk #1 goes on sale Wednesday, November 26th. Let us know your thoughts on this new Hulk form in the comments below!
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