Phillip Kennedy Johnson began writing The Incredible Hulk in 2023, and took readers on a monster-filled ride that had more in common with The Immortal Hulk than it did the Cates/Ottley run that came before it. It all ended with the possession of the Hulk by the Eldest, creating a new version of the Jade Giant. This brings us to The Infernal Hulk #1, as the new Hulk spreads destruction and prepares to usher in the Age of Monsters, with Kennedy and Nic Klein taking readers on a horrific ride that takes the idea of Hulk horror stories to a new level. This issue convinced me to buy this book, and I wasn’t even interested in it at first.
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This is honestly one of those perfect first issues. I had stopped reading Johnson’s Incredible in the teens; it was fine, but I wasn’t loving it. This is pretty common with the Hulk and me; I like the Hulk a lot, but sometimes I lose interest. I wasn’t really sold on this issue walking into it, because it honestly felt like someone took the Kluh design from AXIS and added some extra ideas to it. However, this isn’t that; as far as it goes, this first issue takes the concept of the Hulk horror story to new places, and I’m honestly here for it. One thing I worry about with Marvel is beating a good idea to death, and after reading The Immortal Hulk, I was afraid that we’d get that kind of Hulk story forever. It’s one of the reasons why I liked the Cates/Ottley run; it was different. The Incredible Hulk didn’t really feel special — it was basically a Hulk horror manga, complete with a sidekick — and it lost me. However, if this book can keep up what it did with this issue, I’m there.
I think the watchword for this comic is brutality, and it comes through right from the start. There is an ominous feel from the beginning of the issue, and it draws you in. The book doesn’t take long to get going, and by get going, I mean have the Hulk start killing people. It’s honestly a pretty visceral moment; we’ve all known how easy it is for Hulk to kill humans, but seeing it is something else. It goes from there, with page after page of Hulk ripping everything apart. The Hulk has some cool villains, but we’re getting the best Hulk villain in this book: the Hulk himself. It’s done fantastically, and as the book goes on, it gets even scarier. We’ve seen the Hulk as a villain before, but this book is definitely going to go in different directions with that idea. Kennedy sets up some cool plot elements, and I’m excited to see where they’re going to go.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
| Pros | Cons |
| Sets the perfect tone throughout the issue | It’s all rather simple; it’s well done, but it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be all that deep |
| The art is fantastic | |
| An interesting set-up that will hook any reader |
Nic Klein Brings the Goods with the Art
Nic Klein has become one of Marvel’s best artists over the years, his work on Donny Cates’s Thor and The Incredible Hulk showing off just how good he really is. That’s on full display in The Infernal Hulk #1. Everything is honestly fantastic; the character acting, the figure work, and the detail are all perfect. Nothing ever gets sketchy, and it always looks spectacular. Klein is able to take the vibe that Kennedy is putting out and capture it perfectly. The artist is able to nail the ominous feel of the beginning, and when the attack finally starts, things go from ominous to terrifying immediately. Tone is very important to making this issue work, and Klein is a master of it.
The book’s action scenes really sell how amazing the art is. Klein’s Hulk has always been great, but this new infernal version is the perfect evolution of the monster into something more dangerous. There are so many great little details in the fight; the way his skin ripples when he’s shot, the way soldiers just turn to meat and blood in his hands, and the sheer amount of destruction he causes make this into an amazing Hulk action scene. This is the Hulk unleashed on humans, and it’s gorgeously terrifying. The monster isn’t holding back, and neither is Klein. The book’s ending takes Klein’s amazing ability with body horror and takes it to the ultimate extent, showing us the living city of Gologolthia, and what the Hulk made his dead enemies into. Klein is the key to this whole issue; his art really brings it all to life in wonderful, horrific ways.
Before I read this issue, I wasn’t sure if I’d buy this book. My favorite Hulk stories are the deeper ones, the ones that are about more than just the Hulk fighting monsters, or the ones that aren’t like any other Hulk stories I’ve read. This one doesn’t have a lot of depth, but it feels different, and that’s what I want. The only reason this issue isn’t getting a five out of five is that it’s not all that deep; it’s all there on the surface. However, what’s there is fantastic. Kennedy and Klein give readers the perfect beginning to a new kind of Hulk horror series, one where the monster is actually a monster. This is a major change to the Hulk status quo, and it’s amazing. I’m sold on this book, and I’m pretty sure you will be too.
The Infernal Hulk #1 is on sale now
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