Marvel Brings Back a Major Hulk Villain

For all of Immortal Hulk thus far, Bruce Banner was stalked by a government-backed military task force called Shadow Base. Led by General Reg Fortean, a protege of Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, the Shadow Base went to incredible lengths to try to take out the Hulk once and for all, sending out villains like Bushwacker and creating a new Abomination. Fortean even went as far to turn himself himself into the Abomination after Rick Jones was freed. In Immortal Hulk #24, the Hulk defeated Fortean and took control of Shadow Base. With Fortean out of the way, the role of antagonist in Immortal Hulk has been vacated. Immortal Hulk #25 reveals and old foe who may next step into that role SPOILERS for Immortal Hulk #25 by Al Ewing, German Garcia, Chris O’Halloran, Joe Bennett, Ruy Jose, and Paul Mounts follow.

Immortal Hulk #25 breaks away from the main narrative taking place in the present day. Instead, it takes place eons into the future, where the Hulk has transformed into the cosmic being known as the Breaker of Worlds. This is the ultimate incarnation of the One-Below-All, the embodiment of hatred that fuels the Hulk. As the Breaker of Worlds destroys that last habitable planet and smothers the last sun in the universe, one of the last survivors of the Hulk’s interstellar rampage sends a time-traveling creature back in time with a message.

That message is received by someone who can understand it. That someone is the Leader.

The Leader has long been the inverse of the Hulk. Exposure to gamma increased the Leader’s intelligence by the same measure that it increased the Hulk’s strength. The Leader died and went to hell for a time only to make an unexplained return. Developments in Immortal Hulk, such as the revelation that gamma-infused beings are unkillable, help explain Leader’s return. He hasn’t been seen much since his resurrection, but it seems he’s now ready to square off with the Hulk once again.

What do you think of the Leader’s return in Immortal Hulk #25? Let us know in the comments. Immortal Hulk #25 is on sale now.

Immortal Hulk #25
AUG191030
(W) Al Ewing (A) Joe Bennett, German Garcia (CA) Alex Ross
GROUNDBREAKING DOUBLE-SIZED ISSUE!
• You’ve never read a Hulk comic like this before. You’ve never read a Marvel comic like this before.
• The heat death of our universe has come and gone. The Hulk is finally dead. Now, billions of years later, the Ninth Cosmos cowers…
• …before the BREAKER OF WORLDS.
Rated T+
In Shops: Oct 23, 2019
SRP: $5.99