Many comic fans regard Immortal Hulk to be one of the best comics on stands right now, thanks to its incredibly creative and wide-ranging approach to the history of Marvel’s green Avenger. The series has already weaved in quite a lot of Hulk’s decades-long lore, and its most recent arc is focusing on the return of Xemnu. Technically Marvel’s “first Hulk”, Xemnu is a giant white furry monster, who goes out of his way to manipulate and sway public perception. Immortal Hulk #32 showcased Xemnu’s impact in a pretty significant way, while also weaving in one of the best and weirdest Easter eggs the series has had yet. Obviously, spoilers for Immortal Hulk #32! Only look if you want to know!
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Issue #32 opens with a montage of people being interviewed about Xemnu’s impact, and arguing the different ways that the creature has positively affected their lives. In one panel, the montage goes to a group of kids at a school, one of whom is a blonde boy in an orange shirt. He remarks that Xemnu is his local hero, and that he totally saw him “embiggen” in person at one point. Surrounding him are a boy in a red shirt and blue vest, another boy with blue hair and eyebrows, and a girl in an orange dress and a pearl necklace.
Yep, that’s right. The kids from The Simpsons made their way into Immortal Hulk. Upon second glance, it’s clear that the kids are stand-ins for Bart, Nelson, Milhouse, and Lisa. The name of the school behind them – which is largely covered by Bart’s speech bubbles – is also clearly meant to say “Springfield”. Heck, even the use of “embiggen” is a connection to The Simpsons, as the word originated from the Season 7 episode “Lisa the Iconoclast”.
To an extent, this marks the first time The Simpsons has appeared in comics (albeit, unofficially) in at least a year. The iconic television series has led to an array of comic adaptations and spinoffs, the majority of which were published by Matt Groening’s Bongo Comics. The company then went defunct in 2018, with the last issue of Simpsons Comics being published in October of that year.
What do you think of The Simpsons‘ cameo in Immortal Hulk? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
