Previously announced by the House of Ideas, Marvel's April 2022 solicitations have brought with them a full pullback on the curtain for "Banner of War," an upcoming crossover that pits Thor and The Hulk against each other....again. With fan-favorite writer Donny Cates penning both Hulk and Thor it stands to reason that the pair would crossover and now we know the storyline will take place across three months and carrying on into the summer with artist Martin Coccolo drawing all five issues. Marvel Comics revealed some of the new variant covers that will be released with the first part of the story, Hulk vs. Thor: Banner of War Alpha #1. Check them out below along with the full solicit and the schedule for the entire crossover.
"Well, I was a little surprised that Marvel approached me to write this, if I'm being honest," Cates said previously. "I'm mostly known for writing very small, very quiet, intimate comics, so I had to-ha!! Sorry. Couldn't keep that up. Yeah, this is gonna be bonkers as hell, guys. We're going to break EVERYTHING! Happy birthday, Hulk and Thor! Hope you enjoy MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF VIOLENCE!"
Coccolo added: "Where do I even start? I get to celebrate Hulk and Thor's 60th anniversaries, which is already amazing and a dream come true, but I get to do it with an insane script by the great Donny Cates AND the support of an incredible group of editors? That's just ridiculous! I'm absolutely honored by this opportunity and I've been giving it my 100%. Hopefully readers will agree. I can only say to all the fans out there to strap yourselves 'cause this is going to be a wild ride!"
Marvel's official description for the event reads as follows:
"In the aftermath of the opening arc of HULK and the 'God of Hammers' arc currently unfolding in THOR, both Bruce Banner and Thor Odinson have both undergone massive changes, but one thing remains constant – their heated rivalry! When mysterious circumstances bring them into conflict once more, will the God of Thunder be able to triumph against a Bruce Banner who can now control his rage?"
HULK VS. THOR: BANNER OF WAR ALPHA #1
DONNY CATES (W) • MARTIN COCCOLO (A) • Cover by GARY FRANK Variant Cover by MARTIN COCCOLO Variant Cover by RON LIM Hulk Smash variant by Trevor Von Eeden Mjolnir Crash variant by Trevor Von Eeden Variant Cover by RYAN STEGMAN Wraparound Connecting Variant Cover by GEOFF SHAW Hulk and Thor have both undergone massive changes recently, but one thing remains constant – their heated rivalry! When mysterious circumstances bring them into conflict once more, will the God of Thunder be able to triumph against a Bruce Banner who can now control his rage? Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of both characters, this epic five-part crossover between the THOR and HULK series starts here in this oversized Alpha issue, brought to you by creators Donny Cates and Martin Coccolo! Key mysteries from both series will be revealed, as well as shocking consequences for the future of both characters! (Continued in May's THOR #25 and HULK #7!) 40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ ...$4.99
