Marvel’s Hulk Hints At A Much Darker Hulk

After the body horror heavy take on the material came to a conclusion with the final issue of Immortal Hulk, Marvel’s latest version of the big green giant has taken things in an entirely new direction, or has it? Writer Donny Cates made the leap to the Hulk after concluding his work on Venom with superstar artist Ryan Ottley along for the ride, and ride is the correct word. In the new series The Hulk and Bruce Banner have never been more fractured, or whole. The Hulk’s body is now a starship, piloted by Banner from his mind, but fueled by the rage on the inside, and the latest issue teased something else is on the inside as well, something more sinister.

As we said, the Hulk’s rage is what powers the “starship” in this latest story-arc, appropriately titled “SMASHSTRONAUT,” but this week’s issue revealed a surprising presence inside of the Hulk’s mind along with his rage, seemingly teasing a darker take on the Hulk. This presence first appears in the issue’s opening, taunting Banner in a dream, but it emerges again later to taunt Hulk as well. It’s unclear what exactly this new Hulk persona is, or if it’s one that we’re familiar with already, but he seems like he’s going to be a big part of the story arc as the latest solicitations from Marvel indicate.

The cover art for Hulk #6, due out in April, seems to tease that this alternate Dark Hulk is on the verge of breaking out, and with a crossover between Thor and Hulk on the horizon it could spell disaster for the two Avengers (or at least a compelling reason why they’re fighting, again). Whether this new Dark Hulk ends up becoming the pilot for the Hulk, the fuel for the starship, or his own entity altogether, leaves a lot of questions for fans as we wait for the story arc to play out.

The full solicitation for Hulk #6 can be found below along with the cover.

HULK #6
DONNY CATES (W) • RYAN OTTLEY (A/C) • Variant Cover by MARCO MASTRAZZO
Spoiler Variant Cover by GEOFF SHAW • Spider-Man Variant Cover by ALEX GARNER
“SMASHTRONAUT” Part 6 of 6!
The first arc of Donny Cates and Ryan Ottley’s mind-blowing Hulk saga reaches its epic climax as Bruce Banner’s control over Starship Hulk slips…and something much worse takes the wheel…
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99