Bruce Banner: The Hulk Appreciation 2019

[Immortal Hulk]

Yea, the bleeding cool didn't have that part. I think that is referring to TOBA? Or maybe a newly resurrected Hulk? Remember Al said death is a hard reset for Hulk, so maybe he finally dies after billions of years only to be reborn as some kind of new entity.

This is going to be an impossible issue to predict...


@NeroSub89
@Al_Ewing
Myself and many others have noticed that Hulk resembles Eternity a lot in the cover of IH #25, is this intentional or coincidental? Anyway the cover and solicits for it have me pumped up so much. Most anticipated issue of IH so far.


Al Ewing Writes Comics
@Al_Ewing
Replying to
@NeroSub89
This is one upcoming book I'm not breathing a word about. Seriously, I am a sealed tomb on this one, except to say - you cannot predict what's coming.

(I don't know what I'm going to do when it comes time for interviews on websites. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.)

Definitely this one, Subzero89. Maybe not too different from a being like Galactus (what happened with Galan).

What I know is, like I posted in another place:

Man, Hulk is already a beast! The strongest one there is! But he's becoming THE BEAST!

[Immortal Hulk]

Outstanding article about the brilliance of Immortal Hulk


The Immortal Hulk’ Is A Horrifying Take On The Classic Superhero

Author Al Ewing has given a new, horror-infused spin on an old monster


Between a devilish Hulk, a disturbingly resigned Banner and a strange green door that could well be a portal to hell itself, “The Immortal Hulk” offers a gloriously unholy mashup of horror and superhero. By returning the character to his roots, Ewing has created something new and undyingly fantastic.

https://studybreaks.com/culture/read...immortal-hulk/

[Cth]

Copying my thoughts to this forum as well..

In preparation for the issue, I'm re-reading Ultimates #100 by Ewing and seeing what pops out at me.

FYI, for those who didn't read it, or don't have the patience for reading Wiki pages..

https://marveluniversesaga.blogspot....beginning.html

So, based on the cover and series so far, we have one of two possible scenarios.

1) Hulk becomes an embodiment similar to Galactus in the universe that follows this one. This is based on the choice Banner has to make to be a force for creation or destruction. Galactus was supposed to be a force for creation (Lifebringer) as described below:


Following his appearance in "Hunger", Galactus was a major supporting character in Ultimates (vol. 2) #1-6 (Jan.–June 2016), where writer Al Ewing fundamentally changed the nature of Galactus' character. During the events of the story, Galactus is transformed into "The Lifebringer," a being who is compelled to infuse dead planets with life-sustaining energies, thus altering the character's primary motive for the first time since Galactus' debut in 1966. Elaborating on what inspired the change, Ewing explained "What inspired it -- a mixture of wanting someone big on or allied with the team -- originally, we thought about Odin, but he's a bit busy -- and my usual preoccupations with atonement, redemption, growth and change. So what can [Galactus] do now? Well, whereas before he was taking in vast amounts of energy, now he's putting out vast amounts of energy -- pure life energy. He always said he was going to give back more than he took out of the universe -- now he's making good on that, one dead world at a time."[21] The themes of redemption and change were received well by columnist Mark Peters, who described Ewing's work on "Ultimates" as "one of the best Galactus stories ever."[22]

[..]

Galactus was originally the explorer Galan of the planet Taa, which existed in the prime pre-Big Bang universe. When an unknown cosmic cataclysm gradually begins killing off all of the other life in his universe, Galan and other survivors leave Taa on a spacecraft and are engulfed in the Big Crunch. Galan, however, does not die: after bonding with the Sentience of the Universe, he changes and gestates for billions of years in an egg made of the debris of his ship that the current universe formed after the Big Bang. He emerges as Galactus, and though a Watcher observed Galactus' birth and recognizes his destructive nature, the Watcher chooses not to kill Galactus.[23][24][25] Starving for sustenance, Galactus consumes the nearby planet of Archeopia - the first of many planets he would destroy to maintain his existence.[23][26] Subsequently, in memory of his dead home world Taa, and the first planet (Archeopia) to fall prey to his hunger, Galactus constructs a new "home world": the Möbius strip-shaped space station called "Taa II".

[..]

Galactus returns to the universe, and after an encounter with Squirrel Girl,[81] is forced into his own incubator by the Ultimates, who are determined to end his threat. Galactus re-emerges as a Lifebringer instead of a Devourer of Worlds, his first act being to restore Archeopia, the first world that he ever consumed.[82] The entity later rescues the team at the behest of Eternity, and learns that the latter has been imprisoned by an unknown force. Galactus also comes into conflict with fellow cosmics Lord Chaos and Master Order, who, with the Molecule Man, wish for Galactus to return to his former role as a Devourer of Worlds and thereby restore order to the universe. Galactus locates the hero Anti-Man outside the multiverse and, after transforming him into a Herald of Life, sends him to recruit the recently disbanded Ultimates to help discover the identity of Eternity's captor, who is later revealed to be the First Firmament, the first iteration of the cosmos. Lord Chaos and Master Order bring Galactus to trial before the Living Tribunal, still seeking to restore Galactus to his former state for the sake of the cosmic balance. Although Galactus successfully argues that the balance of the new Multiverse is different and that his old role is obsolete, the Tribunal is destroyed by a Firmament-influenced Master Order and Lord Chaos. After a brief battle, Master Order decides to create a new cosmic order, which it and Lord Chaos control. Their former servant, the In-Betweener, is forcibly merged with them into a new cosmic being called Logos. After destroying several Celestials, Logos forcibly transforms Galactus back into the Devourer of Worlds. The process is reversed when Anti-Man sacrifices his life to restore Galactus as the Lifebringer. Galactus then swears to free the imprisoned Eternity.[83]

Which sounds like the choice Hulk is faced with. Eventually Galactus has to revert to Destroyer but it was a conscious choice he eventually makes.

Then we have option #2.




2) Hulk becomes the embodiment of Eternity/Ninth Cosmos. Admittedly, the only basis we have for this is Ross' cover for #25 which has a lot of imagery associated with Eternity (planets and stars inside his form). There's one difference though, half the planets are breaking/being destroyed in the Hulk's form. It could be a metaphor for Bruce and the Hulk possibly. The white background suggests it is at the end of this cosmos and the start of the new one as seen in Ultimates 100.

Either way, I have absolutely ZERO idea where Ewing will go with a Galactus/Cosmos Hulk. It could be as simple as giving the character a bookend like The End.

Anyways, here's some things that jumped out at me..

Captain Universe. The Defender of Eternity. Hulk/Banner is the only human who's served twice in the role. I think X-23 did as well, but she's a mutant. Either way, knowing Ewing that's something he can touch on, showing that they've had their eye on him for a while now.

Ultimates 100 has this interesting exchange by the Fifth Cosmos (Maker of Magic -- which we now know Gamma is a third form/emanation of. He's also known as the Weaver of the Illusions of Change. And the Hulk's always been about change. And tangentially, the Shaper of Worlds took an interest in the Hulk. Later when Glorian got involved with Cloot (another cosmic deity taking interest in the Hulk) Shaper saved him and later went on to save Eternity in Ultimates 100)

"But haven't you heard, oldest one? The first secret of magic. Nothing ever really dies."

Kinda sounds like a certain gamma individual, huh?

[Immortal Hulk]

I have no idea, Cth! But that's the case with Ewing.

All of them are incredible, but I have to say my favorite is the one related to the Fifth Cosmos!

[PlatinumThorns]

As a refresher, here are all the interations of the (current) Multiverse:



Each iteration is supposed to 'improve' on their predecessors. If we run with the theory that Hulk turns into the 9th Cosmos' version of Eternity, then it's possible it could have something to do with the balance of good and evil. Creation and destruction.

[Kolwyr]

Theres a final part that was added to the of Immortal Hulk #25!

IMMORTAL HULK #25
Written by AL EWING
Art by GERMÁN GARCÍA with JOE BENNETT
Cover by 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.

https://www.newsarama.com/46050-immo...-al-ewing.html

Skriiiiiiiitch... *pulls up chair*

[Immortal Hulk]

Man, I have to reread Ultimates. It's another fascinating work by Ewing!

By the way, Cth. Here's a post at that same forum I've made as an answer to yours:

There's more. I guess this mystical angle might be the one to chosen because it's related to the question asked several times:

Is He of the Geburah or of the Golachab?

What if his choices, unlike what happened to Galactus ( a being of scientific nature, instead of mystical) lead him to a similar (mystical) process, changing him into something like Geburah, a being who also is vital to balance in the universe?


Geburah is the sephirot of Restraint, which takes away that which is unnecessary in the cosmos, destroys the wicked, fights evil and injustice, and maintains an equilibrium with Chesed, Loving kindness. However, it is obvious to see that when this force is out of balance, it becomes too destructive, and burns that which should not be burned.

[Immortal Hulk]

Much like the last issue, it seems #21 will do it too:

Quixotic Comics
@QuixoticComics

Another last page reveal that will leave you gagging! Immortal Hulk 21 by
@Al_Ewing @paulmounts @corypetit @AlannaWrites @TomBrevoort @JoeBenn33636019 @marvel

#Hulk #ImmortalHulk #QOTC Out tomorrow on #NCBD

https://twitter.com/QuixoticComics/s...158276096?s=20

[Cth]

From Ewing's interview with Newsarama and speculation on another forum:

>Ewing: I need to find a free afternoon sometime soon to read America: a Prophecy by William Blake.

So, I'm assuming Hulk is going to be Blake's Orc...

>Orc is a force of revolution, revival, and of passion who is the polar opposite to Urizen, the cruel and tyrannous god. Orc is the force of new life in the cycle and Urizen represents the older version of Orc that dies at the end of the cycle. As such, Orc and Urizen appear in their evolution from one to the other in the "Seven Eyes of God", or the seven historical cycles of Blake's myth. Each cycle is divided into three phases, which begins with Orc's birth and then describes Orc's binding, which is connected to the time in a human's life where they are at their imaginative greatness. This is followed by the creation of abstract religion and a view of the universe as mechanical. This is then followed by rationalism, which led to Aristotle, Bacon, Locke and other empirical-based scientists. The second phase is where Urizen takes over the fallen world, which is represented by the Enlightenment in the seventh cycle. This leads to materialism, the death of the soul, and warfare. This phase ends with prophets declaring that Orc will appear. The third phase describes an Orc's crucifixion and a return of human life to nature.

http://www.93beast.fea.st/files/sect...20Prophecy.pdf

[..]

Also, if one understands the cycle of the orc,
Once he overthrows the old guard,
He becomes the thing he despised.

Ewing really let the cat out of the bag, here.
We will be seeing the Maestro.

[..]

>>And a cowl of flesh grew o'er his head, and scales on his back and ribs;
Oh. ****.

[..]

There's a lot in there;
Ewing really spilled the beans thinking (rightfully so),
That no one would actually read it, or, more probably, understand it.
I am now, 100%, guaranteeing the return of Maestro.
If the Hulk is to be successful in his mission,
You will see Maestro crucified.
Ewing is riding this one all the way to the top.

[..]

So if we use this, is the current story in the second or third phase?

Also, Urizen might be future Banner. The one that sees the end of creation.

[..]

Still first phase.
I'm actually feeling bad about letting this loose now.
Imagine that final scene, hitting you with no preparation.
Let's not allude to either of those posts anymore.
Orc becomes Urizen, That is the cycle that has to be broken.

[..]

Ewing put it out there, he knew what he was doing. But yeah, if we theorize further with this, some media folks may get the word of it and spoil it for everyone (as they have in the past), specially considering I doubt many of they would've actually read Blake.

[Immortal Hulk]

It's fascinating. However, I believe it could be completely wrong. Gotta read Blake's Prophecy in the future, though!

[GrandEleven]

So if death is a hard reset for hulk, is death of the universe even more so? That's one heck of a reset if so. Would explain why TOBA is so interested in him ... a being that would one day make up the universe. So if TOBA could infect him ... "get to him" ... that rebirth results in his "hell on earth"... on a reality scale.

[Cth]

Last page has leaked.

[Immortal Hulk]

Immortal Hulk #21 is out now!

[Immortal Hulk]

I was not prepared to see that last page!

Ewing does it again!

[Ptrvc]

Spoilers!
But only from the letter page.

I'd much rather see Skaar and Hiro-Kala then Cho. But it looks like we're probably going to see him in this book. *Grumble*