Bruce Banner: The Hulk Appreciation 2019

[Russ840]

Damn!!!!!!

What a great issue. Again !

I don’t think I have ever seen the Hulk this......... what shall we say........ beaten up.

Horrifying stuff.

[Omega Alpha]

Good thing I read this issue before 7 am here, because I don't think I'll be able to sleep any time soon after seeing that.

[Immortal Hulk]

Holy s#! What an issue!

I knew I was going to be surprised with the ending, but I didn't imagines it at all!

It seems the team keeps getting better and better, but Joe was the biggest star in #19, imo.

Poor Hulk, btw, It was painful seeing him like that. We always see him beating the bad guys to a pulp, and he's the one getting beat (in a much horrific way) now.

Btw, wonderful as this comic is, it seems #20 will be one for the ages, with so much things we're about to learn: what this Hulk really can do?

From the mail section:

Next time, We find out a little more about about exactly what happens when the Hulk dies, the battle in the parking lot gets explosive and We get a glimpse of the future - and what the consequences of all this might be to Bruce Banner.

I wonder the nature of these glimpses. Something "Future Imperfect", maybe.

[Subzero89]

That was an amazing issue.

The ending was one to remember.

Thought it looks like if anything can outshine the ending of this issue, it's the revelations that are going to happen in the next.

[Immortal Hulk]

That was an amazing issue.

The ending was one to remember.

Thought it looks like if anything can outshine the ending of this issue, it's the revelations that are going to happen in the next.

I'm sure that will happen!

Btw, there's an interesting post on reddit about this issue. I think it has some cool points:

Holy ****, I did not expect that at all, and it’s crazy how Ewing told us it would happen with that Shakespeare quote at the beginning. But ****, that took a turn. I like the analogy of their situation to the Spider, Butterfly, and the Web. It’s beautifully done and really quite cool if you break it down.

I would have to guess that The One Below All is the Spider, it created the Web, the thing that traps all the the other insects, the Hulk, Who seems to trap people in his orbit, and who always pay the price for their association to him. The Butterfly is obviously Betty, who wants to break Free from the Web, The Hulk Who has made many lives Hell, including her own. She’d rather destroy the creation than the creator, she could careless about who the Spider his or why it made the Web was made, she just wants the Web gone.

There’s probably some dual analogy with Rick being the Spider, as he was also responsible for creating the Hulk, The Web in this case, that mostly cause he’s got those dangly face fingers.



What do you guys think about it?

[SuperiorIronman]

Another great issue. I loved how it focused on Betty and with those flashes to her in her normal state, I'm wondering just how much of her is in the driver's seat. I also love how she "breaks" his heart this issue.

Kind of awful but if I get the opportunity I'm absolutely heading out to the comic shop to get the physical issue. I feel like this comic needs to be mounted on my wall or something.

[Subzero89]

I'm sure that will happen!

Btw, there's an interesting post on reddit about this issue. I think it has some cool points:

Holy ****, I did not expect that at all, and it’s crazy how Ewing told us it would happen with that Shakespeare quote at the beginning. But ****, that took a turn. I like the analogy of their situation to the Spider, Butterfly, and the Web. It’s beautifully done and really quite cool if you break it down.

I would have to guess that The One Below All is the Spider, it created the Web, the thing that traps all the the other insects, the Hulk, Who seems to trap people in his orbit, and who always pay the price for their association to him. The Butterfly is obviously Betty, who wants to break Free from the Web, The Hulk Who has made many lives Hell, including her own. She’d rather destroy the creation than the creator, she could careless about who the Spider his or why it made the Web was made, she just wants the Web gone.

There’s probably some dual analogy with Rick being the Spider, as he was also responsible for creating the Hulk, The Web in this case, that mostly cause he’s got those dangly face fingers.



What do you guys think about it?

That's a good assessment of the whole thing.

As i said the metaphor is pretty clear, it's all about Betty escaping from the web as if she is escaping from her responsibilities to Bruce. Hulk/Bruce can no longer weigh her down and she can no longer bear the tragic life that they left her with.

Until next 1-2 issues where everything turns honky-dory i guess because we know they will team up. Obviously it wont be that easy so i am looking forward to seeing how Al mends their relationship.

[Immortal Hulk]

There are a lot of possibilities for the glimpse of the future! A friend posted two that caught my mind:

1. Hulk ruling over Hell?!
2. An apocalyptic future of Hulk “killing” the world?!

Any more ideas?

[Cth]

I knew I should have posted my theory about Hulk dying this issue.. I just figured it have been Abomination that did the deed.

Previews showed Bruce in Hell again, so it was obvious, but still when it happened.. WOW.

Ok, thoughts..

The title is a full on horror comic now. Heads being popped off, dismemberment, hearts being eaten, etc.

Remember issue 2 and how it ended? Hulk gets a little karma for ripping his limbs off?

"Waiting for the green light." - Gotta love these lines.

Obviously, Betty is the butterfly.. the one we see is colored red just to drive the point home. "The butterfly can't break free without breaking the web.." And the panel shows it breaking out of the web. Flashbacks show that the Bruce/Betty relationship isn't healthy again (ultimately resulting in her killing him -- again) So she breaks free of Bruce by the end -- metaphorically. Also worth noting, Red She Hulk hated Bruce if I remember, so it makes sense that influence comes out in her gamma form regardless of what form it takes.

AH HA! Remember the issue where there was talk of a third form of gamma? I think we're seeing that play out before our eyes and that will be the big revelation next issue.

And I hadn't thought of it but this Hulk hasn't died yet.

I'll even go so far as to say that OBA is influencing Rick and Betty. Remember Creel seemed to be fighting back saying "Sorry" .. maybe that's what's happening with Abomination. He didn't immediately attack Betty and seems to suggest to her that she kill Bruce. And Rick saw Bruce in Hell, so maybe part of him understands what needs to happen.

Also, Hulk's heart is what altered the new Abomination.. what'll happen when Betty consumes it?

[Subzero89]

There are a lot of possibilities for the glimpse of the future! A friend posted two that caught my mind:

1. Hulk ruling over Hell?!
2. An apocalyptic future of Hulk “killing” the world?!

Any more ideas?

I think killing the world is what is likely to happen, obviously could be wrong. But with all this talk about "ending the world" i think TOBA(Brian Banner) is gonna give Bruce a glimpse into the future if he were to either let Devil Hulk do as he pleases or maybe they both screw up and unleash that Hulk thats chained in place of Devil Hulk now and in turn they end up killing all humans.

[Immortal Hulk]

I knew I should have posted my theory about Hulk dying this issue.. I just figured it have been Abomination that did the deed.

Previews showed Bruce in Hell again, so it was obvious, but still when it happened.. WOW.

Ok, thoughts..

The title is a full on horror comic now. Heads being popped off, dismemberment, hearts being eaten, etc.

Remember issue 2 and how it ended? Hulk gets a little karma for ripping his limbs off?

"Waiting for the green light." - Gotta love these lines.

Obviously, Betty is the butterfly.. the one we see is colored red just to drive the point home. "The butterfly can't break free without breaking the web.." And the panel shows it breaking out of the web. Flashbacks show that the Bruce/Betty relationship isn't healthy again (ultimately resulting in her killing him -- again) So she breaks free of Bruce by the end -- metaphorically. Also worth noting, Red She Hulk hated Bruce if I remember, so it makes sense that influence comes out in her gamma form regardless of what form it takes.

AH HA! Remember the issue where there was talk of a third form of gamma? I think we're seeing that play out before our eyes and that will be the big revelation next issue.

And I hadn't thought of it but this Hulk hasn't died yet.

I'll even go so far as to say that OBA is influencing Rick and Betty. Remember Creel seemed to be fighting back saying "Sorry" .. maybe that's what's happening with Abomination. He didn't immediately attack Betty and seems to suggest to her that she kill Bruce. And Rick saw Bruce in Hell, so maybe part of him understands what needs to happen.

Also, Hulk's heart is what altered the new Abomination.. what'll happen when Betty consumes it?

Good analysis! But, wasn't the Abomination's (Blonsky) heart that triggered the mutation on Rick?

I think killing the world is what is likely to happen, obviously could be wrong. But with all this talk about "ending the world" i think TOBA(Brian Banner) is gonna give Bruce a glimpse into the future if he were to either let Devil Hulk do as he pleases or maybe they both screw up and unleash that Hulk thats chained in place of Devil Hulk now and in turn they end up killing all humans.

I hadn't thought about it! That rage Hulk could still be there just waiting for the opportunity to come out.

[chamber-music]

This Hulk run reminds me of the Saga Of Swamp Thing in a way.

[Immortal Hulk]

This Hulk run reminds me of the Saga Of Swamp Thing in a way.

It's been compared to it by quite a few fans and critics.

[Cth]

Hrm, I don't know if it was Abomination or Hulk's heart. I figured it was Hulk's since it was still full of blood and Abomination had been dead for a while/obliterated by that point.

Add in the imagery if it was the same heart. They made a point to trot out his heart in that issue and what they were doing to it. That's the only reason why I think it was Hulk's heart and not Abomination's.

I wonder if there's some Christ imagery as well with the idea. As in the Hulk is the gateway/communion/etc. There's the conquering death stuff as well.

It's unreal how much symbolism you can read into the current run The butterfly/spider stuff can be interpreted on so many levels and characters.

[Immortal Hulk]

Man, Immortal Hulk is really popular.

Marvel Celebrates Immortal Hulk with Immortal Variants in September

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/06...-in-september/